2005-06 in English football

Encyclopedia : 2 : 20 : 200 : 2005-06 in English football

The 2005-2006 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.

Overview

Two clubs opened new stadiums this season:

• Coventry City - Ricoh Arena
• Swansea City - Liberty Stadium

Wigan Athletic, who earned promotion to the Premiership by finishing second in the Football League Championship, played their first ever season in the top division of English football and stayed up, staying clear from relegation all season.

Events

• August 7 2005 - Chelsea claim the first silverware of the season when they beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to win the FA Community Shield.
• October 8 2005 - The England national team defeat Austria 1-0 at Old Trafford. Combined with the Netherlands' defeat of the Czech Republic the same night, this assures England automatic qualification for the 2006 World Cup, either as the top team in their qualifying group or one of the top two second-placed European teams.
• October 12 2005 - England defeat Poland 2-1 at Old Trafford to finish top of their World Cup qualifying group.
• October 17, 2005 - Middlesbrough defender Abel Xavier is banned from all football for failing a drugs test.
• October 28, 2005 - Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott gives final approval for Brighton & Hove Albion to build Falmer Stadium, now scheduled to open in 2008.
• October 29, 2005 - Manchester United become the first team to score 1000 goals since the start of the Premiership in 1992-93.
• November 6, 2005 - Manchester United are the first team to beat Chelsea in 41 Premiership matches, with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, after a Darren Fletcher header.
• November 18, 2005 - Roy Keane leaves Manchester United by mutual consent, ending his 12-year association with the club.
• November 24, 2005 - Alain Perrin is sacked as manager of Portsmouth.
• December 3, 2005 - Harry Redknapp walks out of Southampton after being refused permission to discuss terms with Portsmouth over returning as manager.
• December 7, 2005 - Harry Redknapp is appointed manager of Portsmouth for the second time with a contract until the end of the season.
• December 22, 2005 - George Burley is appointed Harry Redknapp's replacement at Southampton.
• January 4, 2006 - Alexandre Gaydamak takes a 50% stake in Portsmouth alongside Milan Mandaric.
• January 20, 2006 - The Premiership formally charges Portsmouth with "tapping up" Harry Redknapp.
• January 23, 2006 - The FA announces that Sven-Göran Eriksson will leave his post as England national coach after the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
• January 25, 2006 - Craig Levein is sacked as manager of Leicester City.
• January 30, 2006 - Phil Brown is sacked as manager of Derby County. Academy boss Terry Westley is appointed interim manager the next day, with player Paul Peschisolido acting as his assistant.
• February 2, 2006 - Graeme Souness is sacked as manager of Newcastle United, and Glenn Roeder was made caretaker manager with Alan Shearer his assistant manager.
• February 4, 2006 - Alan Shearer becomes Newcastle United's top goalscorer of all time, scoring his 201st goal for the club, against Portsmouth at St. James' Park, beating Jackie Milburn's 200 goal tally which had stood for 49 years.
• February 11, 2006 - Middlesbrough comfortably defeat reigning premiership champions Chelsea 3-0 at the Riverside Stadium - the first time ever José Mourinho's Chelsea have lost by more than a single goal.
• February 21, 2006 - The FA announce that the 2006 FA Cup final, set for May 13, will be held at Millennium Stadium, as the builders of the new Wembley Stadium are unable to assure that it will be ready for the match. They also announce that the national team's pre-World Cup friendlies originally scheduled for Wembley will instead be held at Old Trafford.
• February 21, 2006 - A Football League Under-21 team, composed of players from the Football League's three divisions, beats a Lega Nazionale Professionisti Under 21 team, composed of players from Serie B, 1-0 at the KC Stadium.
• February 26, 2006 - Manchester United defeat Wigan Athletic 4-0 at the Millennium Stadium to win the Carling Cup.
• March 6, 2006 - Mick McCarthy is sacked as manager of Sunderland after his team accumulated just 10 points in 28 matches, with Kevin Ball made caretaker manager for the remainder of the season.
• March 25, 2006 - Reading became the first side to be promoted to the 2006-07 FA Premier League campaign after drawing 1-1 at Leicester. It will be The Royals' first ever season in England's top flight.
• April 1, 2006 - Reading win The Football League after the combination of Reading defeating Derby County and Sheffield United being held to a draw means that Reading can not be overtaken.
• April 14, 2006 - Sunderland were relegated from the Premiership after a 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford. This is the first relegation in the league.
