2005–06_A-League

2005–06 A-League

2005–06 A-League

29th season of top-tier soccer league in Australia


The 2005–06 A-League was the 29th season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the inaugural season of the A-League. After over 12 months without a national professional club competition since the close of the 2003–04 National Soccer League season, the first match in the A-League was played on 26 August 2005. The competition was made up of a triple round robin league stage before a championship playoff featuring the top four teams.

Quick Facts Season, Dates ...

Of the eight participants, four came from the National Soccer League (1977–2004): Perth Glory (established 1995), New Zealand Knights (1999), Newcastle Jets (2000) and Adelaide United (2003). New Zealand Knights had previously entered the NSL as the Auckland Football Kingz, but were significantly restructured and have a vastly different playing roster. Queensland Roar previously competed in the NSL from 1977 to 1988 and had competed in the Queensland State League since then as Brisbane Lions.

Adelaide United were named Premiers after finishing the season seven points clear at the top of the league. The first A-League Grand Final took place on 5 March 2006, with Sydney FC becoming the league's inaugural Champions, defeating the Central Coast Mariners 1–0.

Clubs

Foreign players

The following do not fill a Visa position:
1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian Residency (and New Zealand Residency, in the case of Wellington Phoenix);
2Australian residents (and New Zealand residents, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team;
3Injury Replacement Players, or National Team Replacement Players;
4Guest Players (eligible to play a maximum of ten games)

Salary cap exemptions and captains

Preliminary Competitions

Two competitions were held prior to the start of the A-League season.

Oceania Club Championship Qualification

This three-round competition was held in May 2005 to determine Australia's qualifier for the 2005 season of the Oceania Club Championship. It consisted of all Australian A-League clubs (i.e. all clubs except for the New Zealand Knights) and granted Perth Glory – the reigning NSL champions – a bye into the semi-finals.

Round 1
(7 May)
Semi-finals
(11 May)
Finals
(15 May)
      
Perth Glory 1
Sydney FC 2
Sydney FC 3
Queensland Roar 0
Sydney FC 1
Central Coast Mariners 0
Central Coast Mariners (p) 0 (4)
Newcastle Jets 0 (2)
Central Coast Mariners 4
Adelaide United 0
Adelaide United (p) 0 (4)
Melbourne Victory 0 (1)

Sydney FC qualified for and subsequently won the 2005 Oceania Club Championship entitling it to a place in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship to be played in Tokyo.

Pre-Season Challenge Cup

The inaugural pre-season cup was held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the A-League season. The competition featured a group stage and a knockout stage. Commentators did not give much weight to the competition as a guide for performance during the season proper, as injuries or club strategic policy ruled that many teams did not use their best players and often used experimental tactics.

Group stage

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: [citation needed]

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: [citation needed]

Finals

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
12 August
 
 
Melbourne Victory1
 
21 August
 
Central Coast Mariners3
 
Central Coast Mariners1
 
14 August
 
Perth Glory0
 
Sydney FC0
 
 
Perth Glory1
 

The Central Coast Mariners were the inaugural Pre-season Challenge Cup winners.

Regular season

The A-League season commenced on 26 August 2005 with two Friday night fixtures. Games each round were held throughout the weekend, though certain rounds also featured Thursday night games. As there was no concurrent cup competition, midweek fixtures were uncommon unless they were held on Australian public holidays. A three-week break was also scheduled in December to coincide with the 2005 FIFA Club World Cup in Tokyo.

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: ultimatealeague.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. New Zealand Knights cannot qualify for the AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.

