2003–04 Millwall F.C. season

During the 2003–04 English football season, Millwall competed in the Football League First Division, the second tier of English football.

2003–04 Millwall F.C. season
Chairman Theo Paphitis
Manager Mark McGhee
(until 15 October)[1]
Dennis Wise
(player-manager)
StadiumThe Den
First Division10th
FA CupRunners-up
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Tim Cahill and Neil Harris (9)
All: Tim Cahill (12)

Season summary

Despite having spent the previous seasons chasing promotion to the Premiership, Mark McGhee left Millwall by "mutual consent" in October with the club just six points behind league leaders Sheffield United with 14 games played. His replacement, player-manager Dennis Wise, led Millwall to a final 10th place, four points off the play-offs. The club enjoyed greater success in the FA Cup, reaching the final for the first time in their history,[2] to face Manchester United. Millwall, who were missing 16 players through injury and suspension, were unable to create many opportunities and lost 3-0[3] to a United side which had finished third in the Premier League that season.

Curtis Weston, a boyhood United fan, became the youngest player to ever appear in an FA Cup final when he came on a substitute for Wise in the 89th minute. Weston, aged 17 years 119 days, beat the 125-year-old record previously held by James F. M. Prinsep, who appeared in the 1879 final for Clapham Rovers aged 17 years and 245 days; Weston defeated Prinsep's record by 126 days.

As United had already qualified for the Champions League, Millwall gained European qualification for the first time in their history, entering the UEFA Cup in the first round.

Final league table
Main article: 2003–04 Football League First Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
8 Sheffield United 46 20 11 15 65 56 +9 71
9 Reading 46 20 10 16 55 57 −2 70
10 Millwall 46 18 15 13 55 48 +7 69 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[lower-alpha 1]
11 Stoke City 46 18 12 16 58 55 +3 66
12 Coventry City 46 17 14 15 67 54 +13 65
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. Since the FA Cup winners Manchester United qualified for the Champions League, their place in the UEFA Cup went to Millwall, who were the FA Cup runners-up.

Kit

Strikeforce remained Millwall's kit sponsors. London-based stationery retailer Ryman became kit sponsors.

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ENG Tony Warner[4]
2 DF  ENG Matt Lawrence
3 DF  IRL Robbie Ryan
4 MF  AUS Tim Cahill[5]
6 DF  ENG Joe Dolan
7 MF  ENG Paul Ifill[6]
8 MF  ENG David Livermore
9 FW  ENG Neil Harris
10 FW  ENG Danny Dichio
11 MF  ENG Curtis Weston
12 DF  ENG Darren Ward
13 GK  FRA Willy Guéret
14 MF  ENG Andy Roberts
16 FW  FRA Abou Fofana
17 DF  AUS Kevin Muscat
18 FW  ENG John Sutton
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 MF  ENG Dennis Wise (player-manager)
21 FW  ENG Nick Chadwick (on loan from Everton)
22 FW  NIR Kevin Braniff
23 FW  ENG Mark McCammon[7]
25 MF  ENG Marvin Elliott[8]
26 MF  SCO Peter Sweeney
27 DF  IRL Alan Dunne
28 DF  ENG Mark Phillips
29 FW  BEL Bob Peeters
30 MF  ENG Charley Hearn
33 GK  ENG Andy Marshall
34 DF  ENG Paul Robinson
35 DF  ENG Tony Craig
37 MF  IRL Barry Cogan
38 MF  JAM Trevor Robinson
39 FW  IRL Mark Quigley

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
5 DF  ENG Stuart Nethercott (to Wycombe Wanderers)
10 FW  IRL Richard Sadlier (retired)
11 FW  ENG Noel Whelan (to Derby County)
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 DF  ENG Ronnie Bull (to Brentford)
31 GK  ENG David McCartney (to Hornchurch)
42 DF  BRA Juan (on loan from Arsenal)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
15 FW  ENG Moses Ashikodi
31 DF  WAL Matthew Rees
32 FW  ENG Ben May
36 DF  IRL Tim Clancy
No. Pos. Nation Player
40 MF  GAM Cherno Samba
41 MF  CIV Alex Tiesse
45 MF  ENG Ellis Lattimore

Awards

At the end of the season, defender Darren Ward was named the club's player of the year.

References
  1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/millwall/3193162.stm McGhee leaves Millwall, BBC News
  2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/millwall/4527395.stm Wise steps down as Millwall boss, BBC News
  3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/3725063.stm United win FA Cup, BBC News
  4. Warner was born in Liverpool, England, but also qualified to represent Trinidad and Tobago internationally, and made his debut for Trinidad and Tobago in February 2006.
  5. Cahill was born in Sydney, Australia, but also qualified to represent Samoa internationally through his mother; he previously represented Samoa at U-17 level before switching his international allegiance to Australia, and would make his international debut for Australia in March 2004.
  6. Ifill was born in Brighton, England, but qualified to represent Barbados internationally through his parents, and would make his international debut for Barbados in June 2004.
  7. McCammon was born in Barnet, England, but qualified to represent Barbados internationally, and would make his international debut for Barbados in 2006.
  8. Elliott was born in Wandsworth, England, but qualified to represent Jamaica internationally, and would make his international debut for Jamaica in October 2011.
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