2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Late trading"
The law prohibited trading of mutual fund shares at any other price so the price set on Monday evening for a fund’s shares was available to anybody all day long on Tuesday until the market closed at 4:00 PM Pension funds and hedge funds are faced with unpredictable big inflows of cash on any given day. Their job is to put those funds to work as soon as possible. Mutual funds were eager to take the money from these pension funds.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Late trading"
The mutual fund’s fees management fees were based upon the amount of money (value of shares) held by the fund. More money held by the mutual fund meant more money at the end of the quarter for the fund’s managers. Pension managers had a legitimate problem with knowing just how much money they had to invest on any given day. There are changes from day to day as beneficiaries took withdrawals or employers made deposits.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Late trading"
An ostensibly harmless practice developed where mutual funds let it be known that they could be flexible about taking purchases at that morning’s price after the closing, even though that was prohibited by their rules. This was a matter of accommodating fund managers and encouraging them to trust that fund with their investment. People were beginning to realize unanticipated uses for computer technology, People realized there they could track what was happening to the value of any mutual fund’s investments as quickly or even quicker than the mutual fund managers could using relatively simple spreadsheet programs.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Late trading"
They realized that if permitted to buy after the close they could know what tomorrow’s price would be and provided they sold the shares tomorrow morning that they bought that evening would be guaranteed a profit, a profit that ordinary customers that played by the rules could not get. The trades involved small variances in price but because the buyers were purchasing millions of dollars in mutual fund shares the guaranteed profits for these insiders was significant and


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Late trading"
Such trades can be made with information about after-hours market developments in other countries, for example. Traders would buy in at the previous day's close, and sell at the next day's close for a likely profit. This practice hurt long-term buy-and-hold investors in the mutual fund, who experienced a continued drain in the fund's net asset value.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Late trading"
Late trading was not a new phenomenon. Prior to 1968, most mutual funds used "backward pricing," in which the fund could be bought at the previous closing price. Thus, traders could purchase mutual funds on a day when the market was up, at the previous day's lower closing price, and then sell at the purchase date's closing price for a guaranteed profit. To prevent the exploitation of backward pricing, the SEC issued Rule 22c-1, requiring forward pricing of mutual fund transactions. This rule was enforced by randomly checking timestamps on orders, but intentional falsification of timestamps was difficult to catch.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Late trading"
In addition, New York's Martin Act can be interpreted to prohibit late trading as well, due to the unfair advantage the late trader gains over other traders.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Late trading"
Canary Capital settled the complaint for US$40 million, while neither admitting nor denying guilt in the matter. Bank of America stated that it would compensate its mutual fund shareholders for losses incurred by way of the illegal transactions.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Market timing"
Spitzer and later the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also charged that major mutual fund groups such as Janus, Bank One's One Group, and Strong Capital Management and others facilitated "market timing" trading for favored clients. Market timing is an investment strategy in which an investor tries to profit from short-term market cycles by trading into and out of market sectors as they heat up and cool off.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Market timing"
In a novel interpretation of New York's Martin Act, Spitzer contended that fund firms committed fraud when they allowed some clients to trade more frequently than allowed in their fund documents and prospectus. In many cases, funds bar or limit frequent trading because the practice may increase the cost of administering a mutual fund borne by all shareholders in the fund.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Spitzer investigation, "Market timing"
Market timers also can make managing the fund more difficult since the fund may need to keep extra cash to meet liquidity demands of selling timers, although if timers are trading opposite flows of other investors, they can moderate cash fluctuations. Those funds that did not limit frequent trading in their prospectus—as well as a small number of funds that cater specifically to market timers—were not charged. Spitzer contended that some advisors allowed market timers in order to increase their assets under management (fund advisors are paid based on the amount of assets in the fund).


2003 mutual fund scandal, SEC investigation
The SEC is charged with the regulation of the mutual fund industry in the United States. Following the announcement of Spitzer's complaint, the SEC launched its own investigation of the matter which revealed the practice of "front running". The SEC claimed that certain mutual fund companies alerted favored customers or partners when one or more of a company's funds planned to buy or sell a large stock position. The partner was then in a position to trade shares of the stock in advance of the fund's trading. Since mutual funds tend to hold large positions in specific stocks, any large selling or buying by the fund often impacts the value of the stock, from which the partner could stand to benefit. According to the SEC, the practice of front-running may constitute insider trading.


2003 mutual fund scandal, SEC investigation
By early November, investigations led to the resignation of the chairmen of Strong Mutual Funds and Putnam Investments, both major mutual fund companies. In the case of Strong, the chairman Richard Strong was charged with market-timing trading involving his own company's funds. In December, Invesco (market-timing) and Prudential Securities (widespread late trading) were added to the list of implicated fund companies.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Settlements and trials
Nearly all of the fund firms charged by Spitzer with allowing market timing or late trading had settled with his office and the SEC between mid-2004 and mid-2005. One exception was J. W. Seligman, which chose in September 2005 to sue Spitzer in Federal court after their talks with Spitzer broke down. Seligman argued in its suit that Spitzer had overstepped his authority by attempting to oversee how Seligman's funds set their advisory fee and that the regulatory oversight of fees is left by Congress to the SEC.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Settlements and trials
Separately, in August 2005 Spitzer lost the only trial arising from his investigations when a jury could not reach a verdict on all counts in a case brought against Theodore Sihpol, III, a broker with Bank of America who introduced Canary Capital to the bank. Though Spitzer threatened to retry Sihpol, he did not do so. In September 2005 Spitzer's office reached a plea bargain in a case brought against three executives charged with fraud for financing Canary and assisting its improper trading in mutual funds.


2003 mutual fund scandal, Settlements and trials
That case against two Security Trust executives and one banker had appeared to be Spitzer's strongest, and the settlement seemed to reflect Spitzer's weakening hand in the wake of his defeat in the Sihpol case. The United States Second Circuit reversed the District Court In United States Security Commission v O`Malley on 19 May 2014 finding there was no consistent rule prohibiting Traders from engaging in market timing and therefore there was  no requirement to disgorge profits made thereunder. This appeal related to a Rule 50 motion to dismiss on basis there was no credible evidence to leave to the jury as to breaching any duty of care and the Appeals Court Upheld same.


2003 protests in Dominican Republic
The 2003 protests in the Dominican Republic consisted of mass protests, rioting, labor unrest, strikes, demonstrations, rallies, marches, and a protest movement in Dominican Republic between July-November 2003, calling for economic reform despite the economic crisis and financial turmoil, one of the main causes of the political uprising. The movement and uprising were calling for the government of Hipólito Mejía to resign amid popular pressure and anti-presidential opposition on the streets.


2003 protests in Dominican Republic
Gunfire and shootings, clashes with armed groups, and associates with security forces left at least 5 dead in the first wave and 8 dead in the second wave of violent mass demonstrations.


2003 protests in Dominican Republic
In response to the growing street protests and rising civil disobedience, the government sent reinforcements and deployed troops to quell the mass protests. Protesters threw stones and hurled bricks at the forces, who responded with extreme force. The protesters marched almost daily in the first wave of protests in July-August when 3 were killed and their demands weren’t met.


2003 protests in Dominican Republic
The second and deadlier wave of violent demonstrations and opposition-led street protests was in November when strikers were shot at by the security forces by Rubber bullets as anti-government rallies and violent marches calling for reforms and a solution to end the crisis. Protests turned into riots, calling for the resignation of the government. Thousands participated in the daily protests, leading to fatal clashes.


2003 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada
The table below lists the reasons delivered from the bench by the Supreme Court of Canada during 2003. The table illustrates what reasons were filed by each justice in each case, and which justices joined each reason. This list, however, does not include decisions on motions.


2003 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada
Of the 75 judgments released in 2003, 14 were oral judgments, 49 were unanimous, there was no pluralities, and no motions.


2003 ricin letters
The 2003 ricin letters were two ricin-laden letters found on two occasions between October and November 2003. One letter was mailed to the White House and intercepted at a processing facility; another was discovered with no address in South Carolina. A February 2004 ricin incident at the Dirksen Senate Office Building was initially connected to the 2003 letters as well.


2003 ricin letters
The letters were sent by an individual who referred to themselves as "Fallen Angel". The sender, who claimed to own a trucking company, expressed anger over changes in federal trucking regulations. As of 2008, no connection between the Fallen Angel letters and the Dirksen building incident has been established. A $100,000 reward was offered in 2004 by the federal law enforcement agencies investigating the case, but to date the reward remains unclaimed.


2003 ricin letters, Background, Ricin
Ricin is a white powder that can be produced as a liquid or a crystal. Ricin is an extremely toxic plant protein that can cause severe allergic reactions, and exposure to small quantities can be fatal. The toxin inhibits the formation of proteins within cells of exposed individuals. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 500 micrograms is the minimum lethal dose of ricin in humans provided that exposure is from injection or inhalation. Ricin is easily purified from castor-oil manufacturing waste. It has been utilized by various states and organizations as a weapon, being most effective as an assassination weapon, notably in the case of the 1978 assassination of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov.


