2004–05 West Ham United F.C. season, Season summary
Following the previous season's First Division play-off final loss to Crystal Palace, Rob Lee, Brian Deane, Wayne Quinn and Shaun Byrne were all released from West Ham on free transfers. They were closely followed by Kevin Horlock, who signed for Ipswich Town, and David Connolly, who left for Leicester City in a £500,000 deal. Sébastien Carole also returned to Monaco after his loan spell, while Richard Garcia and Elliott Ward signed new contracts.


2004–05 West Ham United F.C. season, Season summary
The first signing Alan Pardew made following the end of the previous season was goalkeeper James Walker, signed on a free transfer from Walsall, where he had been a folk hero. He was brought in as cover for Stephen Bywater. The following month former England international Teddy Sheringham and Serhiy Rebrov both signed on free transfers, from Portsmouth and Tottenham respectively. Their arrivals were closely followed by those of AFC Bournemouth captain Carl Fletcher for £275,000 and winger Luke Chadwick from Manchester United on a free transfer. In September, Malky Mackay signed for £300,000 from Norwich City.


2004–05 West Ham United F.C. season, Season summary
West Ham's biggest defeat of the season was away to Cardiff City on 2 November 2004 when they lost 4–1. The Welsh team featured former Hammer Jobi McAnuff, who created the first two goals and scored the fourth. West Ham's biggest win of the season came in their home game against Plymouth Argyle on 19 February 2005 when they won 5–0.


2004–05 West Ham United F.C. season, Season summary
West Ham only lost one of their last ten matches, which helped moved them from seventh to sixth, guaranteeing a play-off spot. The club returned to the FA Premier League at the second time of asking, defeating Preston North End in the 2005 Football League Championship play-off Final with a single goal from Bobby Zamora.


2004–05 West Ham United F.C. season, First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2004–05 West Ham United F.C. season, First-team squad, Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2004–05 West Midlands (Regional) League
The 2004–05 West Midlands (Regional) League season was the 105th in the history of the West Midlands (Regional) League, an English association football competition for semi-professional and amateur teams based in the West Midlands county, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and southern Staffordshire. It has three divisions, the highest of which is the Premier Division, which sits at step 6 of the National League System, or the tenth level of the overall English football league system.


2004–05 West Midlands (Regional) League, Premier Division
The Premier Division featured 18 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with three new clubs:


2004–05 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team
The 2004–05 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represented West Virginia University from Morgantown, West Virginia during the 2004-05 season. The team was led by head coach John Beilein and played their home games at WVU Coliseum. After losing in the championship game of the Big East Tournament, the Mountaineers would gain an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they would make a run to the Elite Eight. The team finished with a 24–11 record (8–8 Big East).


2004–05 Western Football League
The 2004–05 season was the 103rd in the history of the Western Football League.


2004–05 Western Football League
The league champions for the eighth time in their history, and the third time in four seasons, were Bideford. The champions of Division One were Willand Rovers.


2004–05 Western Football League, Final tables, Premier Division
The Premier Division was increased from 18 to 20 clubs after Paulton Rovers were promoted to the Southern League, and Dawlish Town and Elmore were relegated to the First Division. Five clubs joined:


2004–05 Western Football League, Final tables, First Division
The First Division was increased from 19 to 20 clubs after Hallen, Bitton, Bristol Manor Farm, Clyst Rovers and Corsham Town were promoted to the Premier Division and six clubs joined:


2004–05 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team
The 2004–05 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by head coach Darrin Horn and All Sun Belt Conference guard, Anthony Winchester. They finished 2nd in the  SBC East Division and were invited to the 2005 National Invitation Tournament. Future NBA player Courtney Lee was SBC Freshman of the Year and was named to the SBC All Tournament team.


2004–05 Wichita Thunder season
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by Ilamb94 (talk | contribs) at 02:40, 19 November 2019 (+ Infobox). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


2004–05 Wichita Thunder season
The 2004–05 Wichita Thunder season was the 13th season of the CHL franchise in Wichita, Kansas.


