2005–06 Manchester City F.C. season


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The 2005–06 season was Manchester City Football Club's fourth consecutive season playing in the Premier League, the top division of English football, and its ninth season since the Premier League was first created with Manchester City as one of its original 22 founding member clubs. Overall, it was the team's 114th season playing in a division of English football, most of which have been spent in the top flight.

Manchester City
2005–06 season
OwnerPublicly traded company
ChairmanJohn Wardle
ManagerStuart Pearce
StadiumCity of Manchester Stadium
(a.k.a. Eastlands and CoMS)
Premier League15th
FA CupQuarter-final
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Andy Cole (9)
All: Andy Cole and Darius Vassell (10 each)
Highest home attendance47,192 0v0 Manchester United
14 January 2006
Lowest home attendance27,779 0v0 Scunthorpe United
7 January 2006
Average home league attendance42,856 – over 19 PL home games
(4th highest in Premier League)
Results summary – all competitions
Wins Draws Losses Win %
Home 12 2 9 52.2%
Away 4 4 13 19.0%
Both 16 6 22 36.4%
Results summary – Premier League
Wins Draws Losses Win %
Home 9 2 8 47.4%
Away 4 2 13 21.1%
Both 13 4 21 34.2%

The 2005–06 season proved tough for the club finishing 15th in the Premier League after a turbulent end to the season. The season began with last season's top goalscorer Shaun Wright-Phillips joining Premier League champions Chelsea for a fee of £21 million.[1] Wright-Phillips was a fan favourite having made over 150 appearances for the club and winning Manchester City's Young Player of the Year award four times in succession.[2]

In the following week, Manchester City announced the signings of Andy Cole from Fulham and Darius Vassell from Aston Villa. The Blues ended their preseason with a 3–1 victory against Greek champions Olympiacos in the Thomas Cook Trophy. In this match, City fans were given their first introduction to Yaya Touré who put the visitors ahead.[3]

The club started the season unbeaten in their first five matches, taking 10 points from 12 matches. Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce was subsequently awarded the Barclays Manager of the Month award for August.[4] City then went on to suffer three successive defeats in September, including a 3–0 defeat on penalties to League 1 side Doncaster, which saw them exit the Carling Cup in the Second Round.[5]

The following months saw City's form continue to fluctuate. On December 4, Manchester City beat Charlton Athletic 5-2 at The Valley, setting a then-club record for their largest away win in the Premier League. Going into 2006, Manchester City were placed 9th in the League.

Robbie Fowler started off the new year with a hat-trick in the Third Round of the FA Cup against Scunthorpe. The following weekend, Manchester City won the Manchester Derby 3-1 at home, in a match that saw Cristiano Ronaldo receive a straight red card for a reckless lunge on Andy Cole midway through the second half.[6]

The January Transfer Window saw Robbie Fowler return to Liverpool,[7] Joey Barton hand-in a transfer request[8] and Stuart Pearce splashing out £6 million on Heerenveen striker Georgios Samaras.[9]

Manchester City's final hope of silverware was put to an end after a Dean Ashton brace led West Ham into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, eliminating City in the quarter-finals.[10]

The season ended on disappointing form with losses in 9 of their 10 final matches in the Premier League. A winless City steadily drifted down the league from mid-table to 15th position before the season culminated.

For this season the shirt sponsor for all of the club's kits continued to be the previous season's sponsor, Thomas Cook, while the team kits were produced by the previous season's supplier, Reebok.

Home (version 1)

Home (version 2)

Away (version 1)

Away (version 2)

Third

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Position in final standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
13 Charlton Athletic 38 13 8 17 41 55 −14 47
14 Middlesbrough 38 12 9 17 48 58 −10 45
15 Manchester City 38 13 4 21 43 48 −5 43
16 Aston Villa 38 10 12 16 42 55 −13 42
17 Portsmouth 38 10 8 20 37 62 −25 38

Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
38 13 4 21 43 48  −5 43 9 2 8 23 20  +3 4 2 13 20 28  −8