• April 15, 2006 - Sheffield United became the second side to secure promotion to the Premiership after they beat Cardiff City while Watford and Leeds United only drew with Wolves and champions Reading respectively.
• April 15, 2006 - Accrington Stanley regained their Football League status 44 years after losing it due to bankruptcy after they beat Woking to win the Conference title.
• April 17, 2006 - Sheffield Wednesday's 2-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion ensured that the trio of Brighton, Crewe Alexandra and Millwall are all relegated from the Championship.
• April 17, 2006 - Alan Shearer plays his last competitive match against, rather fittingly, Sunderland, after a Julio Arca tackle tore his medial collateral ligament.
• April 20, 2006 - Altrincham of the Conference had 18 points deducted for fielding an ineligible player thirteen times. This points deduction relegates the club to the Conference North.
• April 22, 2006 - Carlisle United secured promotion to League One after a 1-1 draw at Mansfield while Leyton Orient were also held to a draw by the same scoreline at Lincoln City.
• April 22, 2006 - Walsall were relegated to League Two after losing 1-3 at home to Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United drew with Scunthorpe United.
• April 29, 2006 - Chelsea successfully retained their Premiership title after they beat Manchester United 3-0.
• April 29, 2006 - West Bromwich Albion are relegated from the Premiership after Portsmouth won 2-1 away at Wigan Athletic. Birmingham City are also relegated after Portsmouth's victory combined with their 0-0 draw with Newcastle United.
• April 29, 2006 - Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley announces that he will resign at the end of the season, ending a 15-year long tenure as manager at The Valley.
• April 29, 2006 - Southend United secured promotion from League One after they drew 2-2 at Swansea City while Brentford also drew against Hartlepool United. Also in League One, Swindon Town are relegated to League Two after they could only draw 1-1 against Bristol City.
• April 29, 2006 - Northampton Town secured promotion from League Two after beating Chester City 1-0. Rushden & Diamonds were relegated to the Conference when they lost 2-0 away to Boston United and other results went against them.
• April 30, 2006 - Reading broke Sunderland's record for most points in any professional English league, beating Queens Park Rangers 2-1 to finish on 106 points.
• May 4, 2006 - Current Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren signs a four-year contract agreeing to succeed Sven-Göran Eriksson as England head coach after the World Cup. The contract begins on August 1.
• May 6, 2006 - Southend United, after defeating Bristol City, become League One champions, while Colchester United secure the second automatic place to The Championship, they will play in the top two tiers in English football for the first time in their history after their promotion. Hartlepool United and Milton Keynes Dons are relegated to League Two.
• May 6, 2006 - Oxford United lose their league status after 44 years following a 3-2 defeat by Leyton Orient, who are promoted to League One.
• May 7, 2006 - Sunderland finish the season on 15 points, the lowest points total ever in top flight English football since 3 points for a win was introduced in the 1981-82 season.
• May 9, 2006 - Roy Keane's testimonial is played at Old Trafford.
• May 10, 2006 - Middlesbrough lose the UEFA Cup final 4-0 to Sevilla in Steve McClaren's last game in charge at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven.
• May 11, 2006 - Alan Shearer's testimonial is played at St James' Park, with a Newcastle XI beating Celtic 3-2, with Shearer scoring the winning penalty.
• - Joe Royle leaves Ipswich "by mutual consent"
• May 13, 2006 - Liverpool won the 125th FA Cup final beating West Ham 3-1 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw after extra time.
• May 16, 2006 - Lincoln City became the first team to lose four consecutive play-off competitions following a 3-1 aggregate defeat to neighbours Grimsby Town in the League Two semi-finals.
• May 17, 2006 - Arsenal lost the UEFA Champions League to Barcelona 2-1 in the Stade de France. Jens Lehmann was sent off controversially after fouling Samuel Eto'o and Ludovic Giuly put the ball into the back off the net.
• May 20, 2006 - Hereford United gain promotion to League Two via the playoffs, after beating Halifax Town 3-2 after extra time.
• May 21, 2006 - Watford gain promotion to the FA Premier League after defeating Leeds 3-0 in the Championship play-off final.
• May 27, 2006 - Barnsley win promotion to the Championship after overcoming Swansea City in the League One play-off final. They won 4-3 on penalties after both sides remained level at 2-2 after extra time.
• May 28, 2006 - Cheltenham Town wins promotion to the League One by defeating Grimsby Town 1-0 in the League Two play-off final.
• June 2, 2006 - Billy Davies leaves Preston North End to become manager of Derby County.
• June 4, 2006 - Scarborough are relegated from the Nationwide Conference for a breach of league rules. They take Altrincham's relegation place.

