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).
2003–04 season | |
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Chairman | John Williams |
Manager | Graeme Souness |
FA Premier League | 15th |
FA Cup | Third round |
League Cup | Third round |
UEFA Cup | First round |
Top goalscorer | League: Andy Cole (11) All: Andy Cole (11) |
Highest home attendance | 30,074 (vs. Liverpool, 13 September 2003) |
Lowest home attendance | 19,939 (vs. Charlton Athletic, 20 October 2003) |
Average home league attendance | 24,376 |
Season summary
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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
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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 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Players
First-team 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.
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Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Reserve squad
- 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.
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Statistics
Appearances and goals
No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | UEFA Cup | |||||
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Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
Goalkeepers | |||||||||||||
1 | GK | USA | Brad Friedel | 40 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
31 | GK | FIN | Peter Enckelman | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defenders | |||||||||||||
2 | DF | AUS | Lucas Neill | 35 | 2 | 30+2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
3 | DF | SVK | Vratislav Greško | 28 | 1 | 22+2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
5 | DF | ITA | Lorenzo Amoruso | 14 | 3 | 11+1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
6 | DF | ENG | Craig Short | 20 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
11 | DF | GER | Markus Babbel | 28 | 3 | 23+2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
14 | DF | SWE | Nils-Eric Johansson | 15 | 0 | 7+7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
15 | DF | ENG | Andy Todd | 21 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
33 | DF | ENG | Michael Gray | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Midfielders | |||||||||||||
7 | MF | ENG | Garry Flitcroft | 33 | 3 | 29+2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
8 | MF | TUR | Tugay Kerimoğlu | 40 | 1 | 30+6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
12 | MF | IRL | Steven Reid | 19 | 0 | 9+7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
20 | MF | ENG | David Thompson | 14 | 1 | 10+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
23 | MF | AUS | Brett Emerton | 40 | 3 | 31+6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
24 | MF | SCO | Barry Ferguson | 16 | 2 | 14+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
25 | MF | NOR | Martin Andresen | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
26 | MF | IRL | Jonathan Douglas | 14 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
30 | MF | ENG | Neil Danns | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Forwards | |||||||||||||
9 | FW | ENG | Andy Cole | 37 | 11 | 27+7 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
10 | FW | ENG | Matt Jansen | 21 | 3 | 9+10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
17 | FW | SCO | Paul Gallagher | 28 | 3 | 12+14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | FW | ENG | Jon Stead | 15 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
19 | FW | TRI | Dwight Yorke | 27 | 6 | 15+8 | 4 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1+1 | 0 |
Players transferred out during the season | |||||||||||||
4 | DF | ENG | Martin Taylor | 14 | 0 | 10+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
16 | MF | IRL | Alan Mahon | 4 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | FW | ITA | Corrado Grabbi | 7 | 0 | 0+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
21 | MF | ITA | Dino Baggio | 12 | 1 | 0+9 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
Last updated: 31 May 2004
Source: [1]
Starting 11
Considering appearances in all competitions[2]
- GK: #1, Brad Friedel, 40
- RB: #2, Lucas Neill, 33
- CB: #11, Markus Babbel, 26
- CB: #6, Craig Short, 26 (#15, Andy Todd, has 21 starts)
- LB: #3, Vratislav Greško, 26
- RM: #23, Brett Emerton, 33
- CM: #8, Tugay Kerimoğlu, 34
- CM: #7, Garry Flitcroft, 31 (#24, Barry Ferguson, has 15 starts)
- LM: #26, Jonathan Douglas, 14
- CF: #9, Andrew Cole, 29
- CF: #19, Dwight Yorke, 17
Results
Results by matchday
16 August 2003 1 | Blackburn Rovers | 5–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Blackburn, Lancashire |
15:00 BST | Amoruso 17' Thompson 29' Emerton 52' Cole 79', 87' |
