Manchester City
Season 2003–04
Owner England Publicly traded company
Chairman England John Wardle
Manager England Kevin Keegan
Team captain France Sylvain Distin
Home stadium City of Manchester Stadium
(a.k.a. Eastlands and CoMS)
Premier0League Sixteenth
League Cup Fourth round
FA Cup Fifth round
UEFA Cup Second round
Top goalscorer League: 0Nicolas Anelka (17 goals)
(5th highest in Premier League)
All comps: Nicolas Anelka (25 goals)
Average home
attendance
46,834 – over 19 PL home games
(3rd highest in Premier League)
Highest home
attendance
47,304 0v0 Chelsea
28 February 2004
Highest away
attendance
67,645 0v0 Manchester United
13 December 2003
Lowest home
attendance
29,067 0v0 Sporting Lokeren
24 September 2003
Lowest away
attendance
5,500 0v0 Groclin Dyskobolia
27 November 2003
2002–03 0 0 0 0 0 0 2004–05
Results summary - all competitions
Wins Draws Losses Win %
Home 7 12 5 29.2%
Away 9 6 12 33.3%
Both 16 18 17 31.4%
Results summary - Premier League
Wins Draws Losses Win %
Home 5 9 5 26.3%
Away 4 5 10 21.1%
Both 9 14 15 23.7%

The 2003–04 season was Manchester City Football Club's second consecutive season playing in the Premier League, the top division of English football, and its seventh season since the Premier League was first created with Manchester City as one of the its original 22 founding member clubs. Overall, it was the team's 112th season playing in a division of English football, most of which have been spent in the top flight.

Season review

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After finishing ninth during the club's final season at 80-year-old Maine Road, Manchester City's debut season at the City of Manchester Stadium was a major disappointment. A ninth place finish had not been good enough to earn City an opportunity to play in the UEFA Cup but the team was rewarded with that opportunity anyway due to being awarded a "Fair Play" slot in the UEFA Cup competition this season. Having embarked on a new era for the club by signing a host of experienced players in the summer, such as Claudio Reyna and Steve McManaman, to combine with such burgeoning talents coming through from the MCFC youth academy as Stephen Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips, City then ended up spending this season battling against relegation to the despair of all those pundits that had tipped the team to finish this season in a significantly higher position than City had achieved in the previous one. Winning its 36th game of the season left City six points clear of safety, yet the club's survival was effectively confirmed due to it having a far greater goal difference than rival relegation strugglers Leicester, Leeds and Wolves. It took failure to win their penultimate games of the season by all three of these teams to actually put City's survival beyond all doubt, but by now the future was not looking very bright for manager Kevin Keegan who would fail to last another season as the club's manager.

Perhaps the most memorable of the games played by Manchester City during this season was the FA Cup Fourth round replay fixture against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane which featured what many people consider to be one of the most extraordinary comebacks in the history of the competition.[1][2]



Team kit

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There was a change in the producer of the team kits for this season, with Reebok replacing the previous season's supplier, Le Coq Sportif. The shirt sponsorship was provided by the financial and legal services group First Advice who had also been the sponsors for the previous season.[3]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Home (version 1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Home (version 2)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Away



Historical league performance

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Prior to this season, the history of Manchester City's performance in the English football league hierarchy since the creation of the Premier League in 1992 is summarised by the following timeline chart – which commences with the last season (1991-92) of the old Football League First Division (from which the Premier League was formed).

Premier LeagueFootball League Division OnePremier LeagueFootball League Division OneFootball League Division TwoFootball League Division OnePremier LeagueFootball League First Division




Friendly games

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Pre-season

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19 July 2003 Mansfield   2 – 1   Manchester City Mansfield, England
Larkin   37'
Corden   57'
Sporting Life report   39' Anelka Stadium: Field Mill
Attendance: 7,000
First game ever played at CoMS
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Competitive games

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Position in final standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
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
18 Leicester City (R) 38 6 15 17 48 65 −17 33 Relegation to the Football League Championship
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated

Results summary

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Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
38 9 14 15 55 54  +1 41 5 9 5 31 24  +7 4 5 10 24 30  −6

Last updated: 15 May 2004 (end of season).
Source: Premier League results 2003-04



Results by round

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Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAH
ResultWDWLWDDLWLWLLLDLDLDDLDLDLWLWLDDDDLDWLW
Updated to match(es) played on 15 May 2004 (end of season). Source: Premier League results 2003-04
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Individual match reports

