FA Cup 2003-04

The FA Cup 2003-04 was the 123rd staging of England and the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup.

The competition began on 23 August 2003, with the lowest-ranked of the entrants competing in the Extra Preliminary round. The FA Cup 3rd Round was the first time that clubs from the Premiership and Division One competed in the competition.

The semi-finals were staged at neutral venues and, like the final, would not be replayed in the event of a draw. The competition culminated with the cup final at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff for a fourth year in a row, since Wembley Stadium was still in the rebuilding process. The cup was won by Manchester United, with a 3–0 victory over Millwall from Division One.

For more details on the preliminary rounds and qualifying stages of the FA Cup 2003–04 see [http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/Archive/ FA Cup archives] .

Calendar

Third Round Proper

This round marks the first time Championship and Premier League (top-flight) teams play. Matches were played on the weekend of Saturday, 3 January 2004, with replays on 13 January and 14 January.

ixth Round Proper

*Matches played on the weekend of Saturday, 6 March 2004.
*There was one replay between Tranmere and Millwall, played on Tuesday 16 March.

footballbox
date=2004-03-06
time=12:30
team1=Manchester United
score=2 – 1
report= [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=142724&league=ENG.FA&cc=5739 Report]
team2=Fulham
goals1=van Nistelrooy goal|25 goal|62
goals2=Malbranque goal|23|pen
stadium=Old Trafford, Manchester
attendance=67,614
referee=Rob Styles----footballbox
date=2004-03-06
time=18:00
team1=Portsmouth
score=1 – 5
report= [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=142741&league=ENG.FA&cc=5739 Report]
team2=Arsenal
goals1=Sheringham goal|90
goals2=Henry goal|25 goal|50
Ljungberg goal|43 goal|57
Toure goal|45
stadium=Fratton Park, Portsmouth
attendance=20,137
referee=Jeff Winter ----footballbox
date=2004-03-07
time=13:00
team1=Millwall
score=0 – 0
report= [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=143371&league=ENG.FA&cc=5739 Report]
team2=Tranmere
goals1=
goals2=
stadium=The New Den, Millwall, London
attendance=16,404
referee=Neale Barry ----footballbox
date=2004-03-07
time=16:05
team1=Sunderland
score=1 – 0
report= [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=143382&league=ENG.FA&cc=5739 Report]
team2=Sheffield United
goals1=Tommy Smith goal|15
goals2=
stadium=Stadium of Light, Sunderland
attendance=37,115
referee=Steve Dunn

Replay

footballbox
date=2004-03-16
time=19:45
team1=Tranmere
score=1 – 2
report= [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=145453&league=ENG.FA&cc=5739 Report]
team2=Millwall
goals1=Gary Jones goal|41
goals2=Cahill goal|11
Harris goal|15
stadium=Prenton Park, Birkenhead, Tranmere
attendance=15,510
referee=Uriah Rennie

emi-finals

*Matches played on the weekend of Saturday, 3 April 2004.
*Two teams from Division 1 featured in the semi-finals (Millwall and Sunderland) who faced each other. The other tie was an all-Premiership affair between Manchester United and Arsenal, held at Villa Park.
*Both games were played at neutral venues.

footballbox
date=2004-04-03
time=12:00
team1=Arsenal
score= 0 – 1
report= [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=147580&league=ENG.FA&cc=5739 Report]
team2=Manchester United
goals1=
goals2=Scholes goal|32
stadium=Villa Park, Birmingham
attendance=39,939
referee=Graham Barber ----footballbox
date=2004-04-04
time=13:00
team1=Sunderland
score= 0 – 1
report= [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=147943&league=ENG.FA&cc=5739 Report]
team2=Millwall
goals1=Jason Mcateer sent off|0|86
goals2=Cahill goal|26
stadium=Old Trafford, Manchester
attendance=56,112
referee=Paul Durkin

Final

footballbox
date=2004-05-22
15:00 BST
team1=Manchester United
score=3 – 0
team2=Millwall
report= [http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2004/04/FACup_Final_MR.htm (Report)]
goals1=Ronaldo goal|44
van Nistelrooy goal|65|pen. goal|81
goals2=
stadium=Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
attendance=71,350
referee=Jeff Winter, Stockton-on-Tees