2005–06 in English football

The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.

Overview

• The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether Wembley would be ready. The doubts were confirmed on 21 February 2006, when The FA announced that the final would indeed be held at Millennium Stadium. On 31 March 2006 The FA confirmed that the new Wembley would not be opened until 2007.
• Two clubs opened new stadiums at the beginning of this season:
  • Coventry City — Ricoh Arena.
  • Swansea City — Liberty Stadium.
• F.C. United of Manchester, formed by disgruntled Manchester United fans played their first competitive season, competing in the North West Counties Football League Division Two (level 10 of the English football league system), from which they gained promotion at the first time of asking.^[1]
• Reading, broke the previous points record of 105 points, taking 106 points from 46 games, scoring 99 goals to earn promotion to the Premiership.
• 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 comfortably stayed up, staying clear from the threat of relegation all season.

Diary of the season

• June 29, 2005 - Chelsea sell Mateja Kezman to Atletico Madrid for £5.3million.
• July 1, 2005 - Tottenham Hotspur sign 18-year-old Leeds United winger Aaron Lennon for £1million.
• July 4, 2005 - Liverpool sign goalkeeper Jose Reina from Villareal for £6million and Mark Gonzalez from Albacete for £4.5million.
• July 5, 2005 - Ji-Sung Park becomes Manchester United's first Asian player in a £4million move from PSV Eindhoven.
• July 8, 2005 - Blackburn Rovers sign Craig Bellamy from Newcastle United for £5million.
• July 12, 2005 - Arsenal sign VfB Stuttgart and Belarus midfielder Aleksander Hleb for £11.2million.
• July 15, 2005 - Patrick Vieira ends nine years at Arsenal in a £13.7million move to Juventus.
• July 18, 2005 - Chelsea sign Shaun Wright-Phillips from Manchester City for £21million.
• July 20, 2005 - Liverpool sign Peter Crouch from Southampton for £7million.
• July 27, 2005 - Manchester City sign Darius Vassell from Aston Villa for £2million.
• August 4, 2005 - Phil Neville who has spent his entire 12-year career at Manchester United, is sold to Everton for £3.5million.
• 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.
• August 8, 2005 - Manchester United misfit Jose Kleberson is sold to Besiktas of Turkey for £2.5million.
• August 18, 2005 - Tottenham Hotspur sell Frederic Kanoute to Seville for £4.4million.
• August 19, 2005 - Chelsea pay a club record £24.4million to Olympique Lyonnais for Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien.
• August 23, 2005 - Tiago leaves Chelsea for Olympique Lyonnais in a £6.5million deal, while Milan Baros moves from Liverpool to Aston Villa for the same fee.
• August 26, 2005 - Liverpool F.C. win the UEFA Super Cup beating PFC CSKA Moscow 3-1.
• August 31, 2005 - August draws to a close with Chelsea looking well placed to defend their Premier League title having won their first four games of the season. Stuart Pearce's Manchester City have made an impressive start to the season as they occupy second place. Charlton Athletic, Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers complete the top five. Newly promoted Sunderland are bottom after losing their first four games of the league season, with Newcastle United and Portsmouth completing the bottom three. Newcastle United break their club record fee by paying £17million to Real Madrid for Michael Owen. [1]
• September 7, 2005 — Northern Ireland take a historic 1–0 over England at Windsor Park, Belfast. Strengthening calls for Sven-Göran Eriksson's resignation.
• September 8, 2005 - Noel Cantwell, who captained Manchester United to FA Cup glory in 1963 and managed Coventry City through their only European campaign (the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup) eight years later, dies of cancer aged 72.
• September 30, 2005 - Chelsea's 100% start to the season continues after seven games as they finish September with their Premier League leadership intact. Charlton Athletic are their nearest challengers in second place, with Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United (newly promoted) and Manchester United completing the top five. Sunderland remain bottom with just one point so far this season, while Everton and West Bromwich Albion complete the bottom three. [2]
• October 8, 2005 — England defeat Austria 1–0 at Old Trafford, with the Netherlands' defeating the Czech Republic the same night, thus assuring 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 after failing a drugs test.
• October 18, 2005 - Johnny Haynes, the former Fulham and England player who became Britain's first £100-a-week player in 1961, dies aged 71, the day after he suffered a Brain haemorrhage at the wheel of his car in Edinburgh.
• October 26, 2005 - George Swindin, former goalkeeper and manager of Arsenal, dies aged 90.
• 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 Premier League goals, in its 14th season.
• October 31, 2005 - October draws to a close with Chelsea now runaway leaders with 10 wins and a draw from their first 11 games, while their nearest challengers are Wigan Athletic - playing their first top division season and only their 28th as a professional league club. Tottenham Hotspur, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic complete the top five, while a disappointing Manchester United and Arsenal are sixth and seventh respectively. Sunderland have at last recorded their first league win of the season but still occupy bottom place, with Birmingham City and Everton completing the bottom three. [3]
• November 6, 2005 - Manchester United become the first team to beat Chelsea in 41 Premier League games, 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 after eight months in charge.
• November 25, 2005 - Football mourns the legendary George Best, formerly of Manchester United and Northern Ireland, who died today in London's Cromwell Hospital from multiple organ failure at the age of 59. [4]
• November 30, 2005 - November ends with Chelsea still top of the Premier League, their nearest contenders now being Manchester United who are 10 points behind and with a game in hand. Arsenal, Wigan Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur complete the top five. Sunderland remain bottom with a mere five points and one win so far, with Birmingham City and Portsmouth completing the bottom three.[5]
• 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.
• December 31, 2005 - Chelsea's Premier League continues into 2006 by 11 points over Manchester United, while Liverpool's good run of form has taken them into third place. Tottenham Hotspur and Wigan Athletic complete the top five. Sunderland, Birmingham City and Portsmouth occupy the relegation places. [6]
• January 4, 2006 - Alexandre Gaydamak takes a 50% stake in Portsmouth alongside Milan Mandaric. Manchester United pay Spartak Moscow £7million for Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic.
• January 6, 2006 - Portsmouth sign Benjani from Auxerre for £4.1million.
• January 8, 2006 - Burton Albion of the Conference National hold Manchester United to a historic 0-0 draw in the FA Cup Third Round, earning a lucrative replay at Old Trafford on January 18, 2006 which they lose 5-0.