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Charlton Athletic  0 – 3  Manchester City
Sporting Life report   13' (pen.) Anelka
  23' Sibierski
  83' Jihai
Attendance: 25,780
Referee: M. Dean (Wirral)

Manchester City  1 – 1  Portsmouth
Sommeil   90' Sporting Life report   24' Aiyegbeni
Attendance: 46,287
Referee: M. Messias (N. Yorkshire)

Blackburn Rovers  2 – 3  Manchester City
Sinclair   44' (o.g.)
Amoruso   61'
Sporting Life report   4' Tarnat
  59' Barton
  87' Anelka
Attendance: 23,361
Referee: A. Wiley (Staffordshire)

Manchester City  1 – 2  Arsenal
Lauren   10' (o.g.) Sporting Life report   48' Wiltord
  72' Ljungberg
Attendance: 46,436
Referee: G. Poll (Hertfordshire)

Manchester City  4 – 1  Aston Villa
Anelka   48' (pen.)
Tarnat   50'
Anelka   68' (pen.)
Anelka   83'
Sporting Life report   31' Angel
Attendance: 46,687
Referee: M. Halsey (Lancashire)

Fulham  2 – 2  Manchester City
Malbranque   73'
Saha   79'
Sporting Life report   46' Anelka
  90' Wanchope
Attendance: 16,124
Referee: P. Dowd (Staffordshire)

Manchester City  0 – 0  Tottenham Hotspur
Sporting Life report
Attendance: 46,842
Referee: N. Barry (N. Lincolnshire)

Wolverhampton Wanderers  1 – 0  Manchester City
Cameron   75' Sporting Life report
Attendance: 29,386
Referee: J. Winter (Cleveland)

Manchester City  6 – 2  Bolton Wanderers
Wright-Phillips   27'
Distin   48'
Wright-Phillips   56'
Anelka   58'
Wright-Phillips    62'
Anelka   72'
Reyna   84'
Sporting Life report   25' Nolan
  60' Campo
Attendance: 47,101
Referee: S. Bennett (Kent)

Chelsea  1 – 0  Manchester City
Hasselbaink   34' Sporting Life report
Attendance: 41,040
Referee: P. Dowd (Staffordshire)

Southampton  0 – 2  Manchester City
Sporting Life report   4' Fowler
  85' Wanchope
Attendance: 31,952
Referee: A. Wiley (Staffordshire)

Manchester City  0 – 3  Leicester City
Sporting Life report   12' Stewart
  53' (pen.) Dickov
  58' Bent
Attendance: 46,966
Referee: M. Riley (W. Yorkshire)

Newcastle United  3 – 0  Manchester City
Ameobi   57'
Shearer   77'   85'
Sporting Life report
Attendance: 52,159
Referee: N. Barry (N. Lincolnshire)

Manchester City  0 – 1  Middlesbrough
Sporting Life report   30' (o.g.) Jihai
Attendance: 46,824
Referee: M. Riley (W. Yorkshire)

Everton  0 – 0  Manchester City
Sporting Life report
Attendance: 37,871
Referee: J. Winter (Cleveland)

Manchester United  3 – 1  Manchester City
Scholes   7'
van Nistelrooy   34'
Scholes   73'
Sporting Life report   52' Wright-Phillips
Attendance: 67,645
Referee: M. Halsey (Lancashire)

Manchester City  1 – 1  Leeds United
Sibierski   82' Sporting Life report   24' Viduka
Attendance: 47,126
Referee: G. Barber (Hertfordshire)

Birmingham City  2 – 1  Manchester City
Kenna   81'
Forssell   87'
Sporting Life report   14' Fowler
Attendance: 29,520
Referee: U. Rennie (S. Yorkshire)

Manchester City  2 – 2  Liverpool
Anelka   30' (pen.)
Fowler   90'
Sporting Life report   66' Smicer
  80' Hamann
Attendance: 47,201
Referee: M. Riley (W. Yorkshire)

Manchester City  1 – 1  Charlton Athletic
Fowler   39' Sporting Life report   84' Di Canio
Attendance: 44,307
Referee: P. Walton (Northamptonshire)

Portsmouth  4 – 2  Manchester City
Stefanovic   19'
Yakubu   52'
Sheringham   58'
Yakubu   77'
Sporting Life report   21' Anelka
  45' Sibierski
Attendance: 20,120
Referee: M. Messias (N. Yorkshire)

Manchester City  1 – 1  Blackburn Rovers
Anelka   50' Sporting Life report   55' Flitcroft
Attendance: 47,090
Referee: M. Dean (Wirral)

