During the 2003–04 English football season, Sunderland A.F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.
Season summary While the dismal ending to the previous season, combined with losses in their opening two matches lead to fears that Sunderland might spend the season battling a second successive relegation, a run of 7 wins from their next 10 matches quickly ended any such fears. A couple of spells of indifferent form meant that the club didn't convincingly challenge for automatic promotion until the closing stages of the season, and then another poor run of form in the season's closing stages, including the loss of a six-pointer to fellow promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion, just as quickly ended any such hopes. Sunderland were still considered favourites going into the play-offs, but a loss on penalties to Crystal Palace, who had gate-crashed the play-offs on the final day of the season, meant a second season in Division One (or, as it would be re-branded the following season, the Championship).
Transfers In Summer DatePosNameFromFee4 August 2003MF Jeff Whitley Manchester CityFree5 August 2003DF Gary Breen West Ham UnitedFree25 September 2003MF Tommy Smith WatfordFree3 October 2003MF Alan Quinn Sheffield WednesdayLoan30 October 2003MF Stewart Downing MiddlesbroughLoan
January DatePosNameFromFee7 January 2004MF Kevin Cooper Wolverhampton WanderersLoan6 February 2004FW Darren Byfield Rotherham UnitedSwap with Michael Proctor12 March 2004DF Colin Cooper MiddlesbroughLoan24 March 2004MF Carl Robinson PortsmouthLoan
Out Summer DatePosNameToFee1 June 2003MF Stefan SchwarzRetired Retired11 June 2003DF Cliff Byrne Scunthorpe UnitedFree1 July 2003FW David Bellion Manchester UnitedFree3 July 2003GK Jurgen Macho ChelseaFree9 July 2003FW Lilian Laslandes NiceFree9 July 2003DF Bernt HaasHaas was born in Vienna, Austria, but also qualified to represent Switzerland internationally and made his international debut for Switzerland in 1996. West Bromwich Albion£400,00024 July 2003MF Gavin McCann Aston Villa£2.25 million31 July 2003DF Jody Craddock Wolverhampton Wanderers£1.75 million8 August 2003GK Thomas Sorensen Aston Villa£2.25 million14 August 2003FW Kevin Phillips Southampton£3.25 million20 August 2003MF Nicolás Medina LeganésSeason-long loan23 August 2003FW Tore André Flo SienaUndisclosed29 August 2003MF Claudio Reyna Manchester City£2.5 million29 August 2003DF Emerson Thome Bolton WanderersFree1 September 2003MF Kevin KilbaneKilbane was born in Preston, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his parents and represented them at U-21 level before making his international debut for Republic of Ireland in September 1997. Everton£1 million1 September 2003DF Michael Gray CelticFour-month loan (September to December)25 September 2003FW Keith Graydon ScarboroughFree3 October 2003FW Michael Reddy Sheffield WednesdayLoan3 October 2003FW Chris Brown Doncaster RoversLoan23 October 2003GK Thomas Myhre Crystal PalaceLoan13 November 2003DF Craig James DarlingtonLoan
January DatePosNameFromFee27 January 2004DF Michael Gray Blackburn RoversFree6 February 2004FW Neil Teggart DarlingtonLoan6 February 2004FW Michael Proctor Rotherham UnitedSwap for Darren Byfield25 February 2004MF Jonjo Dickman York CityLoan15 March 2004GK Michael Ingham WrexhamLoan19 March 2004DF Craig James Port ValeLoan25 March 2004MF Chris Black Doncaster RoversFree
Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserves The following players did not appear for the first-team this season.
Results Sunderland's score comes first.
