Wikipedia

2003–04 Watford F.C. season

During the 2003–04 English football season, Watford F.C. competed in the First Division.

Watford
2003–04 season
ChairmanGraham Simpson
ManagerRay Lewington
StadiumVicarage Road
First Division16th
FA CupThird round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Scott Fitzgerald (10)
All:
Scott Fitzgerald (11)
Average home league attendance14,855

Season summary edit

The ongoing financial difficulties saw a large number of players released that summer, including record signing Allan Nielsen and strikers Tommy Smith and Gifton Noel-Williams. To make matters worse, Manchester United loanee Jimmy Davis was killed in a car crash on the opening day of the new campaign. This had a huge effect on the team's form at the beginning of the season, and notably on his close friend Danny Webber. But a strong finish to the season saw the club finish in mid-table.

Final league table edit

Main article: 2003–04 Football League First Division
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
14 Nottingham Forest 46 15 15 16 61 58 +3 60
15 Preston North End 46 15 14 17 69 71 −2 59
16 Watford 46 15 12 19 54 68 −14 57
17 Rotherham United 46 13 15 18 53 61 −8 54
18 Crewe Alexandra 46 14 11 21 57 66 −9 53
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Results edit

Watford's score comes first[1]

Legend edit

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division edit

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
16 August 2003 Crystal Palace A 0–1 15,333
23 August 2003 West Bromwich Albion H 0–1 15,023
25 August 2003 Sunderland A 0–2 23,600
30 August 2003 Gillingham H 2–2 12,793 Helguson, Webber
13 September 2003 Millwall H 3–1 11,305 Dyer, Cox (pen), Young
17 September 2003 Derby County A 2–3 18,459 Gayle, Young
20 September 2003 Wigan Athletic A 0–1 9,211
27 September 2003 Ipswich Town H 1–2 15,350 Fitzgerald
30 September 2003 Burnley H 1–1 11,573 Fitzgerald
4 October 2003 Crewe Alexandra A 1–0 7,055 Webber
14 October 2003 Walsall H 1–1 12,231 Baird (own goal)
18 October 2003 Bradford City H 1–0 12,399 Fitzgerald
21 October 2003 Coventry City H 1–1 13,487 Fitzgerald
25 October 2003 Wimbledon A 3–1 6,115 Devlin, Webber, Fitzgerald
28 October 2003 Cardiff City A 0–3 14,011
1 November 2003 Rotherham United H 1–0 18,067 Webber
4 November 2003 Preston North End A 1–2 11,152 Webber
8 November 2003 Nottingham Forest A 1–1 21,229 Cook
15 November 2003 Norwich City A 2–1 16,420 Fitzgerald, Cox (pen)
22 November 2003 West Ham United H 0–0 20,950
29 November 2003 Reading A 1–2 14,521 Cook
6 December 2003 Nottingham Forest H 1–1 14,988 Fitzgerald
13 December 2003 Sheffield United A 2–2 18,637 Smith, Helguson
20 December 2003 Stoke City H 1–3 13,732 Helguson
26 December 2003 Gillingham A 0–1 8,971
28 December 2003 Cardiff City H 2–1 15,512 Fitzgerald, Cook
10 January 2004 Coventry City A 0–0 12,226
17 January 2004 Crystal Palace H 1–5 15,017 Helguson (pen)
31 January 2004 West Bromwich Albion A 1–3 23,958 Fitzgerald
7 February 2004 Sunderland H 2–2 16,798 Mahon, Cox (pen)
14 February 2004 Preston North End H 2–0 12,675 Bouazza, Devlin
21 February 2004 Walsall A 1–0 6,684 Cook
28 February 2004 Wimbledon H 4–0 15,323 Cook, Cox (pen), Smith, Ardley
3 March 2004 Stoke City A 1–3 13,108 Helguson
9 March 2004 Bradford City A 0–2 17,143
13 March 2004 Sheffield United H 0–2 13,861
16 March 2004 Derby County H 2–1 13,931 Helguson, Mahon
20 March 2004 Ipswich Town A 1–4 23,524 Fitzgerald
27 March 2004 Wigan Athletic H 1–1 13,382 Helguson
10 April 2004 Crewe Alexandra H 2–1 18,041 Hyde, Wright (own goal)
12 April 2004 Burnley A 3–2 11,413 Devlin, Helguson, Cook
17 April 2004 Rotherham United A 1–1 7,221 Dyer
20 April 2004 Millwall A 2–1 10,263 Dyer, Cook
24 April 2004 Norwich City H 1–2 19,290 Blizzard
1 May 2004 West Ham United A 0–4 34,685
9 May 2004 Reading H 1–0 17,979 Young

FA Cup edit

Main article: 2003–04 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 3 January 2004 Chelsea H 2–2 21,121 Helguson, Mahon
R3R 14 January 2004 Chelsea A 0–4 38,763

League Cup edit

Main article: 2003–04 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 12 August 2003 Bournemouth H 1–0 9,561 Fitzgerald
R2 23 September 2003 Bristol City A 0–1 5,213

Players edit

First-team squad 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
1 GK   ENG Alec Chamberlain
2 MF   ENG Neal Ardley
3 DF   ENG Paul Mayo
4 MF   ENG Paolo Vernazza
5 DF   ENG Neil Cox
6 DF   ENG Sean Dyche
7 FW   ENG Bruce Dyer[notes 1]
8 MF   JAM Micah Hyde[notes 2]
9 FW   ENG Danny Webber
12 MF   ENG Gavin Mahon
13 GK   ENG Richard Lee
14 DF   ENG Wayne Brown
15 DF   JAM Marcus Gayle[notes 3]
16 MF   ENG Anthony McNamee
17 MF   ENG Jamie Hand
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW   ISL Heiðar Helguson
19 DF   ENG Jerel Ifil
20 DF   ENG Lloyd Doyley[notes 4]
21 FW   ENG Scott Fitzgerald
22 MF   ENG Lee Cook
23 MF   ENG Gary Fisken
24 FW   TRI Jason Norville
25 MF   SCO Paul Devlin[notes 5]
27 MF   ENG Ashley Young
30 GK   ENG Lenny Pidgeley (on loan from Chelsea)
31 GK   ENG Kevin Hitchcock
33 MF   ENG Dominic Blizzard
34 DF   ENG Jack Smith
35 FW   FRA Hameur Bouazza[notes 6]

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
3 DF   ENG Paul Robinson (to West Bromwich Albion)
10 MF   AUS Richard Johnson (to Colchester United)
10 DF   NIR Chris Baird (on loan from Southampton)
No. Pos. Nation Player
11 MF   ENG Jimmy Davis (died)
32 DF   IRL Stephen Kelly (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

References edit

  1. ^ "Watford 2003–2004 Results". Tony Brown. Statto.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2011.

Notes edit

  1. ^ Dyer was born in Redbridge, England, and represented England at U-21 level, but also qualified to represent Montserrat internationally and would make his international debut for Montserrat in September 2007.
  2. ^ Hyde was born in Newham, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for Jamaica in 2001.
  3. ^ Gayle was born in Hammersmith, London, and represented them at U-18 level, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally through his father and made his international debut for Jamaica in 1998.
  4. ^ Doyley was born in Tower Hamlets, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and would make his international debut for Jamaica in March 2013.
  5. ^ Devlin was born in Birmingham, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally through his father and made his international debut for Scotland in October 2002.
  6. ^ Bouazza was born in Évry, France, but also qualified to represent Algeria internationally through his parents and would make his international debut for Algeria in February 2007.
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