2005–06 Dundee United F.C. season

The 2005–06 season was the 97th year of football played by Dundee United, and covers the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006. United finished in ninth place for the second consecutive season and meant they had only finished in the top six once in the six seasons since the split was introduced.

Dundee United
2005–06 season
ChairmanEddie Thompson
ManagerGordon Chisholm (until 10 January)
Billy Dodds (interim caretaker)
Craig Brewster (from 16 January)
Bank of Scotland Premierleague9th
W:7 D:12 L:19 F:41 A:66 P:33
Tennent's Scottish CupThird round
CIS Insurance CupSecond round
UEFA CupSecond qual. round
Top goalscorerLeague: Lee Miller (8)
All: Lee Miller, Collin Samuel (8)
Highest home attendance12,404 (vs Aberdeen, 30 July)
Lowest home attendance5,034 (vs Dunfermline, 2 May)

United finished the 2005/06 SPL season in 9th place with 33 points, narrowly beating Falkirk (10th) and Dunfermline Athletic (11th) on goal difference. United exited all three cup competitions at the first stage. Between April and early-May, United lost six consecutive games, including losses to the three clubs which finished below them in the league.

The much-anticipated UEFA Cup campaign ended in disappointment with an away-goals defeat to Finnish side MyPa (after United surrendered a two-goal lead), and a CIS Insurance Cup defeat to Inverness CT followed, although an incredible 5–4 away win over Motherwell brought some early-season cheer. United also exited the Scottish Cup at the first hurdle, bowing out 3–2 to Aberdeen after again throwing away a two-goal lead.

Little league success followed, and the Terrors finished ninth on goal difference, thanks to a late Collin Samuel equaliser against Motherwell on the season's final day. In mid-January, Gordon Chisholm was sacked, with United favourite Craig Brewster leaving Inverness CT to take over. Brewster would go on to win just one league game all season and leave United before 2006 was out.

Season review

Pre-season preparations went well, with United winning the inaugural City of Discovery Cup. The league season started disappointingly, however, with the surprise UEFA Cup exit in August to MyPa a notable downpoint. After drawing the away leg 0–0, United threw away a 2–0 first-half home lead, and went out on away goals. An incredible 5–4 win at Motherwell – in which United were two goals behind on three occasions – was the only high point in a disappointing month. United also lost to Celtic and Hearts in August.

United lost at Hibernian and exited the CIS Insurance Cup in September, going out to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the second round. Prior to the cup exit, a 2–0 win over Livingston had brought the first home win. Immediately after going out of the cup, United lost at Dunfermline, to close out September in disappointing fashion.

In October, United a three-game unbeaten run, indicating a small improvement. The spell – which included a televised draw against Rangers and a win at Falkirk – was unfortunately followed by three successive defeats, which saw nine goals conceded. United then avoided defeat in four of the next five matches.

Boxing Day saw a last-minute defeat at Kilmarnock and United also lost heavily at Ibrox to Rangers. Incredibly, United exited the third cup tournament immediately, throwing away a two-goal home lead to lose 3–2 to Aberdeen. In the game in which on-loan Charles Mulgrew debuted, David Fernandez scored twice in the first half, only for ex-Tangerine Stevie Crawford to equalise. It proved to be the final straw and manager Gordon Chisholm left, with immediate rumours naming Craig Brewster as Eddie Thompson's man of choice for the hot seat. Brewster was appointed shortly after.

Caretaker-manager Billy Dodds took charge for his only game as United recovered to beat Falkirk 2–1, with newly appointed Brewster watching from the stands. It would also be Mark Wilson's final match, as he moved to Celtic for £500,000 shortly afterwards.

Brewster made his second United debut against Aberdeen but lasted under half an hour due to injury, which ended his playing season. He guided United to three draws in his first three matches but had to wait until his eighth match to secure his first win, at the expense of Livingston. During this time, on-loan Charlie Mulgrew won the Young Player of the Month award for February. United lost six of the final eight games to end a thoroughly disappointing season, which brought just one league win for the new manager.

Match results

Dundee United played a total of 42 competitive matches during the 2005–06 season,[1] as well as four pre-season friendlies, making a total of nearly fifty games played. The team finished ninth in the Scottish Premier League.

In the cup competitions, United were knocked out of the Scottish Cup at the third round stage, losing 3–2 at home to Aberdeen, despite being two goals ahead at half time. The club also exited early in the League Cup, losing 2–0 away to Inverness CT in the second round. United fell to an early exit in the UEFA Cup after losing on away goals to Finnish team MyPa, completing an immediate exit in all three cup competitions.

Legend
Win Draw Loss

All results are written with Dundee United's score first.

