2005–06 Melbourne Victory FC season

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

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.

Players

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. 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

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

2005-06 Hyundai A-League fixtures

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
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
11 November 2005 Round 12 Melbourne Victory 0 : 0 Newcastle Jets Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
20:00 UTC+11 Attendance: 12,407
Referee: Simon Przydacz
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
27 January 2006 Round 20 Central Coast Mariners 3 : 1 Melbourne Victory Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford
20:00 UTC+11 Spencer 28'
Spencer 63'
Heffernan 88'
Michael Ferrante 13' Attendance: 11,925
Referee: Simon Przydacz
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

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

References

  1. ^ "Honour Roll". Melbourne Victory FC. Retrieved 30 June 2025.