• January 10, 2006 - Manchester United sign French defender Patrice Evra from AS Monaco for £5.5million.
• January 12, 2006 - Liverpool sign Daniel Agger from Brondby for £5.8million.
• January 13, 2006 - Arsenal sign Emmanuel Adebayor from AS Monaco for £7million.
• January 20, 2006 - The Premiership formally charges Portsmouth with "tapping up" Harry Redknapp. Arsenal pay £5million to Southampton for striker Theo Walcott, who turns 17 on 16 March.
• January 22, 2006 - West Ham United pay £7.25million for Norwich City striker Dean Ashton.
• 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, with player Paul Peschisolido acting as his assistant. Manchester City sign Greek midfielder Georgios Samaras from SC Heerenveen for £6million.
• January 31, 2006 - Chelsea now lead the Premier League by 14 points ahead of Manchester United and 18 points ahead of Liverpool, with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal completing the top five. Sunderland, Portsmouth and Birmingham City occupy the three relegation places. [7]
• 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 9, 2006 - Former West Ham United and England manager Ron Greenwood dies aged 84.
• 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 18, 2006 - Liverpool beat Manchester United in the F.A. Cup for the first time since 1921. The draw was a 5th round matchup.
• 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. Should they finish in the top five this season, there will be a UEFA Cup place for the league's sixth highest placed team.
• February 28, 2006 - The month ends with Chelsea's lead over Manchester United at the top of the Premier League narrowed slightly to 12 points. Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal once again complete the top five, while Bolton Wanderers occupy the now sought after sixth place. Sunderland continue to prop up the top flight, havin gained just nine points so far this season. Portsmouth and Birmingham City complete the bottom three, with Portsmouth now eight points adrift of safety. [8]
• March 1, 2006 - Former Chelsea striker Peter Osgood dies of a heart attack aged 59.
• 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. 2006-07 will be the Berkshire club's first ever season in England's top flight (though they would have been automatically promoted in 1995 as Division One runners-up had it not been for a reorganisation of the league which saw them forced into the playoffs where they had lost to Bolton Wanderers in the final).
• March 31, 2006 - March draws to a close with Chelsea now nine points ahead of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League. Liverpool, Tottenham, Blackburn Rovers and Arsenal complete the top six, while Wigan Athletic are now eighth and their dreams of European football are fading fast. Sunderland are still bottom with 10 points though their relegation has yet to be confirmed. Portsmouth and Birmingham City complete the bottom three, both of them being three points behind 17th-placed West Bromwich Albion and with a game in hand. [9]
• April 1, 2006 - Reading win the Football League Championship title 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 are 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 become 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 regain their Football League status 44 years after the previous club of the same name lost 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 ensures 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 18, 2006 - John Lyall, former Ipswich Town and West Ham United manager, dies of a heart attack aged 66.
• April 20, 2006 - Altrincham of the Conference have 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 secure 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. This promotion comes just one season after Carlisle returned to the Football League following a one-season exile.
• 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.
• April 30, 2006 - April draws to a close with Chelsea confirmed as champions, while Manchester United and Liverpool are the next highest teams level on points. Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers complete the top six. Sunderland are bottom and were relegated two weeks ago, while West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City's relegation has just been confirmed. It is a brilliant time for Portsmouth, who looked dead and buried barely two months ago. [10]
• 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 4, 2006 - Newcastle United are refused permission to appoint caretaker manager Glenn Roeder on a permanent basis as he does not possess the required coaching qualifications.^[2]
• 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, with Manchester United beating Celtic 1-0 thanks to a second half Cristiano Ronaldo goal.
• 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. On the same day, the Premier League change their mind over the Glenn Roeder situation at Newcastle United and give him permission to take on the manager's role on a permanent basis despite him not having the requiring coaching qualifications. [11]
• 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 in the UEFA Champions League final 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 after beating Halifax Town 3-2 in the Conference Playoff Final, 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 23, 2006 - Arsenal sign Tomas Rosicky from Borussia Dortmund for £6.8million.
• 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.
• May 30, 2006 - Everton pay a club record £8.6million for Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson, and Chelsea sign Salomon Kalou from Feyenoord for £8million.
• May 31, 2006 - Chelsea pay a national record £30million for AC Milan and Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko.
• 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.
• June 8, 2006 - The BBC's Match of the Day will show Premier League highlights for at least another four seasons after £171.6million bid for television rights was accepted. [12]
• June 10, 2006 - England open their World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over Paraguay.
• June 14, 2006 - Everton sign defender Joleon Lescott from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £5million, and Chelsea sell striker Eiður Guðjohnsen to FC Barcelona for £8million.
• June 15, 2006 - England beat Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 to confirm their qualification for the last 16 of the World Cup.
• June 20, 2006 - England draw 2-2 with Sweden in their final group game.
• June 22, 2006 - Liverpool pay £6million to Blackburn Rovers for winger Craig Bellamy.
• June 25, 2006 - England reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the second tournament in succession with a 1-0 win over Ecuador in the second round.
• July 1, 2006 - England lose on penalties to Portugal after a goalless draw in the World Cup quarter-finals. Tottenham Hotspur sign Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov from Bayer Leverkusen for £10.9million. Former Tottenham Hotspur and England manager Glenn Hoddle resigns at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

