2003–04 Derby County F.C. season

George Burley's first full season in charge brought little joy as Derby recorded a 20th-placed finish in the 2003–04 season, just 1 point clear of relegation with safety not confirmed until the penultimate game of the season with a 2–0 win over Millwall. With no money for players and the need to slash the club's wage bill, big names such as Fabrizio Ravanelli, Georgi Kinkladze and Craig Burley left the club with the gaps of their departure shored up by free signings; Candido Costa was taken on a season long loan whilst seven others – including Mathias Svensson and Leon Osman – were recruited on short term loans, as Derby used a club record 36 different players in the course of the season. There was also the continued introduction of academy players to the side, with Tom Huddlestone and Marcus Tudgay making significant contributions alongside players such as Lee Grant and Lee Holmes. Burley achieved safety against a background of boardroom uncertainty – Chairman Lionel Pickering, after putting temporary faith in former Coventry City chairman Bryan Richardson and a notional £30m bond, was removed from the chair after the club temporarily entered receivership by The Co-operative Bank, who instantly installed a new board composed of John Sleightholme, Jeremy Keith and Steve Harding, for the cost of £1 each.

{{main|2003–04 Football League}}

{{:2003–04 Football League First Division|only_totals=y|showteam=DER}}

Derby County's score comes first{{cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/derby-county/2003-2004 |title=Derby County 2003–2004 Home |publisher=statto.com |access-date=2012-02-14 |archive-date=28 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728034812/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/derby-county/2003-2004 |url-status=dead }}

{{Main|2003–04 FA Cup}}

{{Main|2003–04 Football League Cup}}

:Squad at end of season

{{fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=1|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Andy Oakes}}

{{Fs player|no=2|nat=WAL|pos=DF|name=Rob EdwardsEdwards was born in Madeley, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally through his parents and made his international debut for Wales in March 2003.|other=on loan from Aston Villa}}

{{Fs player|no=3|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Jamie Vincent}}

{{Fs player|no=4|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Dave Walton}}

{{Fs player|no=5|nat=IRL|pos=DF|name=Jeff Kenna}}

{{Fs player|no=6|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Pablo Mills}}

{{Fs player|no=7|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Ian Taylor|other=captain}}

{{Fs player|no=8|nat=POR|pos=MF|name=Cândido Costa|other=on loan from Porto}}

{{Fs player|no=9|nat=ESP|pos=FW|name=Manel}}

{{Fs player|no=10|nat=JAM|pos=DF|name=Michael JohnsonJohnson was born in Nottingham, England, but also qualified to represent Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for Jamaica in 1999.}}

{{Fs player|no=11|nat=CAN|pos=FW|name=Paul Peschisolido}}

{{Fs player|no=13|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Lee Grant}}

{{Fs player|no=14|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Richard Jackson}}

{{Fs player|no=15|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Adam Bolder}}

{{Fs player|no=16|nat=FRA|pos=DF|name=Youl Mawéné}}

{{Fs player|no=17|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Paul Boertien}}

{{fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=18|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Izale McLeod}}

{{Fs player|no=19|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Nathan Doyle}}

{{Fs player|no=20|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Lewis Hunt}}

{{Fs player|no=21|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=Gary Twigg}}

{{Fs player|no=22|nat=GER|pos=FW|name=Marco Reich}}

{{Fs player|no=23|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Marcus Tudgay}}

{{Fs player|no=24|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Lee CampCamp was born in Derby, England, and represented them at U-21 level, but also qualifies to represent Northern Ireland internationally and would make his full international debut for Northern Ireland in March 2011.}}

{{Fs player|no=26|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Chris Palmer}}

{{Fs player|no=27|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=James Turner}}

{{Fs player|no=28|nat=FIN|pos=MF|name=Kris Weckström}}

{{Fs player|no=29|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Tom Huddlestone}}

{{Fs player|no=30|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Lee Holmes}}

{{Fs player|no=31|nat=PER|pos=FW|name=Gianfranco Labarthe}}

{{Fs player|no=32|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Leon Osman|other=on loan from Everton}}

{{Fs player|no=33|nat=BRA|pos=FW|name=José Júnior}}

{{Fs player|no=34|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Noel Whelan}}

{{Fs end}}

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=2|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Warren Barton|other=to Queens Park Rangers}}

{{Fs player|no=3|nat=ARG|pos=DF|name=Luciano Zavagno|other=to A.C. Ancona}}

{{Fs player|no=5|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Steve Elliott|other=to Blackpool}}

{{Fs player|no=9|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Lee Bradbury|other=on loan from Portsmouth}}

{{Fs player|no=9|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Danny Dichio|other=on loan from West Bromwich Albion}}

{{Fs player|no=11|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Lee Morris|other=to Leicester City}}

{{Fs player|no=12|nat=FIN|pos=MF|name=Simo Valakari|other=to FC Dallas}}

{{fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=22|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Adam Murray|other=to Burton Albion}}

{{Fs player|no=22|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Lee Bradbury|other=on loan from Portsmouth}}

{{Fs player|no=25|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Barry Molloy|other=to Drogheda United}}

{{Fs player|no=32|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=Gary Caldwell|other=on loan from Newcastle United}}

{{Fs player|no=32|nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=Peter Kennedy|other=on loan from Wigan Athletic}}

{{Fs player|no=34|nat=SWE|pos=FW|name=Mathias Svensson|other=on loan from Charlton Athletic}}

{{fs end}}

{{reflist|3}}

{{Reflist|group=notes|3}}

{{Derby County F.C.}}

{{Derby County F.C. seasons}}

{{2003–04 in English football}}

Category:Derby County F.C. seasons

Derby County

{{DEFAULTSORT:2003-04 Derby County F.C. season}}