Bank of Scotland Premierleague
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
30 JulyAberdeenH1–112,404Miller
6 AugustCelticA0–256,532
14 AugustHeartsH0–311,654
20 AugustMotherwellA5–44,706Miller (2), Fernandez, Brebner (2)
28 AugustInverness CTH1–16,178Miller
10 SeptemberHibernianA1–212,062Brebner
17 SeptemberLivingstonH2–06,302Fernandez, Canero
24 SeptemberDunfermlineA1–25,361McCracken
1 OctoberKilmarnockH0–06,915
16 OctoberRangersH0–011,696
22 OctoberFalkirkA3–15,316OG, Canero, Samuel
25 OctoberAberdeenA0–210,720
30 OctoberCelticH2–411,942OG, Samuel
5 NovemberHeartsA0–316,617
19 NovemberMotherwellH1–16,305McIntyre
26 NovemberInverness CTA1–13,239Miller
3 DecemberHibernianH1–07,976Samuel
10 DecemberLivingstonA0–13,845
20 DecemberDunfermlineH2–15,889Samuel, Robson
26 DecemberKilmarnockA1–25,749Samuel
31 DecemberRangersA0–349,141
15 JanuaryFalkirkH2–17,948Fernandez, McInnes
21 JanuaryAberdeenH1–19,936Archibald
28 JanuaryCelticA3–359,875Fernandez (2), Miller
7 FebruaryHeartsH1–110,584Brebner
11 FebruaryMotherwellA0–25,257
18 FebruaryInverness CTH2–46,419Mulgrew
25 FebruaryDunfermlineA1–14,694Kenneth
4 MarchHibernianA1–316,266Goodwillie
11 MarchLivingstonH3–15,730Miller (2), Kerr
25 MarchKilmarnockH2–25,830McCracken, McInnes
2 AprilRangersH1–411,213Samuel
8 AprilFalkirkA0–14,473
15 AprilLivingstonA1–32,298Robertson
22 AprilInverness CTA0–13,609
29 AprilFalkirkH0–25,798
2 MayDunfermlineH0–15,034
6 MayMotherwellA1–15,269Samuel

Scottish Cup
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
7 JanuaryAberdeenH2–38,218Fernandez (2)

CIS Insurance Cup
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
20 SeptemberInverness CTA0–21,919

UEFA Cup
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
11 August MyPaA0–01,820
25 August MyPaH2–29,600Kerr, Samuel

Player details

During the 2005–06 season, United used 27 different players, with a further seven named as unused substitutes. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.[2]

No. Pos Nat Player TotalBank of Scotland PremierleagueTennent's Scottish CupCIS Insurance CupUEFA Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1 GK Derek Stillie 340300101020
2 DF Mark Wilson 250210101020
3 DF David McCracken 372342101010
4 MF Derek McInnes 132122001000
5 MF Alan Archibald 381341202000
6 MF Peter Canero 122112001000
6 DF Charles Mulgrew 142132100000
7 MF Mark Kerr 382351100021
8 MF Grant Brebner 294264001020
9 ST Lee Miller 388348101020
10 ST Jim McIntyre 291251101020
11 MF Barry Robson 351311101020
12 MF Stuart Duff 330290101020
15 DF Lee Mair 6060000000
16 ST Craig Brewster 1010000000
17 GK Craig Samson 8080000000
18 DF Garry Kenneth 161161000000
19 ST Stevie Crawford 5040000010
20 ST David Fernandez 327305121000
20 ST Collin Samuel 388357101011
23 DF Paul Ritchie 230210001010
25 MF David Robertson 111111000000
26 MF Greg Cameron 4040000000
28 DF Ross Gardiner 4040000000
29 DF Stuart Abbot 3030000000
30 MF William Easton 1010000000
36 ST David Goodwillie 101101000000

Team statistics

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
7 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 38 15 13 10 51 38 +13 58
8 Motherwell 38 13 10 15 55 61 −6 49
9 Dundee United 38 7 12 19 41 66 −25 33
10 Falkirk 38 8 9 21 35 64 −29 33
11 Dunfermline Athletic 38 8 9 21 33 68 −35 33
Source: Scottish Professional Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.

Transfers

Playing kit
Home
colours
Away
colours
European colours

The home strip remained unchanged from the previous season but the away kit was changed to a new white and black outfit, separated diagonally.[15] As mentioned at the end of the previous season, the limited edition third kit would be used for the European campaign.[16] The jerseys were sponsored by Morning, Noon and Night for the third and final season. Originally sponsored for the 2003–04 season,[17] the firm – operating under the banner of Scotmid since August 2004[18] – sponsored the club for a final time. The sponsor logo was again displayed as a simple font across the chest, with white logo for the home and third tops and orange logo on the change strip.

Awards
  • Charles Mulgrew
    • Bank of Scotland Premierleague Young Player of the Month: 1
February 2006

References
  1. "2006–07 – First Team Fixtures & Results". Dundee United F.C. Archived from the original on 11 November 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2007.
  2. "Dundee Utd 2005–06 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
  3. "Dundee United clinch Miller deal". BBC Sport website. 3 June 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  4. "Stillie on move to Dundee United". BBC Sport website. 7 July 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  5. "Samson wins a Tannadice contract". BBC Sport website. 29 July 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  6. "Fernandez moves on to Tannadice". BBC Sport website. 12 August 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  7. "Canero given chance at Tannadice". BBC Sport website. 5 September 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  8. "Brewster the right man – Thompson". BBC Sport website. 16 January 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  9. "Dundee Utd land Celtic's Mulgrew". BBC Sport website. 5 January 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  10. "Striker Grady signs up for Gretna". BBC Sport website. 4 August 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  11. "United's Scotland case dismissed". BBC Sport website. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  12. "Crawford quits Tannadice for Dons". BBC Sport website. 31 August 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  13. "Graeme Holmes departs Tannadice". Dundee United F.C. 31 August 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  14. "Celtic secure signing of Wilson". BBC Sport website. 16 January 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  15. "New away kit launched". Dundee United F.C. 23 June 2005. Retrieved 26 November 2007.
  16. "Cup strip officially launched". Dundee United F.C. 5 May 2005. Retrieved 26 November 2007.
  17. "Triple boost for Dundee United". Dundee United F.C. 19 June 2003. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2007.
  18. "Dundee firm sold for £30 million". Evening Telegraph. 3 August 2004. Archived from the original on 15 August 2004. Retrieved 26 November 2007.

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