The 2005–06 season was Reading's 135th year in existence and fourth consecutive season in the Championship, since their promotion from the Second Division in 2002, and covers the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006.
Reading finished the season as Champions, winning promotion to the Premier League for the first time, and registered the highest points total gained in a professional league season with 106, bettering the previous record held by Sunderland by 1 point.
Review and events
Pre-season
Transfers Following the completion of the 2004–05 season Reading announced on 11 May that veteran duo Martin Keown and Les Ferdinand, along with Ricky Newman, Bas Savage and youngster Louie Soares would not have their contracts renewed and were free to leave the club. On 22 June striker Nicky Forster left the club after 6 years, opting to sign for Ipswich Town having turned down a new contract at Reading. He was followed in the days after by Paul Brooker and Lloyd Owusu who both moved to Brentford on free transfers. On 21 July Andy Hughes moved to Norwich City in a deal thought to be worth £500,000 and the next day Dean Morgan moved to Luton Town on a free transfer. The final summer departure from the Madejski was Shaun Goater who agreed to have his contract terminated by mutual consent on 27 July.
The first signings of the summer were Irish pair Kevin Doyle and Shane Long who joined from Cork City on 7 June. Stephen Hunt arrived from Brentford on a free transfer on 29 June and he was followed by Graham Stack who signed on a six-month loan from Arsenal on 7 July. Leroy Lita was signed from Bristol City for a then club record £1,000,000 on 14 July and on 22 July Brynjar Gunnarsson transferred from Watford for an undisclosed fee. On 2 August Chris Makin and John Oster both arrived on free transfers from Leicester City and Burnley respectively. Eric Obinna signed on a short-term deal on 24 August and Reading's summer transfer business was completed by Sekou Baradji who was signed on loan from West Ham on 1 September.
August Reading's first match in the Championship was a home game against Plymouth Argyle on 6 August and despite dominating the game Reading lost 1 – 2. Having gone one down Leroy Lita equalised with a goal on his debut but a late finish from Nick Chadwick was enough to give Plymouth all the points. On 9 August Reading faced Brighton in the first of two away games with goals in each half for Glen Little and Dave Kitson enough for a 2 – 0 victory. Reading then faced a trip north to Preston on 13 August and a came away with a comfortable 3 – 0 win thanks to a brace from Lita and a second goal in four days from Glen Little. Reading returned to the Madejski on 20 August to face Millwall in a game they won emphatically 5 – 0. Bobby Convey scored two and one each from James Harper, Kitson and Steve Sidwell completed the scoring.
Reading faced Swansea City on 23 August in the first round of the League Cup. Kitson opened the scoring on 13 minutes but an 80th-minute equaliser from Adebayo Akinfenwa saw the game go into extra times with the score at 1–1. A second goal Kitson and one for Lita in extra time were enough to earn a 3–1 victory and progress into the second round. Reading were back in league action on 27 August away at Watford though neither team could make the breakthrough and it ended 0 – 0. The last game in August saw Reading at home in the league against Burnley. Leroy Lita put Reading into the lead on 7 minutes but Burnley equalised through Ade Akinbiyi. Kevin Doyle won the match for Reading with his first goal for the club on 70 minutes with the game finishing 2 – 1.
September After a 12-day break Reading travelled to the Ricoh Arena to face Coventry City on 10 September. A second goal in two games from Kevin Doyle was only enough for a 1 – 1 draw with Rob Page equalising in the 86th minute. Three days later Reading faced Crystal Palace at home in a game they won 3 – 2. Kevin Doyle opened the scoring for Reading but Andy Johnson equalised shortly after and Clinton Morrison then gave Palace the lead at the start of the second half. However goals from Leroy Lita and Ibrahima Sonko were enough to secure the win for Reading. Next up was the visit of Crewe on 17 September which Reading won 1 – 0 thanks to a 78th-minute header from Ivar Ingimarsson. Reading were back in Football League Cup action on 20 September with a second round home tie against Luton Town. A single John Oster goal was enough to see Reading progress to the third round. On 24 September Reading traveled to Norwich City in the Football League Championship recorded and a third straight 1 – 0 win thanks to a goal from James Harper. The final game in September was at Southampton which finished 0 – 0 with both sides having chances but failing to make the breakthrough.
===October===
Reading continued their impressive form in October, winning five consecutive league matches. On 1 October, Reading defeated Sheffield United 2–1 at home, with Brynjar Gunnarsson scoring twice to cement their position at the top of the table. Reading also progressed in the League Cup, defeating Sheffield United 2–0 in the third round on 25 October.
