2003–04 Newcastle United F.C. season
Encyclopedia
During the 2003-04 season, Newcastle United
participated in the FA Premier League
.
and Charlton Athletic
to take fifth place and qualify for the UEFA Cup. The club could have finished higher if they hadn't started and ended the season with terrible runs, with no win until October in the league, including a Champions League qualifier defeat on penalties to Partizan Belgrade, and no win after April 25th, including a UEFA Cup semi-final defeat in Marseille. The club's away form was also a major achilles heel, with the club registering only 2 away wins (at Middlesbrough
and Fulham
in the space of 4 days) and a staggering 12 away draws.
and the main shirt sponsor was Northern Rock
.
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
participated in the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
.
Season summary
For the third season in a row Newcastle qualified for European competition via the league. However, following the two Champions League qualifications of the previous two seasons, this time they were not be as lucky as Liverpool pipped them to the fourth Champions League spot in the last week of the season. Newcastle were able to nip in ahead of Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
to take fifth place and qualify for the UEFA Cup. The club could have finished higher if they hadn't started and ended the season with terrible runs, with no win until October in the league, including a Champions League qualifier defeat on penalties to Partizan Belgrade, and no win after April 25th, including a UEFA Cup semi-final defeat in Marseille. The club's away form was also a major achilles heel, with the club registering only 2 away wins (at Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
and Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in the space of 4 days) and a staggering 12 away draws.
Team kit
The team kit for the 2003-04 season was produced by AdidasAdidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
and the main shirt sponsor was Northern Rock
Northern Rock
Northern Rock plc is a British bank, best known for becoming the first bank in 150 years to suffer a bank run after having had to approach the Bank of England for a loan facility, to replace money market funding, during the credit crisis in 2007. Having failed to find a commercial buyer for...
.
In
| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2003 | DF |  Lee BowyerLee Bowyer Lee David Bowyer is an English professional footballer born in Canning Town, London, who plays as a midfielder for Ipswich Town of the Football League Championship.... |
West Ham United West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... |
Free |
| January 2004 | DF | Michael Bridges Michael Bridges Michael Bridges is an English football striker who currently plays for A-League club, Newcastle Jets. Bridge has previously played over 200 Premier League games.-Sunderland:... |
Leeds United |
Loan |
- Total spending: £0m
Out
| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2003 | MF |  Clarence AcuñaClarence Acuña Clárence Williams Acuña Donoso is a Chilean former professional football player. He played as a midfielder.- Chilean League :... |
 Rosario CentralRosario Central Club Atlético Rosario Central is a sports club based in Rosario, Argentina. Its football team currently plays in the Primera B Nacional, the second tier of the Argentine football league system, after being relegated in the 2009-10 season.... |
Released |
| January 2004 | DF |  Nikos DabizasNikos Dabizas Nikolaos "Nikos" Dabizas is a retired Greek professional footballer and former Newcastle United, Leicester City, Olympiacos and Larissa defender . He was also in Greece's 2004 European Football Championship winning squad.... |
Leicester City Leicester City F.C. Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester... |
Free |
| January 2004 | FW | Carl Cort Carl Cort Carl Edward Richard Cort is an Guyanese-English footballer who plays as a forward. Most recently, he played for League One side Brentford until he was released in January 2011.... |
Wolves Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
£2,000,000 |
| January 2004 | MF |  Nolberto SolanoNolberto Solano Nolberto Albino "Nobby" Solano Todco is a Peruvian footballer who plays for Hartlepool United. He has spent much of his career in the English Premier League and also played 95 times for Peru between 1994 and 2009... |
Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
£1,500,000 |
| January 2004 | DF |  Gary CaldwellGary Caldwell Gary Robert Caldwell is a Scottish footballer who is currently the captain of Wigan Athletic and also plays for the Scotland national football team.... |
Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
Released |
- Total spending: £3.5m
Squad
Starting 11
- Only considering Premiership starts
- GK: #1,
Shay GivenShay GivenSéamus John James "Shay" Given is an Irish footballer who plays for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national team as a goalkeeper. He won the PFA's Player of the Year in 2002....
, 38 - RB: #18,
Aaron HughesAaron HughesAaron William Hughes is a Northern Irish footballer who plays for Fulham. Hughes is able to play centre back, right back or left back, as well as anywhere in midfield. He is usually deployed in a centre half position for his club and country, and is the current Northern Ireland captain...
, 34 - CB: #19, Titus BrambleTitus BrambleTitus Malachi Bramble is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland as a defender. He is currently suspended by Sunderland after bring arrested for possession of a class A drug and sexual assault.-Ipswich Town:...
, 27 - CB: #5, Andy O'BrienAndy O'BrienAndrew "Andy" O'Brien is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by the late Ross Davidson. One of the original characters created for the series, Andy made his appearance one month after the show first broadcast in March 1985. Portrayed as altruistic and middle-classed,...
, 27 - LB: #35,
Olivier BernardOlivier BernardOlivier Bernard is a retired French footballer. He announced his retirement after leaving Newcastle United on 16 May 2007.-Newcastle United:Bernard made his name during his first spell with Newcastle after joining from Lyon...
, 35 - RM: #8, Kieron DyerKieron DyerKieron Courtney Dyer is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers. Born in Ipswich, he is an attacking midfielder who played youth football for his home club before going on to make nearly 100 league appearances for the club's first team...
, 25 - CM: #7, Jermaine JenasJermaine JenasJermaine Anthony Jenas is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. He is of mixed African-Caribbean and English descent.-Nottingham Forest:...
, 26 - CM: #11,
Gary SpeedGary SpeedGary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between...
, - LM: #32, Laurent RobertLaurent RobertLaurent Robert is a former French footballer. He was a left winger, and has played for the French national football team....
, 31 - CF: #9, Alan ShearerAlan ShearerAlan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
, 37 - CF: #23,
Shola AmeobiShola AmeobiFoluwashola "Shola" Ameobi is an Nigerian footballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United as a forward. Born in Nigeria but raised in Newcastle, he played for England at under-21 level. He is the older brother of fellow footballers Tomi and Sammy...
, 18
- GK: #1,