# 2003–04 Scottish Premier League

The 2003–04 Scottish Premier League was won by Celtic.
As league champions, Celtic qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage, with runners-up Rangers also qualifying to the third qualifying round. Third-placed Hearts qualified for the UEFA Cup, as did Dunfermline Athletic, who took the Scottish Cup place despite losing the final to Celtic.
During the season, Celtic set a Scottish record of 25 successive wins.
Partick Thistle were relegated, and First Division winners Inverness Caledonian Thistle were promoted.
Celtic's Henrik Larsson was the top scorer with 30 goals.

## Teams
### Promotion and relegation from 2002–03

Motherwell finished bottom of the 2002–03 Scottish Premier League but were spared relegation, as 2002–03 Scottish First Division champions Falkirk were denied promotion due to their lack of an appropriate stadium for the Scottish Premier League.

### Stadia and locations

| Aberdeen | Celtic | Dundee | Dundee United |
| Pittodrie Stadium | Celtic Park | Dens Park | Tannadice Park |
| Capacity: 20,866 | Capacity: 60,411 | Capacity: 11,506 | Capacity: 14,223 |
| Dunfermline Athletic | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Heart of Midlothian |
| East End Park | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Tynecastle Park |
| Capacity: 12,509 | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Capacity: 17,420 |
| Hibernian | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Kilmarnock |
| Easter Road | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Rugby Park |
| Capacity: 16,531 | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | AberdeenDundeeDundee UnitedDunfermline AthleticHeartsHibernianKilmarnockLivingstonRangersCeltic MotherwellPartick Thistleclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Capacity: 17,889 |
| Livingston | Motherwell | Partick Thistle | Rangers |
| Almondvale Stadium | Fir Park | Firhill Stadium | Ibrox Stadium |
| Capacity: 10,016 | Capacity: 13,677 | Capacity: 13,300 | Capacity: 50,817 |

### Personnel

| Team | Manager |
| Aberdeen | Steve Paterson |
| Celtic | Martin O'Neill |
| Dundee | Jim Duffy |
| Dundee United | Ian McCall |
| Dunfermline Athletic | Jimmy Calderwood |
| Heart of Midlothian | Craig Levein |
| Hibernian | Tony Mowbray |
| Kilmarnock | Jim Jefferies |
| Livingston | David Hay |
| Motherwell | Terry Butcher |
| Partick Thistle | Gerry Britton Derek Whyte (co-managers) |
| Rangers | Alex McLeish |

#### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Date of vacancy | Manner of departure | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Partick Thistle | John Lambie | 24 May 2003 | Retired | Pre-season | Gerry Collins | 25 May 2003 |
| Livingston | Jim Leishman | 4 June 2003 | Resigned | Pre-season | Márcio Máximo | 4 June 2003 |
| Livingston | Márcio Máximo | 14 October 2003 | Resigned | 8th | David Hay | 15 October 2003 |
| Partick Thistle | Gerry Collins | 30 November 2003 | Sacked | 12th | Gerry Britton Derek Whyte (co-managers) | 30 November 2003 (interim) 23 December 2003 (permanent) |
| Hibernian | Bobby Williamson | 20 April 2004 | Signed by Plymouth Argyle | 7th | Tony Mowbray | 24 May 2004 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Celtic (C) | 38 | 31 | 5 | 2 | 105 | 25 | +80 | 98 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Rangers | 38 | 25 | 6 | 7 | 76 | 33 | +43 | 81 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Heart of Midlothian | 38 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 56 | 40 | +16 | 68 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Dunfermline Athletic | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 45 | 52 | −7 | 53 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Dundee United | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 47 | 60 | −13 | 49 | |
| 6 | Motherwell | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 42 | 49 | −7 | 46 | |
| 7 | Dundee | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 48 | 57 | −9 | 46 | |
| 8 | Hibernian | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 41 | 60 | −19 | 44 | Qualification for the UEFA Intertoto Cup second round |
| 9 | Livingston | 38 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 48 | 57 | −9 | 43 | |
| 10 | Kilmarnock | 38 | 12 | 6 | 20 | 51 | 74 | −23 | 42 | |
| 11 | Aberdeen | 38 | 9 | 7 | 22 | 39 | 63 | −24 | 34 | |
| 12 | Partick Thistle (R) | 38 | 6 | 8 | 24 | 39 | 67 | −28 | 26 | Relegation to the Scottish First Division |
* ↑ Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.
* ↑ As Celtic, the 2003–04 Scottish Cup winners, qualified for the UEFA Champions League via their league position, the place in the UEFA Cup was passed onto Dunfermline Athletic, the cup runners-up.
* ↑ Hibernian qualified for the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup as the highest placed team to apply to participate in the competition.