WinDrawLoss
League Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 12 August 2003 First roundMansfield TownField Mill2-15,665Kyle, Artell (own goal) 23 September 2003 Second roundHuddersfield TownStadium of Light2-413,516Kyle (2)
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 2 January 2004 Third roundHartlepool UnitedStadium of Light1-040,816Arca 24 January 2004 Fourth roundIpswich TownPortman Road2-121,406Smith, Arca 14 February 2004 Fifth roundBirmingham CityStadium of Light1-124,966Kyle 25 February 2004 Fifth round replayBirmingham CitySt Andrew's2-0 (after extra time)25,645Smith (2) 7 March 2004 Quarter-finalSheffield UnitedStadium of Light1-037,115Smith 4 April 2004 Semi-finalMillwallOld Trafford0-156,112
Football League First Division
League table
Results summary
Results by matchday
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 9 August 2003 Nottingham ForestCity Ground0-223,529 16 August 2003 MillwallStadium of Light0-124,877 23 August 2003 Preston North EndDeepdale2-014,080Thornton, Stewart 25 August 2003 WatfordStadium of Light2-023,600Wright, Stewart (pen) 30 August 2003 Bradford CityValley Parade4-014,116Thornton, Stewart, Arca, Breen 13 September 2003 Crystal PalaceStadium of Light2-127,324Kyle, Stewart (pen) 16 September 2003 Stoke CityBritannia Stadium1-315,005Kyle 20 September 2003 Derby CountyPride Park1-122,535Poom 26 September 2003 ReadingStadium of Light2-022,420Arca, Oster 30 September 2003 Ipswich TownStadium of Light3-224,840Breen, Oster, Kyle 4 October 2003 Sheffield UnitedBramall Lane1-027,008Kyle 14 October 2003 Cardiff CityStadium of Light0-026,835 18 October 2003 WalsallStadium of Light1-036,278Stewart 21 October 2003 Rotherham UnitedStadium of Light0-024,506 25 October 2003 Norwich CityCarrow Road0-116,427 1 November 2003 West Bromwich AlbionThe Hawthorns0-026,135 4 November 2003 GillinghamPriestfield Stadium3-19,066Downing, Oster, Stewart 8 November 2003 Coventry CityStadium of Light0-027,247 22 November 2003 Crewe AlexandraGresty Road3-09,807 29 November 2003 BurnleyStadium of Light1-129,852Kyle 2 December 2003 Wigan AthleticStadium of Light1-122,167Downing (pen) 8 December 2003 Coventry CityHighfield Road1-112,913Downing 13 December 2003 West Ham UnitedBoleyn Ground2-330,329Oster, McAteer 20 December 2003 WimbledonStadium of Light2-122,334Proctor, Stewart (pen) 26 December 2003 Bradford CityStadium of Light3-029,639McAteer, Smith, Kyle 28 December 2003 Rotherham UnitedMillmoor2-011,455Stewart (2, 1 pen) 10 January 2004 Nottingham ForestStadium of Light1-026,340Arca 17 January 2004 MillwallThe Den1-213,048Stewart 7 February 2004 WatfordVicarage Road2-216,798Stewart, Byfield 21 February 2004 Cardiff CityNinian Park0-417,337 3 March 2004 WalsallBescot Stadium3-17,185Arca, Stewart, Kyle 10 March 2004 Preston North EndStadium of Light3-327,181Stewart (pen), Thornton, Mears (own goal) 13 March 2004 West Ham UnitedStadium of Light2-029,533Whitley, Kyle 16 March 2004 Stoke CityStadium of Light1-124,510Byfield 20 March 2004 ReadingMadjeski Stadium2-018,019Byfield, Smith 23 March 2004 GillinghamStadium of Light2-123,262Byfield, Thornton 27 March 2004 Derby CountyStadium of Light2-130,838Smith, Oster 6 April 2004 WimbledonNational Hockey Stadium2-14,800Byfield, Stewart 9 April 2004 Sheffield UnitedStadium of Light3-027,472Breen, Smith, Kyle 12 April 2004 Ipswich TownPortman Road0-126,801 18 April 2004 West Bromwich AlbionStadium of Light0-132,201 21 April 2004 Crystal PalaceSelhurst Park0-318,291 24 April 2004 Wigan AthleticJJB Stadium0-011,380 1 May 2004 Crewe AlexandraStadium of Light1-125,311Whitley 4 May 2004 Norwich CityStadium of Light1-035,174Robinson 9 May 2004 BurnleyTurf Moor2-118,252Breen, Kyle
Football League First Division play-offs DateLegOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 14 May 2004 Leg 1Crystal PalaceSelhurst Park2–325,287Kyle, Stewart (pen) 17 May 2004 Leg 2Crystal PalaceStadium of Light2–1 (4–4 on aggregate, Sunderland lost 5–4 on penalties)34,536Kyle, Stewart
Goal scorers PositionNationNumberNameLeagueLeague CupFA CupTotalFW10Marcus Stewart160016FW9Kevin Kyle123116MF11Tommy Smith4048MF33Julio Arca4026FW17Darren Byfield5005MF12John Oster5005MF15Sean Thornton4004DF5Gary Breen4004MF24Stewart Downing3003MF4Jason McAteer2002MF8Jeff Whitley2002///Own goals1102MF24Carl Robinson1001DF2Stephen Wright1001GK1Mart Poom1001FW14Michael Proctor1001///Totals624773
References
McCarthy vows to keep Arca - https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/3349923.stm
Sunderland want Jon Stead - https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/3410371.stm
Notes