2004–05 Wigan Athletic F.C. season
During the 2004–05 English football season, Wigan Athletic F.C. competed in the Football League Championship.


2004–05 Wigan Athletic F.C. season, Season summary
After only 32 years as a Football League club, Wigan Athletic won promotion to English football's top flight for the first time in their history, by virtue of finishing second. This was also their highest-ever finish in the Football League in their history.


2004–05 Wigan Athletic F.C. season, Season summary
Wigan's league success did not translate to the domestic cup competitions: they only played one match in each cup before being knocked out. This may have turned out to be beneficial to Wigan, as it allowed the club to focus on the league rather than a cup run.


2004–05 Wigan Athletic F.C. season, First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2004–05 Wigan Athletic F.C. season, First-team squad, Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2004–05 William & Mary Tribe men's basketball team
The 2004–05 William & Mary Tribe men's basketball team represented The College of William & Mary during the 2004–05 college basketball season. This was head coach Tony Shaver's second season at William & Mary. The Tribe competed in the Colonial Athletic Association and played their home games at Kaplan Arena. They finished the season 8–21, 3–15 in CAA play and lost in the quarterfinals of the 2005 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament to rivals Old Dominion after defeating James Madison in the preliminary round. They did not participate in any post-season tournaments.


2004–05 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team
The 2004–05 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team represented University of Wisconsin–Madison. The head coach was Bo Ryan, coaching his fourth season with the Badgers. The team played its home games at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and is a member of the Big Ten Conference.


2004–05 Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey season
The 2004–05 Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey team was the Badgers' 5th season. Their record in the WCHA was 20-7-1.


2004–05 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season
The 2004–05 season was the 106th season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. They played the season in the 2nd tier of the English football system, the Football League Championship, after having suffered relegation from the Premier League during the previous campaign.


2004–05 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season, Season summary
Despite hopes for an immediate return to the top flight, their 2004–05 Championship campaign began dismally, and at one point the side sunk as low as 19th place. Following a 0–1 defeat at Gillingham, a side Wolves had beaten 6–0 just 18 months previous, Jones was sacked at the beginning of November.


2004–05 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season, Season summary
Another former England coach was hired the following month, as Glenn Hoddle was appointed on a rolling one-year contract. Under Hoddle, Wolves lost only one of their final 25 league games, but drew 15 to finish ninth in the final table – not enough to qualify for the play-offs.


2004–05 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season, Results, Pre season
Pre season began on 5 July with training based at the National Sports Centre at Lilleshall, before the squad flew to Tromsø, Norway to begin a three-match tour (16–22 July).


2004–05 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season, Results, Football League Championship
A total of 24 teams competed in the Championship during the 2004–05 season. Each team would play every other team twice, once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. The provisional fixture list was released on 24 June 2004, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage or police concerns.


2004–05 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season, Players, Statistics
Key:  ‡ On loan from another club   * First appearance(s) for the club


2004–05 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season, Players, Statistics
Correct as of end of season. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable.


2004–05 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season, Kit
The season saw a new kit manufacturer as Le Coq Sportif began a two-year merchandising deal. Chaucer Consulting began a five-year run as the club's shirt sponsor. This meant new home and away kits were produced; the away kit was a navy blue shirt with white shorts and socks.


2004–05 Women's National Cricket League season
The 2004–05 Women's National Cricket League season was the 9th season of the Women's National Cricket League, the women's domestic limited overs cricket competition in Australia. The tournament started on 30 October 2004 and finished on 13 February 2005.


2004–05 Women's National Cricket League season
The Victorian Spirit won the tournament after finishing second on the ladder at the conclusion of the group stage.


2004–05 World Sevens Series
The 2004–05 IRB Sevens World Series was the sixth of an annual IRB Sevens World Series of rugby sevens tournaments for full national sides run by the International Rugby Board since 1999–2000. The defending series champions New Zealand retained their title by winning the 2004–05 series.


2004–05 World Sevens Series, The season
In an event, 16 teams are entered. In each tournament, the teams are divided into pools of four teams, who play a round-robin within the pool. Points are awarded in each pool on a different schedule from most rugby tournaments—3 for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 for a loss. The first tiebreaker is the head-to-head result between the tied teams, followed by difference in points scored during the tournament.


