2003–04 in English football

England
2003–04
	England; 2003–04
Season information
FA Premier League	Arsenal
First Division	Norwich City
Second Division	Plymouth Argyle
Third Division	Doncaster Rovers
Football Conference	Chester City
FA Cup	Manchester United
League Cup	Middlesbrough
Community Shield	Manchester United
← 2002–03	2004–05 →

The 2003–04 season was the 124th season of association football in England.

Overview[]

Arsenal completed the season without losing a league match, becoming champions of the Premiership in the process.

Leeds United avoided going into administration, but were unable to avoid relegation and lost their place in the Premiership - along with Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Norwich City won promotion to the Premiership as Champions after nine years in Division 1. They were joined by runners-up West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace, who beat West Ham United in the play-off final. Wimbledon completed their relocation to Milton Keynes and moved into the former England National Hockey Stadium, which would be used as a temporary home until a new stadium was built at Denbigh North. At the end of the season, following the Dons' relegation, club directors changed its name to Milton Keynes Dons. Bradford City and Walsall joined them in relegation to Football League One.

Plymouth Argyle were Division Two champions and ensured that they would be playing in the second tier of English football for the first time in 11 years. Queens Park Rangers joined them together with Brighton who won the play-off. At the bottom, Rushden & Diamonds were relegated to Division Three along with Grimsby Town, who suffered a second consecutive relegation after losing the last game of the season. Notts County and Wycombe Wanderers were also relegated. In the same division, Oldham Athletic were in financial difficulties but they avoided going into administration after a takeover bid was confirmed.

Doncaster Rovers became Division Three champions to earn their second successive promotion, having been Conference play-off winners the previous season. They had not played above the league's lowest tier for nearly 20 years; they were joined by Hull City, Torquay United and play-off winners Huddersfield Town.

Carlisle United were relegated to the Conference from Division Three. They had spent all but two of the previous 17 seasons in the league's fourth tier. York City followed them out of the Football League after a poor second half of the season. Chester City and Shrewsbury Town were promoted to the Football League from the Football Conference.

Telford United, who had been members of the Conference for every season since its formation in 1979, went out of business at the end of a season in which they had reached the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. The club was quickly reformed as A.F.C. Telford United and joined the Northern Premier League.

Final league standings[]

Premier League[]

Main article:Premier League 2003-04

Division One[]

Main article:Football League First Division (1992-2004) 2003-04

Division Two[]

Main article:Football League Second Division (1992-2004) 2003-04

Division Three[]

Main article:Football League Third Division (1992-2004) 2003-04

Conference National[]

Main article:Conference National 2003-04

Cup finals[]

FA Cup[]

Main article:FA Cup 2003-04

Football League Cup[]

Main article:Football League Cup 2003-04

FA Community Shield[]

Main article:FA Community Shield 2003

Football League Trophy[]

Main article:Football League Trophy 2003-04

FA Trophy[]

Main article:FA Trophy 2003-04

FA Vase[]

Main article:FA Vase 2003-04