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 DatePosNameFromFee3 June 2005FW Daryl Murphy Waterford United£100,00010 June 2005DF Nyron Nosworthy GillinghamFree13 June 2005FW Jon Stead Blackburn Rovers£1,800,00014 June 2005GK Kelvin Davis Ipswich Town£1,250,00022 June 2005MF Tommy Miller Ipswich TownFree6 July 2005MF Martin Woods Leeds UnitedFree2 August 2005DF Alan Stubbs EvertonFree2 August 2005FW Anthony Le Tallec LiverpoolSeason-long loan9 August 2005GK Joe Murphy West Bromwich AlbionFree10 August 2005FW Andy Gray Sheffield United£1,100,00024 August 2005MF Christian Bassila StrasbourgFree31 August 2005DF Justin Hoyte ArsenalSeason-long loan25 January 2006FW Kevin Smith Leeds UnitedFree31 January 2006MF Rory Delap SouthamptonFree
Out DatePosNameToFee14 June 2005DF Mark Lynch Hull CityFree1 July 2005MF Jeff Whitley Cardiff CityFree1 July 2005FW Marcus Stewart Bristol CityFree1 July 2005FW Brian Deane Perth GloryFree11 July 2005MF Sean Thornton Doncaster Rovers£175,00025 July 2005GK Thomas Myhre FredrikstadFree25 July 2005FW Michael Bridges Bristol CityFree12 August 2005DF Neill Collins Hartlepool UnitedLoan31 August 2005GK Mart Poom ArsenalLoan8 September 2005FW Chris Brown Hull CityLoan23 September 2005MF Grant Leadbitter Rotherham UnitedLoan21 October 2005GK Joe Murphy WalsallLoan24 November 2005MF Carl Robinson Norwich CityLoan24 November 2005FW Daryl Murphy Sheffield WednesdayLoan12 January 2006DF Dan Smith Huddersfield TownLoan17 January 2006MF Carl Robinson Norwich City£50,00020 January 2006DF Alan Stubbs EvertonFree23 January 2006GK Mart Poom ArsenalFree17 February 2006DF Neill Collins Sheffield UnitedLoan1 March 2006MF Andy Welsh Leicester CityLoan16 March 2006FW Andy Gray BurnleyLoan
Players First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Results Sunderland's score comes first.
WinDrawLoss
League Cup +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers2nd20 September 2005 Cheltenham TownStadium of Light1–0 (after extra time)11,969Le Tallec3rd25 October 2005 ArsenalStadium of Light0–347,366
FA Cup +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers3rd8 January 2006 Northwich VictoriaStadium of Light3–019,323N. Collins, Whitehead, Le Tallec4th28 January 2006 BrentfordGriffin Park1–211,698Arca
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 +DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers 16 July 2005 Vancouver Whitecaps Swangard Stadium (Burnaby, British Columbia) 0–3 6,857 20 July 2005 Seattle Sounders Qwest Field (Seattle, Washington) 1–0 8,502 Lawrence 23 July 2005 Portland Timbers 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
References
Notes