2005–06 Leeds United A.F.C. season

During the 2005–06 English football season, Leeds United A.F.C. competed in the Football League Championship, their second consecutive season at this level.

Leeds United
2005–06 season
ChairmanKen Bates
ManagerKevin Blackwell
StadiumElland Road
Championship5th (qualified for play-offs)
Play-offsRunners-up
FA CupThird round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: Rob Hulse (13)
All: Rob Hulse (14)
Highest home attendance27,843 vs Sheffield Wednesday
(21 Jan 2006, The Championship)
Lowest home attendance14,970 vs Oldham Athletic
(23 Aug 2005, League Cup)
Average home league attendance22,355

Season summary

With new players brought in over the summer, the club's goal during the 2005–06 season was promotion. Blackwell's shrewd tactics away from Elland Road and attacking style at home proved highly effective, and by the end of February, Leeds were third in the Championship. However, from that point onwards Leeds slumped, gaining just 4 points from a possible 18, and eventually had to settle for a play-off place. In the first round of the play-offs, against Preston North End, Leeds drew 1–1 at Elland Road, but won the return leg 2–0 to advance to the final, played on 21 May at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. However, in a dismal performance, Leeds crashed to a 3–0 defeat to Watford.[1] While some fans predicted that Leeds would go one better and finally return to the Premier League the following year, others were concerned by the fact that, with the exception of the bottom four teams, Leeds's form going into the play-offs was the worst of any team in the Championship, their only two wins in the final months of the campaign being the play-off victory against Preston and a narrow 1–0 victory against relegated Crewe Alexandra.

Final league table
Main article: 2005–06 Football League Championship
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
3 Watford (O, P) 46 22 15 9 77 53 +24 81 Qualification for Championship play-offs
4 Preston North End 46 20 20 6 59 30 +29 80
5 Leeds United 46 21 15 10 57 38 +19 78
6 Crystal Palace 46 21 12 13 67 48 +19 75
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 16 19 11 50 42 +8 67
Updated to match(es) played on 2 December 2011. Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(O) Play-off winner; (P) Promoted.

Results

Leeds United's score comes first[2]

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League Championship
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
7 August 2005MillwallH2–120,440Healy (2, 1 pen)
9 August 2005Cardiff CityA1–215,231Blake
13 August 2005Luton TownA0–010,102
20 August 2005Wolverhampton WanderersH2–021,229Lewis, Hulse
27 August 2005Norwich CityA1–025,015Hulse
10 September 2005Brighton & Hove AlbionH3–321,212Healy (2), Douglas
13 September 2005Sheffield WednesdayA0–129,986
17 September 2005Queens Park RangersA1–015,523Hulse
24 September 2005Ipswich TownH0–221,676
28 September 2005Derby CountyH3–118,353Hulse (3)
1 October 2005WatfordA0–016,050
15 October 2005BurnleyA2–116,174Lewis, Hulse
18 October 2005SouthamptonH2–118,881Hulse, Blake
21 October 2005Sheffield UnitedH1–123,600Richardson
29 October 2005ReadingA1–122,012Healy
1 November 2005Crewe AlexandraA0–17,220
5 November 2005Preston North EndH0–022,289
19 November 2005SouthamptonA4–330,173Butler, Blake, Healy (pen), Miller
22 November 2005BurnleyH2–021,318Healy (pen), Blake
26 November 2005MillwallA1–08,134May (own goal)
3 December 2005Leicester CityH2–121,402Healy, Kilgallon
10 December 2005Cardiff CityH0–120,597
17 December 2005Wolverhampton WanderersA0–126,821
26 December 2005Coventry CityH3–124,291Douglas, Blake, Cresswell
28 December 2005Stoke CityA1–020,408Lewis
31 December 2005Hull CityH2–026,387Douglas (2)
2 January 2006Plymouth ArgyleA3–017,726Cresswell, Blake, Hulse (pen)
14 January 2006Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–27,415Blake (pen)
21 January 2006Sheffield WednesdayH3–027,843Butler, Cresswell (2)
31 January 2006Ipswich TownA1–125,845Healy (pen)
4 February 2006Queens Park RangersH2–021,807Cresswell, Butler
11 February 2006Derby CountyA0–027,000
14 February 2006WatfordH2–17,187Blake (2, 1 pen)
18 February 2006Leicester CityA1–125,497Blake (pen)
25 February 2006Luton TownH2–123,644Douglas, Lewis
4 March 2006Crystal PalaceA2–123,843Blake, Hulse
11 March 2006Norwich CityH2–224,993Hulse, Lewis
18 March 2006Coventry CityA1–126,643Healy (pen)
21 March 2006Crystal PalaceH0–124,507
25 March 2006Stoke CityH0–021,452
1 April 2006Hull CityA0–123,486
8 April 2006Plymouth ArgyleH0–020,650
15 April 2006ReadingH1–124,535Hulse
18 April 2006Sheffield UnitedA1–129,329Healy
22 April 2006Crewe AlexandraH1–021,046Healy
30 April 2006Preston North EndA0–220,383

