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2003–04 Plymouth Argyle F.C. season

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Plymouth Argyle
2003–04 season
ManagerPaul Sturrock August–March
Kevin Summerfield (caretaker) March–April
Bobby Williamson April onwards
StadiumHome Park
Second Division1st (promoted)
FA CupFirst round
League CupFirst round
Football League TrophySecond round (South)
Top goalscorerDavid Friio (14 goals)
Highest home attendanceQueens Park Rangers (19,888)
Away: Sheffield Wednesday (20,090)
Lowest home attendanceWycombe Wanderers (4,298)
Away: Colchester United (2,367)
Biggest win7–0 Chesterfield (home)
Biggest defeat3–0 Queens Park Rangers (away)
3–0 Tranmere Rovers (away)
4–1 Oldham Athletic (away)

The 2003/04 football season saw Plymouth Argyle regain a place in the second tier of English football for the first time in twelve seasons, Along the way to capturing the Division Two championship they accumulated 90 league points, 21 clean sheets and a club record of seven straight clean sheets whilst also losing arguably the most successful manager in recent history in Paul Sturrock to Southampton F.C.

Players

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First-team squad

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Squad at end of season[1][2]

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 France FRA Romain Larrieu
2 DF Republic of Ireland IRL David Worrell
3 MF England ENG Lee Hodges
4 MF France FRA David Friio
5 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Graham Coughlan
6 MF England ENG Steve Adams
7 MF England ENG David Norris
8 MF Canada CAN Jason Bent
9 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Mickey Evans[notes 1]
10 FW England ENG Ian Stonebridge
11 MF England ENG Martin Phillips
14 DF Northern Ireland NIR Tony Capaldi[notes 2]
15 DF England ENG Paul Wotton (captain)
16 DF England ENG Hasney Aljofree
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW England ENG Nathan Lowndes
19 MF Scotland SCO Marino Keith
21 FW Scotland SCO Blair Sturrock
22 DF England ENG Paul Connolly
23 GK England ENG Luke McCormick
24 DF Wales WAL Peter Gilbert[notes 3]
25 DF England ENG Matt Villis
26 MF England ENG Andrew Watkins
27 FW England ENG Ryan Trudgian
28 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Wayne O'Sullivan[notes 4]
29 MF England ENG Marcus Martin
32 FW England ENG Stewart Yetton
34 DF England ENG Ryan Dickson
  1. ^ Evans was born in Plymouth, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in October 1997.
  2. ^ Capaldi was born in Porsgrunn, Norway, but also qualified to represent Scotland and Northern Ireland internationally through his father and grandmother respectively and represented Northern Ireland at U-18 and U-21 level before making his international debut for Northern Ireland in March 2004.
  3. ^ Gilbert was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and represented Wales at U-21 level.
  4. ^ O'Sullivan was born in Akrotiri, Cyprus, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and represented the Republic of Ireland at U-21 level.

Left club during season

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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
17 DF Northern Ireland NIR Brian McGlinchey (to Torquay United)
20 MF England ENG David Beresford (to Tranmere Rovers)
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 DF Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Eugène Kangulungu (released)
31 GK Finland FIN Jani Viander (to Brentford)

Pre-season

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Matches

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15 July 2003 St Blazey 0–1 Plymouth Argyle Blaise Park, Cornwall
Evans
17 July 2003 Tiverton 1–3 Plymouth Argyle Ladysmead, Devon
Keith
Wotton
23 July 2003 SV Wacker Burghausen 1–0 Plymouth Argyle
26 July 2003 SC Schwanenstadt 0–0 Plymouth Argyle
45 Minute Match
26 July 2003 FC Astra Giurgiu 1–0 Plymouth Argyle
45 Minute Match
28 July 2003 SV Bad Ischl 1–1 Plymouth Argyle
Beresford
30 July 2003 Plymouth Argyle 2–2 Charlton Athletic Home Park
Friio
Wotton
2 August 2003 Plymouth Argyle 0–0 West Bromwich Albion Home Park
4 August 2003 Saltash United 0–5 Plymouth Argyle Kimberley Stadium, Saltash
Lowndes
Coughlan
Beresford