National team

England qualified for the Football World Cup 2006, after finishing top of European Qualifying Group 6.

Date	Venue	Opponents	Score[3]	Competition	England scorers	Match Report
August 17, 2005	Parken Stadion, Copenhagen (A)	Denmark	1-4	F	Wayne Rooney	BBC
September 3, 2005	Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (A)	Wales	1-0	WCQ	Joe Cole	BBC
September 7, 2005	Windsor Park, Belfast (A)	Northern Ireland	0-1	WCQ		BBC
October 8, 2005	Old Trafford, Manchester (H)	Austria	1-0	WCQ	Frank Lampard (pen)	BBC
October 12, 2005	Old Trafford, Manchester (H)	Poland	2-1	WCQ	Michael Owen, Frank Lampard	BBC
November 12, 2005	Stade de Genève, Geneva (N)	Argentina	3-2	F	Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen (2)	BBC
March 1, 2006	Anfield, Liverpool (H)	Uruguay	2-1	F	Peter Crouch, Joe Cole	BBC
May 25, 2006	Madejski Stadium, Reading (H)	Belarus	1-2	F ('B' team)	Jermaine Jenas	BBC
May 30, 2006	Old Trafford, Manchester (H)	Hungary	3-1	F	Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Peter Crouch	BBC
June 3, 2006	Old Trafford, Manchester (H)	Jamaica	6-0	F	Frank Lampard, Jermaine Taylor (o.g.), Michael Owen, Peter Crouch (3)	BBC
June 10, 2006	FIFA WM Stadion Frankfurt, Frankfurt (N)	Paraguay	1-0	WCF	Carlos Gamarra (o.g.)	BBC
June 15, 2006	Frankenstadion, Nuremberg (N)	Trinidad and Tobago	2-0	WCF	Peter Crouch, Steven Gerrard	BBC
June 20, 2006	FIFA WM Stadion Köln, Cologne (N)	Sweden	2-2	WCF	Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard	BBC
June 25, 2006	Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart (N)	Ecuador	1-0	WCF	David Beckham	BBC
July 1, 2006	Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen (N)	Portugal	0-0 (FT), 0-0 (aet), 1-3 (P)	WCF		BBC

