2003–04 Hibernian F.C. season

Hibernian
2003–04 season
Chairman Ken Lewandowski
Manager Bobby Williamson (until 20 April 2004)
SPL 8th
Scottish Cup R3
CIS Cup Final
Top goalscorer League: Riordan, 15
All: Riordan, 18
Highest home attendance 15060[1]
Lowest home attendance 5447[1]
Average home league attendance 9150[1] (down 787)
← 2002–03 2004–05 →

Season 2003–04 was a disappointment for Hibernian, as the team again finished in the bottom half of the Scottish Premier League, and was knocked out at the first stage of the Scottish Cup. The main highlight of the season was the run to the 2004 Scottish League Cup Final, which Hibs reached by defeating both halves of the Old Firm. This also ended in disappointment, however, as the Final was lost 2–0 to Livingston. A month after that defeat, manager Bobby Williamson was allowed to leave the club to manage Plymouth Argyle.[2]

League season

With the Hibs squad "stretched to its limits" by injuries to Ian Murray, Grant Brebner, Stephen Glass and Yannick Zambernardi, Hibs again struggled in the league.[2] Financial problems meant that the club had sold or released many of its senior players during Bobby Williamson's time in charge, and even Williamson's own long term contract was renegotiated to a shorter term and lower salary.[2] The Hibs board were also apparently willing to allow Plymouth Argyle to take Williamson when made an approach in April 2004.[2] Williamson's assistants, Gerry McCabe and Jim Clark, took charge of the team for the remainder of the season,[3] with Tony Mowbray appointed soon after its conclusion.[4]

Results

Final table

P Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Celtic 383152105258098 UEFA Champions League 2004-05 Group stage
2 Rangers 38256776334381 UEFA Champions League 2004-05 Third qualifying round
3 Hearts 381911856401668 UEFA Cup 2004-05 First round
4 Dunfermline Athletic 381411134552-753
5 Dundee United 381310154760-1349
6 Motherwell 381210164249-746
7 Dundee 381210164857-946
8 Hibernian 381111164160-1944UEFA Intertoto Cup 2004 second round
9 Livingston 381013154857-943
10 Kilmarnock 38126205174-2342
11 Aberdeen 3897223963-2434
12 Partick Thistle 3868243967-2826 Relegated to First Division 2004-05

Source: SPL official website

Scottish League Cup

As one of the SPL clubs who had not automatically qualified for European competition, Hibs entered at the last 32 stage (second round) of the competition, in which they defeated Montrose 9–0 at Easter Road. Hibs were then given another home draw in the last 16, against Queen of the South, which Hibs won 2–1. In the quarter-final, Hibs were again drawn to play at home, but this time had to face league leaders Celtic. Despite falling behind early in the second half, Hibs won 2–1 thanks to a late goal by Kevin Thomson. Hibs were then given another tough draw for the semi-final, playing the other half of the Old Firm, Rangers. Nonetheless, Hibs won the tie 4–3 on penalties, with Frank de Boer's miss sending Hibs through. These two upset victories sent Hibs to the Final, where they met Livingston.[2] Hibs sold a remarkable 37,000 tickets for the game, suggesting that the club still had the drawing power to be a major force in Scottish football.[2] The match ended in major disappointment, however, as Livingston won 2–0 to lift the trophy.[2]

Results

Scottish Cup

Results

Transfers

Player stats

During the 2003–04 season, Hibs used 27 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.[5][6] Goalkeeper Daniel Andersson was the only player to appear in every match, playing in 38 SPL matches, five League Cup ties and the one Scottish Cup tie.

No. Pos Nat Player TotalSPL Scottish Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Sweden Daniel Andersson 44 0 38 0 1 0 5 0
DF Scotland Jonathan Baillie 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0
DF Scotland Gary Caldwell 19 1 17 1 0 0 2 0
DF France Mathias Kouo-Doumbé 39 2 33 2 1 0 5 0
DF England Roland Edge 24 0 20 0 0 0 4 0
DF Scotland John Kane 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
DF Northern Ireland Colin Murdock 37 3 32 3 1 0 4 0
DF Scotland Jay Shields 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
DF Scotland Gary Smith 23 0 20 0 1 0 2 0
DF Scotland Steven Whittaker 33 1 28 1 1 0 4 0
DF France Yannick Zambernardi 8 0 8 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland Grant Brebner 26 2 22 1 1 0 3 1
MF Scotland Scott Brown 41 4 36 3 1 0 4 1
MF Scotland Stephen Glass 14 0 12 0 0 0 2 0
MF Scotland Jamie McCluskey 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
MF England Kevin McDonald 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland Ian Murray 16 2 14 1 0 0 2 1
MF Scotland Kevin Nicol 16 1 15 1 1 0 0 0
MF Austria Alen Orman 20 0 18 0 0 0 2 0
MF Scotland Alan Reid 23 1 20 1 0 0 3 0
MF Scotland Kevin Thomson 27 2 23 1 1 0 3 1
MF Finland Jarkko Wiss 14 0 13 0 0 0 1 0
FW Scotland Stephen Dobbie 33 6 28 2 1 0 4 4
FW Scotland Steven Fletcher 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland Tam McManus 37 3 32 3 0 0 5 0
FW Scotland Garry O'Connor 39 7 33 5 1 0 5 2
FW Scotland Derek Riordan 40 18 34 15 1 0 5 3

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Average Home League Game Attendances". www.fitbastats.com. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Few Hibees will mourn Williamson, BBC Sport, 20 April 2004.
  3. ↑ "Thordarson rejects Hibs". BBC Sport. 3 May 2004.
  4. ↑ "Mowbray is new Hibs boss". BBC Sport. 24 May 2004.
  5. ↑ "Hibernian 2003/2004 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
  6. ↑ The soccerbase statistics inaccurately attribute Kevin Thomson's appearance against Rangers on 30 November 2003 to "Steven Thomson".

External links

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