2005–06 Sunderland A.F.C. season explained

Club:Sunderland
Season:2005–06
Manager:Mick McCarthy (until 13 February)
Kevin Ball (caretaker) (from 7 March until 31 May)
Niall Quinn (from 25 July)
Chairman:Bob Murray
Stadium:Stadium of Light
League:FA Premier League
League Result:20th (relegated)
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Fourth round
Cup2:League Cup
Cup2 Result:Third round
Prevseason:2004–05
Nextseason:2006–07
League Topscorer:
Liam Lawrence
Tommy Miller
Dean Whitehead
Anthony Le Tallec (3)
Season Topscorer:Anthony Le Tallec (5)
Highest Attendance:44,003 (vs. Arsenal, 1 May 2006)
Lowest Attendance:28,226 (vs. Fulham, 4 May 2006)

During the 2005–06 season, Sunderland competed in the FA Premier League. A total of 38 matches were played in which they finished last in 20th, with 15 points.

Season Summary

Sunderland's season began with a streak of five consecutive losses. A brief respite came with a three-match unbeaten run before the October international break, lifting the team out of the relegation zone. However, this momentum was short-lived; a defeat to Manchester United post-break plunged them back into the bottom three, a position they never recovered from. The period between the international break and Christmas was particularly bleak, with the team losing every match.

Their second victory of the season came in late January against West Bromwich Albion, who were just above them in the standings. Cup competitions were poor as well, as Sunderland struggled against League Two's Cheltenham Town in the League Cup's first round before a 3–0 defeat to Arsenal, and suffered a demoralizing exit in the FA Cup's fourth round to League One's Brentford.

The poor performance led to the dismissal of Mick McCarthy, the manager of nearly three years, with Kevin Ball stepping in as caretaker manager. The season's modest goal became to avoid setting a new low for the fewest points in a Premier League season, a record Sunderland themselves held. Not only was the new record set, but they also broke Stoke City's 21-year record for the lowest points under the three-point-win system. Sunderland marginally improved on their previous record for the fewest goals in a top-flight season The league's new low-point record was surpassed by Derby County two years later, who recorded 11 points in contrast to Sunderland's 15.

Transfers

In

DatePosNameFromFee
3 June 2005FW Daryl Murphy Waterford United£100,000[1]
10 June 2005DF Nyron Nosworthy GillinghamFree[2]
13 June 2005FW Jon Stead Blackburn Rovers£1,800,000[3]
14 June 2005GK Kelvin Davis Ipswich Town£1,250,000[4]
22 June 2005MF Tommy Miller Ipswich TownFree[5]
6 July 2005MF Martin Woods Leeds UnitedFree[6]
2 August 2005DF Alan Stubbs EvertonFree[7]
2 August 2005FW Anthony Le Tallec LiverpoolSeason-long loan[8]
9 August 2005GK Joe Murphy West Bromwich AlbionFree[9]
10 August 2005FW Andy Gray Sheffield United£1,100,000[10]
24 August 2005MF Christian Bassila StrasbourgFree[11]
31 August 2005DF Justin Hoyte ArsenalSeason-long loan[12]
25 January 2006FW Kevin Smith Leeds UnitedFree[13]
31 January 2006MF Rory Delap SouthamptonFree[14]

Out

DatePosNameToFee
14 June 2005DF Mark Lynch Hull CityFree[15]
1 July 2005MF Jeff Whitley Cardiff CityFree[16]
1 July 2005FW Marcus Stewart Bristol CityFree[17]
1 July 2005FW Brian Deane Perth GloryFree
11 July 2005MF Sean Thornton Doncaster Rovers£175,000[18]
25 July 2005GK Thomas Myhre FredrikstadFree
25 July 2005FW Michael Bridges Bristol CityFree[19]
12 August 2005DF Neill Collins Hartlepool UnitedLoan[20]
31 August 2005GK Mart Poom ArsenalLoan
8 September 2005FW Chris Brown Hull CityLoan[21]
23 September 2005MF Grant Leadbitter Rotherham UnitedLoan[22]
21 October 2005GK Joe Murphy WalsallLoan
24 November 2005MF Carl Robinson Norwich CityLoan
24 November 2005FW Daryl Murphy Sheffield WednesdayLoan
12 January 2006DF Dan Smith Huddersfield TownLoan
17 January 2006MF Carl Robinson Norwich City£50,000
20 January 2006DF Alan Stubbs EvertonFree
23 January 2006GK Mart Poom ArsenalFree
17 February 2006DF Neill Collins Sheffield UnitedLoan
1 March 2006MF Andy Welsh Leicester CityLoan
16 March 2006FW Andy Gray BurnleyLoan

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[23]

Left club during season

Results

Sunderland's score comes first.

WinDrawLoss

League Cup

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
2nd20 September 2005 Cheltenham TownStadium of Light1–0 (after extra time)11,969Le Tallec
3rd25 October 2005 ArsenalStadium of Light0–347,366

FA Cup

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
3rd8 January 2006 Northwich VictoriaStadium of Light3–019,323N. Collins, Whitehead, Le Tallec
4th28 January 2006 BrentfordGriffin Park1–211,698Arca

Premier League

See main article: 2005–06 FA Premier League.