2003 ricin letters, Background, Trucking regulations
On January 4, 2004 new federal transportation rules took effect which directly affected the over-the-road trucking industry in the United States. The rules took effect with a 60-day grace period and were aimed at reducing fatigue related accidents and fatalities. Called the most far-reaching rule changes in 65 years, the regulations reduced daily allowed driving time from 11 hours to 10. The most controversial measures involved the way that workdays were calculated. The calculations were not allowed to factor in such delays as food and fuel stops and other time spent waiting at, for instance, a factory for a load. The new provisions allowed drivers to stay on duty for only 14 hours, thus the time spent waiting could eat into the time a driver spent on duty. These rule changes were what the self-proclaimed "Fallen Angel" took aim at in the ricin-laden letters.


2003 ricin letters, Letters, October 2003 letter
On October 15, 2003 a package was discovered at a mail-sorting center in Greenville, South Carolina, near the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. The package contained a letter and a small metal vial containing ricin powder. A label on the outside of the envelope containing the vial displayed the typed message: "Caution ricin poison enclosed in sealed container. Do not open without proper protection". The presence of ricin was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on October 21. The letter inside the envelope was typewritten to the U.S. Department of Transportation, and stated:


2003 ricin letters, Letters, October 2003 letter
To the department of transportation: I'm a fleet owner of a tanker company. I have easy access to castor pulp. If my demand is dismissed I'm capable of making Ricin. My demand is simple, January 4, 2004 starts the new hours of service for trucks which include a ridiculous ten hours in the sleeper berth. Keep at eight or I will start dumping. You have been warned this is the only letter that will be sent by me.Fallen Angel


2003 ricin letters, Letters, October 2003 letter
Despite the potentially deadly nature of the poison, no one was exposed to, injured by, or killed by the ricin. The Greenville facility where the letter was found was also declared ricin-free in the ensuing weeks. In addition, the letter had no delivery address and no postmark.


2003 ricin letters, Letters, November 2003 letter
On November 6, 2003, another letter, described as "nearly identical" to the October letter, was discovered. This time, the letter was addressed to The White House and it was discovered at a White House mail-processing facility in Washington D.C. The letter contained a small vial of a white powdery substance that was initially tested negative for ricin. After subsequent testing at the mail facility resulted in positives for ricin contamination on mail equipment, the U.S. Secret Service ordered a retest that showed by November 10 the letter was "probable for ricin".


2003 ricin letters, Letters, November 2003 letter
The letter was postmarked on October 17 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Though addressed to the White House, the threatening language contained in the letter was again directed at the U.S. Department of Transportation and written by an individual calling him/herself "Fallen Angel", as with previous letter. The text of the letter stated:


2003 ricin letters, Letters, November 2003 letter
Department of transportationIf you change the hours of service onJanuary 4, 2004 I will turn D.C into a ghost townThe powder on the letter is RICINhave a nice dayFallen Angel


2003 ricin letters, Letters, November 2003 letter
The Secret Service did not alert the White House, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other key agencies, including the CDC, of the discovery and positive tests until November 12. In the November 21, 2003 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report the CDC recommended that until Fallen Angel was captured, "healthcare providers and public health officials must consider ricin to be a potential public health threat and be vigilant about recognizing illness consistent with ricin exposure". The CDC's November warning mentioned only the first Fallen Angel letter. The discovery of the ricin letter at the White House facility was not disclosed to the public until early February 2004. The public disclosure of the second ricin letter from Fallen Angel coincided with the discovery of ricin in the mail room of a senate office building.


2003 ricin letters, Letters, February 2004 mail room contamination
On February 2, 2004 in a mail room serving Senator Bill Frist in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, a white powdery substance was found on a sorting machine. Tests on February 3 confirmed that the substance was ricin. The positive test results were indicated by six of eight preliminary tests on the substance. The discovery resulted in more than a dozen staffers undergoing decontamination as well as the closure of the Dirksen, Hart, and Russell Senate Office Buildings. The incident was treated as a criminal probe with investigators looking carefully for any connection between the ricin found at Dirksen and the "Fallen Angel" cases.


2003 ricin letters, Investigations, Fallen Angel
The focus of the probe by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General fell instantly upon the individual calling him/herself Fallen Angel in the two letters. The FBI was the lead agency in the Fallen Angel investigation. Agents questioned various individuals during their probe, such as one vocal former trucker in Florida. Federal officials, most notably at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), remarked that the letters did not have the hallmarks of international terrorism and were more likely produced by a homegrown criminal.


2003 ricin letters, Investigations, Fallen Angel
On January 4, 2004 the FBI, along with the USPIS and the DOT, offered a $100,000 reward in connection with the October 2003 case from Greenville, South Carolina. In late 2004 the amount of the reward was increased to $120,000. The criminal has not been captured to date.


2003 ricin letters, Investigations, Dirksen Building contamination
Immediately following the incident in Frist's office, both the FBI and the United States Capitol Police were tasked to the investigation; like in the Fallen Angel investigation, the FBI was the lead agency. Detectives and agents focused on the possibility that the individual responsible for the 2003 letters was also responsible for the contamination at the Dirksen building. Within two weeks of the incident, investigators were questioning the validity of the positive ricin tests at the Senate building. The results raised suspicion because no source (e.g. a letter) was ever found for the ricin. It was possible that the "contamination" was from paper by-products and not ricin.


2003 ricin letters, Investigations, Dirksen Building contamination
However, later tests confirmed that the initial tests did not indicate a false positive and the substance was indeed ricin. By the end of March 2005, there were no suspects and no confirmed source for the ricin found in Senator Frist's office. Investigators also found no connection to the Fallen Angel case as of the same date. Despite those developments, investigators were not yet ready to declare a dead end to the investigation. As of 2008, no direct connection has yet been found between the Frist case and the Fallen Angel case and no explanation found for the origin of the ricin in Frist's office.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina
Coordinates: The 2003 Abbeville right-of-way standoff was a 14-hour shootout that took place on December 8, 2003, in Abbeville, South Carolina, between alleged extremists and self-proclaimed "sovereign citizens" Arthur, wife Rita, and son Steven Bixby; and members of the Abbeville city police department, the Abbeville County sheriff's office, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the South Carolina Department of Transportation , and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Overview
The standoff, which resulted from a dispute between the Bixbys and the state of South Carolina over surveying during the planning of a highway widening project, resulted in the deaths of two lawmen, Abbeville County Deputy Sheriff Sgt. Daniel "Danny Boy" Wilson, 37, and State Constable Donald "Donnie" Ouzts, 61. All three Bixbys were taken into police custody after surrendering late in the evening of December 8. On February 19, 2007, a Chesterfield County jury found Steven Vernon Bixby (born August 17, 1967) guilty on 17 counts, including both murders as well as several lesser charges of kidnapping and conspiracy.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Overview
On February 21, 2007, this same jury recommended that Steven Bixby receive two death sentences for the murders and 125 years in prison for the lesser charges. Bixby was scheduled to be executed on April 22, 2007; however, the appeals process has not been exhausted. On August 16, 2010, the South Carolina Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of Steven Bixby and the death sentence, and on April 25, 2011, the United States Supreme Court denied Bixby's petition for a writ of certiorari, effectively ending his appeals process.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Overview
Steven Bixby is currently on South Carolina's death row at the Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville. On October 26, 2007, an Abbeville County, South Carolina jury found Rita Leona Bixby (née Greenwood; August 4, 1932 – September 12, 2011) guilty of two counts of accessory before the fact of murder and one count of conspiracy. She was given two life sentences on the accessory charges, and five additional years for conspiracy, the maximum sentence for that crime. Arthur Walls Bixby (July 4, 1929 – September 5, 2011) was found mentally incompetent to stand trial, and subsequently committed to a mental facility.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
The Bixby family lived in Warren, New Hampshire. There, Arthur Bixby was jailed for failure to pay $850, three years after a judgement in a lawsuit. The family's behavior prompted the judge in the case to arrange full-time security. Rita Bixby reportedly had a long history of filing seemingly frivolous lawsuits in New Hampshire courts; one such lawsuit attempted to gain title to land belonging to the Bixbys' neighbors. This suit was dismissed by the court, but an undeterred Rita Bixby attempted (unsuccessfully) to hold a sheriff's sale of the property in question. The Bixbys also frequently attempted to bypass traditional legal processes by filing claims and suits in unofficial "common law courts", claiming that they were "sovereign citizens" and hence had the right to pursue legal action in whatever manner they desired.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
In New Hampshire, Steven Bixby was convicted of driving while drunk and without a licence in 1992. In 1994, an arrest warrant was issued when he missed parole check-ins and had failed to pay the fines. He arrived in Abbeville in the 1990s and his parents arrived in 2000. They moved into a small home situated at 4 Union Church Road, near the junction of South Carolina Highway 72, Union Church Road, and Horton Drive, in West Abbeville.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
The parcel of land surrounding the Bixby residence was subject to a 1960 easement granted by a previous owner, Haskell Johnson, to the state of South Carolina, allowing for the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to expand its right-of-way on the portion of the property adjoining Highway 72, should it desire to widen this highway in the future. It was debated, however, whether Johnson's granting this easement to the state was properly recorded by the Abbeville County register of deeds.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
When the 1960 easement was granted, it was permissible under state law to record highway right of way instruments in the records vault at the SCDOT headquarters in Columbia. For many years now, the SCDOT has also recorded at local county courthouses. In this situation, the 1960 easement was apparently only on file in the SCDOT records vault, and not at the Abbeville County courthouse.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
In the early 2000s, the state of South Carolina began widening Highway 72 from the Georgia state line to just east of Abbeville. Reportedly, the state determined in late 2003 that it would need to enter its easement on a strip of the Bixbys' land approximately ten feet in length to construct the project. Angered by what they claimed was an unconstitutional theft of their property by the SCDOT, the Bixbys sent numerous written appeals to various state officials, arguing that the easement in question had been obtained illegally.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
Some of these appeals, laced with references to the New Hampshire state constitution, invocations of the New Hampshire state motto, and fierce statements underscoring the Bixbys' seeming willingness to die for their beliefs, did not arrive at state offices until after the standoff had concluded. On November 4, 2003, Rita wrote an email to family and friends which said that if anything was done on their property, there would be two shotguns that "would not be just for show".