Points at home: 29
Points away from home: 14

Points against "Big Four" teams: 4
Points against promoted teams: 9

6 points: Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Charlton Athletic, Sunderland
4 points: Manchester United
3 points: Everton, Newcastle United, Portsmouth, West Ham United
1 point: 0Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion
0 points: Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Fulham, Liverpool,
0Tottenham Hotspur, Wigan Athletic

Biggest home wins: 4–1 vs. Birmingham City, 17 December 2005
000000000000000003–0 vs. Newcastle United, 1 February 2006
Biggest home defeats: 1–3 vs. Arsenal, 4 May 2006
00000000000000000000–2 vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 4 January 2006
Biggest away win: 2–5 vs. Charlton Athletic, 4 December 2005
Biggest away defeats: 2–0 vs. West Bromwich Albion, 10 December 2005
00000000000& vs. Bolton Wanderers, 21 January 2006 & vs. Chelsea, 25 March 2006
00000000000& vs. Blackburn Rovers, 7 May 2006

Biggest home attendance: 47,192 vs. Manchester United, 14 January 2006
Smallest home attendance: 40,256 vs. Middlesbrough, 2 April 2006
Biggest away attendance: 67,839 vs. Manchester United, 10 September 2005
Smallest away attendance: 19,556 vs. Portsmouth, 11 March 2006

Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundHAAHAHAHHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHA
ResultDWWWDLLWWLWLDLWLWLLDLWLWLWLWLLLLLLWLLL
Position1051235664645688878889891010910910111113131313141515

Updated to match(es) played on 7 May 2006 (end of season). Source: 2005–06 FA Premier League results
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Individual match reports

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

Left club during season

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

Information current as of 7 May 2006 (end of season)

  1. ^ "Wright-Phillips signs for Chelsea". 18 July 2005. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  2. ^ FootyTrivia (2 November 2022). "Are You a True Blue? Take the Ultimate Man City Quiz and Find Out!". Footy Trivia. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  3. ^ "City v Olympiacos 06 08 2005". mancity.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Pearce named manager of the month". 9 September 2005. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Doncaster Rovers v City 21 09 2005". mancity.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Classic match replay: City 3-1 United 2006". Manchester City FC. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  7. ^ "8. Robbie Fowler (January 2006)". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  8. ^ "City reject Barton request". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  9. ^ "City agree deal for Samaras". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Man City 1-2 West Ham". 20 March 2006. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  11. ^ Thatcher was born in Swindon, England, and has represented England at level, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally through his grandmother and made his full international debut for Wales in March 2004.
  12. ^ Musampa was born in Kinshasa, DR Congo (then Zaire).
  13. ^ Onuoha was born in Warri, Nigeria.
  14. ^ "Cole flies out to join Blues". Manchester Evening News. 19 July 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Andrew Cole transfer from Fulham complete". mcfc.co.uk. Manchester City Football Club. 20 July 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  16. ^ "City complete Vassell deal". Manchester Evening News. 27 July 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Next level for Darius Vassell". mcfc.co.uk. (Manchester City Football Club). 28 July 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  18. ^ "Man City sign Qatar star Hussein". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 August 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  19. ^ "Yasser in training". mcfc.co.uk. (Manchester City Football Club). 16 August 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  20. ^ "Man City extend Haapala's trial". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 21 November 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  21. ^ "Haapala earns a deal at Man City". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 12 December 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  22. ^ "Samaras seals £6m Man City switch". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 30 January 2006. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  23. ^ "City: Samaras looks for a fresh start". Manchester Evening News. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  24. ^ "Blues complete Mills deal". Manchester Evening News. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  25. ^ "SWP completes Chelsea move". Manchester Evening News. 18 July 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  26. ^ "Blackpool sign Birmingham's Kuqi". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 23 January 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  27. ^ "Liverpool make shock Fowler swoop". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 27 January 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  28. ^ "Mansfield get D'Laryea and Wilson". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g "Sommeil heads Man City clear-out". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 11 May 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  30. ^ "Kiki to stay on". Manchester Evening News. 6 June 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Musampa stays at Man City on loan". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 5 June 2005. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  32. ^ "Riera clinches Man City loan move". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 5 January 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2011.