National team

Denmark

Wales

Northern Ireland

Austria

Poland

Argentina

Uruguay

Belarus

Hungary

Jamaica

Paraguay

Trinidad and Tobago

Sweden

Ecuador

Portugal

1. England score given first

Key

• H = Home match
• A = Away match
• N = Neutral site match
• F = Friendly
• WCQ = FIFA World Cup 2006 Qualifying, European Zone Group 6
• WCF = FIFA World Cup 2006 Finals Group stage

Honours

European Qualification

Competition	Qualifiers	Reason for Qualification
UEFA Champions League		1st in FA Premier League
		2nd in FA Premier League
UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round		3rd in FA Premier League
		4th in FA Premier League
UEFA Cup		5th in FA Premier League
		In lieu of FA Cup winners (qualification awarded as FA Cup runners-up because FA Cup winners Liverpool had already qualified for the Champions League)
	Blackburn Rovers	In lieu of League Cup winners (qualification awarded as next-highest (6th) Premier League finishers to have not qualified for Europe because League Cup winners Manchester United had already qualified for the Champions League)
UEFA Intertoto Cup Third Round	Newcastle United	Highest Premier League finishers (7th) to have entered and not qualified for any other European competition

League tables

FA Premier League

50

38

32

37

15

9

5

8

			P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
C	1	Chelsea	38	29	4	5	72	22
91
	2	Manchester United	38	25	8	5	72	34
83
	3	Liverpool	38	25	7	6	57	25
82
	4	Arsenal	38	20	7	11	68	31
67
	5	Tottenham Hotspur	38	18	11	9	53	38
65
	6	Blackburn Rovers	38	19	6	13	51	42
63
	7	Newcastle United	38	17	7	14	47	42
58
	8	Bolton Wanderers	38	15	11	12	49	41
56
	9	West Ham United	38	16	7	15	52	55
55
	10	Wigan Athletic	38	15	6	17	45	52
51
	11	Everton	38	14	8	16	34	49
50
	12	Fulham	38	14	6	17	48	58
48
	13	Charlton Athletic	38	13	8	17	41	55
47
	14	Middlesbrough	38	12	9	17	48	58
45
	15	Manchester City	38	13	4	21	43	48
43
	16	Aston Villa	38	10	12	16	42	55
42
	17	Portsmouth	38	10	8	20	37	62
38
R	18	Birmingham City	38	8	10	20	28	50
34
R	19	West Bromwich Albion	38	7	9	22	31	58
30
R	20	Sunderland	38	3	6	29	26	69
15

The Football League

Football League Championship

Reading entered the top flight for the first time in their history, breaking Sunderland's points record in the process. (Co-incidentally, Sunderland were relegated from the Premiership while breaking the record for lowest number of points under the current scoring system). Sheffield United joined them, returning to the Premiership after twelve years. Surprise package Watford, initially tipped for relegation, entered the play-offs and beat Leeds United, who were unable to shake off an awful run of form (even worse than any of the three relegated sides) that had saw them crash out of automatic promotion contention.

Crystal Palace fared the best out of the Premiership teams relegated the previous season, by getting to the play-offs but losing in the semi finals. Norwich never managed better than mid-table, while Southampton endured an awful season that saw Sir Clive Woodward take up a much-criticised role as Director of Football, manager Harry Redknapp return to local rivals Portsmouth and the side looking in danger of relegation for much of the season, only managing a mid-table finish with a late surge in form. Chairman Rupert Lowe ultimately paid the price by being forced to resign after the end of the season.

The relegation battle was principally fought by four sides, Crewe, Brighton, Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday. Wednesday ultimately won the battle, and the remaining three were relegated. While Crewe and Brighton hadn't spent long in the division and were considered to be punching above their weight, Millwall underwent a disasterous season, getting through five managers and four chairman before relegation.