Squad
No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Contract ends Apps. Goals Goalkeepers 1 Marcus Hahnemann GK Fulham 2002 190 0 21 Graham Stack GK Arsenal 2005 2008 8 0 28 Jamie Young GK Youth team 2002 1 0 Defenders 2 Graeme Murty DF York City 1998 286 2 3 Nicky Shorey DF Leyton Orient 2001 219 9 5 Ibrahima Sonko DF Brentford 2004 94 4 14 John Halls DF Stoke City 2006 3 1 16 Ívar Ingimarsson DF Wolverhampton Wanderers 2003 130 7 18 Michael Dobson DF loan from Brentford 2005 2006 1 0 23 Chris Makin DF Leicester City 2005 2006 19 0 25 Johnny Mullins DF Youth team 2004 0 0 26 Curtis Osano DF Youth team 2005 1 0 27 Aaron Brown DF Tamworth 2005 0 0 34 Scott Golbourne DF Bristol City 2006 1 0 Midfielders 4 Steve Sidwell MF Arsenal 2003 150 26 6 Brynjar Gunnarsson MF Watford 2005 34 4 7 Glen Little MF Burnley 2004 84 6 10 Stephen Hunt MF Brentford 2005 46 3 11 John Oster MF Burnley 2005 41 2 15 James Harper MF Arsenal 2001 239 13 17 Bobby Convey MF D.C. United 2004 67 7 20 Jonny Hayes MF Youth team 2004 0 0 33 Conor Sinnott MF Bray Wanderers 2006 0 0 Forwards 8 Leroy Lita FW Bristol City 2005 32 15 12 Dave Kitson FW Cambridge United 2003 94 46 19 Kevin Doyle FW Cork City 2005 51 19 24 Shane Long FW Cork City 2005 15 4 31 Simon Cox FW Academy 2005 6 0 Out on loan 14 Simieon Howell MF 2005 0 0 32 Adam Federici GK Torres 2005 0 0 Left during the season 18 Darren Campbell MF Academy 2003 1 0 22 Peter Castle DF Academy 2003 1 0 27 Ryan Catney MF Academy 2003 0 0 29 Eric Obinna FW 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2005 8 0 30 Sekou Baradji DF loan from West Ham United 2005 2005 1 0
On loan
Left club during season
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 7 June 2005 FW Kevin Doyle Cork City Undisclosed 7 June 2005 FW Shane Long Cork City Undisclosed 29 June 2005 MF Stephen Hunt Brentford Free 14 July 2005 FW Leroy Lita Bristol City £1,000,000 22 July 2005 MF Brynjar Gunnarsson Watford Undisclosed 2 August 2005 DF Chris Makin Leicester City Free 2 August 2005 MF John Oster Burnley Free 24 August 2005 FW Eric Obinna 1. FC Kaiserslautern Free 14 November 2005 MF Conor Sinnott Bray Wanderers Free 30 December 2005 DF Aaron Brown Tamworth Undisclosed 30 December 2005 GK Graham Stack Arsenal Undisclosed 6 January 2006 DF Scott Golbourne Bristol City Undisclosed 19 January 2006 DF John Halls Stoke City £250,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 30 November 2005 MF Ryan Catney Lisburn Distillery Free 31 January 2006 DF Peter Castle Rushden & Diamonds Free
Loans in Start date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref. 7 July 2005 GK Graham Stack Arsenal 6-month loan 1 September 2005 MF Sekou Baradji West Ham United 2-month loan 23 November 2005 DF Aaron Brown Tamworth 30 December 2005 24 November 2005 DF Michael Dobson Brentford Season long loan
Loans out Start date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref. 4 August 2005 MF Simieon Howell Forest Green Rovers Season long loan 9 September 2005 MF Darren Campbell Tamworth December 2005 GK Adam Federici Northwood One month loan 10 January 2006 DF Peter Castle Rushden & Diamonds Season long loan January 2006 GK Adam Federici Carshalton Athletic Season long loan 4 July 2006 MF Conor Sinnott Limerick November 2006
Released Date Position Nationality Name Joined Date Ref November 2005 MF Darren Campbell Colchester United January 2006 31 January 2006 FW Eric Obinna Stevenage Borough 31 May 2006 DF Johnny Mullins Mansfield Town Free 30 June 2006 MF Simieon Howell Basingstoke Town August 2006 30 June 2006 GK Jamie Young Wycombe Wanderers 2 August 2006 30 June 2006 DF Chris Makin Southampton 16 August 2006
Competitions Overview
Championship
Results summary
Results by round
Results
League table
FA Cup
Football League Cup
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|Players who left Reading during the season:
Goal scorers PlacePositionNationNumberNameChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotal1 FW12Dave Kitson1804222 FW19Kevin Doyle1810193 FW8 Leroy Lita1131154 MF4 Steve Sidwell1000105 MF15James Harper7007MF17Bobby Convey70077 FW7 Glen Little50058 DF6 Brynjar Gunnarsson4004 Own goal4004FW24Shane Long310411 DF5 Ibrahima Sonko300312 DF16Ívar Ingimarsson2002DF3 Nicky Shorey2002MF10Stephen Hunt2002MF11John Oster101216 DF2 Graeme Murty1001DF14John Halls1001TOTALS9966111
Clean sheets PlacePositionNationNumberNameChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotal1 GK1 Marcus Hahnemann2201232 GK21Graham Stack0011TOTALS220224
References General: Official Yearbook Reading FC 2006/07 ()