Last updated: 5 November 2014
Source:Greens on Screen

Football League Second Division

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League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Plymouth Argyle (C, P) 46 26 12 8 85 41 +44 90 Promotion to Football League Championship
2 Queens Park Rangers (P) 46 22 17 7 80 45 +35 83
3 Bristol City 46 23 13 10 58 37 +21 82 Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
4 Brighton & Hove Albion (O, P) 46 22 11 13 64 43 +21 77
5 Swindon Town 46 20 13 13 76 58 +18 73
Source: [3]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Matches

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9 August 2003 1 Plymouth Argyle 2–2 Grimsby Town Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Keith 32'
Coughlan 51'
Boulding 28'
Anderson 64'
Attendance: 9,590
Referee: L Cable
16 August 2003 2 Rushden and Diamonds 2–1 Plymouth Argyle Nene Park, Irthlingborough
15:00 Lowe 54'
Jack 56'
Capaldi 77' Attendance: 4,045
Referee: B Knight
23 August 2003 3 Plymouth Argyle 3–1 Stockport County Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Keith 21'
Hodges 23'
Bent 28'
Beckett 43' Attendance: 7,594
Referee: Eddie Ilderton
25 August 2003 4 Chesterfield 1–1 Plymouth Argyle Saltergate, Chesterfield
19:45 Brandon 50' Friio 66' Attendance: 4,089
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
30 August 2003 5 Plymouth Argyle 3–3 Brighton Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Coughlan 19'
Stonebridge 81'
Friio 89'
Connolly 14' (o.g)
Butters 36'
Knight 73'
Attendance: 9,289
Referee: M Fletcher
6 September 2003 6 Brentford 1–3 Plymouth Argyle Griffin Park, London
15:00 May 27' Stonebridge 9'
Evans 58', 84'
Attendance: 5,688
Referee: Steve Tomlin
12 September 2003 7 Plymouth Argyle 2–1 Luton Town Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Evans 82'
Friio 90'
McSheffrey 58' Attendance: 9,894
Referee: Anthony Bates
16 September 2003 8 Peterborough United 2–2 Plymouth Argyle London Road, Peterborough
19:45 Arber 27' (pen.)
Clarke 81'
Wotton 10' (pen.)
Capaldi 84'
Attendance: 4,183
Referee: R Pearson
20 September 2003 9 Wrexham 2–2 Plymouth Argyle Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
15:00 Lawrence 28'
Jones 42' (pen.)
Norris 31'
Capaldi 49'
Attendance: 3,945
Referee: Michael Ryan
27 September 2003 10 Plymouth Argyle 2–0 Barnsley Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Coughlan 38'
Evans 75'
Attendance: 8,695
Referee: Richard Beeby
27 September 2003 11 Plymouth Argyle 0–1 Bristol City Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Peacock 27' Attendance: 13,923
Referee: P Armstrong
4 October 2003 12 Wycombe Wanderers 0–0 Plymouth Argyle Adams Park, High Wycombe
15:00 Attendance: 5,708
Referee: Mike Thorpe
