The 2003–04 English football season was Aston Villa's 12th season in the Premier League. David O'Leary, the sacked Leeds United manager, 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 Ángel. 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 Sørensen 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.
Kit Supplier Sponsor Diadora Rover / MG*
Premier League
Matches DateOpponentVenueResultF–ACompetitionScorersAttendance16 August 2003PortsmouthA[1–2]Premier LeagueBarry (pen) 82'20,10124 August 2003LiverpoolH[0–0]Premier League42,57327 August 2003ArsenalA[0–2]Premier League38,01030 August 2003Leicester CityH3–1Premier LeagueThatcher (og) 8', Ángel 10', 16'32,27414 September 2003Manchester CityA1–4Premier LeagueÁngel 31'46,68720 September 2003Charlton AthleticH[2–1]Premier LeagueAlpay 37', Samuel 55'31,41023 September 2003Wycombe WanderersA5–0League CupWhittingham 14', Ángel 31, (pen) 50', 55', Vassell (pen) 86'6,07227 September 2003ChelseaA[0–1]Premier League41,1825 October 2003BoltonH[1–1]Premier LeagueÁngel 58'30,22919 October 2003BirminghamA[0–0]Premier League29,54625 October 2003EvertonH[0–0]Premier League36,14629 October 2003LeicesterH1–0League CupHitzlsperger 75'26,7291 November 2003NewcastleA1–1Premier LeagueDublin 11'51,9758 November 2003MiddlesbroughH[0–2]Premier League29,89823 November 2003TottenhamA[1–2]Premier LeagueAllbäck 66'33,14029 November 2003SouthamptonH[1–0]Premier LeagueDublin 45'31,2853 December 2003Crystal PalaceH3–0League CupSymons (og) 22', McCann 70', Ángel 79'24,2586 December 2003Manchester UnitedA0–4Premier League67,62114 December 2003WolvesH3–2Premier LeagueÁngel 21', 24', Barry 48'36,96417 December 2003ChelseaH[2–1]League CupÁngel 16', McCann 78'30,41420 December 2003Blackburn RoversA[2–0]Premier LeagueS. Moore 62', Ángel 75'20,72226 December 2003Leeds UnitedA[0–0]Premier League38,51328 December 2003FulhamH3–0Premier LeagueÁngel 33', Vassell 67', 82'35,6174 January 2004Man UtdH[1–2]FA CupBarry 19'40,3716 January 2004PortsmouthH[2–1]Premier LeagueÁngel 22', Vassell 85'28,62510 January 2004LiverpoolA[0–1]Premier League43,77118 January 2004ArsenalH[0–2]Premier League39,38021 January 2004BoltonA2–5League CupÁngel 20', 56'16,30227 January 2004Bolton WanderersH[2–0]League CupHitzlsperger 10', Samuel 88'36,88331 January 2004Leicester CityA5–0Premier LeagueVassell 50', 60', Crouch 57', 68', Dublin 64'31,0567 February 2004Leeds UnitedH[2–0]Premier LeagueÁngel (pen) 45', Johnsen 59'39,17111 February 2004FulhamA[2–1]Premier LeagueÁngel 13', Vassell 32'16,15322 February 2004BirminghamH2–2Premier LeagueVassell 21', Hitzlsperger 47'40,06128 February 2004EvertonA[0–2]Premier League39,35314 March 2004WolvesA4–0Premier LeagueHitzlsperger 7', Mellberg 18', Ángel 24', 59'29,38620 March 2004Blackburn RoversH[0–2]Premier League37,53227 March 2004Charlton AthleticA[2–1]Premier LeagueVassell 24', Samuel 54'26,2504 April 2004Manchester CityH[1–1]Premier LeagueÁngel 21'37,60210 April 2004Bolton WanderersA[2–2]Premier LeagueCrouch 18', Hendrie 53'26,37412 April 2004ChelseaH3–2Premier LeagueVassell (pen) 39', Hitzlsperger 49', Hendrie 52'41,11218 April 2004Newcastle UnitedH[0–0]Premier League40,78624 April 2004MiddlesbroughA[2–1]Premier LeagueBarry 45', Crouch 89'31,3222 May 2004Tottenham HotspurH[1–0]Premier LeagueÁngel 5'42,5738 May 2004SouthamptonA[1–1]Premier LeagueÁngel (pen) 39'32,05415 May 2004Manchester UnitedH[0–2]Premier League42,573
Players
As of end of season
