2003–04 Leeds United A.F.C. season

Leeds United
2003-04 season
Chairman Professor John McKenzie
(until 15 December)[1]
Trevor Birch
(until 19 March)[2]
Gerald Krasner
Manager Peter Reid
(until 10 November)[3]
Eddie Gray
Stadium Elland Road
Premier League 19th (relegated)
FA Cup Third round
League Cup Third round
Top goalscorer League: Mark Viduka (11)
All: Mark Viduka (12)
Highest home attendance 40,153 vs Manchester United
(18 Oct 2003, Premier League)
Lowest home attendance 29,211 vs Swindon Town
(24 Sep 2003, League Cup)
Average home league attendance 36,119
← 2002–03 2004–05 →

The 2003-04 season saw Leeds United relegated from the Premier League after 14 years in the top flight, in the aftermath of the club's financial crisis. This came three years after reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

Season summary

Having narrowly avoided relegation the previous campaign, another season of struggle was on the cards, as the financial crisis at Elland Road saw Leeds United's debts reach the £100 million mark, and consequently the sale of key players continued. Manager Peter Reid was sacked on 10 November after Leeds collected 8 points from their first 12 games, and former player, coach and manager Eddie Gray was brought in on a temporary basis. Some initially improved results saw Leeds climb out of the relegation zone by the end of 2003, but a dreadful run of seven straight defeats after the turn of the year saw them cast adrift at the bottom of the table, and from that point onwards the club had no real hope of surviving in the Premier League.

Some decent results late in the season saw them at least move off the bottom of the table, but a 4-1 defeat at Bolton on 2 May confirmed relegation, and Gray was soon on his way out of the club for good, to be replaced by Kevin Blackwell, who had been brought to the club a year earlier as Reid's assistant. Few observers gave Leeds much hope of an immediate promotion back to the Premiership, with Blackwell's ultimate task being seen as one of avoiding a second successive relegation.

Kit

Leeds United retained the previous season's home kit, manufactured by Nike, although the kit carried a new sponsor.

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[4]

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

No. Position Player
1 England GK Paul Robinson
2 Republic of Ireland DF Gary Kelly
3 Republic of Ireland DF Ian Harte
5 South Africa DF Lucas Radebe
6 France DF Zoumana Camara (on loan from Lens)
7 England MF Nick Barmby
9 Australia FW Mark Viduka
10 Senegal MF Lamine Sakho (on loan from Marseille)
11 England MF Jermaine Pennant (on loan from Arsenal)
14 Republic of Ireland MF Stephen McPhail
16 England MF Jason Wilcox
17 England FW Alan Smith
19 Norway MF Eirik Bakke
No. Position Player
20 England MF Seth Johnson
21 Scotland DF Dominic Matteo (captain)
22 England DF Michael Duberry
23 England MF David Batty
24 Cameroon MF Salomon Olembé (on loan from Marseille)
25 England MF Aaron Lennon
29 France DF Didier Domi (on loan from Paris Saint-Germain)
34 England DF Frazer Richardson
36 England DF Matthew Kilgallon
38 England MF James Milner
39 England FW Simon Johnson
40 England GK Scott Carson
41 England GK Shaun Allaway

Left club during season

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

No. Position Player
4 England MF Jody Morris (to Rotherham United)
8 England FW Michael Bridges (on loan to Newcastle United)
12 Brazil DF Roque Júnior (on loan from A.C. Milan)
15 England GK Nigel Martyn (to Everton)
15 France FW Cyril Chapuis (on loan from Marseille)
No. Position Player
15 Scotland DF Steven Caldwell (on loan from Newcastle United)
18 England DF Danny Mills (on loan to Middlesbrough)
24 Australia MF Paul Okon (to Vicenza)
26 Australia GK Danny Milosevic (on loan to Celtic)
32 England MF Harpal Singh (on loan to Bury)

Reserve squad

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

No. Position Player
27 Scotland MF Martin Woods
28 England MF Jamie McMaster
No. Position Player
37 Republic of Ireland MF Paul Keegan
42 Scotland FW Jamie Winter

Statistics

Starting 11

Considering starts in all competitions[5]

Transfers

In

Out

Transfers in: Decrease £0
Transfers out: Increase £9,000,000
Total spending: Increase £9,000,000

Loaned in

Loaned out

Competitions

Premier League

Scorers

Premier League

References

  1. ↑ "McKenzie steps down at Leeds". The Guardian. 15 December 2003.
  2. ↑ "Leeds takeover completed". BBC News. 19 March 2004.
  3. ↑ "Leeds sack Reid". BBC News. 10 November 2003.
  4. ↑ "Leeds United - 2003/04". FootballSquads. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  5. ↑ http://www.11v11.com/teams/leeds-united/tab/players/season/2004
  6. ↑ "Morris completes Leeds move". BBC News. 19 July 2003.
  7. ↑ "Sherriff heads out of Leeds". BBC News. 27 June 2003.
  8. ↑ "Premiership ins and outs". BBC News. 1 September 2003.
  9. ↑ £2,000,000 was paid to Kewell's agent, so Leeds only received £3,000,000.
  10. ↑ "Liverpool sign Kewell". BBC News. 9 July 2003.
  11. 1 2 "Transfers - July 2003". BBC News. 31 July 2003.
  12. ↑ "The gossip column". BBC News. 29 August 2003.
  13. ↑ "Everton seal Martyn deal". BBC News. 1 September 2003.
  14. ↑ "Leeds United Players - 2003-04". Leeds Utd 365. 8 May 2004.
  15. ↑ "Leeds stat attack". BBC News. 3 May 2004.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Transfers - August 2003". BBC News. 5 September 2003.
  17. 1 2 3 "Transfers - September 2003". BBC News. 23 September 2003.
  18. 1 2 3 "February 2004". BBC News. 6 February 2004.
  19. ↑ "Bury keen on Singh". BBC News. 31 July 2003.
  20. 1 2 "Transfers - October 2003". BBC News. 16 October 2003.
  21. ↑ "Transfers - November 2003". BBC News. 27 November 2003.
  22. ↑ "Report: Blackpool v Tranmere Rovers - English League One - ESPNFC". ESPN. 26 December 2003.
  23. ↑ "Transfers - January 2004". BBC News. 18 January 2004.
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