11 October 2003 13 Plymouth Argyle 6–0 Tranmere Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Friio 7'
Wotton 38'
Gilbert 45'
Keith 49'
Evans 56'
Norris 79'
Attendance: 7,610
Referee: Andre Marriner
18 October 2003 14 Port Vale 1–5 Plymouth Argyle Vale Park, Stoke-on-Trent
15:00 McPhee 51' Keith 35'
Friio 38', 72'
Adams 45'
Wotton 46'
Attendance: 5,786
Referee: Lee Probert
22 October 2003 15 Sheffield Wednesday 1–3 Plymouth Argyle Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield
19:45 Reddy 84' Friio 22', 64'
Wotton 46' (pen.)
Attendance: 20,090
Referee: G Laws
25 October 2003 16 Plymouth Argyle 1–0 Blackpool Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Keith 42' Attendance: 12,372
Referee: Steve Tanner
1 November 2003 17 Plymouth Argyle 2–2 Oldham Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Wotton 17'
Evans 50'
Beharall 10', 63' Attendance: 11,205
Referee: M Warren
15 November 2003 18 Queens Park Rangers 3–0 Plymouth Argyle Loftus Road, London
15:00 Gallen 35', 75'
Thorpe 72'
Attendance: 17,049
Referee: Trevor Parkes
22 November 2003 19 Plymouth Argyle 2–0 Hartlepool United Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Keith 45'
Lowndes 48'
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Iain Williamson
29 November 2003 20 Colchester United 0–2 Plymouth Argyle Layer Road, Colchester
15:00 Capaldi 4'
Keith 11'
Attendance: 4,332
Referee: Kevin Wright
13 December 2003 21 Swindon Town 2–3 Plymouth Argyle County Ground (Swindon), Swindon
15:00 Fallon 80'
Parkin 90'
Capaldi 13'
Norris 76'
Keith 90'
Attendance: 9,374
Referee: B Curson
20 December 2003 22 Plymouth Argyle 3–0 Notts County Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Lowndes 28'
Evans 79', 82'
Attendance: 9,923
Referee: R Olivier
26 December 2003 23 AFC Bournemouth 0–2 Plymouth Argyle Dean Court, Bournemouth
15:00 Wotton 22'
Norris 40'
Attendance: 8,901
Referee: Richard Beeby
28 December 2003 24 Plymouth Argyle 2–0 Brentford Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Capaldi 48'
Lowndes 63'
Attendance: 17,882
Referee: P Prosser
3 January 2004 25 Plymouth Argyle 7–0 Chesterfield Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Hodges 4'
Capaldi 11'
Lowndes 12', 18'
Friio 15', 36', 88'
Attendance: 13,109
Referee: Keith Hill
10 January 2004 26 Grimsby Town 0–0 Plymouth Argyle Blundell Park, Grimsby
15:00 Attendance: 5,007
Referee: Eddie Evans
17 January 2003 27 Plymouth Argyle 3–0 Rushden and Diamonds Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Coughlan 47'
Stonebridge 58'
Wotton 90'
Attendance: 13,021
Referee: Clive Penton
24 January 2004 28 Stockport County 0–2 Plymouth Argyle Edgeley Park, Stockport
15:00 Friio 29'
Coughlan 62'
Attendance: 6,608
Referee: Paul Robindon
