2003–04 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season

During the 2003–04 English football season, Blackburn Rovers competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Barclaycard Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

Blackburn Rovers
2003–04 season
ChairmanJohn Williams
ManagerGraeme Souness
FA Premier League15th
FA CupThird round
League CupThird round
UEFA CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Andy Cole (11)
All: Andy Cole (11)
Highest home attendance30,074 (vs. Liverpool, 13 September 2003)
Lowest home attendance19,939 (vs. Charlton Athletic, 20 October 2003)
Average home league attendance24,376

Season summary

edit

Finishing sixth in the Premiership at the end of 2002–03 had booked Blackburn Rovers their second successive UEFA Cup campaign, but it was short-lived. A 5–1 opening-day victory against newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers kickstarted their new season, however, their overall Premiership form was far too dismal to give the side any hope of a third successive European qualification. Indeed, much of the season was spent battling against relegation; a decent finish to the season saw relegation fears eradicated by the end of April. Rovers finished 15th in the final table, putting intense pressure on manager Graeme Souness to turn things around.

Final league table

edit
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
13 Portsmouth 38 12 9 17 47 54 −7 45
14 Tottenham Hotspur 38 13 6 19 47 57 −10 45
15 Blackburn Rovers 38 12 8 18 51 59 −8 44
16 Manchester City 38 9 14 15 55 54 +1 41
17 Everton 38 9 12 17 45 57 −12 39
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Players

edit

First-team squad

edit
Squad at end of 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
1 GK   USA Brad Friedel
2 DF   AUS Lucas Neill
3 DF   SVK Vratislav Greško
5 DF   ITA Lorenzo Amoruso
6 DF   ENG Craig Short
7 MF   ENG Garry Flitcroft
8 MF   TUR Tugay Kerimoğlu
9 FW   ENG Andy Cole
10 FW   ENG Matt Jansen
11 DF   GER Markus Babbel (on loan from Liverpool)
12 MF   IRL Steven Reid[note 1]
14 DF   SWE Nils-Eric Johansson
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF   ENG Andy Todd
17 FW   SCO Paul Gallagher
18 FW   ENG Jonathan Stead
19 FW   TRI Dwight Yorke
20 MF   ENG David Thompson
23 MF   AUS Brett Emerton
24 MF   SCO Barry Ferguson
25 MF   NOR Martin Andresen (on loan from Stabæk)
26 MF   IRL Jonathan Douglas
30 MF   ENG Neil Danns
31 GK   FIN Peter Enckelman
33 DF   ENG Michael Gray

Left club during season

edit

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
4 DF   ENG Martin Taylor (to Birmingham City)
13 GK   IRL Alan Kelly (retired)
16 MF   IRL Alan Mahon (on loan to Ipswich Town; to Wigan Athletic)
18 FW   ITA Corrado Grabbi (to Ancona)
21 MF   ITA Dino Baggio (on loan from Lazio)
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 FW   NOR Egil Østenstad (to Rangers)
25 DF   GER Sebastian Pelzer (to Eintracht Trier)
26 MF   IRL Jonathan Douglas (on loan to Blackpool)
27 DF   SCO Gordon Greer (to Kilmarnock)
30 MF   ENG Neil Danns (on loan to Blackpool and Hartlepool United)

Reserve squad

edit
The following players did not appear for the first-team this 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
22 MF   ENG Ciaran Donnelly
28 GK   GER David Yelldell[note 2]
29 DF   ENG Jay McEveley[note 3]
DF   ENG Alex Bruce
DF   ENG Michael Taylor
DF   SCO Craig Barr
DF   IRL John Fitzgerald
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF   IRL Gavin Peers
MF   ENG Jerome Watt
MF   SCO Ian Black
MF   SCO Gary Harkins
MF   SCO Alan Morgan
FW   ENG Matt Derbyshire
FW   USA Jemal Johnson

