# 2003–04 Football Conference

Since its inception in 1979, The Football Conference has formed the fifth-highest level of the overall English Football League System.
The 2003–04 Football Conference season was the 25th season of the Football Conference and the last consisting of a single division. The top team and the winner of the play-offs were promoted to Football League Two, while this season only one team was relegated.
A total of 22 teams contest the division, including 17 sides from last season, two relegated from the Football League Two and winners of Northern Premier League, Southern Football League and Isthmian League.

## Promotion and relegation

Teams promoted from Northern Premier League
* Accrington Stanley
Teams promoted from Southern Football League
* Tamworth
Teams promoted from Isthmian League
* Aldershot Town
Teams relegated from Third Division
* Exeter City
* Shrewsbury Town

## Overview

Chester City clinched the league title and won promotion to Football League Two.
Shrewsbury Town also earned promotion to League Two following their 3–0 play-off win on penalties after a 1–1 draw with Aldershot Town.
No clubs were relegated on the basis of their performances, due to Margate being demoted, Telford folding and the winners and runners-up of the Unibond League not meeting the criteria for a place in the Football Conference.
Shrewsbury Town had the highest attendance, 84,150 in all, with an average of 4,007. Margate and Leigh RMI had the least spectators with 11,905 and 11,881, respectively, with an average of 567 and 566, respectively.
The total number of attendance was 880,220, yielding an average of 1905 per game, which was the all-time record for the Football Conference.
The regular season began on 9 August 2003, and ended on 24 April 2004.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Chester City | 42 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 45 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 40 | 16 | +51 | 92 | Football Conference Champions, promoted to League Two |
| 2 | Hereford United | 42 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 42 | 20 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 61 | 24 | +59 | 91 | Participated in play-offs |
| 3 | Shrewsbury Town | 42 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 38 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 29 | 28 | +25 | 74 | Promoted to League Two through play-offs Relegated from The Football League |
| 4 | Barnet | 42 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 30 | 29 | +14 | 71 | Participated in play-offs |
| 5 | Aldershot Town | 42 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 40 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 40 | 43 | +13 | 70 | Participated in play-offs |
| 6 | Exeter City | 42 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 33 | 24 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 38 | 33 | +14 | 69 | Relegated from The Football League |
| 7 | Morecambe | 42 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 43 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 23 | 41 | 0 | 67 | |
| 8 | Stevenage Borough | 42 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 29 | 30 | +6 | 63 | |
| 9 | Woking | 42 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 40 | 23 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 25 | 29 | +13 | 61 | |
| 10 | Accrington Stanley | 42 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 46 | 31 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 22 | 30 | +7 | 58 | |
| 11 | Gravesend & Northfleet | 42 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 34 | 35 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 31 | +3 | 57 | |
| 12 | Telford United | 42 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 28 | 28 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 23 | −2 | 55 | Folded following this season |
| 13 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 42 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 30 | 34 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 29 | 30 | −5 | 54 | |
| 14 | Burton Albion | 42 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 30 | 29 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 27 | 30 | −2 | 51 | |
| 15 | Scarborough | 42 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 32 | 25 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 19 | 29 | −3 | 51 | |
| 16 | Margate | 42 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 30 | 32 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 26 | 32 | −8 | 51 | Relegated to Conference South |
| 17 | Tamworth | 42 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 32 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 38 | −19 | 49 | |
| 18 | Forest Green Rovers | 42 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 32 | 36 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 44 | −22 | 48 | |
| 19 | Halifax Town | 42 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 28 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 39 | −22 | 44 | |
| 20 | Farnborough Town | 42 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 31 | 34 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 22 | 40 | −21 | 39 | |
| 21 | Leigh RMI | 42 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 26 | 44 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 20 | 53 | −51 | 29 | |
| 22 | Northwich Victoria | 42 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 38 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 42 | −50 | 23 | |
* 1 2 3 New club in the Conference
* ↑ Burton Albion deducted 1 point for breach of rules.
* ↑ Margate were relegated due to ground concerns. They were placed in Conference South.
Note: Hednesford Town (Southern Football League Premier Division) were the FA Trophy winners

## Results

| Home \ Away | ACC | ALD | BAR | BRT | CHE | D&R | EXE | FAR | FGR | GRN | HAL | HER | LEI | MAR | MOR | NOR | SCA | SHR | STB | TAM | TEL | WOK |
| Accrington Stanley | | 4–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–5 | 3–3 |
| Aldershot | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| Barnet | 0–0 | 2–1 | | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| Burton Albion | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–4 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| Chester City | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 0–1 | 2–3 | 5–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | | 0–2 | 1–0 | 5–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 0–9 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Exeter City | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 |
| Farnborough Town | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Forest Green Rovers | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–7 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 2–5 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Halifax Town | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 5–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Hereford United | 1–0 | 4–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 7–1 | | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Leigh RMI | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 2–6 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Margate | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Morecambe | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 3–3 | | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Northwich Victoria | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 |
| Scarborough | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Shrewsbury Town | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Stevenage Borough | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Tamworth | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Telford United | 1–0 | 2–5 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | | 1–0 |
| Woking | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | |

## Play-offs

The Conference National play-offs determined the second team that would be promoted to Football League Two. The teams placed second through fifth qualified for the play-offs. The semi-finals were played in a two-leg, home and away format, while the final was played as one leg.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final at Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent 16 May 2004 | Final at Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent 16 May 2004 | Final at Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent 16 May 2004 |
| 2nd | Hereford United | 1 | 0 | 1 (2) | | | |
| 5th | Aldershot Town (pen.) | 1 | 0 | 1 (4) | | | |
| 5th | Aldershot Town (pen.) | 1 | 0 | 1 (4) | 3rd | Shrewsbury Town (pen.) | 1 (3) |
| | | | | | 5th | Aldershot Town | 1 (0) |
| 3rd | Shrewsbury Town (pen.) | 1 | 1 | 2 (5) | 5th | Aldershot Town | 1 (0) |
| 4th | Barnet | 2 | 0 | 2 (3) | | | |

### Semifinals

Aldershot Town won 4–2 on penalties after tying 1–1 on Aggregate.
Shrewsbury Town won 5–3 on penalties after tying 2–2 on Aggregate.

### Play-Off Final
## Top scorers in order of league goals

| Rank | Player | Club | League | Play-offs | FA Cup | LDV | FA Trophy | Total |
| 1 | Daryl Clare | Chester City | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 2 | Steve Guinan | Hereford United | 25 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 29 |
| = | David McNiven | Leigh RMI | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
| 4 | Giuliano Grazioli | Barnet | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| 5 | Roscoe D'Sane | Aldershot | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 27 |
| 6 | Sean Devine | Exeter City | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
| = | Paul Mullin | Accrington Stanley | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 24 |
| = | Darryn Stamp | Chester City | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 9 | Tim Sills | Aldershot | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 21 |
| 10 | Anthony Elding | Stevenage Borough | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| = | Lutel James | Accrington Stanley | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| = | Danny Carlton | Morecambe | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 13 | Mark Cooper | Tamworth | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 14 | David Brown | Hereford United | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| = | Mark Quayle | Scarborough | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
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