The 190304 season was the 16th season of The Football League.

The Football League
Season1903–04
ChampionsThe Wednesday
RelegatedStockport County
New Club in LeagueBradford City

Final league tables

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Beginning in the 1894–95 season, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded). In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.

During the first six seasons of the league, (up to the 1893–94 season), re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.

First Division

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First Division
Season1903–04
ChampionsThe Wednesday
2nd English title
RelegatedLiverpool
West Bromwich Albion
Matches played306
Goals scored939 (3.07 per match)
Top goalscorerSteve Bloomer
(20 goals)
Biggest home winMiddlesbrough 6–0 Manchester City
(24 October 1903)
Sunderland 6–0 Bury
(23 January 1904)
Biggest away winNottingham Forest 3–7 Aston Villa
(19 December 1903)
Nottingham Forest 0–4 Everton
(27 February 1904)
Highest scoringNottingham Forest 3–7 Aston Villa
(19 December 1903)
Longest winning run8 matches
Sheffield United
Longest unbeaten run8 matches
Manchester City
Sheffield United
Longest losing run5 matches
Liverpool
Highest attendance40,000
Aston Villa 2–1 The Wednesday
(26 December 1903)
Everton 5–2 Liverpool
(1 April 1904)
Lowest attendance1,500
Nottingham Forest 4–2 Stoke
(25 November 1903)
Average attendance12,899

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Relegation
1 The Wednesday (C) 34 20 7 7 48 28 1.714 47
2 Manchester City 34 19 6 9 71 45 1.578 44
3 Everton 34 19 5 10 59 32 1.844 43
4 Newcastle United 34 18 6 10 58 45 1.289 42
5 Aston Villa 34 17 7 10 70 48 1.458 41
6 Sunderland 34 17 5 12 63 49 1.286 39
7 Sheffield United 34 15 8 11 62 57 1.088 38
8 Wolverhampton Wanderers 34 14 8 12 44 66 0.667 36
9 Nottingham Forest 34 11 9 14 57 57 1.000 31
10 Middlesbrough 34 9 12 13 46 47 0.979 30
11 Small Heath 34 11 8 15 39 52 0.750 30
12 Bury 34 7 15 12 40 53 0.755 29
13 Notts County 34 12 5 17 37 61 0.607 29
14 Derby County 34 9 10 15 58 60 0.967 28
15 Blackburn Rovers 34 11 6 17 48 60 0.800 28
16 Stoke 34 10 7 17 54 57 0.947 27
17 Liverpool (R) 34 9 8 17 49 62 0.790 26 Relegation to the Second Division
18 West Bromwich Albion (R) 34 7 10 17 36 60 0.600 24
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Results