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

Honours

European qualification

League tables

FA Premier League

Chelsea won the Premiership title by an 8-point margin after fighting off a late challenge by runners-up Manchester United. The other five European places went to Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Blackburn Rovers.

Middlesbrough dipped seven places to 14th place in the final table, but did reach the UEFA Cup Final - the first European final in their history - where they were absolutely smashed by Sevilla. Also dipping seven places were Manchester City, who finished 15th, while Aston Villa slipped six places to 16th.

Sunderland were relegated with a Premiership record low of 3 wins and 15 points, breaking the record previously set by Sunderland in 2002-03, while West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City both hit the 30-point mark but were unable to avoid relegation. Portsmouth had spent almost the entire season in the relegation zone, but they stayed up after assuring their safety in their penultimate match of the season.

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. (Coincidentally, 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 3-0 in the Millennium Stadium final, who were unable to shake off a bad run of form (worse than any of the three relegated sides) that saw them lose out in the race for automatic promotion.

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, thanks to the appointment of George Burley. 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 all on the same day, after Wednesday beat Brighton 2-0. While Crewe and Brighton had not spent long in the division and were considered to be punching above their weight, Millwall underwent a disastrous season, getting through five managers and four chairmen before relegation.

Football League One

Southend United surprised many by winning a second successive promotion, returning to the Championship after nearly a decade (when it was called Division One). Colchester United 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 competitive play-off race saw Barnsley emerge as winners, beating Swansea City at the Millennium Stadium 4-3 on penalties after both normal time and extra-time finished 2-2, to return to the Championship after three seasons of struggle in Division Two/League One. Following relegation and becoming the first former European champions to be subsequently relegated to the third year of their domestic league, Nottingham Forest struggled for most of the season and were in danger of the unthinkable and suffering a second successive relegation. The departure of Gary Megson saw a late upturn in form and surge towards the play-offs, however they missed out on the last day of the season, finishing 7th.

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 is 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.

Football League Two

Carlisle United 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 Town 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. Wycombe started the season with a 21 game unbeaten run that saw 5 of their players named in the PFA LG2 team of the year. Two tragic off the fields events however saw them fall away in the second part of the season before losing to Cheltenham Town in the playoff semi-finals. Grimsby Town lost 1-0 to Cheltenham in the final at the Millennium Stadium.

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, and became the first former winners of a major trophy to be relegated to the Conference.

* Deducted 1 point for fielding an ineligible player

Non-League Football

Transfer deals

Summer transfer window

The summer transfer window ran from the end of the previous season until 31 August.

January transfer window

The mid-season transfer window ran from 1 to 31 January 2006.

For subsequent transfer deals see List of English football transfers 2006-07

End of season retirements

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

Famous Debutants

• Theo Walcott appeared as a second half substitute for Southampton as they drew with Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day of the season. The 16-year old ended the season as part of the England 2006 World Cup squad and with Arsenal.
• Powerful defender Micah Richards breaks into Manchester City's side as a 17-year old, his first appearance being in a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal in October 2005.

Deaths

• 8 September 2005: 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. As a manager he led Coventry City to their only European campaign in 1969-70.

• 18 October 2005: 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.

• 26 October 2005: 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.

• 25 November 2005: George Best, 59, Northern 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, when he played his last professional game at AFC Bournemouth. His death dominates news bulletins and his funeral is unusually shown live on the BBC.

• 26 December 2005: Ted Ditchburn, 84, former England and Tottenham goalkeeper.

• 14 January 2006: Mark Philo, 21, Wycombe winger, was killed in a car crash.

• 9 February 2006: 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.

• 1 March 2006: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.

• 18 April 2006: 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.

• 24 April 2006: 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.

References