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2005–06 in Scottish football

Football in Scotland
Season 2005–06
2004–05 Scotland 2006–07
2005–06 in Scottish football
Flag of Scotland with football.png
Premier League champions
Celtic
First Division champions
St Mirren
Second Division champions
Gretna
Third Division champions
Cowdenbeath
Scottish Cup winners
Heart of Midlothian
League Cup winners
Celtic
Challenge Cup winners
St Mirren
Junior Cup winners
Auchinleck Talbot
Teams in Europe
Celtic, Dundee United, Hibernian, Rangers
Scotland national team
2006 World Cup qualification, Kirin Cup

The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.

The Scottish Premier League 2005–06 season finished in May 2006 with Celtic as champions. Livingston were relegated to the First Division and First Division winners St Mirren were promoted. For the first time in 11 years, when Celtic finished fourth behind Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian, the Old Firm were separated with Rangers finishing third behind Hearts. Kris Boyd was the top scorer with 32 goals (15 for Kilmarnock and 17 for Rangers). Attendances went up to 3.7 million, the highest figure in top-flight Scottish football since the 1960s.

Hearts became the first non-Old Firm club to win the Scottish Cup since they themselves lifted the trophy in 1998. Second Division side Gretna became the first club in history from the third-tier of Scottish football to reach the final. Celtic meanwhile lifted the League Cup in what was manager Gordon Strachan's first trophy as manager. St Mirren were winners of the Challenge Cup in a season that would eventually see them promoted to the SPL. Auchinleck Talbot lifted the Junior Cup.

Average coefficient - 4.250

Scotland failed in their attempt to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, eventually finishing third in their group. However, significant improvement was shown in results with just two defeats from nine matches, compared with four defeats from nine during the previous season. Wins against Moldova and Norway and a draw at home to Italy had raised hopes that Scotland could gain second place behind Italy and therefore enter the play-offs. However a 1–0 defeat at home to Belarus ended their hopes of qualification. They finished the season strongly, however, with a victory over Slovenia and also lifted the Kirin Cup — beating Bulgaria and drawing with hosts Japan.


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