Results

Round 1

26 August 2005 Perth Glory 0–1 Central Coast Mariners Members Equity Stadium, Perth
20:00 UTC+8 Report
Summary
Spencer 66' Attendance: 11,113
Referee: Ben Williams

Round 2

Round 3

10 September 2005 Perth Glory 2–1 Queensland Roar Members Equity Stadium, Perth
19:35 UTC+8 Despotovski 54', 72' Report
Summary
Moon 76' Attendance: 8,509
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 4

18 September 2005 Newcastle Jets 4–0 New Zealand Knights EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
17:00 UTC+10 Haliti 12'
Thompson 26'
Musialik 37'
Carle 70' (pen.)
Report
Summary
Attendance: 7,495
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 5

22 September 2005 New Zealand Knights 0–1 Perth Glory North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
20:00 UTC+12 Report
Summary
Harnwell 68' Attendance: 4,138
Referee: Neil Fox
25 September 2005 Melbourne Victory 1–0 Newcastle Jets Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
17:00 UTC+10 Thompson 68' Report
Summary
Attendance: 13,831
Referee: Craig Zetter

Round 6

Round 7

8 October 2005 Newcastle Jets 1–5 Perth Glory EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
19:30 UTC+10 Parisi 72' Report
Summary
Mori 33', 62'
Harnwell 46'
Despotovski 52'
Sekulovski 80'
Attendance: 5,868
Referee: James Lewis

Round 8

14 October 2005 Adelaide United 2–4 Newcastle Jets Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
19:30 UTC+9:30 Valkanis 38'
Corbo 67' (o.g.)
Report
Summary
Kemp 12' (o.g.)
Carle 22', 89'
Zelic 68'
Attendance: 13,182
Referee: Mark Shield
16 October 2005 New Zealand Knights 0–2 Queensland Roar North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
18:00 UTC+12 Report
Summary
Seo 8'
Baird 57'
Attendance: 4,182
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 9

Round 10

29 October 2005 Queensland Roar 0–0 Perth Glory Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
19:30 UTC+10 Report
Summary
Attendance: 13,685
Referee: Simon Przydacz
30 October 2005 Sydney FC 1–1 Newcastle Jets Aussie Stadium, Sydney
17:00 UTC+10 Carney 73' Report
Summary
Milicic 77' Attendance: 9,132
Referee: Mark Shield

Round 11

5 November 2005 Central Coast Mariners 1–5 Sydney FC Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
20:00 UTC+11 Hutchinson 40' Report
Summary
Yorke 9' (pen.)
Talay 14'
Petrovski 23', 68', 83'
Attendance: 10,529
Referee: Simon Przydacz
6 November 2005 Adelaide United 2–4 Perth Glory Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
16:30 UTC+10:30 Veart 13' (pen.)
Rees 53'
Report
Summary
Mori 9', 34', 45+1'
Despotovski 39' (pen.)
Attendance: 10,868
Referee: Ben Williams

Round 12

11 November 2005 Perth Glory 3–0 New Zealand Knights Members Equity Stadium, Perth
19:00 UTC+8 Ward 69'
Sekulovski 25'
Despotovski 12'
Attendance: 9,667
Referee: Craig Zetter
11 November 2005 Melbourne Victory 0–0 Newcastle Jets Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
20:00 UTC+11 Attendance: 12,407
Referee: Simon Przydacz
13 November 2005 Sydney FC 1–0 Queensland Roar Aussie Stadium, Sydney
17:00 UTC+11 Zdrillic 54' Attendance: 13,030
Referee: Ben Williams

Round 13

19 November 2005 Sydney FC 0–0 Perth Glory Aussie Stadium, Sydney
19:00 UTC+11 Attendance: 16,242
Referee: Matthew Breeze
20 November 2005 Adelaide United 1–0 New Zealand Knights Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
16:30 UTC+10.30 Qu 38' Attendance: 9,676
Referee: Angelo Nardi

Round 14

25 November 2005 Perth Glory 0–1 Newcastle Jets Members Equity Stadium, Perth
17:00 UTC+8 Coveny 47' Attendance: 7,921
Referee: Simon Przydacz
27 November 2005 Adelaide United 3–2 Sydney FC Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
16:30 UTC+10.30 Rech 4', 84'
Veart 14'
Miura 33', 76' Attendance: 14,068
Referee: Mark Shield

