2005–06 Melbourne Victory FC season

Melbourne Victory were considered to be one of the future "powerhouse" football clubs in Australia prior to the 2005/06 A-League season, with Socceroos Kevin Muscat and Archie Thompson returning to Melbourne from successful club careers in Europe. It was widely believed that they would be contenders for the A-League championship. However, the team ended up finishing a disappointing seventh and missed out on the finals.

Melbourne Victory
2005–06 season
ManagerErnie Merrick
A-League7th
Pre-Season Challenge CupSemi-final
Top goalscorerArchie Thompson (8)
Highest home attendance18,260 vs Sydney FC (16 October 2005)
Lowest home attendance10,078 vs New Zealand Knights (4 February 2006)
Average home league attendance14,158

Players

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First-team squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   AUS Michael Theoklitos
2 MF   AUS Kevin Muscat (captain)
3 DF   AUS Daniel Piorkowski
4 DF   AUS Mark Byrnes
5 DF   BEL Geoffrey Claeys
6 DF   AUS Steve Pantelidis
7 FW   AUS Michael Ferrante
8 MF   AUS Andy Vlahos
9 FW   AUS Daniel Allsopp
10 FW   AUS Archie Thompson
No. Pos. Nation Player
11 MF   AUS Vince Lia
12 MF   AUS Carl Recchia
13 MF   AUS Kristian Sarkies
15 DF   AUS Adrian Leijer
16 DF   AUS Simon Storey
17 MF   AUT Richard Kitzbichler
18 MF   AUS Chris Tadrosse
19 FW   AUS Ricky Diaco
20 GK   AUS Eugene Galeković

Transfers

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In

Player From Country/State & League From Date
  Michael Theoklitos Bulleen Zebras   VPL
  Kevin Muscat Millwall   English Championship
  Daniel Piorkowski Melbourne Knights   VPL
  Mark Byrnes FC Hameenlinna   Finnish First Division
  Geoffrey Claeys Excelsior Mouscron   Jupiler League
  Steve Pantelidis Heidelberg United FC   VPL
  Michael Ferrante Fawkner Blues   VPL
  Andy Vlahos Cercle Brugge   Jupiler League
  Danny Allsopp Hull City   English Championship
  Archie Thompson Lierse SK   Jupiler League
  Vince Lia Fawkner Blues   VPL
  Carl Recchia South Melbourne FC   VPL
  Kristian Sarkies South Melbourne FC   VPL
  Adrian Leijer Melbourne Knights   VPL
  Simon Storey Altona Magic   VPL
  Richard Kitzbichler Austria Wien   Austrian Bundesliga
  Chris Tadrosse Blacktown City FC   NSW Premier League
  Ricky Diaco Bulleen Zebras   VPL
  Eugene Galekovic SC Beira-Mar   Primeira Liga

Matches

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2005-06 Hyundai A-League fixtures

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28 August 2005 Round 1 Sydney FC   1 : 1   Melbourne Victory Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
17:00 UTC 10 Yorke   44' Thompson   73' Attendance: 25,208
Referee: Mark Shield
4 September 2005 Round 2 Melbourne Victory   2 : 2   Perth Glory Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
17:00 UTC 10 Kitzbichler   11'
Muscat   85' (pen)
Caceres   40'
Despotovski   56'
Attendance: 17,960
Referee: Matthew Breeze
9 September 2005 Round 3 Adelaide United   1 : 0   Melbourne Victory Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
19:30 UTC 9:30 Brain   1'
Alagich   15'
Attendance: 8,785
Referee: Peter O'Leary
18 September 2005 Round 4 Queensland Roar   1 : 1   Melbourne Victory Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
15:00 UTC 10 Baird   62'
McKay   40'
Allsopp   88' Attendance: 15,444
Referee: Ben Williams
25 September 2005 Round 5 Melbourne Victory   1 : 0   Newcastle Jets Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
17:00 UTC 10 Thompson   68' Attendance: 13,831
Referee: Craig Zetter
10 October 2005 Round 7 Melbourne Victory   3 : 0   New Zealand Knights Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
19:00 UTC 10 Kitzbichler   23'
Muscat   62'
Diaco   64'
Attendance: 11,010
Referee: Peter Green
16 October 2005 Round 8 Melbourne Victory   5 : 0   Sydney FC Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
13:00 UTC 10 Kitzbichler   34'
Muscat   53'   78'
Thompson   57'   69'
Talay   58' Attendance: 18,206
Referee: Matthew Breeze
23 October 2005 Round 9 Perth Glory   2 : 1   Melbourne Victory Members Equity Stadium, Perth
17:00 UTC 8 Deane   22'
Sekulovski   55'
Thompson   39' Attendance: 12,312
Referee: Mark Shield
28 October 2005 Round 10 Melbourne Victory   0 : 1   Adelaide United Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
20:00 UTC 10 Veart   83' Attendance: 16,201
Referee: Matthew Breeze
4 November 2005 Round 11 Melbourne Victory   0 : 1   Queensland Roar Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
20:00 UTC 11 Matt McKay   15' Attendance: 13,239
Referee: Mark Shield
28 November 2005 Round 14 New Zealand Knights   2 : 3   Melbourne Victory North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
20:00 UTC 11 Christie   31'
Devine   41' (pen)
Muscat   41' (pen)
Kitzbichler   44'
Kitzbichler   75'
Attendance: 1,922
Referee: Peter O'Leary
3 December 2005 Round 15 Sydney FC   2 : 1   Melbourne Victory Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
19:00 UTC 11 Corica   24'
Carney   81'
Allsopp   88' Attendance: 17,272
Referee: Mark Shield
29 December 2005 Round 16 Melbourne Victory   2 : 2   Perth Glory Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
20:00 UTC 11 Thompson   23'
Allsopp   45'
Mori   24'
Ward   67'
Attendance: 14,754
Referee: Peter O'Leary
5 January 2006 Round 17 Adelaide United   1 : 0   Melbourne Victory Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
20:00 UTC 11 Dodd   14' Attendance: 13,427
Referee: Mark Shield
15 January 2006 Round 18 Queensland Roar   0 : 1   Melbourne Victory Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
19:00 UTC 11 Thompson   55' Attendance: 12,710
Referee: Mark Shield
3 February 2006 Round 21 Melbourne Victory   2 : 1   New Zealand Knights Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
17:00 UTC 11 Byrnes   2'
Muscat   21' (pen)
Brockie   90' Attendance: 10,078
Referee: Angelo Nadi

Ladder

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Adelaide United 21 13 4 4 33 25 8 43 Qualification for 2007 AFC Champions League group stage and Finals series
2 Sydney FC (C) 21 10 6 5 35 28 7 36
3 Central Coast Mariners 21 8 8 5 35 28 7 32 Qualification for Finals series
4 Newcastle Jets 21 9 4 8 27 29 −2 31
5 Perth Glory 21 8 5 8 34 29 5 29
6 Queensland Roar 21 7 7 7 27 22 5 28
7 Melbourne Victory 21 7 5 9 26 24 2 26
8 New Zealand Knights[a] 21 1 3 17 15 47 −32 6
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.

2005–06 end-of-season awards

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