2005–06 Leeds United A.F.C. season

With new players brought in over the summer, the club's goal during the 2005–06 season was promotion. Blackwell's shrewd tactics away from Elland Road and attacking style at home proved highly effective, and by the end of February, Leeds were third in the Championship. However, from that point onwards Leeds slumped, gaining just 4 points from a possible 18, and eventually had to settle for a play-off place. In the first round of the play-offs, against Preston North End, Leeds drew 1-1 at Elland Road, but won the return leg 2-0 to advance to the final, played on 21 May at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. However, in a dismal performance, Leeds crashed to a 3-0 defeat to Watford.[1] While some fans predicted that Leeds would go one better and finally return to the Premier League the following year, others were concerned by the fact that, with the exception of the bottom four teams, Leeds's form going into the play-offs was the worst of any team in the Championship, their only two wins in the final months of the campaign being the play-off victory against Preston and a narrow 1-0 victory against relegated Crewe Alexandra.

Leeds United's score comes first[2]

Squad at end of season[3]

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

No. Position Player 1 GK Neil Sullivan 2 DF Gary Kelly 3 DF Stephen Crainey 6 DF Paul Butler 7 MF Jermaine Wright 8 MF Sean Gregan 9 FW David Healy 10 FW Rob Hulse 11 MF Eddie Lewis 12 MF Danny Pugh 13 GK Ian Bennett 14 MF Steve Stone 15 DF Frazer Richardson 16 MF Gylfi Einarsson 17 MF Liam Miller (on loan from Manchester United)

No. Position Player 18 MF Simon Walton 19 MF Eirik Bakke 20 MF Jonathan Douglas 21 MF Shaun Derry 22 FW Ian Moore 23 DF Dan Harding 24 DF Rui Marques 25 FW Richard Cresswell 26 DF Matthew Kilgallon 27 MF Joel Griffiths 28 FW Robbie Blake 30 FW Michael Ricketts 32 FW Jermaine Beckford

Left club during season

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

No. Position Player 17 MF Matthew Spring (to Watford) 32 FW Justin Bowler (to Halifax Town) 34 DF Brenton Leister (to Halifax Town)

No. Position Player 34 FW Danny Graham (on loan from Middlesbrough) 35 FW Kevin Smith (to Sunderland)

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

No. Position Player 29 MF Ian Morris 31 DF Steven McKeown 33 MF Nick Gray

No. Position Player 36 GK Mark Wilberforce 40 FW Jamie Winter