Arsenal  2 – 1  Manchester City
Tarnat   39' (o.g.)
Henry   83'
Sporting Life report   89' Anelka
Attendance: 38,103
Referee: A. Wiley (Staffordshire)

Manchester City  0 – 0  Birmingham City
Sporting Life report
Attendance: 46,967
Referee: P. Durkin (Dorset)

Liverpool  2 – 1  Manchester City
Owen   3'
Gerrard   51'
Sporting Life report   50' Wright-Phillips
Attendance: 43,257
Referee: M. Riley (W. Yorkshire)

Bolton Wanderers  1 – 3  Manchester City
Nolan   22' Sporting Life report   27'   31' Fowler
  50' (o.g.) Charlton
Attendance: 27,301
Referee: S. Dunn (Gloucestershire)

Manchester City  0 – 1  Chelsea
Sporting Life report   82' Guðjohnsen
Attendance: 47,304
Referee: R. Styles (Hampshire)

Manchester City  4 – 1  Manchester United
Fowler   3'
Macken   32'
Sinclair   73'
Wright-Phillips   90'
Sporting Life report
YouTube video
  35' Scholes
Attendance: 47,284
Referee: S. Bennett (Kent)

Leeds United  2 – 1  Manchester City
McPhail   23'
Viduka   76' (pen.)
Sporting Life report   44' Anelka
Attendance: 36,998
Referee: A. Wiley (Staffordshire)

Manchester City  0 – 0  Fulham
Sporting Life report
Attendance: 46,522
Referee: J. Winter (Cleveland)

Aston Villa  1 – 1  Manchester City
Angel   26' Sporting Life report   82' Distin
Attendance: 37,602
Referee: U. Rennie (S. Yorkshire)

Manchester City  3 – 3  Wolverhampton Wanderers
Anelka   25'
Sibierski   39'
Wright-Phillips   90'
Sporting Life report   13' Kennedy
  23' Cort
  78' Camara
Attendance: 47,248
Referee: J. Winter (Cleveland)

Tottenham Hotspur  1 – 1  Manchester City
Defoe   52' Sporting Life report   25' Anelka
Attendance: 35,282
Referee: C. Foy (Merseyside)

Manchester City  1 – 3  Southampton
Anelka   78' Sporting Life report   34' Beattie
  55'   81' Phillips
Attendance: 47,152
Referee: G. Barber (Hertfordshire)

Leicester City  1 – 1  Manchester City
Scowcroft   66' Sporting Life report   45' Tarnat
Attendance: 31,457
Referee: A. D'Urso (Essex)

Manchester City  1 – 0  Newcastle United
Wanchope   59' Sporting Life report
Attendance: 47,226
Referee: M. Halsey (Lancashire)

Middlesbrough  2 – 1  Manchester City
Maccarone   8'
Nemeth   32'
Sporting Life report   35' Wanchope
Attendance: 34,734
Referee: M. Riley (W. Yorkshire)

Manchester City  5 – 1  Everton
Wanchope   16'   30'
Anelka   41'
Sibierski   89'
Wright-Phillips   90'
Sporting Life report   60' Campbell
Attendance: 47,284
Referee: S. Dunn (Gloucestershire)



Qualifying round

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First leg
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Manchester City  5 – 0  The New Saints
Sinclair   14'
Wright-Phillips   51'
Jihai   60'
Sommeil   74'
Anelka   87'
Sporting Life report
Attendance: 34,103
Referee: Alexey Tiumin (Russia)
Second leg
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First round

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First leg
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Manchester City  3 – 2  Sporting Lokeren
Sibierski   8'
Fowler   77'
Anelka   80' (pen.)
Sporting Life report   14' Zoundi
  40' Kristinsson
Attendance: 29,067
Referee: G. Gilewski (Poland)
Second leg
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Second round

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First leg
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Manchester City  1 – 1  Groclin Dyskobolia
Anelka   6' Sporting Life report   65' Mila
Attendance: 32,506
Referee: G. Kaznaferis (Greece)
Second leg
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Groclin Dyskobolia  0 – 0  Manchester City
Sporting Life report
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden)

Final aggregate score 1–1 with Groclin winning due to away goals counting double


Third round

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Queens Park Rangers  0 – 3  Manchester City
Sporting Life report   22'   77' Wright-Phillips
  79' Macken
Attendance: 16,773
Referee: S. Dunn (Gloucestershire)

