# 2003–04 Fulham F.C. season

The 2003–04 season was Fulham's third consecutive season in the top league of English football, the Barclaycard Premiership. The club was managed by former player Chris Coleman, who replaced Jean Tigana at the end of the 2002–03 season.
Fulham were near the top of the table after the first few months of the season after a great start to the campaign and consistently remained in the top half throughout the course of the season. They ended up finishing in ninth position, only four points behind fifth-placed Newcastle United. It was a great debut season for Chris Coleman as manager, particularly as the club had to cope for half of the season without top goalscorer, Louis Saha, who left for Manchester United.

## Kit and sponsorship

Fulham's last deal with kit supplier Adidas came to an end on 11 May 2003. It was announced on June that dabs.com would be the kits sponsor in a two-year agreement. On June it was announced the new kit would be produced by Puma.

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | NED | Edwin van der Sar |
| 2 | DF | GER | Moritz Volz |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Jon Harley |
| 5 | DF | FRA | Sylvain Legwinski |
| 6 | MF | JPN | Junichi Inamoto |
| 7 | MF | WAL | Mark Pembridge |
| 8 | FW | USA | Brian McBride |
| 9 | FW | ARG | Facundo Sava |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Lee Clark (captain) |
| 11 | FW | POR | Luís Boa Morte |
| 12 | GK | WAL | Mark Crossley |
| 14 | MF | FRA | Steed Malbranque |
| 15 | FW | JAM | Barry Hayles |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Zat Knight |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | DF | FRA | Martin Djetou |
| 18 | DF | FRA | Jérôme Bonnissel |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Dean Leacock |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Sean Davis |
| 24 | DF | FRA | Alain Goma |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Malik Buari |
| 26 | MF | NED | Bobby Petta (on loan from Celtic) |
| 27 | FW | LVA | Andrejs Štolcers |
| 28 | DF | ENG | Zesh Rehman |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Adam Green |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Darren Pratley |
| 34 | DF | USA | Carlos Bocanegra |
| 35 | DF | ENG | Ian Pearce |
| 36 | FW | NED | Collins John |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 4 | DF | WAL | Andy Melville (to West Ham United) |
| 7 | FW | FRA | Steve Marlet (on loan to Marseille) |
| 8 | FW | FRA | Louis Saha (to Manchester United) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 26 | FW | SKN | Calum Willock (to Peterborough United) |
| — | GK | NIR | Maik Taylor (to Birmingham City) |

### Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Ross Flitney |
| 19 | FW | GHA | Elvis Hammond |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Mark Hudson |
| 21 | GK | ENG | Dave Beasant |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Sean Doherty |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Tom Davis |
| 33 | FW | SCO | Stuart Noble |
| 37 | DF | ENG | Liam Rosenior |

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | NED | Edwin van der Sar | 43 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | WAL | Mark Crossley | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | GER | Moritz Volz | 38 | 0 | 32+1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Jon Harley | 4 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Zat Knight | 37 | 0 | 30+1 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | FRA | Martin Djetou | 31 | 0 | 19+7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | FRA | Jérôme Bonnissel | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Dean Leacock | 5 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | FRA | Alain Goma | 29 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | ENG | Zesh Rehman | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Adam Green | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | USA | Carlos Bocanegra | 19 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | ENG | Ian Pearce | 13 | 0 | 12+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 5 | MF | FRA | Sylvain Legwinski | 37 | 0 | 30+2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | JPN | Junichi Inamoto | 25 | 3 | 15+7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | WAL | Mark Pembridge | 15 | 1 | 9+3 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Lee Clark | 27 | 2 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | FRA | Steed Malbranque | 44 | 8 | 38 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Sean Davis | 30 | 6 | 22+2 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | ENG | Malik Buari | 4 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | NED | Bobby Petta | 14 | 0 | 3+6 | 0 | 2+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | LVA | Andrejs Štolcers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Darren Pratley | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 8 | FW | USA | Brian McBride | 19 | 5 | 5+11 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ARG | Facundo Sava | 9 | 1 | 0+6 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | POR | Luís Boa Morte | 39 | 10 | 32+1 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | JAM | Barry Hayles | 32 | 5 | 10+16 | 4 | 3+3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | FW | NED | Collins John | 8 | 4 | 3+5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players transferred out during the season ||||||||||||
| 4 | DF | WAL | Andy Melville | 11 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | FRA | Steve Marlet | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | FRA | Louis Saha | 22 | 15 | 20+1 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Last updated: 31 June 2004 Source: Competitions