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
On Thursday, December 4,2003, the SCDOT officials brought a copy of the easement to the Bixby home and informed the Bixbys that they would act on the easement and take 20 feet of land and that the Bixbys had the option to buy additional footage for the nominal consideration of $1. Rita and Arthur wrote a letter to numerous state officials which closed quoting Patrick Henry ("Give me liberty, or give me death!") and John Stark ("Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.") and ending with "We, the undersigned, echo those sentiments."


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
On Friday, December 5, 2003, as officials with the SCDOT began staking out the portion of the Bixbys' land to be used for the construction of the highway project, the Bixbys posted signs on their property prohibiting trespassing by "govermen  [sic] agents and all others". At the trial of Rita Bixby, the prosecution presented evidence that, on December 5, 2003, there was a meeting between Rita, Steven and Arthur Bixby and SCDOT officials Drew McCaffrey, Michael Hannah and Dale Williams to address the Bixbys' concerns.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, Events leading to the standoff
At the trial of Rita Bixby, McCaffrey testified: "I offered to show them the plans detailing who owned the right of way, but Rita Bixby said the plans were all lies." Arthur Bixby also attempted to sabotage survey work by removing stakes from the yard and throwing them into the middle of Highway 72. It may have been about this time that the Bixbys began heavily fortifying their home in preparation for a standoff with police or the government.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
Early on December 8, 2003, a highway worker contacted police accusing Arthur and Steven Bixby of making threatening statements, and again disrupting the laying out of survey stakes along Highway 72. Abbeville County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Daniel "Danny Boy" Wilson responded to this complaint, arriving at the Bixbys' home around 9:15 AM, only to be shot by Steven Bixby at point-blank range with a 7mm Magnum rifle.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
At both Steven Bixby's trial and at Rita Bixby's trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Steven Bixby dragged Wilson into the house, used Wilson's handcuffs to cuff his hands behind his back, made a "citizen’s arrest" of Wilson for trespassing and read him his Miranda rights. Wilson was then held hostage for the next fourteen hours, sometime during which he died from his wound. Wilson had been shot by a hunting rifle, which had been fired by Steven Bixby. The shot was fired by Steven Bixby from inside the Bixby home, through a window and struck Danny Wilson underneath his armpit. After making vain attempts to contact Wilson, authorities sent State Constable Donnie Ouzts to investigate. Within minutes, Ouzts was fatally shot as well.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
At Steven Bixby's trial, testimony by forensic pathologist Dr. Brett Woodard, who performed the autopsies on the slain officers, gave the jury physical descriptions of the wounds sustained by Wilson and Ouzts. Jurors also viewed the dried, but still blood-stained shirts of the two officers, along with other of their personal effects they carried that day. Woodard described how the bullets entered each of the men, explained the damage they created while inside the body and determined each gunshot as the cause of death. Both men were killed by a "rifle-type" weapon.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
"There was an entry wound in the (right) back and an exit wound in the front near a left shirt pocket," Woodard said of Ouzts’ wound. "There was also a reopened wound related to recent cardiac bypass surgery, marked by an incision. That incision gave way under the pressure of the bullet."


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
The bullet that struck Ouzts did so in the back near his spine and right shoulder blade, traveling across the body at an angle — from right to left — hitting his liver and passing through his heart. Death was nearly instantaneous. Wilson was hit just inside of his protective vest, on his left side near his left armpit and left pectoral muscle. "It was a rather large, irregular wound," Woodard said. The bullet traveled through Wilson, striking his aorta artery and breaking his backbone.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
According to testimony, following the gunshot, Wilson would immediately have lost all feeling below the wound and died shortly thereafter from trauma to the aorta and severe loss of blood. He would have lost consciousness almost immediately after the gunshot wound was inflicted. Woodard also testified that Wilson’s left arm was raised when he was shot. This evidence suggested Wilson could have been knocking on the door when he was hit by the bullet — among other possible scenarios that were offered later in cross-examination by the defense.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
At this point, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Service office in Abbeville County received a phone call indicating that an officer had been shot. All probation agents in the state of South Carolina are fully certified law enforcement officers, with the same training and arrest powers as all other certified law enforcement officers in the state. Probation Agent Phillip Sears and Agent-In-Charge Ed Strickland responded immediately to the scene, not knowing what had transpired on the property. As first responders to the Bixby home, Strickland and Sears canvassed the property, and quickly located the body of Constable Ouzts lying on the front lawn. The agents summoned reinforcements and began to establish a perimeter around the residence before other law enforcement officers arrived.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
In the meantime, Rita Bixby, from the Abbeville Arms apartment rented by Steven, phoned the South Carolina Attorney General's office, leaving the following message with a secretary: "...this is Rita Bixby and I live at 4 Union Church Road...I've talked to you before, and they have; the state has decided they were going to come in and take our property. My husband and my son are there and there is a shootout going on because they're not going to take our land. No one has approached us and asked us if they could negotiate or anything.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
They just simply came onto our land and started taking it and there is a shootout there." Rita then effectively took the entire apartment complex and its surroundings hostage, threatening to randomly shoot bystanders if either her husband or her son were harmed by the police. At the apartment, Rita had her son Dennis with her.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
Throughout the late morning and into the afternoon, members of various law enforcement agencies as well as Abbeville residents who had befriended the Bixbys attempted to negotiate with the family, to no avail. A SWAT unit came from Columbia by helicopter, followed by a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) armored vehicle. At one point, nearly 200 law enforcement agents surrounded the Bixby residence. A constant barrage of gunfire, up to a thousand rounds of ammunition in five minutes, emanated from the small house, thwarting attempts by police to rescue Officer Wilson or capture the residence.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
So heavy was the gunfire, in fact, that the police had to be resupplied several times with ammunition. Media estimates have pegged the actual number of rounds fired in the tens of thousands. According to SLED Chief Robert Stewart, the level of gunfire from the Bixbys was worse than anything he had encountered in his 30-year career. Indeed, many Abbeville residents living over a mile from the site of the standoff reported hearing the continuous gunfire.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
By late afternoon, SWAT officers were able to negotiate Rita Bixby's surrender, though she refused to assist in negotiations with Arthur and Steven. Upon searching Steven's apartment and Rita's vehicle, authorities discovered numerous high-powered firearms, as well as a large quantity of what has been described as anti-government literature.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
Around 7:15 PM, two hours after Rita's surrender, police breached the Bixbys' front door with a 10-foot steel battering ram attached to a vehicle, breaking a propane line and starting a fire, which several officers extinguished. A surveillance robot, armed with tear gas and 5X intensity pepper spray, was dispatched into the house, but was unable to enter due to the large quantity of debris blocking the front door. The robot was, however, able to return video of Danny Boy Wilson's handcuffed, lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. In an attempt to recover Wilson's body, a SWAT unit stormed the house; surprised by the earlier blaze, the Bixbys were caught off-guard for a moment, as they ceased firing long enough for the officers to drag the body from the house.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
By 10:00 PM, after hours of constant firing from both sides and the release of over twenty canisters of tear gas and pepper spray into the nearly destroyed Bixby home, Steven Bixby surrendered to police. About an hour later, a critically wounded Arthur Bixby also surrendered and was flown to a Greenville, SC hospital, where he later recovered.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The standoff
Upon entering the house for the first time, officers found a total of nine firearms, including Wilson's, as well as a large library of legal texts and articles related to militia uprisings. They also found several different wills made out by the Bixbys, and numerous suicide notes.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
On December 9, 2003, Steven and Rita Bixby were arraigned in Abbeville County on various charges related to the deaths of Wilson and Ouzts. Steven was charged with two counts of murder and one count of criminal conspiracy, while Rita was charged with accessory before the fact to murder, criminal conspiracy, and misprision of a felony. At arraignment, Steven said he was acting in self-defense and cited the New Hampshire motto, parts of the Constitution of New Hampshire, and some Federal law. There, he said, "I love this country. I just can't stand the bastards in it."