Statistics

edit

Appearances and goals

edit
No. Pos Nat Player Total Premier League FA Cup League Cup UEFA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Goalkeepers
1 GK   USA Brad Friedel 40 1 36 1 1 0 1 0 2 0
31 GK   FIN Peter Enckelman 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Defenders
2 DF   AUS Lucas Neill 35 2 30+2 2 1 0 1 0 1 0
3 DF   SVK Vratislav Greško 28 1 22+2 1 1 0 1 0 2 0
5 DF   ITA Lorenzo Amoruso 14 3 11+1 3 0 0 0 0 2 0
6 DF   ENG Craig Short 20 1 19 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
11 DF   GER Markus Babbel 28 3 23+2 3 1 0 1 0 1 0
14 DF   SWE Nils-Eric Johansson 15 0 7+7 0 0 0 0+1 0 0 0
15 DF   ENG Andy Todd 21 0 19 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
33 DF   ENG Michael Gray 14 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Midfielders
7 MF   ENG Garry Flitcroft 33 3 29+2 3 1 0 0 0 1 0
8 MF   TUR Tugay Kerimoğlu 40 1 30+6 1 1 0 1 0 2 0
12 MF   IRL Steven Reid 19 0 9+7 0 0 0 1 0 1+1 0
20 MF   ENG David Thompson 14 1 10+1 1 0 0 1 0 2 0
23 MF   AUS Brett Emerton 40 3 31+6 2 0 0 0+1 0 2 1
24 MF   SCO Barry Ferguson 16 2 14+1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
25 MF   NOR Martin Andresen 11 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 MF   IRL Jonathan Douglas 14 1 14 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
30 MF   ENG Neil Danns 1 0 0+1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Forwards
9 FW   ENG Andy Cole 37 11 27+7 11 1 0 1 0 0+1 0
10 FW   ENG Matt Jansen 21 3 9+10 2 0 0 0 0 2 1
17 FW   SCO Paul Gallagher 28 3 12+14 3 1 0 0+1 0 0 0
18 FW   ENG Jon Stead 15 6 13 6 0 0 0 0 1+1 0
19 FW   TRI Dwight Yorke 27 6 15+8 4 0+1 0 1 2 1+1 0
Players transferred out during the season
4 DF   ENG Martin Taylor 14 0 10+1 0 0+1 0 1 0 0+1 0
16 MF   IRL Alan Mahon 4 0 1+2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
18 FW   ITA Corrado Grabbi 7 0 0+5 0 0 0 0 0 1+1 0
21 MF   ITA Dino Baggio 12 1 0+9 1 0+1 0 0 0 1+1 0

Last updated: 31 May 2004
Source: [1]

Starting 11

edit

Considering appearances in all competitions[2]