### Starting 11

    Considering starts in all competitions
    Considering a 4-4-2 formation
* GK: #1, Edwin van der Sar, 43
* RB: #2, Moritz Volz, 37
* CB: #16, Zat Knight, 35
* CB: #24, Alain Goma, 29
* LB: #34, Carlos Bocanegra, 19 (#17, Martin Djetou, has 24 starts)
* RM: #10, Lee Clark, 27
* CM: #23, Sean Davis, 28
* CM: #5, Sylvain Legwinski, 35
* LM: #14, Steed Malbranque, 44
* CF: #8, Louis Saha, 21
* CF: #11, Luís Boa Morte, 37

## Transfers
### Summer
#### In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Dave Beasant (from Brighton & Hove Albion – free) |
| — | DF | FRA | Jérôme Bonnissel (from Rangers – free) |
| — | DF | GER | Moritz Volz (on 4 month loan from Arsenal) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | WAL | Mark Crossley (from Middlesbrough – £500,000) |
| — | MF | WAL | Mark Pembridge (from Everton – undisclosed) |
| — | DF | ENG | Liam Rosenior (from Bristol City – undisclosed) |

#### Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | SCO | John Collins (retired) |
| — | FW | ENG | Luke Cornwall (released) |
| — | MF | DEN | Bjarne Goldbæk (released) |
| — | DF | IRL | Steve Finnan (to Liverpool – undisclosed) |
| — | GK | ARG | Martín Herrera (on season-long loan to Estudiantes La Plata) |
| — | DF | MAR | Abdeslam Ouaddou (on season-long loan to Rennes) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | NIR | Maik Taylor (on season-long loan to Birmingham City) |
| — | FW | GHA | Elvis Hammond (on month-long loan to Norwich City) |
| — | DF | ENG | Mark Hudson (on month-long loan to Oldham Athletic) |
| — | FW | FRA | Steve Marlet (on season-long loan to Marseille) |
| — | DF | ENG | Jon Harley (on month-long loan to Sheffield United) |

### January
#### In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | NED | Bobby Petta (on loan from Celtic for season) |
| — | DF | USA | Carlos Bocanegra (from Chicago Fire – free) |
| — | DF | GER | Moritz Volz (from Arsenal – undisclosed) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | ENG | Ian Pearce (from West Ham United – undisclosed) |
| — | FW | USA | Brian McBride (from Columbus Crew – free) |
| — | FW | NED | Collins John (from Twente – undisclosed) |

#### Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | ENG | Mark Hudson (on three-month-long loan to Crystal Palace) |
| — | DF | ENG | Jon Harley (on three-month loan to West Ham United) |
| — | DF | WAL | Andy Melville (to West Ham United – nominal) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | FRA | Louis Saha (to Manchester United – £12,820,000) |
| — | GK | NIR | Maik Taylor (to Birmingham City – £1,500,000) |

## Club
### Management

| Position | Staff |
| Manager | Chris Coleman |
| Assistant manager | Steve Kean |
| Goalkeeping coach | Dave Beasant |
| Head of Youth Development | John Murtough |
| Secretary | Mark Maunders |
Source: Fulham FC

### Other information

| Chairman | Mohamed Al Fayed |
| Ground (capacity and dimensions) | Loftus Road (19,148 / 112x72 yards) |
Source: Fulham article on 15 August 2007
* Fulham used Queens Park Rangers' ground whilst Craven Cottage was being redeveloped

## Competitions
### Premier League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 7 | Charlton Athletic | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 51 | 51 | 0 | 53 | |
| 8 | Bolton Wanderers | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 48 | 56 | −8 | 53 | |
| 9 | Fulham | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 52 | 46 | +6 | 52 | |
| 10 | Birmingham City | 38 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 43 | 48 | −5 | 50 | |
| 11 | Middlesbrough | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 44 | 52 | −8 | 48 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
* ↑ Middlesbrough qualified as the 2003–04 Football League Cup winners.

### Season statistics

* Total Goals: 1012
* Average Goals per game: 2.66