# 2003–04 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season

During the 2003–04 season, Crewe Alexandra participated in the Football League First Division, their 81st in the English Football League.

## Season summary

Crewe finished in 18th place, a satisfactory position for a side returning to the First Division. Striker Dean Ashton scored 19 goals to make him the league's fourth-highest scorer, attracting attention from many larger clubs.

## Kit

Reebok remained Crewe's kit manufacturers, and introduced a new kit for the season. L. C. Charles continued as kit sponsors for the sixth consecutive season.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 16 | Watford | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 54 | 68 | −14 | 57 |
| 17 | Rotherham United | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 53 | 61 | −8 | 54 |
| 18 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 57 | 66 | −9 | 53 |
| 19 | Burnley | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 60 | 77 | −17 | 53 |
| 20 | Derby County | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 53 | 67 | −14 | 52 |

## Results

Crewe Alexandra's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 2003 | Wimbledon | A | 1–3 | 1,145 | Brammer |
| 16 August 2003 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–0 | 6,982 | Lunt |
| 23 August 2003 | Millwall | A | 1–1 | 9,504 | Ashton |
| 25 August 2003 | Walsall | H | 1–0 | 7,026 | S Jones |
| 30 August 2003 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 11,495 | |
| 13 September 2003 | Rotherham United | A | 2–0 | 5,495 | Ashton (pen), Walker |
| 16 September 2003 | West Ham United | H | 0–3 | 9,575 | |
| 20 September 2003 | Nottingham Forest | H | 3–1 | 8,685 | Lunt, Ashton, S Jones |
| 27 September 2003 | Cardiff City | A | 0–3 | 14,385 | |
| 1 October 2003 | Coventry City | A | 0–2 | 11,557 | |
| 4 October 2003 | Watford | H | 0–1 | 7,055 | |
| 14 October 2003 | Bradford City | H | 2–2 | 5,867 | S Jones, Ashton |
| 18 October 2003 | Derby County | H | 3–0 | 8,656 | Barrowman, Ashton, Rix |
| 21 October 2003 | Preston North End | H | 2–1 | 7,012 | Lunt, Foster |
| 25 October 2003 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | 17,569 | S Jones |
| 1 November 2003 | Reading | H | 1–0 | 7,091 | S Jones |
| 4 November 2003 | Sheffield United | A | 0–2 | 17,396 | |
| 8 November 2003 | Gillingham | A | 0–2 | 6,923 | |
| 22 November 2003 | Sunderland | H | 3–0 | 9,807 | Ashton, S Jones (2) |
| 29 November 2003 | Norwich City | A | 0–1 | 16,367 | |
| 6 December 2003 | Gillingham | H | 1–1 | 6,271 | S Jones |
| 9 December 2003 | Crystal Palace | A | 3–1 | 12,259 | Ashton (2), Varney |
| 13 December 2003 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 2–2 | 22,825 | S Jones, Wright |
| 20 December 2003 | Wigan Athletic | H | 2–3 | 7,873 | B Jones, S Jones |
| 26 December 2003 | Burnley | H | 3–1 | 9,512 | Ashton, S Jones (2) |
| 28 December 2003 | Preston North End | A | 0–0 | 15,830 | |
| 10 January 2004 | Wimbledon | H | 1–0 | 20,473 | S Jones |
| 17 January 2004 | Ipswich Town | A | 4–6 | 22,071 | Ashton, McGreal (own goal), Richards (own goal), Robinson |
| 31 January 2004 | Millwall | H | 1–2 | 6,685 | Roberts |
| 7 February 2004 | Walsall | A | 1–1 | 6,871 | Foster |
| 21 February 2004 | Bradford City | A | 1–2 | 9,935 | Rix |
| 24 February 2004 | Sheffield United | H | 0–1 | 6,525 | |
| 3 March 2004 | Derby County | A | 0–0 | 19,861 | |
| 6 March 2004 | Wigan Athletic | A | 3–2 | 8,367 | Ashton (3, 2 pens) |
| 13 March 2004 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–2 | 8,335 | Ashton |
| 17 March 2004 | West Ham United | A | 2–4 | 31,158 | S Jones |
| 20 March 2004 | Cardiff City | H | 0–1 | 6,650 | |
| 23 March 2004 | Stoke City | H | 2–0 | 10,014 | Hall (own goal), Lunt |
| 27 March 2004 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–2 | 24,347 | |
| 3 April 2004 | Rotherham United | H | 0–0 | 6,749 | |
| 10 April 2004 | Watford | A | 1–2 | 18,041 | Ashton (pen) |
| 12 April 2004 | Coventry City | H | 3–1 | 7,475 | Higdon, Symes, Ashton (pen) |
| 17 April 2004 | Reading | A | 1–1 | 14,729 | Lunt |
| 24 April 2004 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–3 | 8,136 | Ashton, Lunt |
| 1 May 2004 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | 25,311 | Ashton |
| 9 May 2004 | Norwich City | A | 1–3 | 9,833 | Ashton |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 3 January 2004 | Telford United | H | 0–1 | 7,085 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 12 August 2003 | Wrexham | H | 2–0 | 3,152 | Ashton (pen), S Jones |
| R2 | 23 September 2003 | Leicester City | A | 0–1 | 27,675 | |

## 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 | TRI | Clayton Ince |
| 2 | DF | ENG | David Wright |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Richard Walker |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Kenny Lunt |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Adie Moses |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Stephen Foster |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Neil Sorvel |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Dave Brammer |
| 9 | FW | NIR | Steve Jones |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Dean Ashton |
| 11 | MF | WAL | David Vaughan |
| 12 | MF | ENG | Lee Bell |
| 13 | GK | NGA | Ademola Bankole |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Ben Rix |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Luke Varney |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Anthony Tonkin |
| 17 | MF | ENG | James Robinson |
| 18 | DF | ENG | Chris McCready |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Justin Cochrane |
| 20 | FW | SCO | Allan Smart |
| 21 | FW | ENG | Paul Edwards |
| 22 | GK | ENG | Stuart Tomlinson |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Alex Morris |
| 24 | FW | ENG | Matthew Platt |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Matt Garner |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Michael Higdon |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Adam Yates |
| 28 | MF | ENG | Gary Roberts |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Billy Jones |
| 30 | FW | ENG | Kyle Wilson |
| 31 | FW | ENG | Ian Jeffs |
| 32 | DF | ENG | Tom Betts |
| 33 | FW | LBY | Éamon Zayed (on loan from Bray Wanderers) |
| 34 | MF | ENG | Craig Hignett (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 35 | GK | ENG | Ben Williams (on loan from Manchester United) |
| 36 | FW | ENG | Michael Symes (on loan from Everton) |

### 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 |
| 28 | FW | IRL | Jon Walters (on loan from Bolton Wanderers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Andrew Barrowman (on loan from Birmingham City) |

## Transfers
### In

* Adie Moses – Barnsley, free, 8 July
* Anthony Tonkin – Stockport County, £150,000, August
* Allan Smart – Dundee United

### Out

* Dave Walton – Derby County, free

## Top scorers

* Dean Ashton, 19
* Steve Jones, 15