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
Arthur Bixby was later arraigned on charges similar to those against Steven. Prosecutors originally planned to seek the death penalty for all three Bixbys, but on August 23, 2006, Circuit Judge Alexander Macaulay ruled that the death penalty was not an option in Rita's case, a ruling that prosecutors appealed to have overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court. In State v. Bixby, 373 S.C. 74, 644 S.E.2d 54 (2007), the South Carolina Supreme Court affirmed the trial court's decision that Rita Bixby was ineligible for the death penalty under South Carolina law because she was merely charged with accessory before the fact of murder.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
Following arraignment, Steven Bixby likened the standoff to the events at Waco and Ruby Ridge.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
All three Bixbys were initially held in the Abbeville County jail, awaiting trial. For a brief period in 2005, Steven Bixby was moved to the Anderson County jail; in early 2006, he was moved again to the Lexington County jail, where he remained as of late August 2006, due to a breach of confidentiality regarding his meetings with expert witnesses in the case. Trial dates in the case were pushed back several times from their originally scheduled starts in mid-2004.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
One reason for the delays was the sudden death of Circuit Judge Marc Westbrook in a September 2005 traffic accident; another reason was the contest between the defense and prosecution over both the venue of the trial and the county from which a jury pool would be selected. In early 2006, Macaulay agreed with Steven Bixby's defense that it would be nearly impossible to seat a truly impartial jury of Abbeville County citizens; in July 2006, Macaulay ruled that potential jurors would come from Chesterfield County.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
On February 19, 2007, a Chesterfield County jury found Steven Bixby guilty on 17 counts, including both murders as well as several lesser charges of kidnapping and conspiracy. On February 21, 2007, this same jury recommended that Steven Bixby receive two death sentences for the murders and 125 years in prison for the lesser charges. Bixby was scheduled to be executed on April 22, 2007; however, the appeals process has not been exhausted. On August 16, 2010, the South Carolina Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of Steven Bixby and the death sentence (State v. Bixby, Opinion No. 26871, August 16, 2010). Steven Bixby is currently on South Carolina's death row at the Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
While in jail, Steven Bixby wrote over 1,500 pages of letters to his girlfriend. Some of the letters, signed "chaotic patriot Steve", were admitted during his trial.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
Despite initial concerns over security at the 100-year-old Abbeville County Courthouse, Eighth Circuit Judicial Solicitor Jerry Peace determined on August 29, 2006, that the trial would be held in Abbeville County. The trial began February 14, 2007 with a jury brought in from 160 miles away.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
On October 26, 2007, Rita Bixby was found guilty in Abbeville County Court of General Sessions. Judge Alexander Macauley presided over the week-long trial. Rita Bixby was found guilty by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit murder, 1 count of accessory before the fact in the murder of Danny Wilson, and 1 count of accessory before the fact in the murder of Donnie Ouzts. The maximum penalty that could be imposed on the conspiracy count was 5 years. The accessory charge carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years to life without parole.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
Judge Alexander Macauley sentenced Rita Bixby to 5 years in the custody of the Department of Corrections for the charge of conspiracy to commit murder. He sentenced her to life without parole on each accessory conviction. Rita Bixby made no statement to the court, only asking her attorney to advise Judge Macauley that she "is not guilty of these charges". Tearful family members of the deceased who were present for the trial embraced each other in relief at the ruling of Judge Macauley. Rita Bixby, on the date of her sentence, was 75 years old.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
Because Arthur Bixby had developed dementia, he was not capable of standing trial. In July 2008, prosecutors dropped the murder charges and requested the probate court commit him indefinitely.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
On February 22, 2008, South Carolina state transportation officials agreed to name a stretch of state Highway 72 in Abbeville County for Abbeville County Deputy Sheriff Danny Wilson and Abbeville County Magistrate's Constable Donnie Ouzts.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
On August 17, 2010, the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the death sentence for Steven Bixby.


2003 standoff in Abbeville, South Carolina, The aftermath
In September 2011, the parents died of natural causes a week apart. On the 5th, Arthur died in at the age of 82. On the 12th, Rita died of cancer at the Graham Correctional Institution. She was 79. The house was demolished in 2018. As of 2021, Steven Bixby remained on death row because the drugs used for lethal injection were unavailable; however, it is expected with the planned signing of S.200, the state will resume executions with electrocution or firing squad.


2003 term opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States
The 2003 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 6, 2003, and concluded October 3, 2004. The table illustrates which opinion was filed by each justice in each case and which justices joined each opinion.


2003 term opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, 2003 term membership and statistics
This was the eighteenth term of Chief Justice Rehnquist's tenure, and the tenth consecutive term in which the Court's membership had not changed.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States handed down seven per curiam opinions during its 2003 term, which began October 6, 2003 and concluded October 3, 2004.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States
Because per curiam decisions are issued from the Court as an institution, these opinions all lack the attribution of authorship or joining votes to specific justices. All justices on the Court at the time the decision was handed down are assumed to have participated and concurred unless otherwise noted.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Court membership
Associate Justices: John Paul Stevens, Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Yarborough v. Gentry
540 U.S. 1 Decided October 20, 2003. Ninth Circuit reversed.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Mitchell v. Esparza
540 U.S. 12 Decided November 3, 2003. Sixth Circuit reversed and remanded.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Illinois v. Fisher
540 U.S. 544 Decided February 23, 2004. Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, reversed and remanded.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Muhammad v. Close
540 U.S. 749 Argued December 1, 2003.Decided February 25, 2004. Sixth Circuit reversed and remanded.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Johnson v. California
541 U.S. 428 Argued March 30, 2004.Decided May 3, 2004. The Court dismissed the case for want of jurisdiction.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Middleton v. McNeil
541 U.S. 433 Decided May 3, 2004. Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Holland v. Jackson
542 U.S. 649 Decided June 28, 2004. Sixth Circuit reversed and remanded.


2003 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Holland v. Jackson
Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer noted without separate opinion that they would deny the petition for a writ of certiorari.


2003 world oil market chronology, Sources
OtherSources include: Associated Press (AP), Dow Jones (DJ), Japan Times, Los Angeles Times (LAT), New York Times (NYT), Oil Daily (OD), Reuters, USA Today (USAT), Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Washington Post (WP), World Markets Research Center (WMRC).


2003 Ålandic legislative election
Legislative elections were held in the Åland Islands on 19 October 2003 to elect members of the Lagtinget. The 30 members were elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. Though the Åland Centre recorded its worst results to date in the elections, it regained its status as the largest party on Åland, beating out the Liberals for Åland by a mere 10 votes. The Åland Social Democrats had one of its best election results ever, doubling its representation in the Lagting.


2003 Ålandic legislative election
Following the elections, the previous government formed by Åland Centre and the Liberals for Åland, was replaced by one comprising the Åland Centre, Liberals for Åland, Åland Social Democrats and Freeminded Co-operation parties.


2003 Úrvalsdeild, Overview
It was contested by 10 teams, and KR won the championship. Þróttur's Björgólfur Takefusa was the top scorer with 10 goals.


2003 Úrvalsdeild, Results
Each team played every opponent once home and away for a total of 18 matches.


2003 Ýokary Liga
The 2003 Turkmenistan Higher League (Ýokary Liga) season was the eleventh season of Turkmenistan's professional football league. Ten teams competed in 2003.


2003-03-29 George M. Holmes Convention Center, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
2003-03-29 George M. Holmes Convention Center, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC is a live album by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, and is the ninth volume in the Dave Matthews Band's DMBlive series of download-only concert recordings which are not given unique album titles. The album was recorded at the George M. Holmes Convocation Center at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina on March 29, 2003.


2003–04 1. FC Nürnberg season
The 2003–04 1. FC Nürnberg season happened from 4 August 2003 to 23 May 2004.


2003–04 1. FC Nürnberg season, Season review
The 2003–04 1. FC Nürnberg season started on 4 August 2003 against Karlsruher SC. Nürnberg won 3–2.


2003–04 2. Bundesliga
The 2003–04 2. Bundesliga was the 30th season of the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of the German football league system. 1. FC Nürnberg, Arminia Bielefeld and Mainz 05 were promoted to the Bundesliga while VfB Lübeck, Jahn Regensburg, Union Berlin and VfL Osnabrück were relegated to the Regionalliga.


2003–04 2. Bundesliga, League table
For the 2003–04 season SSV Jahn Regensburg, SpVgg Unterhaching, Erzgebirge Aue and VfL Osnabrück were newly promoted to the 2. Bundesliga from the Regionalliga while Arminia Bielefeld, 1. FC Nürnberg and FC Energie Cottbus had been relegated to the league from the Bundesliga.


2003–04 2. Liga (Slovakia)
The 2003–04 season of the Slovak Second Football League (also known as 2. liga) was the eleventh season of the league since its establishment. It began on 19 July 2003 and ended on 5 June 2004.


2003–04 A Group
The 2003–04 A Group is the 56th season of the top Bulgarian national football league (commonly referred to as A Group) and the 80th edition of a Bulgarian national championship tournament.


2003–04 A Group
This is the first season since the revision of the league rules after an unsuccessful attempt for a creation of a so-called Premier Professional Football League.


2003–04 A Group, Overview
In the doorstep of the new millennium the Bulgarian Football Union decided to reform the football league system creating the Premier Professional Football League. The new top tier of Bulgarian football required all of its participants to be licensed as professional football clubs. The reforms also saw the number of teams reduced and introduced relegation play-offs during the years of its existence.


2003–04 A Group, Overview
The Bulgarian Premier League, however, was unsuccessful so from season 2003–04 the top Bulgarian league was re-established as the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, returning to the traditions of A Republican Football Group and increasing the number of teams participating back to 16. Still, A Group retained the requirement of a professional status of all participants.


2003–04 A Group, Overview
In the 2003–04 season Lokomotiv Plovdiv became champions for the first time in their history.


2003–04 A Group, Teams
A total of 16 clubs contested the league, including 12 from the previous season in the tier, and 4 promoted from the second flight.


