2003–04 Leicester City F.C. season

Leicester City
2003-04 season
Chairman England Jim McCahill
Manager England Micky Adams
Premier League 18th (relegated)
FA Cup Third round
League Cup Third round
Top goalscorer League:
Les Ferdinand (12)
All:
Les Ferdinand and Paul Dickov (13)
Highest home attendance 32,148 (vs. Newcastle United, 26 December)
Lowest home attendance 18,916 (vs. Manchester City, 14 January)
Average home league attendance 30,983
← 2002-03 2004-05 →

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

Season summary

Micky Adams had guided Leicester back to the Premiership at the first attempt, despite the club spending part of their Division One campaign in receivership before a takeover safeguarded their future. But he was unable to keep them there, and their relegation was confirmed at the beginning of May. A 4-0 thumping of fellow relegation rivals Leeds United in September appeared to have set the tone for the rest of the season but it was soon followed by a setback of five straight defeats despite promising displays. A run of three wins in five games in November kept Leicester in close contention of survival, with the 2-0 victory at Portsmouth seeing them rise to as high as 12th; however, it all went wrong as, after a creditable 1-1 draw with eventual champions Arsenal, the team went into freefall and endured a dreadful run of only one win in 22 games (though most scorelines were reasonably close and they dropped too many points from 12 games they drew which they could have won). Ultimately, Leicester were relegated in a 2-2 draw at Charlton Athletic, which left them eight points adrift of Manchester City with two games remaining. It was a traumatic end to a season which had seen the club plagued with crises on and off the field, including the La Manga controversy when players Keith Gillespie, Frank Sinclair and Paul Dickov were accused of sexual assault following an alleged incident at a hotel in Spain (all charges were finally dropped).

Final league table

Pos Team Pl W D L F A GD Pts
1. Arsenal 38 26 12 0 73 26  +47 90
2. Chelsea 38 24 7 7 67 30  +37 79
3. Manchester United 38 23 6 9 64 35  +29 75
4. Liverpool 38 16 12 10 55 37  +18 60
5. Newcastle United 38 13 17 8 52 40  +12 56
6. Aston Villa 38 15 11 12 48 44  +4 56
7. Charlton Athletic 38 14 11 13 51 51  0 53
8. Bolton Wanderers 38 14 11 13 48 56  -8 53
9. Fulham 38 14 10 14 52 46  +6 52
10. Birmingham City 38 12 14 12 43 48  -5 50
11. Middlesbrough 38 13 9 16 44 52  -8 48
12. Southampton 38 12 11 15 44 45  -1 47
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
18. Leicester City 38 6 15 17 48 65  -17 33
19. Leeds United 38 8 9 21 40 79  -39 33
20. Wolverhampton Wanderers 38 7 12 19 38 77  -39 33
Key
Qualified for the Champions League
Qualified for the UEFA Cup
Relegated to the Championship

Results

Leicester City's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

FA Premier League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
16 August 2003 SouthamptonH2–231,611Dickov (pen), Ferdinand
23 August 2003 ChelseaA1–241,073Scowcroft
26 August 2003 MiddlesbroughH0–030,823
30 August 2003 Aston VillaA1–332,274Izzet
15 September 2003 Leeds UnitedH4–030,460Nalis, Dickov (2), Scowcroft
20 September 2003 LiverpoolA1–244,094Bent
27 September 2003 Manchester UnitedH1–432,044Sinclair
4 October 2003 FulhamA0–214,562
19 October 2003 Tottenham HotspurH1–231,521Dickov
25 October 2003 Wolverhampton WanderersA3–428,578Ferdinand (2), Scimeca
2 November 2003 Blackburn RoversH2–030,975Bent, Howey
9 November 2003 Manchester CityA3–046,966Stewart, Dickov (pen), Bent
22 November 2003 Charlton AthleticH1–130,242Ferdinand
29 November 2003 PortsmouthA2–020,061Ferdinand, Bent
6 December 2003 ArsenalH1–132,108Hignett
13 December 2003 Birmingham CityH0–230,639
20 December 2003 EvertonA2–337,007Ferdinand, Scowcroft
26 December 2003 Newcastle UnitedH1–132,148Dickov
28 December 2003 Bolton WanderersA2–228,353Bent, Ferdinand
7 January 2004 SouthamptonA0–031,053
11 January 2004 ChelseaH0–431,547
17 January 2004 MiddlesbroughA3–327,125Dickov (2), Bent
31 January 2004 Aston VillaH0–531,056
7 February 2004 Newcastle UnitedA1–352,125Ferdinand
10 February 2004 Bolton WanderersH1–126,674Ferdinand
22 February 2004 Tottenham HotspurA4–435,218Doherty (own goal), Ferdinand, Thatcher, Bent
28 February 2004 Wolverhampton WanderersH0–031,768
13 March 2004 Birmingham CityA1–029,491Ferdinand
20 March 2004 EvertonH1–131,650Bent
28 March 2004 LiverpoolH0–032,013
5 April 2004 Leeds UnitedA2–334,036Dickov, Izzet
10 April 2004 FulhamH0–228,392
13 April 2004 Manchester UnitedA0–167,749
17 April 2004 Blackburn RoversA0–122,749
24 April 2004 Manchester CityH1–131,457Scowcroft
1 May 2004 Charlton AthleticA2–226,034Bent, Ferdinand
8 May 2004 PortsmouthH3–131,536Dickov, Scowcroft, Taylor (own goal)
15 May 2004 ArsenalA1–238,419Dickov

