2005/06 Cup Progress FA Cup Third Round (replay) vs Everton (a) - lost 1-0. Carling Cup Fourth Round vs Birmingham City (h) - lost 4-3 on penalties with the score at 2-2 after extra time.
Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Ben May (striker) - 11 goals.
Players In Adam Cottrell (Charlton Athletic - Free), Gavin Grant (Gillingham - Free), Darren Byfield (Gillingham - Free), Leonard Pidgeley (Chelsea - Free), Zak Whitbread (Liverpool - Free), Filipe Morais (Chelsea - Free), Derek McInnes (Dundee United - Free), Tom Brighton (Clyde - Free), Richard Shaw (Coventry City - Free), Chris Day (Oldham Athletic - Free)
Players Out Andy Marshall (Coventry City - Free), Curtis Weston (Swindon Town - Free), Josh Simpson (Released), Trevor Robinson (Released), Joe Healy (Released), Carl Asaba (Released), Sammy Igoe (Released), Carlos Fangueiro (Released), Berry Powell (Released).
Millwall surprisingly crashed out of the Championship last season following several seasons as a solid top 10 side and even secured a place in Europe during the 2004/05 campaign after reaching the FA Cup final. Amazingly, the Lions went through five managers last season as the club attempted to halt the slide into League One, with Steve Claridge, Colin Lee, David Tuttle, Alan McLeary and Tony Burns all have ill-fated short stints in the hot seat.
Nigel Spackman, after nearly five years out of management takes charge for the new season and wholesale changes have been made to the playing staff. At the time of writing, Spackman has bought 10 new players and shipped out nine as he attempts to return to the second tier at the first time of asking.
Gillingham's top goal scorer last season, Darren Byfield, left the Kent outfit to join Millwall on a two year contract. The former Aston Villa, Rotherham United and Sunderland striker finished the season as top scorer with 14 goals despite missing several weeks through suspensions and injury.
Veterans Richard Shaw, after nearly 11 years at Coventry City and former West Bromwich Albion midfielder Derek McInnes, who joined on a free transfer from Dundee United, will add experience to the squad, while the club are also taking a chance on Scotland under 21 international striker Tom Brighton. The former Rangers trainee scored nine goals for Clyde last season and helped to knock giants Celtic out of the Scottish Cup in January.
Verdict What Millwall need is stability and consistency following the shambles of last season. Spackman has brought plenty of quality to the club and if they can gel quickly then a play off place, pushing for an automatic promotion spot, is not out of the question.
2005/06 Cup Progress FA Cup Fourth Round vs Charlton Athletic (a) - lost 2-1. Carling Cup First Round vs Luton Town (h) - lost 3-1. Football League Trophy Southern Section Second Round vs Oxford United (a) - lost 1-0.
Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Gary Alexander (striker) - 15 goals.
Players In Wayne Corden (Scunthorpe United - Free).
Players Out Gabriel Zakuani (Fulham - ?1,000,000)
Leyton Orient have been almost guaranteed to finish in the lower reaches of League Two so it was something of a shock when a third placed finish last season ensured automatic promotion for the first time in 36 years and catapulted them into League One.
Both manager Martin Ling and assistant Dean Smith have been rewarded for the achievement and have signed new two year contracts at Brisbane Road. Ling is also to be given a testimonial for ten years' service as a player and manager at the newly promoted club.
Ling made winger Wayne Corden his first signing as a League One manager following the 30 year old's loan from Scunthorpe United last season. Corden joined on a free transfer and penned a two year deal.
However, star defender Gabriel Zakuani has departed the club for Premiership outfit Fulham, in a deal believed to be worth ?1,000,000. Zakuani, a Democratic Republic of Congo international, made almost 100 appearances for the O's and scored three goals. If the one million pound fee is true, this will eclipse the previous club record ?600,000 that Orient were paid for John Chiedozie in 1981.
Ling is looking for a suitable replacement for Zakuani but does not intend making any further purchases, preferring to stick largely with the squad he has at his disposal.
While Zakuani has moved on for pastures new, two other players have pledged their future to the Brisbane Road club. Former Cambridge United defender Adam Tann has signed a long term contract after impressing following a short term deal when he arrived at the club in January. Striker Jabo Ibehre, who scored eight goals last season, has also been offered a new two year contract.
Verdict After losing their star defender and no decent replacements coming in despite receiving a substantial transfer fee, it's straight back down for the Orient next May. They are available for relegation at odds of 7/2.
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