Since its inception in 1979, The Football Conference has formed the fifth-highest level of the overall English Football League System.
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.
Teams promoted from Northern Premier League
Teams promoted from Southern Football League
Teams promoted from Isthmian League
Teams relegated from Third Division
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.[1]
The regular season began on 9 August 2003, and ended on 24 April 2004.
| Season | 2003–04[1][2] |
|---|---|
| Champions | Chester City (1st Football Conference title) |
| Promoted | Chester City, Shrewsbury Town |
| Relegated to Conference North/Conference South | Margate (South) |
| Folded | Telford United |
| Promoted for the next season | Canvey Island, Crawley Town |
| Matches played | 462 |
| Goals scored | 1,343 (2.91 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Daryl Clare (Chester City), 29 |
| Biggest home win | Hereford – Halifax 7–1 (25 November 2003) Gravesend & Northfleet – Morecambe 6–0 (28 February 2004) |
| Biggest away win | Dagenham & Redbridge – Hereford 0–9 (27 February 2004) |
| Highest scoring | Dagenham & Redbridge – Hereford 0–9 (27 February 2004) |
| Longest winning run | ? |
| Longest unbeaten run | Chester City, 18 matches (26 Aug – 6 Dec) |
| Longest losing run | ? |
| Highest attendance | Exeter CityvAccrington Stanley, 8,256 (24 Apr) |
| Lowest attendance | MargatevForest Green Rovers, 255 (4 April 2003) |
| Average attendance | 1,905 (+ 18% compared to the previous season) |
← 2002–03 2004–05 → | |
| Pos | Team | Pld | HW | HD | HL | HGF | HGA | AW | AD | AL | AGF | AGA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chester City | 42 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 45 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 40 | 16 | +51 | 92 | Football Conference Champions, promoted to League Two |
| 2 | Hereford United | 42 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 42 | 20 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 61 | 24 | +59 | 91 | Participated in play-offs |
| 3 | Shrewsbury Town | 42 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 38 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 29 | 28 | +25 | 74 | Promoted to League Two through play-offs Relegated from The Football League |
| 4 | Barnet | 42 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 30 | 29 | +14 | 71 | Participated in play-offs |
| 5 | Aldershot Town[a] | 42 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 40 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 40 | 43 | +13 | 70 | |
| 6 | Exeter City | 42 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 33 | 24 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 38 | 33 | +14 | 69 | Relegated from The Football League |
| 7 | Morecambe | 42 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 43 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 23 | 41 | 0 | 67 | |
| 8 | Stevenage Borough | 42 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 29 | 30 | +6 | 63 | |
| 9 | Woking | 42 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 40 | 23 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 25 | 29 | +13 | 61 | |
| 10 | Accrington Stanley[a] | 42 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 46 | 31 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 22 | 30 | +7 | 58 | |
| 11 | Gravesend & Northfleet | 42 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 34 | 35 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 31 | +3 | 57 | |
| 12 | Telford United | 42 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 28 | 28 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 23 | −2 | 55 | Folded following this season |
| 13 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 42 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 30 | 34 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 29 | 30 | −5 | 54 | |
| 14 | Burton Albion | 42 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 30 | 29 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 27 | 30 | −2 | 51[b] | |
| 15 | Scarborough | 42 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 32 | 25 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 19 | 29 | −3 | 51 | |
| 16 | Margate | 42 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 30 | 32 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 26 | 32 | −8 | 51 | Relegated[c] |
| 17 | Tamworth[a] | 42 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 32 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 38 | −19 | 49 | |
| 18 | Forest Green Rovers | 42 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 32 | 36 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 44 | −22 | 48 | |
| 19 | Halifax Town | 42 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 28 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 39 | −22 | 44 | |
| 20 | Farnborough Town | 42 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 31 | 34 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 22 | 40 | −21 | 39 | |
| 21 | Leigh RMI | 42 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 26 | 44 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 20 | 53 | −51 | 29 | |
| 22 | Northwich Victoria | 42 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 38 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 42 | −50 | 23 |
Note: Hednesford Town (Southern Football League Premier Division) were the FA Trophy winners
| Home \ Away | ACC | ALD | BAR | BRT | CHE | D&R | EXE | FAR | FGR | GRN | HAL | HER | LEI | MAR | MOR | NOR | SCA | SHR | STB | TAM | TEL | WOK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accrington Stanley | 4–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–5 | 3–3 | |
| Aldershot | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | |
| Barnet | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | |
| Burton Albion | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–4 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | |
| Chester City | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 0–1 | 2–3 | 5–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 5–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 0–9 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | |
| Exeter City | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | |
| Farnborough Town | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |
| Forest Green Rovers | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–7 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–5 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | |
| Halifax Town | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 5–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | |
| Hereford United | 1–0 | 4–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 7–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | |
| Leigh RMI | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 2–6 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | |
| Margate | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | |
| Morecambe | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | |
| Northwich Victoria | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | |
| Scarborough | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | |
| Shrewsbury Town | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | |
| Stevenage Borough | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | |
| Tamworth | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | |
| Telford United | 1–0 | 2–5 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | |
| Woking | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 |
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.
| Semifinals | Final at Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent 16 May 2004 | ||||||||||
| 2nd | Hereford United | 1 | 0 | 1 (2) | |||||||
| 5th | Aldershot Town (pen.) | 1 | 0 | 1 (4) | |||||||
| 3rd | Shrewsbury Town (pen.) | 1 (3) | |||||||||
| 5th | Aldershot Town | 1 (0) | |||||||||
| 3rd | Shrewsbury Town (pen.) | 1 | 1 | 2 (5) | |||||||
| 4th | Barnet | 2 | 0 | 2 (3) | |||||||
| Aldershot Town | 1–1 | Hereford United |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Attendance: 6,379
Referee: Jarnail Singh
| Hereford United | 0–0 | Aldershot Town |
|---|---|---|
|
Report | |
| Penalties | ||
  |
2–4 |
|
Attendance: 7,044
Referee: Andy Woolmer
Aldershot Town won 4–2 on penalties after tying 1–1 on Aggregate.
| Barnet | 2–1 | Shrewsbury Town |
|---|---|---|
 90' |
Report |
Attendance: 4,171
| Shrewsbury Town | 1–0 | Barnet |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
|
|
5–3 |
|
Attendance: 7,012
Referee: Pollock
Shrewsbury Town won 5–3 on penalties after tying 2–2 on Aggregate.
| Aldershot Town | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Shrewsbury Town |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| Penalties | ||
|
|
0–3 |
|
Attendance: 19,216
| Rank | Player | Club | League | Play-offs | FA Cup | LDV | FA Trophy | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daryl Clare | Chester City | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 2 | Steve Guinan | Hereford United | 25 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 29 |
| = | David McNiven | Leigh RMI | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
| 4 | Giuliano Grazioli | Barnet | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| 5 | Roscoe D'Sane | Aldershot | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 27 |
| 6 | Sean Devine | Exeter City | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
| = | Paul Mullin | Accrington Stanley | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 24 |
| = | Darryn Stamp | Chester City | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 9 | Tim Sills | Aldershot | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 21 |
| 10 | Anthony Elding | Stevenage Borough | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| = | Lutel James | Accrington Stanley | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| = | Danny Carlton | Morecambe | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 13 | Mark Cooper | Tamworth | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 14 | David Brown | Hereford United | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| = | Mark Quayle | Scarborough | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
Source:[1]
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