2003–04 Aston Villa F.C. season
During the 2003–04 English football season, Aston Villa competed in the Premier League.
Season summary
Former Leeds United manager David O'Leary was appointed Villa manager in the summer of 2003. Under O'Leary, Villa made a very sluggish start to the campaign and found themselves in the relegation zone after winning just two of their first 13 league fixtures. They were still in the bottom three in mid-December before O'Leary galvanized them and they gradually climbed the table. Villa had a fantastic second half of the season and, with two matches remaining, had a chance of qualifying for the Champions League. After extending their unbeaten run to eight games by drawing at Southampton, defeat against Manchester United at Villa Park consigned them to sixth place. The Villains finished five points short of a Champions League place and were edged out of a UEFA Cup spot on goal difference by Newcastle United. Nevertheless, it was still a great achievement by O'Leary, who appeared to get the best out of the likes of Gareth Barry, Lee Hendrie, Jlloyd Samuel and 16-goal Juan Pablo Angel. The Colombian was the club's leading scorer, while Darius Vassell bagged 9 goals to cement his place in England's Euro 2004 squad. Thomas Sorensen and Gavin McCann both had excellent seasons after moving from Sunderland, while Nolberto Solano quickly became a fans' favourite after his mid-season move from Newcastle. Among the men to represent Villa for the last time during 2003-04 was Dion Dublin, who netted 48 goals in 155 league games. O'Leary's side reached the last four of the Football League Cup by knocking out Wycombe Wanderers, Leicester City, Crystal Palace and Chelsea. The semi-final first leg, at Bolton, ended in a disappointing 5-2 defeat. Villa Park goals by Thomas Hitzlsperger and Samuel were not quite enough to prevent the Trotters from clinching a place in the final. Manchester United came from behind to knock Villa out of the FA Cup in a third round tie at Villa Park. Despite narrowly missing out on qualifying for Europe, the mood around Villa Park was extremely positive in the summer of 2004. With the likes of Liam Ridgewell, Steven Davis, Peter Whittingham and the Moore brothers (Stefan and Luke) forcing open the first team door, David O'Leary had an abundance of young talent at his disposal.
Final league table
Key |
Qualified for the Champions League |
Qualified for the UEFA Cup |
Relegated to the Championship |
First team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Reserve squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Transfers
In
Summer
January
Out
Summer
January
Pre-season
Date |
Opponents |
Home/ Away |
Result F – A |
Scorers |
Competition |
22 July 2003 |
FC TPS Turku |
A |
3 – 0 |
Angel (2), Vassell |
Friendly |
24 July 2003 |
Pitea |
A |
8 – 0 |
Allback (3), Crouch (3), Alpay, Hendrie |
Friendly |
26 July 2003 |
Umea |
A |
4 – 0 |
Vassell, Hendrie, Hitzlsperger, McCann |
Friendly |
28 July 2003 |
Bodens BK |
A |
4 – 2 |
Mellberg, Vassell, Makumbu (og), Crouch |
Friendly |
1 August 2003 |
Walsall |
A |
1 – 2 |
Vassell |
Friendly |
2 August 2003 |
Tamworth |
A |
4 – 1 |
Kachloul (2), Cooke, Crouch |
Friendly |
5 August 2003 |
Scunthorpe |
A |
5 – 0 |
Allback (3), Angel, De la Cruz |
Friendly |
9 August 2003 |
Leeds |
N |
2 – 2 |
Kachloul, Hitzlsperger (Aston Villa win 4–2 on pens) |
Friendly |
10 August 2003 |
St Patricks |
N |
6 – 0 |
Angel (3), Allback, Whittingham, Hitzlsperger |
Friendly |
Season results
Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Result F–A |