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Home \ Away AST BLB BRY DER EVE LIV MCI MID NEW NOT NTC SHU SMH STK SUN WED WBA WOL
Aston Villa 2–3 0–2 3–0 3–1 2–1 0–1 2–1 3–1 3–1 4–0 6–1 1–1 3–1 2–0 2–1 3–1 2–0
Blackburn Rovers 0–3 2–2 2–1 0–2 2–3 2–5 1–1 4–0 3–1 3–0 3–0 1–1 2–0 1–3 0–0 2–0 1–1
Bury 2–2 3–0 2–2 0–0 2–2 1–3 1–1 0–3 2–2 3–0 0–1 1–0 2–2 3–1 1–0 2–1 0–0
Derby County 2–2 3–0 2–2 0–1 2–0 2–3 2–2 1–3 2–6 0–1 3–5 4–1 5–0 7–2 0–2 4–2 2–1
Everton 1–0 3–1 2–1 0–1 5–2 1–0 2–0 4–1 0–2 3–1 2–0 5–1 0–1 0–1 2–0 4–0 2–0
Liverpool 1–1 1–2 3–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–1 3–0 0–2 0–0 2–1 1–3 1–3 1–2
Manchester City 1–0 1–0 3–0 2–1 1–3 3–2 1–1 1–3 0–0 3–0 0–1 4–0 2–2 2–1 1–1 6–3 4–1
Middlesbrough 2–1 0–2 1–0 0–0 3–0 1–0 6–0 1–3 1–1 1–0 4–1 3–1 2–0 2–3 0–1 2–2 1–2
Newcastle United 1–1 2–1 3–2 0–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–1 3–1 4–1 0–1 3–1 1–0 1–3 4–0 1–0 3–0
Nottingham Forest 3–7 0–1 2–2 5–1 0–4 2–1 0–3 1–1 1–0 0–1 1–1 0–1 4–2 3–0 0–1 2–0 5–0
Notts County 0–0 4–2 0–0 2–2 0–3 4–2 0–3 3–2 3–2 1–3 2–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 2–3 0–2
Sheffield United 1–2 2–2 0–0 3–2 2–1 2–1 5–3 3–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–2 1–1 4–0 7–2
Small Heath 2–2 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–1 1–2 0–3 2–2 3–0 3–3 2–0 1–3 1–0 2–1 0–0 0–1 3–0
Stoke 2–0 6–2 4–1 1–1 2–3 5–2 1–2 0–0 2–3 2–3 0–2 3–4 1–0 3–1 3–1 5–0 5–1
Sunderland 6–1 2–0 6–0 0–3 2–0 2–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 3–1 4–1 2–1 3–1 3–0 0–1 1–1 2–1
The Wednesday 4–2 3–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 4–1 1–1 2–1 2–0 3–0 3–2 1–0 0–0 1–0 4–0
West Bromwich Albion 1–3 2–1 3–2 0–0 0–0 2–2 2–1 0–0 1–2 1–1 0–0 2–2 0–1 3–0 1–1 0–1 1–2
Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–2 1–0 0–0 2–2 2–2 4–2 1–6 2–2 3–2 3–2 1–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–1 2–1 1–0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: [1]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

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Second Division

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Football League
Second Division
Season1903–04
ChampionsPreston North End (1st title)
Failed re-electionStockport County
Matches played306
Goals scored942 (3.08 per match)
Top goalscorerPercy Smith (Preston North End), 26[1]
Biggest home winWoolwich ArsenalBurton United 8–0 (19 Sept 1903)
Woolwich ArsenalLeicester Fosse 8–0 (26 Oct 1903)
Biggest away winBlackpoolBurnley 0–5 (13 Feb 1904)
GlossopManchester United 0–5 (19 Sept 1903)
Highest scoringWoolwich ArsenalBurton United 8–0 (19 Sept 1903)
Woolwich ArsenalLeicester Fosse 8–0 (26 Oct 1903)
GlossopBurnley 6–2 (21 Nov 1903)
Burslem Port ValeLeicester Fosse 6–2 (27 Feb 1904)
Longest winning run8 matches
Woolwich Arsenal (5 Sep 1903 – 26 Oct 1903)
Longest unbeaten run13 matches
Preston North End (5 Sep 1903 – 5 Dec 1903)
Longest losing run5 matches
Burnley (29 Feb 1904 – 26 Mar 1904)

Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GAv Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Preston North End 34 13 4 0 38 10 7 6 4 24 14 2.583 50 Division Champions
2 Woolwich Arsenal 34 15 2 0 67 5 6 5 6 24 17 4.136 49 Promoted
3 Manchester United 34 14 2 1 42 14 6 6 5 23 19 1.970 48
4 Bristol City 34 14 2 1 53 12 4 4 9 20 29 1.780 42
5 Burnley 34 12 2 3 31 20 3 7 7 19 35 0.909 39
6 Grimsby Town 34 12 5 0 39 12 2 3 12 11 37 1.020 36
7 Bolton Wanderers 34 10 3 4 38 11 2 7 8 21 30 1.439 34
8 Barnsley 34 10 5 2 25 12 1 5 11 13 45 0.667 32
9 Gainsborough Trinity 34 10 2 5 34 17 4 1 12 19 43 0.883 31
10 Bradford City[a] 34 8 5 4 30 25 4 2 11 15 34 0.763 31
11 Chesterfield Town 34 8 5 4 22 12 3 3 11 15 33 0.822 30
12 Lincoln City 34 9 4 4 25 18 2 4 11 16 40 0.707 30
13 Burslem Port Vale 34 10 3 4 44 20 0 6 11 10 32 1.038 29
14 Burton United 34 8 6 3 33 16 3 1 13 12 45 0.738 29
15 Blackpool 34 8 2 7 25 27 3 3 11 15 40 0.597 27
16 Stockport County[b] 34 7 7 3 28 23 1 4 12 12 49 0.556 27 Failed re-election
17 Glossop 34 7 4 6 42 25 3 2 12 15 39 0.891 26 Re-elected
18 Leicester Fosse 34 5 8 4 26 21 1 2 14 16 61 0.512 22
Source: [2]
Notes:
  1. ^ New club in the league
  2. ^ Upon failing to be re-elected to the Football League, Stockport County joined The Combination. Doncaster Rovers took their place for the following season.

