# 2003–04 Wigan Athletic F.C. season

During the 2003–04 English football season, Wigan Athletic competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

Wigan were playing in Division One for the first time in their history, and after losing their first game many tipped them for a swift departure, but Wigan confounded expectations to go unbeaten for the next 17 games and sat at the top the table by November. A weak finish saw Wigan win only three of their last 10 games to finish seventh in Division One – a last minute goal by West Ham's Brian Deane in the final game of the season saw the Latics drop out of the play-off places in favour of eventual play-off winners Crystal Palace.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 5 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 84 | 72 | +12 | 73 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 6 | Crystal Palace (O, P) | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 72 | 61 | +11 | 73 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 7 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 60 | 45 | +15 | 71 | |
| 8 | Sheffield United | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 65 | 56 | +9 | 71 | |
| 9 | Reading | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 55 | 57 | −2 | 70 | |

## Results

Wigan Athletic's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 2003 | Millwall | A | 0-2 | 10,898 | |
| 16 August 2003 | Preston North End | H | 1-1 | 12,073 | McCulloch |
| 23 August 2003 | Burnley | A | 2-0 | 13,231 | Kennedy, Ellington |
| 26 August 2003 | Ipswich Town | H | 1-0 | 8,292 | Ellington |
| 30 August 2003 | Rotherham United | A | 3-0 | 6,660 | Jarrett, Ellington, N. Roberts |
| 13 September 2003 | Wimbledon | A | 4-2 | 1,054 | Bullard, Liddell, Horsfield, Ellington |
| 16 September 2003 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1-0 | 12,874 | Horsfield |
| 20 September 2003 | Watford | H | 1–0 | 9,211 | McCulloch |
| 27 September 2003 | Coventry City | A | 1-1 | 14,862 | Jackson |
| 30 September 2003 | Cardiff City | A | 0-0 | 15,143 | |
| 4 October 2003 | Norwich City | H | 1-1 | 16,160 | Liddell |
| 11 October 2003 | Derby County | A | 2-2 | 19,151 | Liddell (2) |
| 14 October 2003 | Stoke City | H | 2-1 | 7,678 | Horsfield (2) |
| 18 October 2003 | Gillingham | H | 1-0 | 6,696 | Liddell (pen) |
| 21 October 2003 | Sheffield United | H | 1–1 | 12,032 | Horsfield |
| 25 October 2003 | Walsall | A | 0-2 | 7,041 | |
| 1 November 2003 | Crystal Palace | H | 5-0 | 6,796 | Liddell (2, 1 pen), Horsfield, Ellington (2) |
| 8 November 2003 | Reading | A | 0-1 | 13,819 | |
| 22 November 2003 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2-2 | 10,403 | Ellington, Liddell |
| 29 November 2003 | West Ham United | A | 0-4 | 34,375 | |
| 2 December 2003 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | 22,167 | De Vos |
| 6 December 2003 | Reading | H | 0-2 | 7,512 | |
| 13 December 2003 | Bradford City | H | 1-0 | 7,256 | Horsfield |
| 20 December 2003 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3-2 | 7,873 | McCulloch, De Vos, Bullard |
| 26 December 2003 | Rotherham United | H | 1-2 | 9,235 | Ellington |
| 28 December 2003 | Sheffield United | A | 1-1 | 26,056 | Ellington |
| 10 January 2004 | Millwall | H | 0–0 | 7,047 | |
| 17 January 2004 | Preston North End | A | 4–2 | 19,161 | Roberts, Ellington (2), Teale |
| 31 January 2004 | Burnley | H | 0–0 | 11,147 | |
| 7 February 2004 | Ipswich Town | A | 3–1 | 22,093 | Roberts, Ellington, Teale |
| 14 February 2004 | Derby County | H | 2–0 | 9,146 | Ellington, McCulloch |
| 21 February 2004 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | 14,927 | Ellington |
| 28 February 2004 | Walsall | H | 1–0 | 7,593 | Ellington |
| 6 March 2004 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–3 | 8,367 | McCulloch (2) |
| 13 March 2004 | Bradford City | A | 0–0 | 11,744 | |
| 16 March 2004 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–2 | 26,215 | Liddell (pen) |
| 20 March 2004 | Coventry City | H | 2–1 | 8,784 | Roberts (2) |
| 27 March 2004 | Watford | A | 1–1 | 13,382 | Roberts |
| 3 April 2004 | Wimbledon | H | 0–1 | 7,622 | |
| 6 April 2004 | Gillingham | A | 3–0 | 7,410 | Ellington, Roberts, Mahon |
| 9 April 2004 | Norwich City | A | 0–2 | 23,446 | |
| 13 April 2004 | Cardiff City | H | 3–0 | 8,052 | Roberts, Ellington |
| 17 April 2004 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–1 | 18,799 | Ellington |
| 24 April 2004 | Sunderland | H | 0–0 | 11,380 | |
| 1 May 2004 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–1 | 29,172 | |
| 9 May 2004 | West Ham United | H | 1–1 | 20,669 | N. Roberts |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 3 January 2004 | West Ham United | H | 1–2 | 11,793 | Quinn (own goal) |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 12 August 2003 | Hull City | H | 2–0 | 3,295 | McCulloch, Jarrett |
| R2 | 23 September 2003 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | 4,874 | Ellington |
| R3 | 29 October 2003 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–2 | 8,046 | Bullard |

## First-team 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 |
| 1 | GK | AUS | John Filan |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Paul Mitchell |
| 3 | MF | SCO | Stephen McMillan |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Matt Jackson |
| 5 | DF | CAN | Jason De Vos |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ian Breckin |
| 7 | FW | SCO | Andy Liddell |
| 8 | FW | WAL | Neil Roberts |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Nathan Ellington |
| 10 | MF | SCO | Lee McCulloch |
| 11 | MF | NIR | Peter Kennedy |
| 12 | MF | WAL | Michael Flynn |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Gary Walsh |
| 14 | MF | IRL | Alan Mahon |
| 15 | DF | IRL | Gareth Farrelly |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Tony Dinning |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Jason Jarrett |
| 19 | DF | ENG | Nicky Eaden |
| 20 | MF | SCO | Gary Teale |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Jimmy Bullard |
| 24 | MF | IRL | Alan Rogers (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Leighton Baines |
| 30 | FW | GRN | Jason Roberts |

### 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 |
| 14 | FW | SCO | Mark Burchill (on loan from Portsmouth) |
| 14 | MF | JAM | Jamie Lawrence (on loan from Walsall) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Geoff Horsfield (to West Bromwich Albion) |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Ged Brannan (to Accrington Stanley) |

## 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 |
| 22 | FW | BRA | Magno Vieira |
| 23 | GK | ENG | James Salisbury |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Chris Lynch |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 27 | FW | ENG | Greg Traynor |
| 33 | GK | ENG | Ryan Yeomans |
| 38 | FW | ENG | David Moore |