2003–04 A Group, Teams
As before the start of the season, the top flight of Bulgarian football was once again restructured and the number of participants in the league was increased back to the traditional 16 teams from 14 the previous season, there were no promotion play-offs for the right to participate in A Group that season. Instead after the end of season 2002–03 the last two teams in the top level – Dobrudzha Dobrich placed 13th, and Rilski Sportist Samokov placed 14th – were directly relegated to B Group.


2003–04 A Group, Teams
The winners and the runners-up from the two divisions of B Group in season 2002–03 – Vidima-Rakovski and Rodopa Smolyan from the East division, and Belasitsa and Makedonska slava from the West division – were directly promoted to the top level of Bulgarian football. Vidima-Rakovski and Rodopa both made their debut in the top tier, while Belasitsa Petrich returned after a one-year absence.


2003–04 A.C. ChievoVerona season
A.C. ChievoVerona played its third consecutive season in Serie A, and nearly equaled 7th place from the 2002-03 Serie A season. The club finished 9th in Serie A and was eliminated by Perugia in the round of 16 of Coppa Italia.


2003–04 A.C. Milan season
In 2003–04, Associazione Calcio Milan managed to claim their first Serie A title since 1998–99. Arguably, this was the pinnacle of Carlo Ancelotti's Milan side, as the players proved they had the ability to perform effectively for the whole season.


2003–04 A.C. Milan season
Roma both scored more and conceded fewer goals than Milan, but the effectiveness the Milanese showed in tight matches ensured their winning margin was edged out to a stable 11 points. The title was sealed against Roma at home, with a goal by Andriy Shevchenko proving enough for a 1–0 win.


2003–04 A.C. Milan season
In the Champions League, Milan failed to defend their European title, as they were knocked out in the quarter-finals, losing 4–0 to Deportivo La Coruña in the second leg, after they had won 4–1 at home.


2003–04 A.C. Milan season
Individually, the biggest surprise was how the Brazilian trequartista Kaká seamlessly found his way into the Italian game, being a key player in Milan's success. The other two arrivals, Cafu and Giuseppe Pancaro, also integrated well with the team. Andriy Shevchenko was crowned as European Footballer of the Year on the back of his successful season. Tactically, Ancelotti used two different formations throughout the season; the 4–4–2 diamond (or 4–1–2–1–2) and the 4–3–2–1.


2003–04 A.C. Milan season, Players, Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 A.C. Milan season, Players, Reserve squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 A.C. Perugia season
A.C. Perugia were relegated from Serie A with a bang, following a chaotic season, in which president Luciano Gaucci managed to upset the Italian football society, by claiming that the referees' were deliberately trying to relegate Perugia to Serie B. Prior to the season, he performed a PR-stunt, when signing Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Al-Saadi Gaddafi He also continued trying to sign female players, trying to sign both Hanna Ljungberg and Victoria Svensson, according to Swedish daily Aftonbladet.


2003–04 A.C. Perugia season
In the same paper, Ancona goalkeeper Magnus Hedman accused his team mates for throwing away the final match of the season, in which Perugia won 1-0. That victory qualified Perugia for the relegation playoffs against Fiorentina, where Enrico Fantini scored in both matches for Fiorentina, ensuring Perugia was being relegated, only one year before the club folded.


2003–04 A.C. Perugia season
The list of players representing the club during the season included 35 players, which meant the team drastically changed from game to game.


2003–04 A.C. Perugia season, Serie A, Relegation Playoffs
Fiorentina were promoted to 2004–05 Serie A; Perugia were relegated to 2004–05 Serie B.


2003–04 A.S. Bari season
During the 2003–04 Italian football season, A.S. Bari competed in the Serie B.


2003–04 A.S. Bari season, Season summary
Bari were expected to make a bid for an immediate return to the Serie A, but struggled all season. Manager Marco Tardelli was sacked and replaced by Giuseppe Pillon, who led the team to a secure but disappointing 21st place finish.


2003–04 A.S. Bari season, Kit
A.S. Bari's kit was manufactured by Italian sports retailer Lotto and sponsored by Pasta Ambra.


2003–04 A.S. Bari season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 A.S. Roma season
Associazione Sportiva Roma had a tremendous season in the league, scoring most goals and conceding the fewest goals of all teams, but despite this, A.C. Milan were able to run away with the title, due to a greater efficiency in winning their matches.


2003–04 A.S. Roma season
In Fabio Capello's last season as Roma's coach, the squad did not manage to win any titles whatsoever, even though the results showed a resurgence from the anticlimactic 2002–03 season, in which Roma dipped to eighth in the league standings.


2003–04 A.S. Roma season
Financial worries forced the club to sell Emerson to Juventus and Walter Samuel to Real Madrid following the season's end. Capello controversially signed for Juventus as well, but key players such as Francesco Totti, Antonio Cassano and Cristian Chivu remained.


2003–04 ABA Goodyear League
The 2003–04 ABA Goodyear League was the third season of the Liga ABA. The league expanded this season: 14 teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia participated in Goodyear League in its third season: Union Olimpija, Krka, Pivovarna Laško, Geoplin Slovan, Cibona VIP, Zadar, Zagreb, Split Croatia Osiguranje, Široki Hercegtisak, Banjalučka pivara, Crvena zvezda, Reflex, Budućnost, Lovćen CG komercijalna banka.


2003–04 ABA Goodyear League
There were 26 rounds played in the regular part of the season, best four teams qualified for the Final Four Tournament which was played in Zagreb from April 16 until April 18, 2004.


2003–04 ABA Goodyear League, Regular season
Pld - Played; W - Won; L - Lost; PF - Points for; PA - Points against; Diff - Difference; Pts - Points.


2003–04 ABA Goodyear League, Final four, Incident
On Friday night, April 16 around 11pm following the semifinal games, an ethnically motivated incident occurred when Crvena zvezda's director Igor Žeželj and B92 journalist Danijel Bukumirović got assaulted at the parking lot of Panorama Hotel by an organized group of fifteen Croatian hooligans with chains, rocks and metal poles. Bukumirović managed to escape into the car with only minor injuries while Žeželj wasn't as lucky and ended up with a fractured rib and 6 stitches on his forehead. Croatian police reportedly arrested six individuals in connection with the attack that was carried out by a group that trolled around the Final Four venue Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall, as well as hotels Sheraton and Panorama looking to beat up anyone from Serbia.


2003–04 ABA season
The 2003–04 ABA season was the third season of the American Basketball Association, and the first season since the league took a year off in 2002 for reorganization. The regular season started in November 2003 and the year ended with the championship game in March 2004 featuring the Long Beach Jam and Kansas City Knights. Long Beach led by Dennis Rodman defeated Kansas City, 126–123 in the championship game to win their first ABA title.


2003–04 ACB season
The 2003–04 ACB season was the 21st season of the Liga ACB.


2003–04 AEK Athens F.C. season
AEK Athens F.C. competed for the 45th consecutive season in the Greek top flight and 81st year in existence as a football club. They competed in the Alpha Ethniki, the Greek Cup and the UEFA Champions League. The season begun at 17 August 2003 and finished at 22 May 2004.


2003–04 AEK Athens F.C. season, Players, Squad statistics
NOTE: The players are the ones that have been announced by the AEK Athens' press release. No edits should be made unless a player arrival or exit is announced. Updated 30 June 2004.


2003–04 AEK Athens F.C. season, Greek Cup, Second Round
AEK Athens qualified to the Third Round without a match.


2003–04 AFC Ajax season
During the 2003–04 Dutch football season, AFC Ajax competed in the Eredivisie.


2003–04 AFC Ajax season, Players, First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 AFC Ajax season, Players, Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 AFC Ajax season, Players, Reserve squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 AHL season
The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.


2003–04 AHL season
The AHL changes from a six division alignment to four divisions within two conferences. The Eastern conference consists of the Atlantic and East divisions, and the Western conference consists of the North and West divisions. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Milwaukee Admirals finished first overall in the regular season, and won the Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the finals.


2003–04 AHL season, Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime Losses; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against; PTS = Points;


2003–04 AHL season, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes


2003–04 AHL season, All Star Classic
The 17th AHL All-Star Classic was played on February 9, 2004, at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Team Canada defeated team PlanetUSA 9-5. In the skills competition held the night before, team PlanetUSA defeated team Canada 18-9.


2003–04 AJ Auxerre season
The 2003–04 season was the 98th season in the existence of AJ Auxerre and the club's 23rd consecutive season in the top flight of French football. In addition to the domestic league, Auxerre participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, and UEFA Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004.


2003–04 ARFU Asian Rugby Series
The 2003–04 ARFU Asian Rugby Series was the first edition of a tournament created by Asian Rugby Football Union for national teams.


2003–04 ARFU Asian Rugby Series
The formula was in two step. The 12 teams were divided in three pool of three, then, according to the results of the first round, in four pool in order to define the ranking.


2003–04 ARFU Asian Rugby Series, First round, Pool A
Ranking: 1. Japan 2. Hong Kong 3. Arabian Gulf 4. Sri Lanka


2003–04 ARFU Asian Rugby Series, First round, Pool B
Ranking: 1. Chinese Taipei 2. Singapore 3. Malaysia 4. India


2003–04 ARFU Asian Rugby Series, First round, Pool C
Ranking: 1. South Korea 2. China 3. Kazakhstan 4. Thailand


2003–04 AS Monaco FC season
The 2003–04 season was AS Monaco FC's 47th season in Ligue 1. They finished third in Ligue 1, were knocked out of the Coupe de la Ligue by Marseille at the Round of 32, knocked out of the Coupe de France by Châteauroux at the quarter-finals and reached the final of the UEFA Champions League where they were defeated by Porto.


