The summer recess allowed manager Phil Parkinson to apply everything he had learned from final few months of the previous season whilst gaining his UEFA 'A' and 'B' badges as well as the Degree that he studied for in his spare time. He brought in Sports Science and revolutionised the way players trained, ate and rested.

The 2003–04 season was almost a Cup campaign of its own. U's played a record 15 ties in progressing in the FA Cup and LDV Vans Trophy. Helped by the astute signings of Wayne Andrews and Premiership youngsters Craig Fagan and Rowan Vine, United blazed a trail to the FA Cup Fifth Round defeating Oxford, Aldershot, Accrington Stanley and Coventry, courtesy of a Vine hat trick, before succumbing to Sheffield United by 1–0 at Bramall Lane in the Fifth Round.

Two days after the clash with The Blades U's were faced with the task of clawing back a 3–2 deficit from the LDV Southern Final first leg at ex-U's manager Steve Wignall's Southend. A 1–1 draw and a barrage of fixtures proved too much and United slipped from 5th to 14th whilst on the Cup trail, losing influential Karl Duguid to a serious knee injury. Nine points separated United and the play-offs at the end of the season which had re-established United's Cup glories.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

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Wikipedia