The 2003–04 Football Conference season was the 25th season of the Football Conference and the last consisting of a single division. The top team and the winner of the play-offs were promoted to Football League Two, while this season only one team was relegated.

A total of 22 teams contest the division, including 17 sides from last season, two relegated from the Football League Two and winners of Northern Premier League, Southern Football League and Isthmian League.

Promotion and relegation

Teams promoted from Northern Premier League

Teams promoted from Southern Football League

Teams promoted from Isthmian League

Teams relegated from Third Division

Overview

Chester City clinched the league title and won promotion to Football League Two.

Shrewsbury Town also earned promotion to League Two following their 3–0 play-off win on penalties after a 1–1 draw with Aldershot Town.

No clubs were relegated on the basis of their performances, due to Margate being demoted, Telford folding and the winners and runners-up of the Unibond League not meeting the criteria for a place in the Football Conference.

Shrewsbury Town had the highest attendance, 84,150 in all, with an average of 4,007. Margate and Leigh RMI had the least spectators with 11,905 and 11,881, respectively, with an average of 567 and 566, respectively.

The total number of attendance was 880,220, yielding an average of 1905 per game, which was the all-time record for the Football Conference.

The regular season began on 9 August 2003, and ended on 24 April 2004.

Final league table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Chester City (C, P)42271148534+5192Promotion to Football League Two
2Hereford United42287710344+5991Qualification for the Football Conference play-offs
3Shrewsbury Town (O, P)42201486742+2574
4Barnet42191496046+1471
5Aldershot Town422010128067+1370
6Exeter City421912117157+1469
7Morecambe42207156666067
8Stevenage Borough42189155852+663
9Woking421516116552+1361
10Accrington Stanley421513146861+758
11Gravesend & Northfleet421415136966+357
12Telford United421510174951−255Club folded
13Dagenham & Redbridge42159185964−554
14Burton Albion42157205759−251
15Scarborough421215155154−351
16Margate (R)42149195664−851Demoted to Conference South
17Tamworth421310194968−1949
18Forest Green Rovers421212185880−2248
19Halifax Town42128224365−2244
20Farnborough Town42109235374−2139Reprived from relegation
21Leigh RMI4278274697−5129
22Northwich Victoria42411273080−5023

Locations

2003–04 Football Conference is located in England
Locations of the Football Conference 2003–04 teams
2003–04 Football Conference is located in Greater London
Locations of the Football Conference London teams 2003–2004

Results

Home \ AwayACCALDBARBRTCHED&REXEFARFGRGRNHALHERLEIMARMORNORSCASHRSTBTAMTELWOK
Accrington Stanley4–22–03–10–22–31–23–14–13–32–12–04–13–21–02–21–00–12–13–01–53–3
Aldershot2–11–13–11–12–12–12–03–02–23–11–22–00–22–24–31–21–12–01–13–12–1
Barnet0–02–12–10–02–42–30–25–01–04–11–12–13–12–11–00–00–10–01–02–00–0
Burton Albion1–11–42–31–10–13–41–02–33–02–24–13–20–10–10–12–00–11–10–12–12–0
Chester City3–34–21–03–12–13–23–21–02–22–00–05–03–02–14–01–02–11–21–00–02–1
Dagenham & Redbridge0–12–35–20–20–00–21–05–20–40–10–91–24–01–32–01–05–01–20–01–11–0
Exeter City3–22–11–12–02–11–11–12–20–11–10–13–21–14–02–00–03–21–03–20–31–2
Farnborough Town1–14–01–12–11–22–21–21–31–21–00–51–11–12–42–01–21–32–03–32–11–0
Forest Green Rovers2–13–11–11–12–11–32–51–11–21–21–72–21–21–20–04–01–13–12–10–02–2
Gravesend & Northfleet0–01–31–11–20–41–23–22–01–11–02–53–12–16–02–21–10–32–32–01–22–2
Halifax Town1–11–21–21–40–33–02–02–00–11–01–22–10–11–05–31–00–02–11–21–12–2
Hereford United1–04–32–01–22–11–11–12–05–13–37–10–12–13–01–02–12–11–00–12–10–1
Leigh RMI1–22–21–40–12–62–11–10–21–21–21–10–54–23–11–01–42–21–31–11–10–1
Margate3–11–20–11–21–23–30–13–02–01–32–01–32–01–13–10–20–21–43–21–01–2
Morecambe1–02–01–32–10–13–20–33–24–02–22–02–21–03–33–02–13–32–14–01–02–1
Northwich Victoria3–31–11–11–20–40–11–11–10–40–00–11–50–10–31–11–10–21–21–01–01–4
Scarborough2–11–02–21–22–20–02–32–12–22–01–03–34–10–11–01–01–12–20–11–12–2
Shrewsbury Town0–01–20–11–00–02–12–23–02–01–12–04–13–11–12–03–14–13–13–10–01–0
Stevenage Borough2–10–11–21–00–00–22–23–22–12–21–00–24–02–10–11–02–22–03–10–11–1
Tamworth1–13–32–01–11–52–02–12–11–01–32–01–34–31–12–32–10–01–11–20–12–0
Telford United1–02–51–22–20–21–02–02–40–21–12–10–35–01–12–10–12–11–00–22–01–0
Woking2–22–22–21–01–20–01–03–21–13–22–20–12–00–04–13–02–13–31–14–03–1

Play-offs

The Conference National play-offs determined the second team that would be promoted to Football League Two. The teams placed second through fifth qualified for the play-offs. The semi-finals were played in a two-leg, home and away format, while the final was played as one leg.

SemifinalsFinal at Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent 16 May 2004
2ndHereford United101 (2)
5thAldershot Town (pen.)101 (4)
3rdShrewsbury Town (pen.)1 (3)
5thAldershot Town1 (0)
3rdShrewsbury Town (pen.)112 (5)
4thBarnet202 (3)

Semifinals

Aldershot Town1–1Hereford United
Dsane 45' (pen.)Brown 7'
Hereford United0–0Aldershot Town
Tretton 21'
Penalties
Brown Beesley James Smith2–4Dsane Gosling Giles Sills Antwi

Aldershot Town won 4–2 on penalties after tying 1–1 on Aggregate.

Barnet2–1Shrewsbury Town
Strevens 13' (pen.) Clist 90'Rodgers 43' (pen.)
Shrewsbury Town1–0Barnet
Rodgers 44' (pen.)
Penalties
Sedgemore Tolley Rodgers Cramb Moss5–3Strevens Grazioli Yakubu Clist

Shrewsbury Town won 5–3 on penalties after tying 2–2 on Aggregate.

Play-Off Final

Aldershot Town1–1 (a.e.t.)Shrewsbury Town
McLean 35'Darby 43'
Penalties
Sills Giles Gosling0–3Rodgers Tolley Sedgemore Challis

Top scorers in order of league goals

RankPlayerClubLeaguePlay-offsFA CupLDVFA TrophyTotal
1Daryl ClareChester City29010030
2Steve GuinanHereford United25031029
=David McNivenLeigh RMI25000126
4Giuliano GrazioliBarnet24020026
5Roscoe D'SaneAldershot21120327
6Sean DevineExeter City20020325
=Paul MullinAccrington Stanley20030124
=Darryn StampChester City20000020
9Tim SillsAldershot18010221
10Anthony EldingStevenage Borough17020019
=Lutel JamesAccrington Stanley17010018
=Danny CarltonMorecambe17000017
13Mark CooperTamworth15000015
14David BrownHereford United14002016
=Mark QuayleScarborough14010015

Source:

External links