2003–04 AS Monaco FC season, Season summary
Monaco were clear outsiders to progress in the Champions League, but defeated tournament favourites like Real Madrid and Chelsea to face another unfancied side, Porto, in the final. Monaco were comprehensively beaten 3–0 by José Mourinho's side, but that did not dampen Monaco's achievement of having defied their underdog status to come within 90 minutes of club football's greatest prize.


2003–04 AS Monaco FC season, Season summary
Spanish striker Fernando Morientes (signed on loan from Real Madrid) was Monaco's top goalscorer with 22 goals in all competitions.


2003–04 AS Monaco FC season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 AS Monaco FC season, Squad, Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 AS Monaco FC season, Transfers
In:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 AS Monaco FC season, Transfers
Out:Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 AS Nancy Lorraine season
The 2003–04 season was the 37th season in the existence of AS Nancy Lorraine and the club's fourth consecutive season in the second division of French football. In addition to the domestic league, AS Nancy Lorraine participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.


2003–04 AS Saint-Étienne season
The 2003–04 season was the 85th season in the existence of AS Saint-Étienne and the club's third consecutive season in the second division of French football. In addition to the domestic league, AS Saint-Étienne participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.


2003–04 ASOA Valence season
The 2003–04 season was the 84th season in the existence of ASOA Valence and the club's second consecutive season in the second division of French football. In addition to the domestic league, ASOA Valence participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.


2003–04 Aberdeen F.C. season
The 2003–04 season was Aberdeen's 91st season in the top flight of Scottish football and their 93rd season overall. Aberdeen competed in the Scottish Premier League, Scottish League Cup, Scottish Cup.


2003–04 Aberdeen F.C. season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 Adelaide United FC season
The 2003–04 season was Adelaide United FC's inaugural season since its establishment in 2003.


2003–04 Adelaide United FC season, Review
Despite the rush to form the team, and starting five weeks into the season (the first four rounds of matches were squeezed in later in the season), the team lost just twice in its first 13 matches. Hectic catch up phases in November and December (7 matches in 31 days for 4 wins and 3 draws) and February (6 matches in 24 days for 4 wins and 2 losses) passed by with success. Aside from the debut win over Brisbane, regular season highlights included a 2–1 away win over Parramatta Power, a resounding 2–0 home victory against South Melbourne, and a 1–0 win over an in-form Marconi and the effective sealing of third spot.


2003–04 Adelaide United FC season, Review
Despite the high position, many people expected the wheels to fall off in the finals. But the finals phase served up two more fairytale results. Everything came together for the first leg of the Elimination Final, and the 3–0 win over the Brisbane Strikers was the team's first win by more than two goals. The roller coaster ride passed deep into a trough the following week in Brisbane with a 4–1 loss – but United won the Elimination Final over all due to the away goals rule, progressing to the Minor Semi-Final versus South Melbourne. This attracted the club's largest ever crowd, officially 16,558, in a tough win on penalties. The team was then outclassed by the eventual premiers, Perth Glory, 5–0 at Subiaco Oval in the Preliminary Final.


2003–04 Adelaide United FC season, Review
Built up from the core of Adelaide City's 2002–03 squad, the Adelaide United team forged ahead with a burgeoning team spirit that became their signature attribute. The previous season's Adelaide City players Mike Valkanis, Aaron Goulding, Kristian Rees and captain Aurelio Vidmar merged superbly with the return to Adelaide of Alagich (from Brisbane), Aloisi (Italy)  and others to form an outfit which performed consistently all season. Coach John Kosmina, also returning after 25 years to his home city, is a clear favourite of the fans.


2003–04 Adelaide United FC season, Review
With the winding-down of the NSL, the team has become a founding member of the A-League.


2003–04 Adelaide United FC season, Players
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 Airdrie United F.C. season
Season 2003–04 was Airdrie United's second competitive season. They competed in the Second Division, Challenge Cup, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.


2003–04 Airdrie United F.C. season, Summary
Airdrie United finished first in the Second Division and were promoted to the First Division. They reached the third round of the Scottish Cup, the second round of the League Cup and reached the final of the Challenge Cup. Airdrie finished Runners-up, losing 2–0 to Inverness.


2003–04 Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team
The 2003–04 Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team (variously "Alabama", "UA", "Bama" or "The Tide") represented the University of Alabama in the 2003–04 college basketball season. The head coach was Mark Gottfried, who was in his sixth season at Alabama. The team played its home games at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and was a member of the Southeastern Conference. This was the 92nd season of basketball in the school's history. The Crimson Tide finished the season 20–13, 8–8 in SEC play, lost in the second round of the 2004 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament. They were invited to the NCAA Tournament and advance to the elite eight before losing to the eventual national champs, UCONN. This is to date the furthest any Alabama team has advanced in the tournament.


2003–04 Alabama–Huntsville Chargers men's ice hockey season
The 2003–04 Alabama–Huntsville Chargers ice hockey team represented the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The Chargers were coached by Doug Ross who was in his twenty-second season as head coach. The Chargers played their home games in the Von Braun Center and were members of the College Hockey America conference.


2003–04 Albacete Balompié season
The 2003–04 season was the 63rd season in Albacete Balompié's history.


2003–04 Albacete Balompié season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 Albacete Balompié season, Squad, Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2003–04 Albanian Cup
2003–04 Albanian Cup (Albanian: Kupa e Shqipërisë) was the fifty-second season of Albania's annual cup competition. It began on 29 August 2003 with the First Round and ended on 19 May 2004 with the Final match. The winners of the competition qualified for the 2004–05 first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. Dinamo Tirana were the defending champions, having won their thirteenth Albanian Cup last season. The cup was won by Partizani Tirana.


2003–04 Albanian Cup
The rounds were played in a two-legged format similar to those of European competitions. If the aggregated score was tied after both games, the team with the higher number of away goals advanced. If the number of away goals was equal in both games, the match was decided by extra time and a penalty shootout, if necessary.


2003–04 Albanian Cup, First round
Games were played on 29 August – 4 September 2003.


2003–04 Albanian Cup, Second round
Games were played on 17 September – 1 October 2003.


2003–04 Albanian Cup, Third round
All fourteen teams of the 2002–03 Superliga and First Division entered in this round, along with Second Round winners. First legs were played on 12 November 2003 and the second legs were played on 26 November 2003.


2003–04 Albanian Cup, Quarter finals
In this round entered the 8 winners from the previous round.


2003–04 Albanian Cup, Semifinals
In this round entered the four winners from the previous round.


2003–04 Algerian Championnat National
The 2003–04 Algerian Championnat National was the 42nd season of the Algerian Championnat National since its establishment in 1962. A total of 16 teams contested the league, with USM Alger as the defending champions, The Championnat started on August 14, 2003. and ended on May 24, 2004.


2003–04 Algerian Cup
The 2003–04 Algerian Cup was the 40th edition of the Algerian Cup. USM Alger won the Cup by defeating JS Kabylie 5-4 on penalties in the final after the game ended 0-0. It was USM Alger's seventh Algerian Cup in its history and second in a row.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The 2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship was the 34th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1970-71. The championship began on 19 October 2003 and ended on 17 March 2003.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
Nemo Rangers were the defending champions, however, failed to qualify after being beaten by Na Piarsaigh in the third round of the 2003 Cork County Championship.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
On 17 March 2004, Caltra won the championship following a 0-13 to 0-12 defeat of An Ghaeltcaht in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park. It remains their only championship title.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
Caltra's Michael Meehan was the championship's top scorer with 4-19.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship, Team changes
The Waterford club champions did not contest the Munster Club Championship due to a delay in the completion of the Waterford County Championship.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The 2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship was the 34th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county hurling tournament for senior clubs. The championship began on 18 October 2003 and ended on 17 March 2004.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
Birr were the defending champions but were defeated by O'Loughlin Gaels in the Leinster final.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
On 17 March 2004, Newtownshandrum won the championship following a 0-17 to 1-6 defeat of Dunloy in the All-Ireland final. This was their first All-Ireland title.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
Newtownshandrum's Ben O'Connor was the championship's top scorer with 0-47.


2003–04 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, Pre-championship
The build-up to the opening of the championship was dominated by Birr and the possibility that they would become the first club to win three All-Ireland titles in-a-row, and a record-breaking fifth championship title over all. Having secured their fifth successive county title, Birr were favourites to retain their provincial title for a third year-in-a-row. This would leave them only two wins away from hurling immortality.


2003–04 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season
The 2003–04 Allsvenskan season was the fifth season of the Allsvenskan, the second level of ice hockey in Sweden. 24 teams participated in the league, and Mora IK, Hammarby IF, AIK, and Skellefteå AIK qualified for the Kvalserien.


2003–04 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season, Relegation round, Northern Group
Vallentuna BK did not participate in the relegation round and were relegated to Division 1.


2003–04 Alpha Ethniki
The 2003–04 Alpha Ethniki was the 68th season of the highest football league of Greece. The season began on 23 August 2003 and ended on 22 May 2004. Panathinaikos won their 19th Greek title and their first one in eight years.


