Football League Third Division 2003/04
| Football League Third Division 2003/04 | |
| master | Doncaster Rovers |
| Climbers | Doncaster Rovers Hull City Torquay United Huddersfield Town (as play-off winner) |
| Relegation ↑ | Huddersfield Town Mansfield Town Northampton Town Lincoln City |
| Relegated |
Carlisle United York City |
| Teams | 24 |
| Games | 552 |
| Gates | 1,398 (ø 2.53 per game) |
| Top scorer |
Steven MacLean ( Scunthorpe United ) |
| ← Football League Third Division 2002/03 | |
| ^ Football League Second Division 2003/04 | |
The Football League Third Division 2003/04 was the twelfth season of the Football League Third Division as only the fourth highest English football league and 46th fourth division season overall. It was then replaced by the Football League Two and continued to exist under this name as the fourth highest league.
The top three clubs, Doncaster Rovers , Hull City and Torquay United , went straight to Football League One. The clubs in places four to seven determined the fourth promoted team in play-off mode. Here the Huddersfield Town prevailed.
Carlisle United and York City rose to the National League and were replaced by Chester City and Shrewsbury Town the following season .
Closing table
| Pl. | society | Sp. | S. | U | N | Gates | Diff. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Doncaster Rovers (N) | 46 | 27 | 11 | 8th | 79:37 | +42 | 92 |
| 2. | Hull City | 46 | 25th | 13 | 8th | 82:44 | +38 | 88 |
| 3. | Torquay United | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 68:44 | +24 | 81 |
| 4th | Huddersfield Town (A) | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 68:52 | +16 | 81 |
| 5. | Mansfield Town (A) | 46 | 22nd | 9 | 15th | 76:62 | +14 | 75 |
| 6th | Northampton Town (A) | 46 | 22nd | 9 | 15th | 58:51 | +7 | 75 |
| 7th | Lincoln City | 46 | 19th | 17th | 10 | 68:47 | +21 | 74 |
| 8th. | Yeovil Town (N) | 46 | 23 | 5 | 18th | 70:57 | +13 | 74 |
| 9. | Oxford United | 46 | 18th | 17th | 11 | 55:44 | +11 | 71 |
| 10. |
 Swansea City
|
46 | 15th | 14th | 17th | 58:61 | −3 | 59 |
| 11. | Boston United | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19th | 50:54 | −4 | 59 |
| 12. | Bury FC | 46 | 15th | 11 | 20th | 54:64 | −10 | 56 |
| 13. | Cambridge United | 46 | 14th | 14th | 18th | 55:67 | −12 | 56 |
| 14th | Cheltenham Town (A) | 46 | 14th | 14th | 18th | 57:71 | −14 | 56 |
| 15th | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 14th | 13 | 19th | 50:61 | −11 | 55 |
| 16. | Kidderminster Harriers | 46 | 14th | 13 | 19th | 45:59 | −14 | 55 |
| 17th | Southend United | 46 | 14th | 12 | 20th | 51:63 | −12 | 54 |
| 18th | Darlington FC | 46 | 14th | 11 | 21st | 53:61 | −8 | 53 |
| 19th | Leyton Orient | 46 | 13 | 14th | 19th | 48:65 | −17 | 53 |
| 20th | Macclesfield Town | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20th | 54:69 | −15 | 52 |
| 21st | Rochdale AFC | 46 | 12 | 14th | 20th | 49:58 | −9 | 50 |
| 22nd | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19th | 69:72 | −3 | 49 |
| 23. | Carlisle United | 46 | 12 | 9 | 25th | 46:69 | −23 | 45 |
| 24. | York city | 46 | 10 | 14th | 22nd | 35:66 | −31 | 44 |
Placement criteria: 1st points - 2nd goal difference - 3rd goals scored
| (A) | Relegated from the Football League Second Division 2002/03 |
| (N) | Newcomers from the Football Conference |
Play-off round
| Semi-finals (first leg / second leg / total) | final | |||||||||
| 4th | Huddersfield Town | 2 | 2 | 4th | ||||||
| 7th | Lincoln City | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||
| 4th | Huddersfield Town ( n. E. ) | 0 (4) | ||||||||
| 5 | Mansfield Town | 0 (1) | ||||||||
| 5 | Mansfield Town ( n. E. ) | 2 | 1 | 3 ( 5 ) | ||||||
| 6th | Northampton Town | 0 | 3 | 3 ( 4 ) | ||||||