Competition |
Scorers |
Attendance |
16/08/2003 |
Portsmouth |
A |
[ 1–2] |
Premier League |
Barry (pen) |
20,101 |
24/08/2003 |
Liverpool |
H |
[ 0–0] |
Premier League |
|
42,573 |
27/08/2003 |
Arsenal |
A |
[ 0–2] |
Premier League |
|
38,010 |
30/08/2003 |
Leicester City |
H |
3–1 |
Premier League |
Angel (2), Thatcher (og) |
32,274 |
14/09/2003 |
Manchester City |
A |
1–4 |
Premier League |
Angel |
46,687 |
20/09/2003 |
Charlton Athletic |
H |
[ 2–1] |
Premier League |
Alpay, Samuel |
31,410 |
23/09/2003 |
Wycombe Wanderers |
A |
5–0 |
League Cup |
Angel (3) (1 pen), Whittingham, Vassell |
6,072 |
27/09/2003 |
Chelsea |
A |
[ 0–1] |
Premier League |
|
41,182 |
05/10/2003 |
Bolton |
H |
[ 1–1] |
Premier League |
Angel |
30,229 |
19/10/2003 |
Birmingham |
A |
[ 0–0] |
Premier League |
|
29,546 |
25/10/2003 |
Everton |
H |
[ 0–0] |
Premier League |
|
36,146 |
29/10/2003 |
Leicester |
H |
[ 1–0] |
League Cup |
Hitzlsperger |
26,729 |
10/11/2003 |
Newcastle |
A |
[ 1–1] |
Premier League |
Dublin |
51,975 |
08/11/2003 |
Middlesbrough |
H |
[ 0–2] |
Premier League |
|
29,898 |
23/11/2003 |
Tottenham |
A |
[ 1–2] |
Premier League |
Allback |
33,140 |
29/11/2003 |
Portsmouth |
H |
[ 1–0] |
Premier League |
Dublin |
31,285 |
03/12/2003 |
Crystal Palace |
H |
3–0 |
League Cup |
Symons (og), McCann, Angel |
24,258 |
06/12/2003 |
Manchester United |
A |
0–4 |
Premier League |
|
67,621 |
14/12/2003 |
Wolves |
H |
3–2 |
Premier League |
Angel (2), Barry |
36,964 |
17/12/2003 |
Chelsea |
H |
[ 2–1] |
League Cup |
Angel, McCann |
30,414 |
20/12/2003 |
Blackburn Rovers |
A |
[ 2–0] |
Premier League |
S. Moore, Angel |
20,722 |
26/12/2003 |
Leeds United |
A |
[ 0–0] |
Premier League |
|
38,513 |
28/01/2003 |
Fulham |
H |
3–0 |
Premier League |
Angel, Vassell (2) |
35,617 |
04/01/2004 |
Man Utd |
H |
[ 1–2] |
FA Cup |
Barry |
40,371 |
06/01/2004 |
Portsmouth |
H |
[ 2–1] |
Premier League |
Angel, Vassell |
28,625 |
10/01/2004 |
Liverpool |
A |
[ 0–1] |
Premier League |
|
43,771 |
18/01/2004 |
Arsenal |
H |
[ 0–2] |
Premier League |
|
39,380 |
21/01/2004 |
Bolton |
A |
2–5 |
League Cup |
Angel (2) |
16,302 |
27/12/2004 |
Bolton Wanderers |
H |
[ 2–0] |
League Cup |
Hitzlsperger, Samuel |
36,883 |
31/01/2004 |
Leicester City |
A |
5–0 |
Premier League |
Vassell, Crouch (2), Dublin |
31,056 |
07/02/2004 |
Leeds United |
H |
[ 2–0] |
Premier League |
Angel (pen), Johnsen |
39,171 |
11/02/2004 |
Fulham |
A |
[ 2–1] |
Premier League |
Angel, Vassell |
16,153 |
22/02/2004 |
Birmingham |
H |
2–2 |
Premier League |
Vassell, Hitzlsperger |
40,061 |
28/02/2004 |
Everton |
A |
[ 0–2] |
Premier League |
|
39,353 |
14/03/2004 |
Wolves |
A |
4–0 |
Premier League |
Hitzlsperger, Mellberg, Angel (2) |
29,386 |
20/03/2004 |
Blackburn Rovers |
H |
[ 0–2] |
Premier League |
|
37,532 |
27/03/2004 |
Charlton Athletic |
A |
[ 2–1] |
Premier League |
Vassell, Samuel |
26,250 |
04/04/2004 |
Manchester City |
H |
[ 1–1] |
Premier League |
Angel |
37,602 |
10/04/2004 |
Bolton Wanderers |
A |
[ 2–2] |
Premier League |
Crouch, Hendrie |
26,374 |
12/04/2004 |
Chelsea |
H |
3–2 |
Premier League |
Vassell (pen), Hitzlsperger, Hendrie |
41,112 |
18/04/2004 |
Newcastle United |
H |
[ 0–0] |
Premier League |
|
40,786 |
24/04/2004 |
Middlesbrough |
A |
[ 2–1] |
Premier League |
Barry, Crouch |
31,322 |
02/05/2004 |
Tottenham Hotspur |
H |
[ 1–0] |
Premier League |
Angel |
42,573 |
08/05/2004 |
Southampton |
A |
[ 1–1] |
Premier League |
Angel |
32,054 |
15/05/2004 |
Manchester United |
H |
[ 0–2] |
Premier League |
|
42,573 |
References