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred or loaned out during the season
First-team squad Squad at end of season
Transfers
Transferred in DatePosPlayerFromFee 24 July 2003 CM Gavin McCann Sunderland £2,250,000 8 August 2003 GK Thomas Sørensen Sunderland £2,250,000 29 January 2004 RM Nolberto Solano Newcastle United £1,500,000£6,000,000
Loaned in DatePosPlayerFromLoan End
Transferred out
DatePosPlayerToFee 1 July 2003 AM Øyvind Leonhardsen - Released 1 July 2003 CM John McGrath Doncaster Rovers Free transfer 1 July 2003 LB Steve Staunton Coventry City Free transfer 1 July 2003 CM Ian Taylor Derby County Free transfer 1 July 2003 LB Alan Wright Middlesbrough Free transfer 23 October 2003 CB Alpay Özalan Incheon United Free transfer 13 December 2003 GK Boaz Myhill Hull City £50,000 23 December 2003 LB Danny Jackman Stockport County £70,000 6 January 2004 GK Peter Enckelman Blackburn Rovers £150,000 15 January 2004 CM Mark Kinsella West Bromwich Albion Free transfer 21 January 2004 CF Boško Balaban Club Brugge Free transfer 31 January 2004 CM Mustapha Hadji Espanyol Free transfer 25 March 2004 CB Jonathan Bewers Notts County Free transfer£270,000
Loaned out DatePosPlayerToLoan End 6 August 2003 GK Boaz Myhill Macclesfield Town 6 September 2003 1 September 2003 AM Hassan Kachloul Wolverhampton Wanderers 31 May 2004 4 September 2003 CF Peter Crouch Norwich City 7 December 2003 7 November 2003 GK Peter Enckelman Blackburn Rovers 31 December 2003 15 November 2003 LB Rob Edwards Crystal Palace 21 December 2003 21 November 2003 GK Boaz Myhill Stockport County 11 December 2003 11 December 2003 CF Peter Hynes Doncaster Rovers 10 January 2004 12 December 2003 CF Luke Moore Wycombe Wanderers 12 January 2004 8 January 2004 LB Rob Edwards Derby County 31 May 2004 23 January 2004 CF Peter Hynes Cheltenham Town 23 February 2004 13 March 2004 GK Wayne Henderson Tamworth 23 March 2004 19 April 2004 GK Wayne Henderson Wycombe Wanderers 31 May 2004
Overall transfer activity
Expenditur £6,000,000
Income £270,000
Balance £5,730,000
Reserve & Youth squad The following players did not appear for the first team this season, and spent most of the season playing for the reserves.
Under-19s The following players did not appear for the first team this season, and spent most of the season playing for the youth team, but may have also appeared for the reserves.
Under-17s The following players did not appear for the first team this season, and spent most of the season playing for the youth team, but may have also appeared for the reserves.
Did not play The following players did not play for any Aston Villa team this season.
Pre-season DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersCompetition22 July 2003FC TPS Turku A3 – 0 Ángel (2), VassellFriendly24 July 2003Pitea A8 – 0Allbäck (3), Crouch (3), Alpay, HendrieFriendly26 July 2003Umea A4 – 0Vassell, Hendrie, Hitzlsperger, McCannFriendly28 July 2003Bodens BK A4 – 2Mellberg, Vassell, Makumbu (og), CrouchFriendly1 August 2003WalsallA1 – 2VassellFriendly2 August 2003TamworthA4 – 1Kachloul (2), Cooke, CrouchFriendly5 August 2003ScunthorpeA5 – 0Allbäck (3), Ángel, De la CruzFriendly9 August 2003LeedsN2 – 2Kachloul, Hitzlsperger (Aston Villa win 4–2 on pens)Friendly, Dublin Cup10 August 2003St Patricks N6 – 0Ángel (3), Allbäck, Whittingham, HitzlspergerFriendly, Dublin Cup
Notes
References
External links Aston Villa official website