2005–06 Scottish Third Division
{{Infobox football league season
| competition = Scottish Third Division
| season = 2005–06
| winners = Cowdenbeath
| promoted = Cowdenbeath
| relegated = n/a
| matches = 180
| total goals = 518
| league topscorer = Martin Johnston (20)
| biggest home win = Cowdenbeath 6–0 Queen's Park
(18 February 2006)
| biggest away win = East Stirlingshire 0–7 Stenhousemuir
(21 March 2006)
| highest scoring = Arbroath 7–2 East Stirlingshire
(26 November 2005)
| longest wins = 7 games
Berwick Rangers
| longest unbeaten = 14 games
Berwick Rangers
| longest winless = 11 games
East Stirlingshire
| longest losses = 7 games
East Fife
| highest attendance =
| lowest attendance =
| prevseason = 2004–05
| nextseason = 2006–07
}}
The 2005–06 Scottish Football League Third Division was the 12th season in the format of ten teams in the fourth-tier of Scottish football. The season started on 6 August 2005 and ended on 29 April 2006. Cowdenbeath finished top and were directly promoted to the 2006–07 Scottish Second Division.
The 2005–06 season saw the introduction of the play-offs in which the ninth placed team of the Scottish Second Division would enter and knock-out tournament with the teams ranked second, third and fourth in the Scottish Third Division. Berwick Rangers, Stenhousemuir and Arbroath entered the play-offs against Alloa Athletic of the Second Division, who emerged play-off winners and avoided relegation.
Teams for 2005–06
{{Location map+ |UK Scotland|width=350 |float=right |caption=Location of teams in 2005–06 Scottish Third Division |places=
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=55.860238 |long=-4.011453 |label=}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=56.552233 |long=-2.591554 |label=Arbroath|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=55.76006 |long=-2.015759 |label=Berwick Rangers|position=bottom}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=56.108714 |long=-3.347919 |label=}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=56.188463 |long=-2.999797 |label=East Fife|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=56.000109 |long=-3.780727 |label=}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=57.651538 |long=-3.3200732 |label=Elgin City|position=bottom}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=56.721440 |long=-2.4661846 |label=Montrose|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=56.02732 |long=-3.814759 |label=Stenhousemuir|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|marksize=6 |lat=55.825973 |long=-4.252768 |label=Queen's Park|position=bottom}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png |lat=55.819238 |long=-4.011453 |label=Albion Rovers|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png |lat=56.128714 |long=-3.347919 |label=Cowdenbeath|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |UK Scotland|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png |lat=55.964191|long=-3.798637|label=East Stirlingshire}}
}}
Gretna as champions of the 2004–05 season were directly promoted to the 2005–06 Scottish Second Division alongside Peterhead who finished second. They were replaced by Berwick Rangers, who finished bottom of the 2004–05 Scottish Second Division, and Arbroath respectively.
=Overview=
Relegated from Second Division to Third Division
Promoted from Third Division to Second Division
Stadia and attendances
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| Team
!Stadium !Average | ||
|---|---|---|
| Arbroath | Gayfield Park | style="text-align:center;"| 591 |
| Albion Rovers | Cliftonhill | style="text-align:center;"| 367 |
| Berwick Rangers | Shielfield Park | style="text-align:center;"| 472 |
| Cowdenbeath | Central Park | style="text-align:center;"| 471 |
| East Fife | Bayview Stadium | style="text-align:center;"| 475 |
| East Stirlingshire | Firs Park | style="text-align:center;"| 255 |
| Elgin City | Borough Briggs | style="text-align:center;"| 429 |
| Montrose | Links Park | style="text-align:center;"| 422 |
| Queen's Park | Hampden Park | style="text-align:center;"| 506 |
| Stenhousemuir | Ochilview Park | style="text-align:center;"| 475 |
Table
|show_limit=5
|res_col_header=PQ
|team1=COW|name_COW=Cowdenbeath
|team2=BER|name_BER=Berwick Rangers
|team3=STE|name_STE=Stenhousemuir
|team4=ARB|name_ARB=Arbroath
|team5=ELG|name_ELG=Elgin City
|team6=QPA|name_QPA=Queen's Park
|team7=EFI|name_EFI=East Fife
|team8=ALB|name_ALB=Albion Rovers
|team9=MON|name_MON=Montrose
|team10=EST|name_EST=East Stirlingshire
|win_COW=24|draw_COW=4|loss_COW=8|gf_COW=81|ga_COW=34|status_COW=C,P
|win_BER=23|draw_BER=7|loss_BER=6|gf_BER=54|ga_BER=27
|win_STE=23|draw_STE=4|loss_STE=9|gf_STE=78|ga_STE=38
|win_ARB=16|draw_ARB=7|loss_ARB=13|gf_ARB=57|ga_ARB=47
|win_ELG=15|draw_ELG=7|loss_ELG=14|gf_ELG=55|ga_ELG=58
|win_QPA=13|draw_QPA=12|loss_QPA=11|gf_QPA=47|ga_QPA=42
|win_EFI=13|draw_EFI=4|loss_EFI=19|gf_EFI=48|ga_EFI=64
|win_ALB=7|draw_ALB=8|loss_ALB=21|gf_ALB=39|ga_ALB=60
|win_MON=6|draw_MON=10|loss_MON=20|gf_MON=31|ga_MON=59
|win_EST=6|draw_EST=5|loss_EST=25|gf_EST=28|ga_EST=89
|col_P=green1|text_P=Promotion to the Second Division
|result1=P
|col_PP=yellow1|text_PP=Qualification for the Second Division Play-offs
|result2=PP|result3=PP|result4=PP
|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
|note_res_PP=The 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams will be entered into a play-off with the Second Division's 9th placed team. The winning team will be awarded a place in the 2006–07 Second Division, Alloa Athletic won the play-off to stay in the division.
|update=complete
|source=[https://int.soccerway.com/national/scotland/third-division/2005-2006/regular-season/ Soccerway]
}}
Top scorers
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
| Rank
!Scorer !Goals !Team |
|---|
| 1
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Martin Johnston |20 |style="text-align:left;"|Elgin City |
| bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
|2 |style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Liam Buchanan |17 |style="text-align:left;"|Cowdenbeath |
| 3
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Colin Cramb |16 |style="text-align:left;"|Stenhousemuir |
| bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
|4 |style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Paul McGrillen |15 |style="text-align:left;"|Stenhousemuir |
| 5
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Kevin Haynes |13 |style="text-align:left;"|Berwick Rangers |
| bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
|6 |style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Greig Henslee |10 |style="text-align:left;"|Montrose |
| rowspan="5"|7
|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Gareth Hutchison |rowspan="5"|9 |style="text-align:left;"|Berwick Rangers |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Iain Diack
|style="text-align:left;"|Stenhousemuir/ |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Jay Stein
|style="text-align:left;"|Arbroath |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} Mark Booth
|style="text-align:left;"|Elgin City |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|Scotland}} David McKenna
|style="text-align:left;"|Cowdenbeath |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Scottish Third Division}}
{{2005-06 in Scottish football}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2005-06 Scottish Third Division}}