67

30

24

29

19

19

8

			P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
C	1	Reading	46	31	13	2	99	32
106
P	2	Sheffield United	46	26	12	8	76	46
90
P	3	Watford	46	22	15	9	77	53
81
	4	Preston North End	46	20	20	6	59	30
80
	5	Leeds United	46	21	15	10	57	38
78
	6	Crystal Palace	46	21	12	13	67	48
75
	7	Wolverhampton Wanderers	46	16	19	11	50	42
67
	8	Coventry City	46	16	15	15	62	65
63
	9	Norwich City	46	18	8	20	56	65
62
	10	Luton Town	46	17	10	19	66	67
61
	11	Cardiff City	46	16	12	18	58	59
60
	12	Southampton	46	13	19	14	49	50
58
	13	Stoke City	46	17	7	22	54	63
58
	14	Plymouth Argyle	46	13	17	16	39	46
56
	15	Ipswich Town	46	14	14	18	53	66
56
	16	Leicester City	46	13	15	18	51	59
54
	17	Burnley	46	14	12	20	46	54
54
	18	Sheffield Wednesday	46	13	13	20	39	52
52
	19	Hull City	46	12	16	18	49	55
51
	20	Derby County	46	10	20	16	53	67
50
	21	Queens Park Rangers	46	12	14	20	50	65
50
R	22	Crewe Alexandra	46	9	15	22	57	86
42
R	23	Millwall	46	8	16	22	35	62
40
R	24	Brighton & Hove Albion	46	7	17	22	39	71
38

Football League One

Southend surprised many by winning a second successive promotion, returning to the Championship after nearly a decade (when it was called Division One). Colchester also made the Championship for the first time in their history, but their promotion was tempered by the loss of manager Phil Parkinson to Hull City. A highly competetive play-off race ultimately saw Barnsley emerge as winners, beating Swansea to return to the Championship after three seasons of struggle in Division Two/League One.

At the bottom, Walsall endured their second relegation in three seasons, Swindon became the first former Premiership side to slip to the bottom division (MK Dons were relegated a few weeks later, and it's debatable whether they can be considered a "former Premiership" team), Hartlepool crashed out of the division the season after they nearly earned promotion to the Championship, while MK Dons suffered the relegation they only avoided the previous season when Wrexham were docked points for entering administration.

29

18

20

13

18

23

15

4

4

2

			P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
P	1	Southend United	46	23	13	10	72	43
82
P	2	Colchester United	46	22	13	11	58	40
79
	3	Brentford	46	20	16	10	72	52
76
	4	Huddersfield Town	46	19	16	11	72	59
73
P	5	Barnsley	46	18	18	10	62	44
72
	6	Swansea City	46	18	17	11	78	55
71
	7	Nottingham Forest	46	19	12	15	67	52
69
	8	Doncaster Rovers	46	20	9	17	55	51
69
	9	Bristol City	46	18	11	17	66	62
65
	10	Oldham Athletic	46	18	11	17	58	60
65
	11	Bradford City	46	14	19	13	51	49
60
	12	Scunthorpe United	46	15	15	16	68	73
60
	13	Port Vale	46	16	12	18	49	54
60
	14	Gillingham	46	16	12	18	50	64
60
	15	Yeovil Town	46	15	11	20	54	62
56
	16	Chesterfield	46	14	14	18	63	73
56
	17	Bournemouth	46	12	19	15	49	53
55
	18	Tranmere Rovers	46	13	15	18	50	52
54
	19	Blackpool	46	12	17	17	56	64
53
	20	Rotherham United	46	12	16	18	52	62
52
R	21	Hartlepool United	46	11	17	18	44	59
50
R	22	Milton Keynes Dons	46	12	14	20	45	66
50
R	23	Swindon Town	46	11	15	20	46	65
48
R	24	Walsall	46	11	14	21	47	70
47

Football League Two

Carlisle were another side who earned a second successive promotion, only two years after a relegation from the League that some predicted would see the end of the club. Northampton joined them, making up for two seasons of play-off disappointment, and Leyton Orient ended a decade in the bottom division by earning promotion on nearly the last minute of the season. The side that they beat out, Grimsby, ultimately lost to Cheltenham in the play-off final.

Rushden and Diamonds failed to improve on the previous season, and paid the price with relegation to the Conference. Oxford United joined them, despite the return of manager Jim Smith.