31 January 2004 29 Brighton 2–1 Plymouth Argyle Withdean Stadium, Brighton
15:00 Benjamin 12'
Knight 34'
Lowndes 88' Attendance: 6,379
Referee: Phil Joslin
7 February 2004 30 Plymouth Argyle 0–0 AFC Bournemouth Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Attendance: 13,371
Referee: B Knight
17 February 2004 31 Tranmere Rovers 3–0 Plymouth Argyle Prenton Park, Tranmere
19:45 Dadi 19', 52'
Hume 23'
Attendance: 7,948
Referee: M Cowburn
21 February 2004 32 Plymouth Argyle 2–1 Port Vale Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Phillips 80'
Stonebridge 90'
McPhee 53' Attendance: 13,371
Referee: B Knight
28 February 2004 33 Blackpool 0–1 Plymouth Argyle Bloomfield Road, Blackpool
15:00 Stonebridge 54' Attendance: 7,253
Referee: Scott Mathieson
2 March 2004 34 Plymouth Argyle 2–0 Sheffield Wednesday Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield
19:45 Evans 7'
Coughlan 77'
Attendance: 17,218
Referee: Andy Penn
6 March 2004 35 Notts County 0–0 Plymouth Argyle Meadow Lane, Nottingham
15:00 Attendance: 8,057
Referee: Nigel Miller
13 March 2004 36 Plymouth Argyle 2–1 Swindon Town Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Keith 11'
Evans 84'
Mooney 90' Attendance: 16,080
Referee: P Walton
16 March 2004 37 Plymouth Argyle 2–0 Peterborough United Home Park, Plymouth
19:45 Lowndes 55'
Wotton 79' (pen.)
Attendance: 13,110
Referee: Joe Ross
20 March 2004 38 Luton Town 1–1 Plymouth Argyle Kenilworth Road, Luton
15:00 Coyne 42' Adams 90' Attendance: 8,499
Referee: Graham Salisbury
27 March 2004 39 Plymouth Argyle 0–0 Wrexham Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Attendance: 12,275
Referee: P Taylor
3 April 2004 40 Barnsley 1–0 Plymouth Argyle Oakwell, Barnsley
15:00 Birch 81' Attendance: 9,266
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
10 April 2004 41 Plymouth Argyle 2–1 Wycombe Wanderers Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Coughlan 39'
Evans 80'
Tyson 5' Attendance: 14,806
Referee: D R Crick
13 April 2004 42 Bristol City 1–0 Plymouth Argyle Ashton Gate, Bristol
19:45 Peacock 85' Attendance: 19,045
Referee: R Pearson
17 April 2004 43 Oldham Athletic 4–1 Plymouth Argyle Boundary Park, Oldham
15:00 Johnson 34'
Owen 42'
Eyres 45'
Murray 67'
Wotton 51' Attendance: 6,924
Referee: M Cowburn
24 April 2004 44 Plymouth Argyle 2–0 Queens Park Rangers Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Evans 81'
Friio 86'
Attendance: 19,888
Referee: Paul Durkin
1 May 2004 45 Hartlepool 1–3 Plymouth Argyle Victoria Park (Hartlepool)
15:00 Boyd 11' Hodges 12'
Lowndes 42'
Tinkler 48' (o.g.)
Attendance: 7,437
Referee: Anthony Leake
8 May 2004 46 Plymouth Argyle 2–0 Colchester United Home Park, Plymouth
15:00 Friio 17'
Norris 47'
Attendance: 19,868
Referee: A R Hall