## Results
### Matches 1–22

During matches 1–22 each team played every other team twice (home and away).
| Home \ Away | ABE | CEL | DND | DUN | DNF | HOM | HIB | KIL | LIV | MOT | PAR | RAN |
| Aberdeen | | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 |
| Celtic | 4–0 | | 3–2 | 5–0 | 5–0 | 5–0 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 |
| Dundee | 2–0 | 0–1 | | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 |
| Dundee United | 3–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 |
| Dunfermline Athletic | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| Heart of Midlothian | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–4 |
| Hibernian | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 0–1 |
| Kilmarnock | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 |
| Livingston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| Motherwell | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Partick Thistle | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 0–1 |
| Rangers | 3–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 5–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | |

### Matches 23–33

During matches 23–33 each team played every other team once (either at home or away).
| Home \ Away | ABE | CEL | DND | DUN | DNF | HOM | HIB | KIL | LIV | MOT | PAR | RAN |
| Aberdeen | | | | 3–0 | 2–0 | | | | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Celtic | 1–2 | | | 2–1 | | 2–2 | | | 5–1 | 1–1 | | |
| Dundee | 1–1 | 1–2 | | | 0–1 | | 2–2 | | 1–0 | | 2–1 | |
| Dundee United | | | 2–2 | | | | 0–0 | 4–1 | | 1–0 | | 2–0 |
| Dunfermline Athletic | | 1–4 | | 1–1 | | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | | 1–0 | |
| Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | | 3–1 | 3–1 | | | | | 1–1 | | | 1–1 |
| Hibernian | 0–1 | 0–4 | | | | 1–1 | | 3–0 | 3–1 | 3–3 | | |
| Kilmarnock | 3–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | | | 1–1 | | | | | 2–1 | |
| Livingston | | | | 2–3 | 0–0 | | | 1–1 | | 3–1 | | 1–1 |
| Motherwell | | | 5–3 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | | | 3–0 | 0–1 |
| Partick Thistle | | 1–4 | | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 5–2 | | | |
| Rangers | | 1–2 | 4–0 | | 4–1 | | 3–0 | 2–0 | | | 2–0 | |

### Matches 34–38

During matches 34–38 each team played every other team in their half of the table once.

## Top scorers

| Player | Club | Goals |
| Henrik Larsson | Celtic | 30 |
| Chris Sutton | Celtic | 19 |
| Nacho Novo | Dundee | 19 |
| James Grady | Partick Thistle | 15 |
| Kris Boyd | Kilmarnock | 15 |
| Derek Riordan | Hibernian | 15 |
| Stevie Crawford | Dunfermline Athletic | 13 |
| Mark de Vries | Hearts | 13 |
| Derek Lilley | Livingston | 12 |
| Shota Arveladze | Rangers | 12 |
| David Clarkson | Motherwell | 11 |
| Alan Thompson | Celtic | 11 |
Source: SPL official website

## Attendances

The average attendances for SPL clubs during the 2003/04 season are shown below:
| Team | Average |
| Celtic | 57,657 |
| Rangers | 48,992 |
| Hearts | 11,947 |
| Aberdeen | 10,389 |
| Hibernian | 9,137 |
| Dundee United | 7,785 |
| Dundee | 7,089 |
| Kilmarnock | 6,966 |
| Dunfermline Athletic | 6,235 |
| Motherwell | 6,225 |
| Livingston | 5,116 |
| Partick Thistle | 4,710 |
Source: SPL official website

## Monthly awards

| Month | Manager | Player | Young Player |
| August | Alex McLeish (Rangers) | Michael Ball (Rangers) | Mikel Arteta (Rangers) |
| September | Alex McLeish (Rangers) | Shota Arveladze (Rangers) | Zurab Khizanishvili (Rangers) |
| October | Martin O'Neill (Celtic) | Roddy McKenzie (Livingston) | Liam Miller (Celtic) |
| November | Martin O'Neill (Celtic) | Chris Sutton (Celtic) | Stephen Hughes (Rangers) |
| December | Steve Paterson (Aberdeen) | Craig Brewster (Dunfermline Athletic) | Craig Gordon (Hearts) |
| January | Jim Duffy (Dundee) | Stilian Petrov (Celtic) | David Clarkson (Motherwell) |
| February | Terry Butcher (Motherwell) | Steven Pressley (Hearts) | Alexander Diamond (Aberdeen) |
| March | Ian McCall (Dundee United) | Neil Lennon (Celtic) | David Marshall (Celtic) |
| April | Jimmy Calderwood (Dunfermline Athletic) | Barry Nicholson (Dunfermline Athletic) | Derek Riordan (Hibernian) |