2003–04 Alpha Ethniki, Promotion/Relegation Play-Off
Played at a neutral venue (Makedonikos Stadium, Thessaloniki), between the 14th-place team in the Alpha Ethniki and the 3rd-place team in the Beta Ethniki.


2003–04 Amiens SC season
The 2003–04 season was the 103rd season in the existence of Amiens SC and the club's third consecutive season in the second division of French football. In addition to the domestic league, Amiens SC participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.


2003–04 Ancona Calcio season
During the 2003–04 Italian football season, Ancona Calcio competed in the Serie A.


2003–04 Ancona Calcio season, Season summary
Ancona never won a match between September and April, recording 21 losses and seven draws: losing with Sampdoria in early spring, the side collected the certain relegation. In the whole league, it obtained just 13 points finishing last in table.


2003–04 Ancona Calcio season, Kit
Ancona's kit was manufactured by French sports retailer Le Coq Sportif and sponsored by Banca Marche.


2003–04 Ancona Calcio season, Players, First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.


2003–04 Angers SCO season
The 2003–04 season was the 85th season in the existence of Angers SCO and the club's first season back in the second division of French football. In addition to the domestic league, Angers SCO participated in this season's editions of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.


2003–04 Angola Basketball Cup, 2004 Angola Men's Basketball Cup
Petro Atlético won the trophy by beating Primeiro de Agosto 93-73 in the final played on May 23, 2004 at the Pavilhão da Cidadela.


2003–04 Angola Basketball Cup, 2004 Angola Women's Basketball Cup
The 2004 Women's Basketball Cup was contested by five teams that played a preliminary round robin, the top two of which played the final at the best of three games Primeiro de Agosto A was the winner.


2003–04 Angola Basketball Super Cup
The 2004 Angola Men's Basketball Super Cup (11th edition) was contested by Primeiro de Agosto, as the 2003 league champion and Interclube, the 2003 cup runner-up. Primeiro de Agosto was the winner, making it is's 4th title.


2003–04 Angola Basketball Super Cup
The 2004 Angola Women's Basketball Super Cup (9th edition) was contested by Primeiro de Agosto, as the 2003 league champion and Interclube, the 2003 cup runner-up. Primeiro de Agosto was the winner, making it is's 4th title.


2003–04 Arab Champions League
The 2003–04 Arab Champions League is the first edition of a new format called Arab Champions League replacing the former Arab Unified Club Championship. The teams represented Arab nations from Africa and Asia. CS Sfaxien of Tunisia won the final against El-Ismaily of Egypt.


2003–04 Arab Champions League, First round
Qatar and UA Emirates forfeited for undisclosed reasons. Dahak Club (Djibouti) were originally announced as participants but apparently not included in the draw.


2003–04 Arab Champions League, Group stage, Group 2
Al Ahly withdrew after the first match of the group against Al-Hilal, the result of this match was not counted.


2003–04 Argentine Primera División
The 2003–04 Argentine Primera División was the 113th season of top-flight football in Argentina. The season ran from August 3, 2003 to June 27, 2004.


2003–04 Argentine Primera División
Boca Juniors won the Apertura (league title n/a 26) and River Plate the Clausura (34th title) championships, while four teams were relegated, Chacarita Juniors, Nueva Chicago (the last two teams in average table), Atlético de Rafaela and Talleres (C) (lost promotion/relegation playoffs)


2003–04 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team
The 2003–04 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Arizona during the 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by Lute Olson in his 21st year as Arizona's head coach, the team played their home games at McKale Center in Tucson, Arizona as members of the Pacific-10 Conference.


2003–04 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team
The team went 11–7 in regular-season conference play. They advanced to the semifinals of the 2004 Pac-10 Tournament before losing to Washington 90–85. Seeded ninth in the South Region of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, Arizona fell 80–76 to Seton Hall in the first round. The team went 20–10 overall.


2003–04 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team
After the season sophomore small forward Andre Iguodala entered the 2004 NBA draft in which he was selected ninth overall by the Philadelphia 76ers.


2003–04 Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team
The 2003–04 Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2003–04 college basketball season. The head coach was Stan Heath, serving for his second year. The team played its home games in Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas.


2003–04 Armenian Hockey League season
The 2003–04 Armenian Hockey League season was the third season of the Armenian Hockey League, the top level of ice hockey in Armenia. Four teams participated in the league, and Dinamo Yerevan won the championship.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season
The 2003–04 season was the 106th in the history of Arsenal Football Club. It began on 1 July 2003 and concluded on 30 June 2004, with competitive matches played between August and May. The club ended the Premier League campaign as champions without a single defeat – a record of 26 wins and 12 draws. Arsenal fared less well in the cups, eliminated in the FA Cup and League Cup semi-finals to Manchester United and Middlesbrough respectively, and at the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League to Chelsea.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season
The main addition to the first team was goalkeeper Jens Lehmann for £1.5 million; striker José Antonio Reyes was later purchased in the winter transfer window. Arsenal retained their best players and successfully negotiated new contracts for captain Patrick Vieira and midfielder Robert Pires. The stability of the squad meant Arsenal were considered front-runners for the Premier League title, along with Manchester United, and Chelsea who were taken over by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season
A strong start to the season saw Arsenal top the league table after four matches. The team's draw at Manchester United in September marked an unsavoury episode between both clubs: several Arsenal players were charged and fined accordingly by The Football Association for their part in a mass brawl that occurred after the match. In November, Arsenal beat Dynamo Kyiv by a single goal and more impressively scored five against Inter Milan at the San Siro – two results which kick-started their Champions League campaign.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season
At the turn of the year, the team won nine league matches in a row to consolidate first position. In the first week of April, they were eliminated from the FA Cup and Champions League, but by the end of the month had secured their status as league champions, with a 2–2 draw against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season
34 different players represented the club in five competitions and there were 15 different goalscorers. Arsenal's top goalscorer for the third year running was Thierry Henry, who scored 39 goals in 51 games. The Frenchman was given the accolade of PFA Players' Player of the Year by his fellow peers and the FWA Footballer of the Year by football writers. Although the Arsenal team were unsuccessful in cup competitions, their dominance in the league was regarded by many commentators as a standalone achievement.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season
They acquired the nickname "The Invincibles", much like the Preston North End team that went unbeaten in the inaugural Football League season. The club was awarded a golden replica trophy by the Premier League once the season concluded and they remained unbeaten for 49 games, setting a new record. In 2012, the Arsenal team of 2003–04 won the "Best Team" category in the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
Arsenal had finished the previous season as runners-up in the Premier League, overhauled by Manchester United in the final ten weeks of the season. The club did, however, retain the FA Cup, with a 1–0 win against Southampton. Such was Arsenal's effective start to the 2002–03 campaign, manager Arsène Wenger suggested his team could remain the whole season undefeated in all competitions:


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
It's not impossible as A.C. Milan once did it but I can't see why it's so shocking to say it. Do you think Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea don't dream that as well? They're exactly the same. They just don't say it because they're scared to look ridiculous, but nobody is ridiculous in this job as we know anything can happen.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
The team lost to Everton a month after Wenger's proclamation; teenager Wayne Rooney scored the match winner, which ended a run of 30 league games without defeat. By February 2003, Arsenal moved five points clear of Manchester United at the top of the league table, but injuries to key players, not least captain Patrick Vieira, had destabilised the team. Draws in April, coupled with a defeat to Leeds United at home, mathematically ended Arsenal's chances of retaining the title. Wenger refuted opinions from the media that their season was a failure and said:


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
Of course we want to win the league, but I think the most difficult thing for the club is to be consistent and we have been remarkably consistent. We lose the league to a team [Manchester United] who spends 50% more money every year – last year they bought a player for £30 million when they lost the championship. They will do the same next year and we [have] done miracles just to fight with them.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
In the close season, Chelsea was sold to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich for £140 million, the biggest takeover in British football history at the time. Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein however was displeased, and quipped that Abramovich had "parked his Russian tanks on our lawn and is firing £50 notes at us", Abramovich was said to have placed a bid for Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, which was turned down at once.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
Arsenal's transfer activity in the summer was relatively quiet, given the financial constraints that came with the club's new stadium project. The club were able to keep the core of its team, successfully negotiating new contracts for Vieira and winger Robert Pires. German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was the only major addition to the first team; he replaced David Seaman who joined Manchester City. Ukrainian defender Oleh Luzhny ended his four-year association with the club by joining Wolverhampton Wanderers on a free transfer, while striker Graham Barrett moved to Coventry City.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
Striker Francis Jeffers, who found opportunities limited in the first team, joined his former club Everton on a season-long loan. Giovanni van Bronckhorst moved to Barcelona on a similar deal, with a view to a permanent transfer at the end of the season. Several young players were acquired from academies abroad, namely Gaël Clichy from Cannes and Johan Djourou, formerly of Étoile Carouge. In January 2004, Arsenal signed Spanish striker José Antonio Reyes from Sevilla and in April agreed a deal with Feyenoord for winger Robin van Persie.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
Wenger at the start of the season prioritised regaining the league title: "I feel it is very important in our minds to do this and I know the hunger is strong to do it," and named Newcastle United and Liverpool, along with Manchester United and Chelsea, as Arsenal's main rivals for the Premier League. Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson asserted that his old club were favourites because they had the "best players … If they all remain fit week-in week-out then they will not be beaten."