Round 15

1 December 2005 Queensland Roar 1–1 New Zealand Knights Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
19:00 UTC+10 Brownlie 28' Yeo 44' Attendance: 8,607
Referee: James Lewis
2 December 2005 Newcastle Jets 1–2 Adelaide United EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
20:00 UTC+11 Johnson 59' Brain 79'
Veart 75'
Attendance: 10,132
Referee: Simon Przydacz
3 December 2005 Sydney FC 2–1 Melbourne Victory Aussie Stadium, Sydney
19:00 UTC+11 Carney 81'
Corica 24'
Allsopp 88' Attendance: 17,272
Referee: Matthew Breeze

Round 16

1 January 2006 Adelaide United 4–2 Queensland Roar Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
18:30 UTC+10.30 Rech 40', 63'
Qu 30'
Veart 29'
Baird 83'
Brosque 11'
Attendance: 8,426
Referee: Matthew Breeze

Round 17

6 January 2006 Sydney FC 0–0 Newcastle Jets Aussie Stadium, Sydney
20:00 UTC+11 Attendance: 15,211
Referee: Matthew Breeze
7 January 2006 Perth Glory 0–2 Queensland Roar Members Equity Stadium, Perth
19:00 UTC+8 Baird 80'
Reinaldo 10'
Attendance: 11,087
Referee: Peter Green

Round 18

12 January 2006 Perth Glory 1–2 Adelaide United Members Equity Stadium, Perth
19:00 UTC+8 Ward 86' Aloisi 71'
Qu 3'
Attendance: 5,033
Referee: Matthew Breeze
13 January 2006 Newcastle Jets 3–0 New Zealand Knights EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
20:00 UTC+11 Haliti 86', 90'
Milicic 19'
Attendance: 6,862
Referee: Perry Mur

Round 19

19 January 2006 New Zealand Knights 1–4 Perth Glory North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
20:00 UTC+13 Emblen 7' Harnwell 78'
Coyne 14'
Sekulovski 11', 42'
Attendance: 3,024
Referee: Neil Fox
21 January 2006 Queensland Roar 2–1 Sydney FC Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
19:00 UTC+10 Brosque 60', 70' Petrovski 85' Attendance: 13,302
Referee: Simon Przydacz

Round 20

27 January 2006 Central Coast Mariners 3–1 Melbourne Victory Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
20:00 UTC+11 Heffernan 88'
Spencer 28', 62'
Ferrante 13' Attendance: 11,945
Referee: Simon Przydacz
28 January 2006 New Zealand Knights 1–1 Adelaide United North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
20:00 UTC+13 Zhang 71' Brain 21' Attendance: 3,079
Referee: Perry Mur
29 January 2006 Perth Glory 1–2 Sydney FC Members Equity Stadium, Perth
16:00 UTC+8 Despotovski 53' Zadkovich 23'
Rudan 14'
Attendance: 12,796
Referee: Craig Zetter

Round 21

3 February 2006 Sydney FC 2–1 Adelaide United Aussie Stadium, Sydney
20:00 UTC+11 Ceccoli 71'
Yorke 48' (pen.)
Qu 90' Attendance: 25,557
Referee: Mark Shield
4 February 2006 Melbourne Victory 2–1 New Zealand Knights Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
18:00 UTC+11 Muscat 21' (pen.)
Byrnes 2'
Brockie 90' Attendance: 10,078
Referee: Angelo Nardi
5 February 2006 Newcastle Jets 1–3 Perth Glory EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
17:00 UTC+11 Coveny 34' Mori 71'
Picken 58' (o.g.)
Ward 9'
Attendance: 9,232
Referee: Matthew Breeze

Finals series

After the home and away season, the finals series began, with the top four teams. The finals series used a modified Page playoff system, with the difference that each first-round game would be played over two legs. The winner of the finals series, Sydney FC was crowned as the A-League champion. Adelaide United, as the holder of the top position on the league ladder, were named the 2005–06 premiers.

Standard cup rules – such as the away goals rule (two-leg ties only), extra time and penalty shootouts were used to decide drawn games.

