The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football by Rangers.
Overview Rangers played a total of 52 competitive matches during the 2005–06 season. Their start to the season was poor, winning only six league games out of the first 17. The period from October through to early December saw the team embark on one of the worst runs in their history, going ten games without a win. The league form scarcely improved as they failed to catch Hearts and so finished third in the league.
The domestic cup competitions were not productive as the club went out of the League Cup at the quarter final stage to Celtic, losing 2–0 at Celtic Park. They lost 3–0 also at Ibrox to Hibernian on 4 February 2006 to go out of the Scottish Cup in the fourth round and end their last hope of silverware for the season.
Rangers did however qualify for the Champions League group stages, and a 1–1 draw with Internazionale saw Rangers progress to the last 16 for the first time in the club's history, and the first Scottish team to do so. They were then eliminated by Spanish side Villarreal on the away goals rule.
This season turned out to be the last for manager Alex McLeish, with his imminent departure at the end of the season being announced in February following the Scottish Cup exit and a 2–0 defeat away to Aberdeen in the league.
Players
Squad information
Transfers
In
DatePlayerFromFee9 June 2005 Ian Murray Hibernian Bosman14 June 2005 Brahim Hemdani Marseille Bosman6 July 2005 José-Karl Pierre-Fanfan Paris Saint-Germain Bosman8 July 2005 Federico Nieto Almagro Loan11 July 2005 Dany N'Guessan Auxerre Free4 August 2005 Julien Rodriguez Monaco £1,000,00030 August 2005 Sotirios Kyrgiakos Panathinaikos Free31 August 2005 Filippo Maniero Torino Free31 August 2005 Olivier Bernard Southampton Free31 August 2005 Francis Jeffers Charlton Athletic Loan1 January 2006 Kris Boyd Kilmarnock £400,00012 January 2006 Moses Ashikodi West Ham United Free
Out
DatePlayerToFee31 May 2005 Bojan Djordjic Plymouth Argyle Free6 June 2005 Shota Arveladze AZ Alkmaar Bosman8 June 2005 Tom Brighton Clyde Free8 June 2005 Graeme Smith Motherwell Free8 June 2005 Alex Walker Greenock Morton Free8 June 2005 Warren Jacmot Lyon-Duchère Free4 August 2005 Jukka Santala Partick Thistle Loan13 August 2005 Bajram Fetai Silkeborg Nominal 29 August 2005 Allan McGregor Dunfermline AthleticLoan31 August 2005Michael Ball PSV EindhovenFree31 August 2005Dragan Mladenović Red Star BelgradeFree31 August 2005Maurice Ross Sheffield Wednesday Free31 August 2005Zurab Khizanishvili Blackburn RoversLoan31 August 2005Charlie Adam St MirrenLoan31 August 2005Brian McLean Motherwell Loan12 October 2005Filippo Maniero Free AgentContract terminated28 December 2005Federico NietoAlmagroEnd of loan10 January 2006Steven Thompson Cardiff City£250,00017 January 2006Ross McCormack Doncaster Rovers Loan27 January 2006Jukka Santala FC Nordsjælland Free10 April 2006Zurab Khizanishvili Blackburn Rovers£500,00021 April 2006Brian McLean MotherwellUndisclosed
Expenditure: £1,400,000 Income: £750,000 Total loss/gain: £650,000
Squad statistics
Goal scorers PLeagueScottishCupLeagueCupChampionsLeagueTotal15FWKris Boyd1732026MFPeter Løvenkrands144189FWDado Pršo93124MFThomas Buffel42176MFBarry Ferguson555DFMarvin Andrews31410FWNacho Novo21314DFSotirios Kyrgiakos111317MFChris Burke3319FWSteven Thompson21323FWFederico Nieto12344FWRoss McCormack11132DFFernando Ricksen1116DFJulien Rodriguez1118DFJosé-Karl Pierre-Fanfan11
Last updated: 7 May 2006 Source: Match reports Only competitive matches
Club
Board of directors
Coaching staff
Other staff
Matches Pre-season and friendlies
Scottish Premier League
Scottish League Cup
Scottish Cup
UEFA Champions League
Competitions
Overall
Scottish Premier League
Standings
Results summary
Results by round
UEFA Champions League
Group H
References