Results by matchday

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
13 August 2005 Charlton AthleticStadium of Light1–334,446Gray
20 August 2005 LiverpoolAnfield0–144,913
23 August 2005 Manchester CityStadium of Light1–233,357Le Tallec
27 August 2005 Wigan AthleticJJB Stadium0–117,223
10 September 2005 ChelseaStamford Bridge0–241,969
17 September 2005 West Bromwich AlbionStadium of Light1–131,657Breen
25 September 2005 MiddlesbroughRiverside Stadium2–029,583Miller, Arca
1 October 2005 West Ham UnitedStadium of Light1–131,212Miller
15 October 2005 Manchester UnitedStadium of Light1–339,085Elliott
23 October 2005 Newcastle UnitedSt James' Park2–352,302Lawrence, Elliott
29 October 2005 PortsmouthStadium of Light1–434,926Whitehead (pen)
5 November 2005 ArsenalHighbury1–338,210Stubbs
19 November 2005 Aston VillaStadium of Light1–339,707Whitehead (pen)
26 November 2005 Birmingham CityStadium of Light0–132,442
30 November 2005 LiverpoolStadium of Light0–232,697
3 December 2005 Tottenham HotspurWhite Hart Lane2–336,244Whitehead, Le Tallec
10 December 2005 Charlton AthleticThe Valley0–226,065
26 December 2005 Bolton WanderersStadium of Light0–032,232
31 December 2005 EvertonStadium of Light0–130,567
2 January 2006 FulhamCraven Cottage1–219,372Lawrence
15 January 2006 ChelseaStadium of Light1–232,420Lawrence
21 January 2006 West Bromwich AlbionThe Hawthorns1–026,464Watson (own goal)
31 January 2006 MiddlesbroughStadium of Light0–331,675
4 February 2006 West Ham UnitedBoleyn Ground0–234,745
12 February 2006 Tottenham HotspurStadium of Light1–134,700Murphy
15 February 2006 Blackburn RoversEwood Park0–218,220
25 February 2006 Birmingham CitySt. Andrew's0–129,257
3 March 2006 Manchester CityCity of Manchester Stadium1–242,200Kyle
11 March 2006 Wigan AthleticStadium of Light0–131,194
18 March 2006 Bolton WanderersReebok Stadium0–223,568
25 March 2006 Blackburn RoversStadium of Light0–129,593
1 April 2006 EvertonGoodison Park2–238,093Stead, Delap
14 April 2006 Manchester UnitedOld Trafford0–072,519
17 April 2006 Newcastle UnitedStadium of Light1–440,032Hoyte
22 April 2006 PortsmouthFratton Park1–220,078Miller
1 May 2006 ArsenalStadium of Light0–344,003
4 May 2006 FulhamStadium of Light2–128,226Le Tallec, Brown
7 May 2006 Aston VillaVilla Park1–233,820D. Collins

Friendlies

!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
16 July 2005 Swangard Stadium (Burnaby, British Columbia) 0–3 6,857
20 July 2005 Qwest Field (Seattle, Washington) 1–0 8,502 Lawrence
23 July 2005 PGE Park (Portland, Oregon) 0–0 15,376

Statistics

Appearances and goals

|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards|-! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season|}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sunderland sign Irish star Murphy. 3 June 2005. BBC Sport.
  2. Web site: Sunderland seal Nosworthy signing. 13 June 2005. BBC Sport.
  3. Web site: Sunderland snap up striker Stead. 13 June 2005. BBC Sport.
  4. Web site: Davis completes Sunderland move. 14 June 2005. BBC Sport.
  5. Web site: Miller secures Sunderland switch. 22 June 2005. BBC Sport.
  6. Web site: Sunderland sign Leeds youngster. 5 July 2005. BBC Sport.
  7. Web site: Sunderland sign defender Stubbs. 2 August 2005. BBC Sport.
  8. Web site: Sunderland sign Le Tallec on loan. 2 August 2005. BBC Sport.
  9. Web site: Murphy reveals Sunderland switch. 9 August 2005. BBC Sport.
  10. Web site: Gray completes move to Sunderland. 10 August 2005. BBC Sport.
  11. Web site: Bassila agrees to Sunderland move. 24 August 2005. BBC Sport.
  12. Web site: Sunderland capture Hoyte on loan. 31 August 2005. BBC Sport.
  13. Web site: Sunderland sign Smith from Leeds. 26 January 2006. BBC Sport.
  14. Web site: Sunderland seal signing of Delap. 31 January 2006. BBC Sport.
  15. Web site: Defender Lynch seals move to Hull. 14 June 2005. BBC Sport.
  16. Web site: Whitley completes Cardiff switch. 1 July 2005. BBC Sport.
  17. Web site: Stewart agrees Bristol City move. 6 June 2005. BBC Sport.
  18. Web site: Thornton completes Doncaster move. 12 July 2005. BBC Sport.
  19. Web site: City put seal on Bridges signing. 23 July 2005. BBC Sport.
  20. Web site: Collins joins Hartlepool on loan. 12 August 2005. BBC Sport.
  21. Web site: Striker makes loan move to Hull. 8 September 2005. BBC Sport.
  22. Web site: Millers sign Leadbitter on loan. 23 September 2005. BBC Sport.
  23. Web site: FootballSquads - Sunderland - 2005/06. www.footballsquads.co.uk.

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