Championship play-offs
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SF 1st Leg5 May 2006Preston North EndH1–135,239Lewis
SF 2nd Leg8 May 2006Preston North EndA2–020,283Hulse, Richardson
F21 May 2006WatfordN0–364,736

Top scorers

FA Cup
Main article: 2005–06 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R37 January 2006Wigan AthleticA1–110,980Hulse
R3R17 January 2006Wigan AthleticH3–3 (lost 2–4 on pens)15,243Healy (2, 1 pen), Kelly

Top scorers

League Cup
Main article: 2005–06 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R123 August 2005Oldham AthleticH2–014,970Ricketts, Richardson
R220 September 2005Rotherham UnitedA2–05,445Cresswell (2)
R325 October 2005Blackburn RoversA0–315,631

Top scorers

First-team squad
Squad at end of season[3]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  SCO Neil Sullivan
2 DF  IRL Gary Kelly
3 DF  SCO Stephen Crainey
6 DF  IRL Paul Butler
7 MF  ENG Jermaine Wright
8 MF  ENG Sean Gregan
9 FW  NIR David Healy
10 FW  ENG Rob Hulse
11 MF  USA Eddie Lewis
12 MF  ENG Danny Pugh
13 GK  ENG Ian Bennett
14 MF  ENG Steve Stone
15 DF  ENG Frazer Richardson
16 MF  ISL Gylfi Einarsson
17 MF  IRL Liam Miller (on loan from Manchester United)
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF  ENG Simon Walton
19 MF  NOR Eirik Bakke
20 MF  IRL Jonathan Douglas
21 MF  ENG Shaun Derry
22 FW  ENG Ian Moore
23 DF  ENG Dan Harding
24 DF  ANG Rui Marques
25 FW  ENG Richard Cresswell
26 DF  ENG Matthew Kilgallon
27 MF  AUS Joel Griffiths
28 FW  ENG Robbie Blake
30 FW  ENG Michael Ricketts
32 FW  ENG Jermaine Beckford

Left club during season

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF  ENG Matthew Spring (to Watford)
32 FW  ENG Justin Bowler (to Halifax Town)
34 DF  ENG Brenton Leister (to Halifax Town)
No. Pos. Nation Player
34 FW  ENG Danny Graham (on loan from Middlesbrough)
35 FW  SCO Kevin Smith (to Sunderland)

Reserve squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
29 MF  IRL Ian Morris
31 DF  SCO Steven McKeown
33 MF  ENG Nick Gray
No. Pos. Nation Player
36 GK  ENG Mark Wilberforce
40 FW  ENG Jamie Winter

References
  1. "Leeds 0–3 Watford". BBC Sport. 21 May 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  2. "2005–06 Leeds United A.F.C. results". www.statto.com. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  3. "Leeds United A.F.C. results". Retrieved 24 September 2017.
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