Results

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Home \ Away BAR BLP BOL BRA BRI BRN BPV BRT CHF GAI GLP GRI LEI LIN MUN PNE STP WOO
Barnsley 2–2 1–0 1–2 2–0 1–1 1–0 2–1 0–0 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–1 0–2 1–0 0–0 2–1
Blackpool 0–2 1–4 0–1 0–1 0–5 1–0 4–1 0–0 2–1 3–2 3–0 1–2 2–1 2–1 0–3 4–1 2–2
Bolton Wanderers 5–1 3–0 1–0 1–1 1–1 5–0 3–0 4–0 5–0 0–1 4–0 3–1 1–2 0–0 0–2 0–1 2–1
Bradford City 3–1 0–2 3–3 1–0 3–0 1–1 3–0 2–6 1–3 2–1 1–0 4–0 2–1 3–3 1–1 0–0 0–3
Bristol City 2–0 5–0 2–0 1–1 6–0 2–1 4–0 3–2 2–1 5–0 4–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 3–1 6–0 0–4
Burnley 2–2 1–4 0–0 3–2 2–3 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–0 2–4 2–0 2–1 3–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–0
Burslem Port Vale 3–0 5–0 2–3 5–2 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–0 3–0 1–1 1–2 6–2 2–2 1–0 0–1 2–0 2–3
Burton United 1–1 1–1 2–1 0–2 2–3 1–2 0–0 4–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 0–0 5–2 2–2 0–0 7–0 3–1
Chesterfield 1–0 2–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 0–0 1–1 2–1 6–1 0–0 0–1 2–0 0–1 0–2 0–1 4–1 1–0
Gainsborough Trinity 4–2 3–1 3–1 3–0 3–1 1–2 3–0 1–2 1–0 0–1 4–2 4–0 0–0 0–1 2–0 2–2 0–2
Glossop 7–0 0–1 3–3 2–0 1–1 6–2 4–1 0–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 5–0 5–0 0–5 2–2 5–1 1–3
Grimsby Town 5–1 4–0 0–0 2–0 2–0 0–0 3–1 4–0 1–0 3–1 2–0 4–3 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–1 2–2
Leicester Fosse 2–0 5–1 2–2 1–2 1–0 0–0 1–1 1–3 0–0 2–2 4–2 1–1 2–2 0–1 1–4 3–0 0–0
Lincoln City 0–0 0–0 1–0 1–0 2–6 3–1 3–2 1–0 0–2 0–1 3–1 2–1 6–1 0–0 0–0 3–1 0–2
Manchester United 4–0 3–1 0–0 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 4–2 3–1 2–0 5–2 2–0 0–2 3–1 1–0
Preston North End 1–1 1–0 3–1 4–0 3–0 2–0 3–1 4–0 2–1 2–0 3–0 2–0 4–3 2–1 1–1 1–1 0–0
Stockport County 2–2 2–1 3–2 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–4 3–0 1–1 2–0 4–0 0–3 1–5 0–0
Woolwich Arsenal 3–0 3–0 3–0 4–1 2–0 4–0 0–0 8–0 6–0 6–0 2–1 5–1 8–0 4–0 4–0 0–0 5–2
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Maps

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "English League Leading Goalscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  2. ^ "1903–04 Football League". fchd.info. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  • Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane's, London & Sydney, 1980.