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

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
13Portsmouth38129174754−745
14Tottenham Hotspur38136194757−1045
15Blackburn Rovers38128185159−844
16Manchester City38914155554+141
17Everton38912174557−1239
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. NationPlayer
1GK  USABrad Friedel
2DF  AUSLucas Neill
3DF  SVKVratislav Greško
5DF  ITALorenzo Amoruso
6DF  ENGCraig Short
7MF  ENGGarry Flitcroft
8MF  TURTugay Kerimoğlu
9FW  ENGAndrew Cole
10FW  ENGMatt Jansen
11DF  GERMarkus Babbel (on loan from Liverpool)
12MF  IRLSteven Reid[note 1]
14DF  SWENils-Eric Johansson
No.Pos. NationPlayer
15DF  ENGAndy Todd
17FW  SCOPaul Gallagher
18FW  ENGJonathan Stead
19FW  TRIDwight Yorke
20MF  ENGDavid Thompson
23MF  AUSBrett Emerton
24MF  SCOBarry Ferguson
25MF  NORMartin Andresen (on loan from Stabæk)
26MF  IRLJonathan Douglas
30MF  ENGNeil Danns
31GK  FINPeter Enckelman
33DF  ENGMichael 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. NationPlayer
4DF  ENGMartin Taylor (to Birmingham City)
13GK  IRLAlan Kelly (retired)
16MF  IRLAlan Mahon (on loan to Ipswich Town; to Wigan Athletic)
18FW  ITACorrado Grabbi (to Ancona)
21MF  ITADino Baggio (on loan from Lazio)
No.Pos. NationPlayer
22FW  NOREgil Østenstad (to Rangers)
25DF  GERSebastian Pelzer (to Eintracht Trier)
26MF  IRLJonathan Douglas (on loan to Blackpool)
27DF  SCOGordon Greer (to Kilmarnock)
30MF  ENGNeil 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. NationPlayer
22MF  ENGCiaran Donnelly
28GK  GERDavid Yelldell[note 2]
29DF  ENGJay McEveley[note 3]
DF  ENGAlex Bruce
DF  ENGMichael Taylor
DF  SCOCraig Barr
DF  IRLJohn Fitzgerald
No.Pos. NationPlayer
DF  IRLGavin Peers
MF  ENGJerome Watt
MF  SCOIan Black
MF  SCOGary Harkins
MF  SCOAlan Morgan
FW  ENGMatt Derbyshire
FW  USAJemal Johnson

Statistics edit

Appearances and goals edit

No.PosNatPlayerTotalPremier LeagueFA CupLeague CupUEFA Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Goalkeepers
1GK  USABrad Friedel401361101020
31GK  FINPeter Enckelman2020000000
Defenders
2DF  AUSLucas Neill35230+22101010
3DF  SVKVratislav Greško28122+21101020
5DF  ITALorenzo Amoruso14311+13000020
6DF  ENGCraig Short201191100000
11DF  GERMarkus Babbel28323+23101010
14DF  SWENils-Eric Johansson1507+70000+1000
15DF  ENGAndy Todd210190100010
33DF  ENGMichael Gray140140000000
Midfielders
7MF  ENGGarry Flitcroft33329+23100010
8MF  TURTugay Kerimoğlu40130+61101020
12MF  IRLSteven Reid1909+7000101+10
20MF  ENGDavid Thompson14110+11001020
23MF  AUSBrett Emerton40331+62000+1021
24MF  SCOBarry Ferguson16214+11001100
25MF  NORMartin Andresen110110000000
26MF  IRLJonathan Douglas141141000000
30MF  ENGNeil Danns100+10000000
Forwards
9FW  ENGAndy Cole371127+71110100+10
10FW  ENGMatt Jansen2139+102000021
17FW  SCOPaul Gallagher28312+143100+1000
18FW  ENGJon Stead15613600001+10
19FW  TRIDwight Yorke27615+840+10121+10
Players transferred out during the season
4DF  ENGMartin Taylor14010+100+10100+10
16MF  IRLAlan Mahon401+20100000
18FW  ITACorrado Grabbi700+5000001+10
21MF  ITADino Baggio1210+910+10001+10

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 BSTAmoruso 17'
Thompson 29'
Emerton 52'
Cole 79', 87'
ReportIversen 71'Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 26,270
Referee: Jeff Winter
25 August 2003 3 Blackburn Rovers 2–3 Manchester City Blackburn, Lancashire
20:00Sinclair 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.)
ReportCole 1', 58'Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 41,066
Referee: Mike Dean
12 September 2003 5 Blackburn Rovers 1–3 Liverpool Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00Jansen 8'
Neill  45'
ReportOwen 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
15:00De Zeeuw 57'ReportNeill 35'
Cole 43'
Stadium: Fratton Park
Attendance: 20,024
Referee: Paul Durkin
28 September 2003 7 Blackburn Rovers 0–2 Fulham Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00ReportLuís 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
15:00Johnson 11', 27'ReportBaggio 86'Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 35,039
Referee: Uriah Rennie
10 November 2003 12 Blackburn Rovers 2–1 Everton Blackburn, Lancashire
20:00Babbel 6'
Yorke 13'
ReportRadzinski 49'Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 22,179
Referee: Paul Dowd
14 December 2003 (2003-12-14) 16 Arsenal 1–0 Blackburn Rovers Islington, London
14:00 GMTBergkamp 11'ReportStadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,677
Referee: Andy D'Urso
20 December 2003 17 Blackburn Rovers 0–2 Aston Villa Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00ReportMoore 62'
Ángel 75'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 20,722
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
26 December 2003 18 Blackburn Rovers 2–2 Middlesbrough Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00Babbel 3', 90'ReportJuninho 31', 51'Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 25,452
Referee: Alan Wiley
1 February 2004 23 Blackburn Rovers 2–3 Chelsea Blackburn, Lancashire
Flitcroft 3'
Gallagher 87'
ReportLampard 25', 35'
Johnson 88'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 24,867
Referee: Dermot Gallagher
13 March 2004 (2004-03-13) 28 Blackburn Rovers 0–2 Arsenal Blackburn, Lancashire
15:00 GMTReportHenry 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
15:00ReportFlitcroft 26'
Stead 36'
Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 37,532
Referee: Andy D'Urso
4 April 2004 31 Liverpool 4–0 Blackburn Rovers Liverpool, Merseyside
Owen 7', 24'
Todd 22' (o.g.)
Heskey 79'
ReportStadium: Anfield
Attendance: 41,559
Referee: Jeff Winter
12 April 2004 33 Fulham 3–4 Blackburn Rovers Fulham, London
John 26', 45'
Boa Morte 60'
ReportCole 23'
Douglas 49'
Amoruso 51'
Stead 75'
Attendance: 13,981
Referee: Mike Dean
24 April 2004 35 Everton 0–1 Blackburn Rovers Liverpool, Merseyside
ReportStead 81'Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 38,884
Referee: Paul Dowd

FA Cup edit

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

League Cup edit

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

UEFA Cup edit

v Blackburn Rovers
24 September 2003 First round 1
First leg
Gençlerbirliği S.K. 3–1 Blackburn Rovers Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium
14:55Skoko 42'
Youla 43', 60'
ReportEmerton 57'Attendance: Ulus, Ankara
Referee: Paolo Vertini (Italy)
v Gençlerbirliği S.K.
15 October 2003 Round 1
Leg 2
Blackburn Rovers 1–1 Gençlerbirliği S.K. Blackburn, Lancashire
20:15Jansen 64'ReportÖzkan 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.

External links edit