42

26

16

20

12

16

12

6

8

0

7

			P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
P	1	Carlisle United	46	25	11	10	84	42
86
P	2	Northampton Town	46	22	17	7	63	37
83
P	3	Leyton Orient	46	22	15	9	67	51
81
	4	Grimsby Town	46	22	12	12	64	44
78
P	5	Cheltenham Town	46	19	15	12	65	53
72
	6	Wycombe Wanderers	46	18	17	11	72	56
71
	7	Lincoln City	46	15	21	10	65	53
66
	8	Darlington	46	16	15	15	58	52
63
	9	Peterborough United	46	17	11	18	57	49
62
	10	Shrewsbury Town	46	16	13	17	55	55
61
	11	Boston United	46	15	16	15	50	60
61
	12	Bristol Rovers	46	17	9	20	59	67
60
	13	Wrexham	46	15	14	17	61	54
59
	14	Rochdale	46	14	14	18	66	69
56
	15	Chester City	46	14	12	20	53	59
54
	16	Mansfield Town	46	13	15	18	59	66
54
	17	Macclesfield Town	46	12	18	16	60	71
54
	18	Barnet	46	12	18	16	44	57
54
	19	Bury*	46	12	17	17	45	57
52
	20	Torquay United	46	13	13	20	53	66
52
	21	Notts County	46	12	16	18	48	63
52
	22	Stockport County	46	11	19	16	57	78
52
R	23	Oxford United	46	11	16	19	43	56
49
R	24	Rushden & Diamonds	46	11	12	23	44	76
45

* Deducted 1 point for fielding an ineligible player

Transfer deals

Summer transfer window

16 May 2005

• Paul Stalteri from Werder Bremen to Spurs, free

January transfer window

1 January 2006

• Tony Warner from Cardiff City to Fulham, nominal fee (making a previous loan deal permanent)
• John Obi Mikel from Lyn to Manchester United, undisclosed fee

End of season retirements

• Alan Shearer (Newcastle United)
• Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal)
• Nigel Martyn (Everton)
• Muzzy Izzet (Birmingham City)

Deaths

• Noel Cantwell, 72, was a Republic of Ireland international at left-back during the 1950s and 1960s. He also captained Manchester United to F.A Cup glory in 1963.
• Johnny Haynes, 71, former England and Fulham midfielder, who became the first English footballer to be paid £100 a week, died after suffering a brain haemorrhage at the wheel of his car which resulted in a head-on collision with another vehicle.
• George Swindin, 90, was a former goalkeeper of Arsenal in the immediate postwar years. He helped them win two league titles and one F.A Cup. After hanging up his gloves, he served Arsenal as manager but was less successful.
• George Best, 59, Nothern Irish born striker who enjoyed the early and most successful years of his career Manchester United, died as a result of multiple organ failure three years after he underwent a liver transplant, the result of more than 30 years of heavy drinking. Personal problems meant that he played his last game for United at the age of 27, but he continued at various smaller clubs - including a brief spell with the Los Angeles Aztecs in America - until the age of 37.
• Ted Ditchburn, former England and Tottenham goalkeeper.
• Mark Philo, 21, Wycombe winger, was killed in a car crash.
• Ron Greenwood, 84, former West Ham and England manager. He managed West Ham to F.A Cup glory in 1964 and Cup Winners Cup success a year later, as well as providing the 1966 England World Cup winning team with three key players. Greenwood later managed the England team, achieving qualification for Euro 80 and the 1982 World Cup before retiring from football.
• Peter Osgood, 59, former England, Chelsea and Southampton player, died of a heart attack while attending a family funeral. He was a key player in Chelsea's 1970 F.A Cup and 1971 Cup Winners Cup triumphs, and won another F.A Cup medal in 1976 with his next club Southampton.
• John Lyall, 66, former West Ham United and Ipswich Town manager, died of a heart attack. He completed his first season in management at West Ham with F.A Cup glory in 1975, winning the trophy again in 1980 and taking West Ham to their highest ever league position - third - in 1986. He was sacked when West Ham were relegated in 1989, but make a comeback the following year with Ipswich Town. Lyall took Ipswich into the inaugural Premier League as Second Division champions in 1992, and remained in charge for another two-and-half years before he was sacked in December 1994. Lyall never returned to management after his dismissal from Ipswich.
• Brian Labone, 66, former Everton captain who played in Harry Catterick's successful 1960s side, died of a heart attack. He helped them win the F.A Cup in 1964 and 1966 as well as the league title in 1963 and 1970. Labone was also capped 26 times by England between 1962 and 1970, but did not make the squad for England's victorious 1966 World Cup campaign.