Results

edit

Premier League

edit

Results by matchday

edit
Matchday1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH
ResultWDLDLWLLLLLWLWWLLDWDLDLWDLDLWLLLWWWWLD
Position14791091112151619161716141416161415161616141415151615161617171614131315
Source: worldfootball.net
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
16 August 2003 1 Blackburn Rovers 5–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 BST Amoruso   17'
Thompson   29'
Emerton   52'
Cole   79', 87'
Report Iversen   71' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 26,270
Referee: Jeff Winter
23 August 2003 2 Bolton Wanderers 2–2 Blackburn Rovers Bolton, Greater Manchester
15:00 BST Djorkaeff   3' (pen.)
Davies   25'
Report Jansen   50'
Yorke   90'
Stadium: Reebok Stadium
Attendance: 27,423
Referee: Andy D'Urso
25 August 2003 3 Blackburn Rovers 2–3 Manchester City Blackburn, Lancashire
20:00 Sinclair   44' (o.g.)
Amoruso   61'
Report   4' Tarnat
  59' Barton
  87' Anelka
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 23,361
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)
30 August 2003 4 Chelsea 2–2 Blackburn Rovers Fulham, London
15:00 BST (UTC+01) Mutu   45'
Hasselbaink   63' (pen.)
Report Cole   1', 58' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 41,066
Referee: Mike Dean
12 September 2003 5 Blackburn Rovers 1–3 Liverpool Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 Jansen   8'
Neill   45'
Report Owen   12' (pen.), 68'
Kewell   90'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 30,074
Referee: Neale Barry
20 September 2003 6 Portsmouth 1–2 Blackburn Rovers Portsmouth, Hampshire
15:00 De Zeeuw   57' Report Neill   35'
Cole   43'
Stadium: Fratton Park
Attendance: 20,024
Referee: Paul Durkin
28 September 2003 7 Blackburn Rovers 0–2 Fulham Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 Report Luís Boa Morte   5'
Louis Saha   56'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 21,985
Referee: Matt Messias
4 October 2003 8 Leeds United 2–1 Blackburn Rovers Leeds, West Yorkshire
15:00 Johnson   11', 27' Report Baggio   86' Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 35,039
Referee: Uriah Rennie
20 October 2003 9 Blackburn Rovers 0–1 Charlton Athletic Blackburn, Lancashire
20:00 BST Report Hreidarsson   33' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 19,939
Referee: Graham Barber
25 October 2003 10 Southampton 2–0 Blackburn Rovers Southampton, Hampshire
15:00 Beattie   59'
Griffit   87'
Report Stadium: St Mary's Stadium
Attendance: 31,620
Referee: Steve Bennett
2 November 2003 11 Leicester City 2–0 Blackburn Rovers Leicester, Leicestershire
16:05 Bent   75'
Howey   82'
Report Stadium: Walkers Stadium
Attendance: 30,975
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
10 November 2003 12 Blackburn Rovers 2–1 Everton Blackburn, Lancashire
20:00 Babbel   6'
Yorke   13'
Report Radzinski   49' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 22,179
Referee: Paul Dowd
29 November 2003 14 Blackburn Rovers 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 Greško   78' Report Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 22,802
Referee: Graham Poll
6 December 2003 15 Birmingham City 0–4 Blackburn Rovers Birmingham, West Midlands
15:00 GMT (UTC) Dugarry   72' Report Ferguson   66'
Neill   68'
Tugay   82'
Gallagher   88'
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 29,354
Referee: Graham Barber
14 December 2003 (2003-12-14) 16 Arsenal 1–0 Blackburn Rovers Islington, London
14:00 GMT Bergkamp   11' Report Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,677
Referee: Andy D'Urso
20 December 2003 17 Blackburn Rovers 0–2 Aston Villa Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 Report Moore   62'
Ángel   75'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 20,722
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
26 December 2003 18 Blackburn Rovers 2–2 Middlesbrough Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 Babbel   3', 90' Report Juninho   31', 51' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 25,452
Referee: Alan Wiley
7 January 2004 20 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 Blackburn Rovers Wolverhampton, West Midlands
19:45 GMT Butler   63'
Rae   72'
Report Cole   14'
Yorke   78'
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 27,393
Referee: Neale Barry
10 January 2004 21 Blackburn Rovers 3–4 Bolton Wanderers Blackburn, Lancashire
Greško   3'
Yorke   24'
Cole   34'
Report Nolan   1', 78'
Djorkaeff   43'
Giannakopoulos   73'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 23,538
Referee: Steve Dunn
1 February 2004 23 Blackburn Rovers 2–3 Chelsea Blackburn, Lancashire
Flitcroft   3'
Gallagher   87'
Report Lampard   25', 35'
Johnson   88'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 24,867
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
7 February 2004 24 Middlesbrough 0–1 Blackburn Rovers Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
Report Stead   39' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 28,307
Referee: Rob Styles
21 February 2004 26 Charlton Athletic 3–2 Blackburn Rovers Greenwich, London
Cole   10'
Euell   36'
Jensen   90'
Report Cole   74'
Friedel   90'
Stadium: The Valley
Attendance: 26,332
Referee: Uriah Rennie
28 February 2004 27 Blackburn Rovers 1–1 Southampton Blackburn, Lancashire
Andy Cole   52' Report Kevin Phillips   5' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 21,970
Referee: Mike Dean
13 March 2004 (2004-03-13) 28 Blackburn Rovers 0–2 Arsenal Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 GMT Report Henry   57'
Pires   87'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 28,627
Referee: Alan Wiley
20 March 2004 29 Aston Villa 0–2 Blackburn Rovers Birmingham, West Midlands
15:00 Report Flitcroft   26'
Stead   36'
Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 37,532
Referee: Andy D'Urso
27 March 2004 30 Blackburn Rovers 1–2 Portsmouth Blackburn, Lancashire
Tugay   37' Report Sheringham   17'
Yakubu   82'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 22,855
Referee: Paul Durkin
4 April 2004 31 Liverpool 4–0 Blackburn Rovers Liverpool, Merseyside
Owen   7', 24'
Todd   22' (o.g.)
Heskey   79'
Report Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 41,559
Referee: Jeff Winter
10 April 2004 32 Blackburn Rovers 1–2 Leeds United Blackburn, Lancashire
Short   90' Report Caldwell   2'
Viduka   89'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 26,611
Referee: Steve Dunn
12 April 2004 33 Fulham 3–4 Blackburn Rovers Fulham, London
John   26', 45'
Boa Morte   60'
Report Cole   23'
Douglas   49'
Amoruso   51'
Stead   75'
Attendance: 13,981
Referee: Mike Dean
17 April 2004 34 Blackburn Rovers 1–0 Leicester City Blackburn, Lancashire
Dabizas   42' (o.g.) Report Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 22,749
Referee: Rob Styles
24 April 2004 35 Everton 0–1 Blackburn Rovers Liverpool, Merseyside
Report Stead   81' Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 38,884
Referee: Paul Dowd
15 May 2004 38 Blackburn Rovers 1–1 Birmingham City Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 BST (UTC+01) Cole   24' Report John   83' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 26,070
Referee: Dermot Gallagher

