2003–04 Wigan Athletic F.C. season

Wigan Athletic
2003–04 season
ChairmanDave Whelan
ManagerPaul Jewell
StadiumJJB Stadium
First Division7th
FA CupThird round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerNathan Ellington (18)
Average home league attendance9,505

During the 2003–04 English football season, Wigan Athletic competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary

Wigan were playing in Division One for the first time in their history, and after losing their first game many tipped them for a swift departure, but Wigan confounded expectations to go unbeaten for the next 17 games and sat at the top the table by November. A weak finish saw Wigan win only three of their last 10 games to finish seventh in Division One – a last minute goal by West Ham's Brian Deane in the final game of the season saw the Latics drop out of the play-off places in favour of eventual play-off winners Crystal Palace.

Final league table

Main article: 2003–04 Football League
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
5 Ipswich Town 46 21 10 15 84 72 +12 73 Qualification for the First Division play-offs
6 Crystal Palace (O, P) 46 21 10 15 72 61 +11 73
7 Wigan Athletic 46 18 17 11 60 45 +15 71
8 Sheffield United 46 20 11 15 65 56 +9 71
9 Reading 46 20 10 16 55 57 −2 70
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

Wigan Athletic's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
9 August 2003 Millwall A 0-2 10,898
16 August 2003 Preston North End H 1-1 12,073 McCulloch
23 August 2003 Burnley A 2-0 13,231 Kennedy, Ellington
26 August 2003 Ipswich Town H 1-0 8,292 Ellington
30 August 2003 Rotherham United A 3-0 6,660 Jarrett, Ellington, N. Roberts
13 September 2003 Wimbledon A 4-2 1,054 Bullard, Liddell, Horsfield, Ellington
16 September 2003 West Bromwich Albion H 1-0 12,874 Horsfield
20 September 2003 Watford H 1–0 9,211 McCulloch
27 September 2003 Coventry City A 1-1 14,862 Jackson
30 September 2003 Cardiff City A 0-0 15,143
4 October 2003 Norwich City H 1-1 16,160 Liddell
11 October 2003 Derby County A 2-2 19,151 Liddell (2)
14 October 2003 Stoke City H 2-1 7,678 Horsfield (2)
18 October 2003 Gillingham H 1-0 6,696 Liddell (pen)
21 October 2003 Sheffield United H 1–1 12,032 Horsfield
25 October 2003 Walsall A 0-2 7,041
1 November 2003 Crystal Palace H 5-0 6,796 Liddell (2, 1 pen), Horsfield, Ellington (2)
8 November 2003 Reading A 0-1 13,819
22 November 2003 Nottingham Forest H 2-2 10,403 Ellington, Liddell
29 November 2003 West Ham United A 0-4 34,375
2 December 2003 Sunderland A 1–1 22,167 De Vos
6 December 2003 Reading H 0-2 7,512
13 December 2003 Bradford City H 1-0 7,256 Horsfield
20 December 2003 Crewe Alexandra A 3-2 7,873 McCulloch, De Vos, Bullard
26 December 2003 Rotherham United H 1-2 9,235 Ellington
28 December 2003 Sheffield United A 1-1 26,056 Ellington
10 January 2004 Millwall H 0–0 7,047
17 January 2004 Preston North End A 4–2 19,161 Roberts, Ellington (2), Teale
31 January 2004 Burnley H 0–0 11,147
7 February 2004 Ipswich Town A 3–1 22,093 Roberts, Ellington, Teale
14 February 2004 Derby County H 2–0 9,146 Ellington, McCulloch
21 February 2004 Stoke City A 1–1 14,927 Ellington
28 February 2004 Walsall H 1–0 7,593 Ellington
6 March 2004 Crewe Alexandra H 2–3 8,367 McCulloch (2)
13 March 2004 Bradford City A 0–0 11,744
16 March 2004 West Bromwich Albion A 1–2 26,215 Liddell (pen)
20 March 2004 Coventry City H 2–1 8,784 Roberts (2)
27 March 2004 Watford A 1–1 13,382 Roberts
3 April 2004 Wimbledon H 0–1 7,622
6 April 2004 Gillingham A 3–0 7,410 Ellington, Roberts, Mahon
9 April 2004 Norwich City A 0–2 23,446
13 April 2004 Cardiff City H 3–0 8,052 Roberts, Ellington
17 April 2004 Crystal Palace A 1–1 18,799 Ellington
24 April 2004 Sunderland H 0–0 11,380
1 May 2004 Nottingham Forest A 0–1 29,172
9 May 2004 West Ham United H 1–1 20,669 N. Roberts

FA Cup

Main article: 2003–04 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 3 January 2004 West Ham United H 1–2 11,793 Quinn (own goal)

League Cup

Main article: 2003–04 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 12 August 2003 Hull City H 2–0 3,295 McCulloch, Jarrett
R2 23 September 2003 Fulham H 1–0 4,874 Ellington
R3 29 October 2003 Middlesbrough H 1–2 8,046 Bullard

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Australia AUS John Filan
2 DF England ENG Paul Mitchell
3 MF Scotland SCO Stephen McMillan
4 DF England ENG Matt Jackson
5 DF Canada CAN Jason De Vos
6 DF England ENG Ian Breckin
7 FW Scotland SCO Andy Liddell
8 FW Wales WAL Neil Roberts
9 FW England ENG Nathan Ellington
10 MF Scotland SCO Lee McCulloch
11 MF Northern Ireland NIR Peter Kennedy
12 MF Wales WAL Michael Flynn
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 GK England ENG Gary Walsh
14 MF Republic of Ireland IRL Alan Mahon
15 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Gareth Farrelly
16 MF England ENG Tony Dinning
18 MF England ENG Jason Jarrett
19 DF England ENG Nicky Eaden
20 MF Scotland SCO Gary Teale
21 MF England ENG Jimmy Bullard
24 MF Republic of Ireland IRL Alan Rogers (on loan from Leicester City)
26 DF England ENG Leighton Baines
30 FW Grenada GRN Jason Roberts[1]

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
14 FW Scotland SCO Mark Burchill (on loan from Portsmouth)
14 MF Jamaica JAM Jamie Lawrence (on loan from Walsall)
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 FW England ENG Geoff Horsfield (to West Bromwich Albion)
17 MF England ENG Ged Brannan (to Accrington Stanley)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
22 FW Brazil BRA Magno Vieira
23 GK England ENG James Salisbury
25 DF England ENG Chris Lynch
No. Pos. Nation Player
27 FW England ENG Greg Traynor
33 GK England ENG Ryan Yeomans
38 FW England ENG David Moore

Statistics

Starting 11

Considering starts in all competitions[2]

References

  1. ^ Roberts was born in England.
  2. ^ "All Wigan Athletic players: 2004".