2005–06_Gillingham_F.C._season

2005–06 Gillingham F.C. season

2005–06 Gillingham F.C. season

Club's football season

During the 2005–06 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in League one of English football as well as the FA Cup, the League Cup and the League Trophy.

Quick Facts Chairman, Manager ...

Season summary

Gillingham began the 2005–06 season in League One under the management of Neale Cooper off the back of relegation on goal difference from the Championship the season prior. As the club went through a poor run of form from late August through September the pressure was mounting on the manager who, on multiple occasions during that period, made his frustrations with the players known to the media after particularly poor performances. These included a disappointing 0-0 draw at home against Yeovil Town[1] and the first round of the FA Cup in which Gillingham were knocked out by Burscough[2] who were competing in the Northern Premier League (part of the seventh tier of the English football league system). By mid-November, Gillingham found themselves in the relegation zone at 22nd in the league table[3] and Cooper made the decision to resign.[4] The club's assistant manager since December 2004, Ronnie Jepson, took over the role. This was initially intended to be a temporary solution until a permanent successor was found however due to an impressive turnaround of form Jepson would go on to keep the role for almost 2 years.[5]

Jepson was confident in his ability to turn the results around and keep Gillingham from a second consecutive relegation campaign with the squad that he inherited from Cooper.[6] An immediate improvement in form was noticeable with Gillingham taking 13 points from a possible 21 in the league for the remainder of the calendar year compared to just 17 of a possible 51 that Cooper had acquired since the beginning of the campaign. By the turn of the new year, Gillingham found themselves at 17th in the league,[7] comfortably out of the relegation zone. However, despite Jepson's initial confidence in the squad, a series of injuries and suspensions in Gillingham's forward lineup[8] throughout the early stages of 2006 led to difficulties in the attacking third with youngsters Gavin Grant and Akwasi Fobi-Edusei filling in for injured Paul Shields and Matt Jarvis.[9] Striker Darren Byfield, who missed two months in late 2005 with a knee injury,[10] also missed some games in early 2006 after he was hit with multiple suspensions.[11] Despite these setbacks, Byfield, who left Gillingham as a free transfer at the end of the season for local rivals Millwall despite Jepson being keen on keeping him at the club,[12] went on to be the club's top goal scorer that season, netting 14 goals in all competitions including 13 in the league.[13]

Final league table

Main article: 2005–06 Football League

Results

Gillingham's score comes first[14]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League One

Main article: 2005–06 Football League One
More information Date, Opponent ...

FA Cup

Main article: 2005–06 FA Cup
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League Cup

Main article: 2005–06 Football League Cup
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League Trophy

Main article: 2005–06 Football League Trophy
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Player details

Includes players with at least one appearance in any competition[13]

More information No., Pos ...

Transfers

[15]

Transfers In

More information Date, Position ...

Transfers Out

More information Date, Position ...

References

  1. [1]
    "Cooper fumes at Gills stalemate". BBC Sport. 16 October 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  2. [2]
    "Cooper feels let down by players". BBC Sport. 6 November 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  3. [3]
    "League One table after close of play on 15 November 2005". 11v11. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  4. [4]
    "Gillingham manager Cooper resigns". BBC Sport. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  5. [5]
    "Gillingham manager Jepson resigns". BBC Sport. 9 September 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  6. [6]
    "Jepson says squad is good enough". BBC Sport. 17 November 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  7. [7]
    "League One table after close of play on 31 December 2005". 11v11. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  8. [8]
    "Jepson rues Gillingham absentees". BBC Sport. 22 January 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  9. [9]
    "Jepson forced to use youngsters". BBC Sport. 23 January 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  10. [10]
    "Gills boss rues absence of trio". BBC Sport. 14 November 2005. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  11. [11]
    "Jepson praises stand-in strikers". BBC Sport. 12 March 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  12. [12]
    "Byfield agrees deal with Millwall". BBC Sport. 8 June 2006. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  13. [13]
    "All Gillingham football club players: 2006". 11v11. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  14. [14]
    "Gillingham football club match record: 2006". 11v11. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  15. [15]
    "Gillingham F.C. Club Details | Transfers". Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
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