10 February 2006 Minor semi-final leg 1 Newcastle Jets 0–1 Central Coast Mariners EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
20:00 UTC+11 Osman 76' Attendance: 10,236
Referee: Ben Williams
12 February 2006 Major semi-final leg 1 Adelaide United 2–2 Sydney FC Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
17:00 UTC+10.30 Rech 34'
Dodd 31'
Petrovski 39'
Corica 9'
Attendance: 15,104
Referee: Matthew Breeze
17 February 2006 Minor semi-final leg 2 Central Coast Mariners 1–1 Newcastle Jets Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
20:00 UTC+11 Heffernan 79' Thompson 28' Attendance: 17,429
Referee: Simon Przydacz
19 February 2006 Major semi-final leg 2 Sydney FC 2–1 Adelaide United Aussie Stadium, Sydney
17:00 UTC+11 Rudan 76'
Petrovski 29'
Qu 60' Attendance: 30,377
Referee: Mark Shield
5 March 2006 Grand final Sydney FC 1–0 Central Coast Mariners Aussie Stadium, Sydney
17:00 UTC+11 Corica 62' Attendance: 41,689
Referee: Mark Shield

Statistics

Attendance

More information Team, Hosted ...

Highest attendance

Leading goalscorers

More information Total, Player ...

Disciplinary records

Biggest victories

More information Score, Date ...

Highest aggregate scores

More information Score, Date ...

Other honours

Awards

AFC Champions League

Although Australia became a member of the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, Australian teams were not invited to participate in the 2006 AFC Champions League competition.

The AFC later determined that qualification for the 2007 AFC Champions League would be based on the 2005–06 A-League competition, despite that ACL matches will commence after the completion of the A-League 2006–07 season. Adelaide as Premiers and Sydney as Champions were the representatives.

See also

Notes

  1. Bazeley replaced Hay as captain mid-season, after they released Hay on 23 December 2005.[8]
  2. Deane's contract was mutually terminated part-way through his marquee deal and he left mid-season.[14]

References

  1. "Eastern promise arrives right on Qu". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 July 2005. The 30-year-old Chinese international, who has the potential to be one of the stars of the new A-League as Adelaide United's marquee signing...
  2. "Dodd Gets The Nod As Skipper". FTBL. 31 July 2008. Ross Aloisi taking over as the club's first Hyundai A-League captain and then Valkanis acquiring the role prior to the 2007/08 season.
  3. Lynch, Michael (30 April 2016). "Archie Thompson should play on after leaving Melbourne Victory". The Sydney Morning Herald. As Victory's inauguaral marquee signing...
  4. "Archie Thompson, Adrian Leijer sign new deals with Melbourne Victory". The Guardian. 2 May 2014. Victory's first ever signing, and scorer, will join up with new marquee Besart Berisha next season, after agreeing a new deal with the club that takes him inside the salary cap
  5. "Kevin Muscat appointed as new Melbourne Victory coach". The Guardian. 31 October 2013. Phoenix's Ernie Merrick was the Victory's inaugural coach and Muscat the club's inaugural captain
  6. "Player Profile - Danny Hay". New Zealand Football Foundation. Retrieved 9 January 2020. He started the 2006–2007 season as inaugural captain for the Auckland-based New Zealand Knights
  7. "Hyundai A-League set for big start". Football Federation Australia. 26 August 2006. Welcome news however is the availability of captain and key defender Darren Bazeley
  8. "Jets look to shut down Mariners". ABC News. 10 February 2006. Jets captain Ned Zelic says...
  9. Young, Richie (17 August 2007). "'Our Form Will Return' - North". FTBL. The Taree-born Socceroo says replacing former Jets captains Ned Zelic and Paul Okon came out of the blue at training.
  10. Davidson, John (17 August 2017). "Deane: I had to wash my own kit at Glory". FTBL. Deane was Perth's marquee signing for the first season of the new competition in 2005.[...] Deane's spell at the Glory was short-lived, with the centre forward departing mid-season
  11. "Roar name inaugural captain". ABC News. 3 May 2005. A-League club Queensland Roar have named Chad Gibson as their inaugural captain...
  12. "Yorke goes Down Under". The Guardian. 30 June 2005. The former Manchester United, Aston Villa, Blackburn and Birmingham striker is Sydney's marquee player

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