Fourth round

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Tottenham Hotspur  3 – 1  Manchester City
Anderton   9'
Postiga   30'
Kanoute   90'
Sporting Life report   80' Fowler
Attendance: 31,727
Referee: P. Durkin (Dorset)



Third round

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Manchester City  2 – 2  Leicester City
Anelka   27' (pen.)   69' Sporting Life report   4' Dickov
  66' Bent
Attendance: 30,617
Referee: G. Poll (Hertfordshire)
Third round replay
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Leicester City  1 – 3  Manchester City
Ferdinand   73' Sporting Life report   12' Sibierski
  90' Macken
  90' Anelka
Attendance: 18,916
Referee: G. Poll (Hertfordshire)

Fourth round

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Manchester City  1 – 1  Tottenham Hotspur
Anelka   11' Sporting Life report   57' Doherty
Attendance: 34,000
Referee: S. Dunn (Gloucestershire)
Tottenham Hotspur  3 – 4  Manchester City
King   2'
Keane   19'
Ziege   43'
Sporting Life report
MCFC video
   45' Barton
  48' Distin
  69' Bosvelt
  80' Wright-Phillips
  90' Macken
Attendance: 30,400
Referee: R. Styles (Hampshire)

Fifth round

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Manchester United  4 – 2  Manchester City
Scholes   34'
Neville    39'
van Nistelrooy   71'
Ronaldo   74'
van Nistelrooy   80'
Sporting Life report   78' Tarnat
  86' Fowler
Attendance: 67,228
Referee: J. Winter (Cleveland)



Goal scorers

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Information current as of 15 May 2004 (end of season)


Transfers and loans

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The greatest comeback ever?". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-02-05. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
  2. ^ "Great FA Cup comebacks of our time". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media Limited. 2004-02-05. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
  3. ^ "Man City takes First Advice in £5m shirt deal". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media Limited. 2002-04-18. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  4. ^ "Man City swoop for Tarnat". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-06-04. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  5. ^ "Seaman sounds fond farewell". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-06-21. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  6. ^ "Sinclair joins Man City". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-07-21. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  7. ^ "Man City finalise Bosvelt capture". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-07-24. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
  8. ^ "Man City land Sibierski". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-08-02. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  9. ^ "Man City sign Reyna". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-08-29. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
  10. ^ "McManaman joins Man City". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-08-30. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
  11. ^ "James seals Man City deal". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-01-14. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  12. ^ "Keegan looks at Arason". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-01-13. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Premiership ins and outs". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media Limited. 2003-09-01. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  14. ^ "Tranmere sign Loran". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-05-23. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  15. ^ "Foxes move for Howey". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-06-05. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  16. ^ "City keen to sell". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-06-16. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  17. ^ "Jensen leaves Man City". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-07-08. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  18. ^ "Transfers - July 2003". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-07-31. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
  19. ^ "Haaland set to retire". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-07-25. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
  20. ^ "Benarbia heads to Qatar". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-07-27. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  21. ^ "Reading sign Goater". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-08-01. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  22. ^ "Nash joins Boro". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-08-14. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  23. ^ "West Ham sign Horlock". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-08-15. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  24. ^ "Paul Ritchie - Career". soccerbase.com. (Racing Post). Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  25. ^ "Mettomo answers Kaiserslautern call". uefa.com. (Union of European Football Associations). 2003-08-25. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  26. ^ "Huckerby's Norwich move back on". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-12-26. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  27. ^ "Huckerby completes Norwich move". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-12-26. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  28. ^ "Pompey sign Berkovic". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-01-08. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  29. ^ "Seaman eyes Gunners post". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-01-15. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  30. ^ a b "Man City sign Van Buyten". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-01-31. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  31. ^ "City to lose Van Buyten". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-05-25. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  32. ^ "Keegan lets Vuoso go". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-07-03. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
  33. ^ "Rochdale bring in Shuker". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-08-07. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  34. ^ "Shuker stays at Rochdale". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-09-02. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  35. ^ "Shuker shuns Dale extension". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-11-05. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  36. ^ "Worthington hails Huckerby". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-12-14. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  37. ^ "Bury bag Whelan". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-09-29. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  38. ^ "Transfers - December 2003". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-01-02. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  39. ^ "Bury sign Whelan on loan". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2003-12-24. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  40. ^ "Shakers extend loan deals". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-02-02. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
  41. ^ "February 2004". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-03-06. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  42. ^ "Rochdale snap up duo". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004-03-15. Retrieved 2011-02-27.


it:Manchester City Football Club 2003-2004