Last updated: 8 November 2014
Source:Soccerbase

FA Cup

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Matches

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8 November 2003 Round One Northampton 3–2 Plymouth Argyle Sixfields, Northampton
15:00 Walker 37'
Hargreaves 60'
Asamoah 83'
Friio 32'
Stonebridge 63'
Attendance: 4,385
Referee: L Cable

Last updated: 9 November 2014
Source:Soccerbase

League Cup

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Matches

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12 August 2003 Round One Colchester United 2–1 Plymouth Argyle Layer Road, Colchester
19:45 Fagan 22'
Pinault 40'
Evans 24' Attendance: 2,367
Referee: Joe Ross

Last updated: 9 November 2014
Source:Soccerbase

Football League Trophy

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Matches

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14 October 2003 Round One Plymouth Argyle 4–0 Bristol City Home Park, Plymouth
19:45 Keith 10'
Lowndes 45', 86'
Gilbert 55'
Attendance: 4,927
Referee: D R Crick
4 November 2003 Round Two Plymouth Argyle 2–2
(2–4 p)
Wycombe Wanderers Home Park, Plymouth
19:45 Coughlan 22'
Evans 34'
McSporran 8', 15' Attendance: 4,298
Referee: B Curson

Last updated: 9 November 2014
Source:Soccerbase

Notable events

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  • 22 October 2003: Plymouth Argyle defeat Sheffield Wednesday 3–1 at Hillsborough to go top of Division Two.
  • 24 October 2003: Argyle receive performance of the week award for their 5–1 victory over Port Vale.
  • 1 November 2003: Paul Sturrock named Division Two Manager of the Month for October.
  • 6 November 2003: David Friio announced as Division Two player of the month for October.
  • 23 December 2003: Paul Sturrock signs a four-and-a-half-year contract with Argyle.
  • 26 December 2003: Paul Wotton scores Argyle's 5000th League goal in a 2–0 victory over AFC Bournemouth. Plymouth Argyle become the first League side to score 50 goals in that season.
  • 2 January 2004: Paul Sturrock named Division Two Manager of the Month for December.
  • 3 January 2004: David Friio scores the first hat-trick for Argyle since Paul McGregor in March 2000.
  • 6 January 2004: Paul Sturrock named as winner of the second quarter of the League managers Association's Tissot Managers' Performance League.
  • 17 January 2004: Billy Rafferty and Paul Mariner make a guest appearance at Home Park. Argyle played Rushden & Diamonds on that day and won 3–0.
  • 5 February 2004: Graham Coughlan announced as Division Two player of the month for January.
  • 19 February 2004: The club's first retail outlet in Plymouth city centre opens. The club also unveils next season's away kit – the first to be voted for by fans.
  • 2 March 2004: Plymouth Argyle complete the second "double" over Sheffield Wednesday in their history, by beating them for a second time in the season. Argyle won the match 2–0.
  • 3 March 2004: Paul Sturrock agrees personal terms to take over as Southampton manager.
  • 4 March 2004: Sturrock is unveiled by Southampton as their new manager at a press conference.
  • 17 March 2004: The club announces that next year's away kit will be white, instead of tangerine, due to supporter demands.
  • 27 March 2004: One hundred former Argyle players returned to Home Park for the game against Wrexham.
  • 31 March 2004: Tony Capaldi becomes the first Plymouth Argyle player to win a cap for a home nation since Dave Phillips (Wales) in 1984. Capaldi plays for Northern Ireland.
  • 10 April 2004: It becomes mathematically certain that Plymouth Argyle will achieve promotion or a play-off place, following a 2–1 win over Wycombe Wanderers.
  • 20 April 2004: Bobby Williamson is unveiled as the permanent successor to Paul Sturrock, following much speculation about the managerial vacancy.
  • 24 April 2004: A 2–0 win over Queens Park Rangers hands Argyle both promotion and the Division Two title.
  • 6 May 2004: Graham Coughlan is named as the Division Two player of the season.
  • 8 May 2004: Mickey Evans is announced as the club's player of the season and Luke McCormick as the most promising player as decided by fans. Plymouth Argyle are presented with the Division Two trophy after their 2–0 win over Colchester United
  • 17 May 2004: Paul Sturrock is named as the Division Two manager of the season for his efforts at Argyle.
  • 21 May 2004: The club holds its centenary ball to celebrate the previous season. The Plymouth Argyle team of the century, decided by supporters, is announced.

Transfers

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Out

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Date Player Transfer To Fee
12 September 2003 Brian McGlinchey Three month loan Torquay United -
24 September 2003 Joe Broad Sale Torquay United Free
2 October 2003 David Beresford One month loan Macclesfield Town -
4 November 2003 David Beresford Sale Tranmere Rovers Free
9 January 2004 Jani Viander Sale Brentford Free
13 January 2004 Brian McGlinchey Sale Torquay United Free
1 June 2004 Martin Phillips Release - -
1 June 2004 Jason Bent Release - -
1 June 2004 Eugene Kangulungu Release - -
1 June 2004 Wayne O'Sullivan Release - -
6 July 2004 Matthew Villis Season loan Torquay United -
30 July 2004 Ian Stonebridge Sale Wycombe Wanderers Free

References

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[4]

  1. ^ "FootballSquads - Plymouth Argyle - 2003/04".
  2. ^ "GoS-DB Season".
  3. ^ "England 2003–04". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  4. ^ "2003/04 Championship Season". Greens On Screen. Retrieved 10 November 2014.