Report | Iversen 71' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 26,270 Referee: Jeff Winter |
23 August 2003 2 | Bolton Wanderers | 2–2 | Blackburn Rovers | Bolton, Greater Manchester |
15:00 BST | Djorkaeff 3' (pen.) Davies 25' |
Report | Jansen 50' Yorke 90' |
Stadium: Reebok Stadium Attendance: 27,423 Referee: Andy D'Urso |
25 August 2003 3 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–3 | Manchester City | Blackburn, Lancashire |
20:00 | Sinclair 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.) |
Report | Cole 1', 58' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 41,066 Referee: Mike Dean |
12 September 2003 5 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–3 | Liverpool | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Jansen 8' Neill 45' |
Report | Owen 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 |
De Zeeuw 57' | Report | Neill 35' Cole 43' |
Stadium: Fratton Park Attendance: 20,024 Referee: Paul Durkin |
28 September 2003 7 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–2 | Fulham | Blackburn, Lancashire |
15:00 | Report | Luís 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 |
15:00 | Johnson 11', 27' | Report | Baggio 86' | Stadium: Elland Road Attendance: 35,039 Referee: Uriah Rennie |
20 October 2003 9 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–1 | Charlton Athletic | Blackburn, Lancashire |
20:00 BST | Report | Hreidarsson 33' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 19,939 Referee: Graham Barber |
25 October 2003 10 | Southampton | 2–0 | Blackburn Rovers | Southampton, Hampshire |
15:00 | Beattie 59' Griffit 87' |
Report | Stadium: St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,620 Referee: Steve Bennett |
2 November 2003 11 | Leicester City | 2–0 | Blackburn Rovers | Leicester, Leicestershire |
16:05 | Bent 75' Howey 82' |
Report | Stadium: Walkers Stadium Attendance: 30,975 Referee: Dermot Gallagher |
10 November 2003 12 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–1 | Everton | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Babbel 6' Yorke 13' |
Report | Radzinski 49' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 22,179 Referee: Paul Dowd |
22 November 2003 13 | Manchester United | 2–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Trafford, Greater Manchester |
van Nistelrooy 24' Kleberson 38' |
Report | Emerton 62' | Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 67,748 Referee: Mark Halsey |
29 November 2003 14 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Greško 78' | Report | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 22,802 Referee: Graham Poll |
6 December 2003 15 | Birmingham City | 0–4 | Blackburn Rovers | Birmingham, West Midlands |
15:00 GMT (UTC) | Dugarry 72' | Report | Ferguson 66' Neill 68' Tugay 82' Gallagher 88' |
Stadium: St Andrew's Attendance: 29,354 Referee: Graham Barber |
14 December 2003 16 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Blackburn Rovers | Islington, London |
14:00 GMT | Bergkamp 11' | Report | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 37,677 Referee: Andy D'Urso |
20 December 2003 17 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–2 | Aston Villa | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Report | Moore 62' Ángel 75' |
Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 20,722 Referee: Dermot Gallagher |
26 December 2003 18 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–2 | Middlesbrough | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Babbel 3', 90' | Report | Juninho 31', 51' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 25,452 Referee: Alan Wiley |
28 December 2003 19 | Newcastle United | 0–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear |
Report | Gallagher 72' | Stadium: St James' Park Attendance: 51,648 Referee: Mark Halsey |
7 January 2004 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–2 | Blackburn Rovers | Wolverhampton, West Midlands |
19:45 GMT | Butler 63' Rae 72' |
Report | Cole 14' Yorke 78' |
Stadium: Molineux Attendance: 27,393 Referee: Neale Barry |
10 January 2004 21 | Blackburn Rovers | 3–4 | Bolton Wanderers | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Greško 3' Yorke 24' Cole 34' |
Report | Nolan 1', 78' Djorkaeff 43' Giannakopoulos 73' |
Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 23,538 Referee: Steve Dunn |
17 January 2004 22 | Manchester City | 1–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Manchester, Greater Manchester |
15:00 | Anelka 50' | Report | 55' Flitcroft | Stadium: City of Manchester Stadium Attendance: 47,090 Referee: Mike Dean |
1 February 2004 23 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–3 | Chelsea | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Flitcroft 3' Gallagher 87' |
Report | Lampard 25', 35' Johnson 88' |
Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 24,867 Referee: Dermot Gallagher |
7 February 2004 24 | Middlesbrough | 0–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire |
Report | Stead 39' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 28,307 Referee: Rob Styles |
11 February 2004 25 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Newcastle United | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Jon Stead 85' | Report | Craig Bellamy 52' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 23,459 Referee: Matt Messias |
21 February 2004 26 | Charlton Athletic | 3–2 | Blackburn Rovers | Greenwich, London |
Cole 10' Euell 36' Jensen 90' |
Report | Cole 74' Friedel 90' |
Stadium: The Valley Attendance: 26,332 Referee: Uriah Rennie |
28 February 2004 27 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Southampton | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Andy Cole 52' | Report | Kevin Phillips 5' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 21,970 Referee: Mike Dean |
13 March 2004 28 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–2 | Arsenal | Blackburn, Lancashire |
15:00 GMT | Report | Henry 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 |
15:00 | Report | Flitcroft 26' Stead 36' |
Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 37,532 Referee: Andy D'Urso |
27 March 2004 30 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–2 | Portsmouth | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Tugay 37' | Report | Sheringham 17' Yakubu 82' |
Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 22,855 Referee: Paul Durkin |
4 April 2004 31 | Liverpool | 4–0 | Blackburn Rovers | Liverpool, Merseyside |
Owen 7', 24' Todd 22' (o.g.) Heskey 79' |
Report | Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 41,559 Referee: Jeff Winter |
10 April 2004 32 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–2 | Leeds United | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Short 90' | Report | Caldwell 2' Viduka 89' |
Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 26,611 Referee: Steve Dunn |
12 April 2004 33 | Fulham | 3–4 | Blackburn Rovers | Fulham, London |
John 26', 45' Boa Morte 60' |
Report | Cole 23' Douglas 49' Amoruso 51' Stead 75' |
Attendance: 13,981 Referee: Mike Dean |
17 April 2004 34 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–0 | Leicester City | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Dabizas 42' (o.g.) | Report | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 22,749 Referee: Rob Styles |
24 April 2004 35 | Everton | 0–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Liverpool, Merseyside |
Report | Stead 81' | Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 38,884 Referee: Paul Dowd |
1 May 2004 36 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–0 | Manchester United | Blackburn, Lancashire |
Stead 85' | Report | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 29,616 Referee: Mike Dean |
8 May 2004 37 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–0 | Blackburn Rovers | Haringey, London |
Defoe 18' | Report | Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 35,698 Referee: Andy D'Urso |
15 May 2004 38 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Birmingham City | Blackburn, Lancashire |
15:00 BST (UTC+01) | Cole 24' | Report | John 83' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 26,070 Referee: Dermot Gallagher |
FA Cup
3 January 2004 Third round | Birmingham City | 4–0 | Blackburn Rovers | Birmingham, West Midlands |
15:00 | Morrison 23' Clemence 36' Forssell 78' Hughes 84' |
Report | Stadium: St Andrew's Attendance: 18,688 Referee: Paul Durkin |
League Cup
29 October 2003 Third round | Blackburn Rovers | 3–4 | Liverpool | Blackburn, Lancashire |
20:00 | Yorke 35', 90' Ferguson 81' |
Report | Murphy 39' (pen.) Heskey 49', 61' Kewell 79' |
Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 16,918 Referee: Mike Riley |
UEFA Cup
24 September 2003 First round 1 First leg | Gençlerbirliği S.K. | 3–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium |
14:55 | Skoko 42' Youla 43', 60' |
Report | Emerton 57' | Attendance: Ulus, Ankara Referee: Paolo Vertini (Italy) |
15 October 2003 Round 1 Leg 2 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Gençlerbirliği S.K. | Blackburn, Lancashire |
20:15 | Jansen 64' | Report | Özkan 66' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 14,573 Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands) |
Top scorers
Premiership
- Andy Cole 11
- Jon Stead 6
- Dwight Yorke 4
- Lorenzo Amoruso 3
- Markus Babbel 3
Notes
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- "All Blackburn Rovers players: 2004". 11v11.com.
- "Blackburn Rovers in FA Premier League 2003/2004 analysis and predictions". Football-Lineups.