# 1903–04 Football League

The 1903–04 season was the 16th season of The Football League.

## Final league tables

Beginning in the 1894–95 season, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded). In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.
During the first six seasons of the league, (up to the 1893–94 season), re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league.

## First Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | The Wednesday (C) | 34 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 48 | 28 | 1.714 | 47 | |
| 2 | Manchester City | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 71 | 45 | 1.578 | 44 | |
| 3 | Everton | 34 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 59 | 32 | 1.844 | 43 | |
| 4 | Newcastle United | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 58 | 45 | 1.289 | 42 | |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 70 | 48 | 1.458 | 41 | |
| 6 | Sunderland | 34 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 63 | 49 | 1.286 | 39 | |
| 7 | Sheffield United | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 62 | 57 | 1.088 | 38 | |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 44 | 66 | 0.667 | 36 | |
| 9 | Nottingham Forest | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 57 | 57 | 1.000 | 31 | |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 46 | 47 | 0.979 | 30 | |
| 11 | Small Heath | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 39 | 52 | 0.750 | 30 | |
| 12 | Bury | 34 | 7 | 15 | 12 | 40 | 53 | 0.755 | 29 | |
| 13 | Notts County | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 37 | 61 | 0.607 | 29 | |
| 14 | Derby County | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 58 | 60 | 0.967 | 28 | |
| 15 | Blackburn Rovers | 34 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 48 | 60 | 0.800 | 28 | |
| 16 | Stoke | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 54 | 57 | 0.947 | 27 | |
| 17 | Liverpool (R) | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 49 | 62 | 0.790 | 26 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 18 | West Bromwich Albion (R) | 34 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 36 | 60 | 0.600 | 24 | Relegation to the Second Division |

### Results

| Home \ Away | AST | BLB | BRY | DER | EVE | LIV | MCI | MID | NEW | NOT | NTC | SHU | SMH | STK | SUN | WED | WBA | WOL |
| Aston Villa | | 2–3 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 0–3 | | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–5 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Bury | 2–2 | 3–0 | | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| Derby County | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–6 | 0–1 | 3–5 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 7–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–1 |
| Everton | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | | 5–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 |
| Liverpool | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 |
| Manchester City | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–2 | | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 6–3 | 4–1 |
| Middlesbrough | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 6–0 | | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Newcastle United | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 3–1 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| Nottingham Forest | 3–7 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 |
| Notts County | 0–0 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 4–2 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Sheffield United | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 5–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 7–2 |
| Small Heath | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 |
| Stoke | 2–0 | 6–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 5–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 3–4 | 1–0 | | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 5–1 |
| Sunderland | 6–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| The Wednesday | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 1–2 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 1–6 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |

### Maps
## Second Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Preston North End | 34 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 14 | 2.583 | 50 | Division Champions |
| 2 | Woolwich Arsenal | 34 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 67 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 17 | 4.136 | 49 | Promoted |
| 3 | Manchester United | 34 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 19 | 1.970 | 48 | |
| 4 | Bristol City | 34 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 53 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 1.780 | 42 | |
| 5 | Burnley | 34 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 31 | 20 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 19 | 35 | 0.909 | 39 | |
| 6 | Grimsby Town | 34 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 37 | 1.020 | 36 | |
| 7 | Bolton Wanderers | 34 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 38 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 30 | 1.439 | 34 | |
| 8 | Barnsley | 34 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 25 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 13 | 45 | 0.667 | 32 | |
| 9 | Gainsborough Trinity | 34 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 34 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 19 | 43 | 0.883 | 31 | |
| 10 | Bradford City | 34 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 15 | 34 | 0.763 | 31 | |
| 11 | Chesterfield Town | 34 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 33 | 0.822 | 30 | |
| 12 | Lincoln City | 34 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 25 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 40 | 0.707 | 30 | |
| 13 | Burslem Port Vale | 34 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 44 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 32 | 1.038 | 29 | |
| 14 | Burton United | 34 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 33 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 45 | 0.738 | 29 | |
| 15 | Blackpool | 34 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 25 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 40 | 0.597 | 27 | |
| 16 | Stockport County | 34 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 28 | 23 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 49 | 0.556 | 27 | Failed re-election |
| 17 | Glossop | 34 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 42 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 15 | 39 | 0.891 | 26 | Re-elected |
| 18 | Leicester Fosse | 34 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 26 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 61 | 0.512 | 22 | Re-elected |
* ↑ New club in the league
* ↑ Upon failing to be re-elected to the Football League, Stockport County joined The Combination. Doncaster Rovers took their place for the following season.

### Results

| Home \ Away | BAR | BLP | BOL | BRA | BRI | BRN | BPV | BRT | CHF | GAI | GLP | GRI | LEI | LIN | MUN | PNE | STP | WOO |
| Barnsley | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Blackpool | 0–2 | | 1–4 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–5 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 4–1 | 2–2 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 5–1 | 3–0 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Bradford City | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–6 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 |
| Bristol City | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 6–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 6–0 | 0–4 |
| Burnley | 2–2 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Burslem Port Vale | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | | 3–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 6–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 |
| Burton United | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 7–0 | 3–1 |
| Chesterfield | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 6–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 |
| Gainsborough Trinity | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | | 0–1 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 |
| Glossop | 7–0 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–2 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | | 1–1 | 5–0 | 5–0 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 1–3 |
| Grimsby Town | 5–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | | 4–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| Leicester Fosse | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Lincoln City | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–6 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 6–1 | | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 |
| Manchester United | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–2 | 2–0 | | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 |
| Preston North End | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 4–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Stockport County | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 1–5 | | 0–0 |
| Woolwich Arsenal | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 8–0 | 6–0 | 6–0 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 8–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 5–2 | |