FA Cup

Main article: 2003–04 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R33 January 2004 Manchester CityA2–230,617Dickov, Bent
R3R14 January 2004 Manchester CityH1–318,916Ferdinand

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R223 September 2003 Crewe AlexandraH1–027,675Dickov (pen)
R329 October 2003 Aston VillaA0–126,729

Squad

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. Position Player
1 England GK Ian Walker
2 England DF Andrew Impey
3 Jamaica DF Frank Sinclair[1]
5 England MF Craig Hignett
6 Turkey MF Muzzy Izzet[2]
7 Northern Ireland MF Keith Gillespie
8 France MF Lilian Nalis
9 England FW Les Ferdinand
10 England FW James Scowcroft
11 England MF Jordan Stewart
12 England MF Paul Brooker
13 Germany MF Steffen Freund (on loan from 1. FC Kaiserslautern)
14 Scotland DF Callum Davidson
15 England DF Alan Rogers
No. Position Player
16 Wales GK Danny Coyne
18 Scotland DF Matt Elliott[3]
20 Jamaica FW Trevor Benjamin[4]
21 England DF Riccardo Scimeca
22 Scotland FW Paul Dickov
25 England DF Matt Heath
27 England MF Steve Guppy
28 Scotland MF Peter Canero
32 Scotland MF Billy McKinlay
33 Wales DF Ben Thatcher[5]
34 France DF Nicolas Priet
38 England FW Marcus Bent (on loan from Ipswich Town)
44 Greece DF Nikos Dabizas

Left club during the 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 Northern Ireland DF Gerry Taggart (to Stoke City)
24 England DF Steve Howey (to Bolton Wanderers)
27 England FW Brian Deane (to West Ham United)
No. Position Player
28 England MF Jon Ashton (to Oxford United)
29 England DF John Curtis (to Portsmouth)
England MF Nicky Summerbee (to Bradford City)

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
17 Wales MF Matt Jones
19 Republic of Ireland GK Paul Murphy
23 England MF Tommy Wright
24 England FW Lee Morris
No. Position Player
26 England MF Junior Lewis
30 Finland FW Tomi Petrescu
England MF Tom Williamson
England FW Chris O'Grady

Starting 11

Considering starts in all competitions[6]
Considering a 4-3-3 formation

Transfers

In

Out

Loan in

Loan out

Awards

Club awards

At the end of the season, Leicester's annual award ceremony, including categories voted for by the players and backroom staff, the supporters and the supporters club, saw the following players recognised for their achievements for the club throughout the 2003-04 season.

Player of the Season Les Ferdinand[29]
Players' Player of the Season Les Ferdinand[29]
Supporters' Club Player of the Season N/A
Academy Player of the Season Richard Stearman[30]
Goal of the Season Lilian Nalis[30] (vs. Leeds United, 15 September 2003)[31]

References

  1. ↑ Sinclair was born in Lambeth, England, but qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for Jamaica in 1998.
  2. ↑ Izzet was born in Tower Hamlets, England, but qualified to represent Turkey internationally and made his international debut for Turkey in 2000.
  3. ↑ Elliott was born in Wandsworth, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally and made his full international debut for Scotland in November 1997.
  4. ↑ Benjamin was born in Kettering, England, but qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for Jamaica in November 2002.
  5. ↑ Thatcher was born in Swindon, England, but qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in March 2004.
  6. ↑ "All Leicester City players: 2004".
  7. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Foxes move for Howey". BBC News. 2003-06-05. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  8. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Foxes snap up Scimeca". BBC News. 2003-06-24. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  9. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Brooker joins Leicester". BBC News. 2003-06-24. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  10. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Leicester sign Coyne". BBC News. 2003-07-03. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  11. ↑ "Foxes sign Gillespie". Archived from the original on 10 August 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  12. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Foxes snap up Nalis". BBC News. 2003-07-11. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  13. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Ferdinand signs for Leicester". BBC News. 2003-07-11. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  14. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Foxes sign Thatcher". BBC News. 2003-07-17. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  15. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Leicester swoop for Hignett". BBC News. 2003-07-18. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  16. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Leicester land Morris". BBC News. 2004-02-02. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  17. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Northampton Town | Reeves pens Cobblers deal". BBC News. 2003-06-09. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  18. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Charlton Athletic | Royce returns to Charlton". BBC News. 2003-06-26. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  19. ↑ "Walsall sign duo". BBC Sport. 3 July 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2003.
  20. ↑ "Jones forced to retire". BBC Sport. 4 June 2004. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  21. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | West Ham Utd | West Ham sign Deane". BBC News. 2003-10-31. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  22. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Bolton Wanderers | Howey completes Bolton switch". BBC News. 2004-01-29. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  23. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Portsmouth | Pompey land LuaLua". BBC News. 2004-02-02. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  24. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Stoke City | Taggart joins Stoke City". BBC News. 2004-02-26. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  25. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Bent makes Leicester move". BBC News. 2003-09-01. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  26. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Dabizas to join Leicester". BBC News. 2004-01-01. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  27. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leicester City | Leicester land Freund". BBC News. 2004-01-30. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  28. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Stoke City | Taggart joins Stoke". BBC News. 2003-12-09. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  29. 1 2 "Leicester City Annual Player Awards". LCFC.co.uk. 17 Nov 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  30. 1 2 Awards Ceremony Picture Special, LCFC.com, 17 Nov 2004, retrieved 19 Jan 2011
  31. ↑ "Dickov leaves Leeds reeling". BBC Sport. 15 Sep 2003. Retrieved 19 Jan 2011.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/13/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.