FA Cup

edit
3 January 2004 Third round Birmingham City 4–0 Blackburn Rovers Birmingham, West Midlands
15:00 Morrison   23'
Clemence   36'
Forssell   78'
Hughes   84'
Report Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 18,688
Referee: Paul Durkin

League Cup

edit
29 October 2003 Third round Blackburn Rovers 3–4 Liverpool Blackburn, Lancashire
20:00 Yorke   35', 90'
Ferguson   81'
Report Murphy   39' (pen.)
Heskey   49', 61'
Kewell   79'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 16,918
Referee: Mike Riley

UEFA Cup

edit
24 September 2003 First round 1
First leg
Gençlerbirliği S.K.   3–1 Blackburn Rovers   Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium
14:55 Skoko   42'
Youla   43', 60'
Report Emerton   57' Attendance: Ulus, Ankara
Referee: Paolo Vertini (Italy)
15 October 2003 Round 1
Leg 2
Blackburn Rovers   1–1 Gençlerbirliği S.K.   Blackburn, Lancashire
20:15 Jansen   64' Report Özkan   66' Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 14,573
Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands)

Top scorers

edit

Premiership

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Reid was born in Kingston upon Thames, England, but also qualifies to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his mother, and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in 2001.
  2. ^ Yelldell was born in Stuttgart, West Germany, but also qualified to represent the United States internationally and made his international debut for the United States in March 2011
  3. ^ McEveley was born in Liverpool, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally and made his full international debut for Scotland in August 2007

References

edit
  1. ^ "All Blackburn Rovers players: 2004". 11v11.com.
  2. ^ "Blackburn Rovers in FA Premier League 2003/2004 analysis and predictions". Football-Lineups.
edit