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
Glenn Moore of The Independent wrote of Arsenal's chances: "They will be thereabouts, but unless Wenger finally puts his faith in youth, and the likes of Jérémie Aliadière, Jermaine Pennant and Phillipe Senderos repay him, they may lack the depth to sustain a title campaign." Defender Sol Campbell however believed the squad was "strong enough for the league and FA Cup", but doubted their chances of winning the UEFA Champions League.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Background
The club's home strip remained unchanged from the previous season; a red jersey with white sleeves, shorts and socks. The new away kit, a retro yellow jersey with a blue collar trim and shorts, was based on the Arsenal strip worn in the 1979 FA Cup Final.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Pre-season
To prepare for the forthcoming season, Arsenal played a series of friendlies across Western Europe. Their first match ended in defeat against Peterborough United of the Second Division; goalkeeper Stuart Taylor was forced to come off the field after colliding with Peterborough substitute Lee Clarke in the second half. Arsenal then played out a draw against Barnet, where trialist Yaya Touré – the brother of Kolo, was included in the team.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Pre-season
In a 2011 interview, Wenger recalled Yaya's performance as being "completely average on the day" and noted his impatience stopped him from joining Arsenal; Touré went on to play for Barcelona before joining Manchester City in 2010. Arsenal undertook a tour in Austria, a year after crowd troubles forced their match in Eisenstadt to be abandoned. Wenger was absent with a stomach upset so assistant manager Pat Rice took charge of Arsenal against SC Ritzing on 22 July 2003; the team came from two goals down to draw their second consecutive friendly. Rice was pleased with Philippe Senderos' cameo in defence and said: "Still some rough edges but he will only get better working with Martin Keown and Sol Campbell."


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Pre-season
Arsenal recorded their first win of the pre-season against Austria Wien. Bergkamp capped off a "superb individual display" by scoring the first goal and setting up the second for Jeffers. The final match of the tour was against Beşiktaş, which required tightened security given the history between English and Turkish football supporters. Bergkamp scored the only goal of the match in the second half. An Arsenal XI in England two days later faced St Albans City, where they won 3–1. The main squad then travelled to Scotland to play Celtic on 2 August 2003.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Pre-season
Both goals in the one-all draw came in the second half; the match marked the return of Vieira after three months out with a knee problem. Wenger revealed afterwards that he intended to use the pre-season as an experiment for his defence. He partnered centre back Campbell with Touré, who for much of last season played in midfield. Wenger was pleased with Touré's performance against Celtic and said: "He has quality. He was originally a central defender and, because we have kept a few clean sheets recently and he's played well, I thought we'd keep him there." An Arsenal XI travelled to Belgium for a game against Beveren and conceded two goals in the final five minutes to draw the match 2–2. Arsenal rounded off their pre-season preparations with a 3–0 win against Rangers on 5 August 2003.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Pre-season
Colour key: Green = Arsenal win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, FA Community Shield
The 2003 edition of the FA Community Shield, an annual English football match, was contested between Manchester United and Arsenal at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 10 August. Arsenal participated in the match as a result of their FA Cup win in 2002–03, while Manchester United were the league champions. Lehmann made his first competitive start for Arsenal and Touré continued to partner Campbell in central defence. United took a 15th-minute lead through Mikaël Silvestre, but Henry equalised for Arsenal soon after, from a free-kick.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, FA Community Shield
Jeffers was sent off in the second half for kicking out at Phil Neville and no further goals scored meant the outcome of the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out. Goalkeeper Tim Howard saved Van Bronckhorst and Pires' spot kicks as United won the game 4–3 on penalties. Wenger made reference to Arsenal's low crowd turnout after the match and suggested it meant there was "less and less appetite" for the Shield.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, FA Community Shield
He was unhappy with the league season commencing on the following Saturday: "I would have preferred to have had two more weeks, especially for the French players who were in the Confederations Cup. We certainly were not as fit as Manchester United and know many of our players were behind them fitness-wise."


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League
The 2003–04 season of the Premier League saw 20 teams play 38 matches; two against every other team, with one match at each club's stadium. Three points were awarded for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. At the end of the season the top two teams qualified for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League; teams in third and fourth needed to play a qualifier.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
Arsenal hosted Everton at Highbury on the opening weekend of the season. Campbell was sent off in the 25th minute, for a professional foul on Everton midfielder Thomas Gravesen. Arsenal, despite their man disadvantage, went two goals up after 58 minutes, before Tomasz Radzinski scored for the visitors late on. A trip to the Riverside Stadium to face Middlesbrough a week after ended in a 4–0 win; the first three goals, scored by Henry, Gilberto Silva and Sylvain Wiltord all came in the first half.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
Three days later, Campbell and Henry each scored as Aston Villa were beaten by two goals. Arsenal continued their perfect start to the season, with an away win against Manchester City on 31 August 2003. As Campbell was suspended, Martin Keown came into the first team to partner Touré. Although Arsenal conceded first – a "comical" own goal by Lauren – and played "the worst 45 minutes that any of their fans could remember" according to journalist Matt Dickinson, Wiltord equalised in the second half, before Freddie Ljungberg had taken advantage of a Seaman error to score the winning goal. After four matches, Arsenal stood in first position, three points clear of Manchester United.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
Due to international fixtures, Arsenal did not play another game for two weeks. On the resumption of club football, they faced newly promoted Portsmouth at home. Striker Teddy Sheringham gave the visitors a deserved lead, before Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Pires was adjudged to have been fouled in the penalty area by Dejan Stefanović. Henry scored, and though their performance noticeably improved in the second half, the game ended in a draw. Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp complained about the penalty decision post-match and felt Pires "…was going to get a yellow card [for diving]." The player himself denied accusations that he deceived the referee: "I did not dive and I am not a cheat. That is not the way I play."


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
A week later, Arsenal travelled to face Manchester United at Old Trafford. Pires and Wiltord were dropped by Wenger in favour of Ray Parlour and Ljungberg; Campbell did not travel due to family bereavement. In the 80th minute, Vieira was sent off for a second bookable offence; he attempted to kick out at striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, which was seen by referee Steve Bennett. With the score 0–0, United were awarded a penalty in the 90th minute, but Van Nistelrooy's spot kick hit the bar and rebounded back into play.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
At the final whistle, Van Nistelrooy was immediately confronted by several Arsenal players, which escalated into an altercation between both teams. Six of Arsenal's players (Ashley Cole, Lauren, Keown, Parlour, Lehmann, Vieira) were later charged with improper conduct by The Football Association (FA), while the club were fined £175,000, the largest ever given to a club by the FA. Lauren received a four-game ban, whereas Vieira and Parlour were given one-match suspensions.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
In their next match, Arsenal defeated Newcastle United by three goals to two; the winner was a penalty scored by Henry. Vieira suffered an injury during the game; this commenced a period of him being in and out of the side, for two months. Arsenal then faced Liverpool on the first weekend of October at Anfield. In the absence of Vieira, Parlour was on duty as captain, while Campbell replaced Keown in defence. Aliadière was paired alongside Henry in attack.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
Arsenal went a goal down after 11 minutes, but equalised when Sami Hyypiä unintentionally diverted Edu's header, from an Arsenal free-kick. Pires scored the winner in the second half, which maintained the team's lead at the top of the league table. The Times correspondent Oliver Kay described Arsenal's comeback as "spirited" and noted a difference with the team, in comparison to the previous season:


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
…recent events have taught them to place substance ahead of style. It may be less attractive to the purists, but there is no doubt that their new rugged approach has given them a more fearsome look. A year ago, they were producing football of a splendour rarely witnessed in this country or elsewhere. This season, with such fluency proving elusive, they have been grinding out results with an efficiency bordering on the Teutonic.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, August–October
A tightly-fought match against Chelsea at home was settled by a second half error by goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, which presented Henry with his seventh league goal in nine matches. Both teams up until that point were level on points at the top of the table and unbeaten. Wenger noted after the match that Chelsea's bigger squad would serve them well as the season progressed, but stressed his smaller squad had stability: "We have been together for years and have the comfort of knowing we have won things before. When we are challenged, we become even more united." Arsenal ended October with a 1–1 draw against Charlton Athletic. After 10 games, Arsenal garnered 24 points. The point earnt at Charlton was enough for the team to move back into first position, which had been occupied by Chelsea.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, November–December
Arsenal began November with a trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United. There were no changes to the team from the Charlton game; for Leeds, Pennant started against his parent club after being granted permission by Wenger. Arsenal's victory by four goals to one was identical to the scoreline in the corresponding fixture of last season. In a match report for the News of the World, journalist Martin Samuel picked Henry as the man of the match and asserted Arsenal remained the team to beat.


2003–04 Arsenal F.C. season, Premier League, November–December
Attention soon turned to the North London derby, where Arsenal played Tottenham Hotspur on 8 November 2003. Tottenham had not beaten their rivals since November 1999 and their last win at Highbury had come a decade previously. Kanu was brought into the starting line-up to partner Henry, as Wiltord was ruled out with a calf strain. Arsenal conceded an early goal after Darren Anderton capitalised on a defensive mix-up, but they scored two late goals in what was described as "another stuttering" performance in The Observer. The result put Arsenal four points clear in first, albeit temporarily as Chelsea's win at home to Newcastle United 24 hours later cut their gap to one point.