2004–05 World Sevens Series, The season
Four trophies are awarded in each tournament. In descending order of prestige, they are the Cup, whose winner is the overall tournament champion, Plate, Bowl and Shield. Each trophy is awarded at the end of a knockout tournament.


2004–05 World Sevens Series, The season
In an event, the top two teams in each pool advance to the Cup competition. The four quarterfinal losers drop into the bracket for the Plate. The Bowl is contested by the third-place finishers in each pool, while the Shield is contested by the last-place teams from each pool.


2004–05 World Sevens Series, Points schedule
The season championship is determined by points earned in each tournament. For most events, points are awarded on the following schedule:


2004–05 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The 2004–05 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings is the 2004–05 edition of the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings. It is an assessment of racehorses which was issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) in August 2005. It includes horses aged three or older which raced or were trained during 2004–05 in countries where the flat racing year runs from August 1 to July 31 (and also South America, where it runs from July 1 to June 30). These countries are generally in the Southern Hemisphere, although some areas covered, such as Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, are actually north of the equator.


2004–05 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The ratings represent a weight value in pounds, with higher values given to horses which showed greater ability. It is judged that these weights would equalize the abilities of the horses if carried in a theoretical handicap race. The list includes all horses rated 115 or above, and it also shows the surface and the distances at which the rating was achieved.


2004–05 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The highest rating in the 2004–05 season was 123, which was given to the performances of both Roses in May in the Dubai World Cup and Silent Witness in the Hong Kong Sprint. In total, 23 horses were included in the list.


2004–05 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Full rankings for 2004–05
Certain horses may have also recorded a lesser rating over a distance different from that listed above. The IFHA publishes this information when the lower rating represents the overall top performance in a particular category. There was one such additional rating for this season:


2004–05 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Top ranked horses
The tables below show the top ranked horses overall, the top fillies and mares, and the top three-year-olds in the 2004–05 Rankings. They also show the top performers in various subdivisions of each group, which are defined by the distances of races, and the surfaces on which they are run. Top ranked horses rated less than 115 are included where known. The IFHA recognizes five distance categories — Sprint, Mile, Intermediate, Long and Extended — identified by the acronym "SMILE". These are framed as follows:


2004–05 Yeovil Town F.C. season
The 2004–05 season was Yeovil Town Football Club's second season in the Football League. It was also the season in which they gained promotion to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.


2004–05 Yeovil Town F.C. season, Season summary
The 2004–05 season was the club's second season in the Football League and manager Gary Johnson's fourth season in charge. Although they lost their first game of the season away to Bury, they started the season fairly well and were top of League Two with 10 games played. Despite going the next 5 league games without a win, a run of 10 league wins out of a possible 11 left them top of the table and 8 points clear of 4th placed Southend United.


2004–05 Yeovil Town F.C. season, Season summary
Yeovil also had some success in the FA Cup, setting up a 4th round tie away to Charlton Athletic, after defeating Darlington, Histon and Rotherham United in earlier rounds. Town were defeated 3–2 by Charlton in a close contest where Yeovil had a shot cleared off the line in the later stages of the game. Yeovil picked up 31 points from a possible 60 after this point, but it was enough for them to secure the title, finishing five points above 4th placed Southend United. The Glovers scored 90 goals, 21 more than any other team whilst Striker Phil Jevons was League Two's top scorer. At the end of the season, the club released five players including Latvian international Andrejs Štolcers while Polish striker Bartosz Tarachulski rejected the club's offer of a new contract.


2004–05 Ystalyfera RFC season
Following on from the good form at the end of the previous season, this new campaign started well with two league wins and progress through the preliminary round of the Swansea Valley Cup over Vardre 11-9 and over Treorchy 22-17 in the First Round of the Welsh Cup before the end of September. The Treorchy game was all the more rewarding, they being a Division Two East side experiencing a slide from the top flight – Simon Chatham scored a try from the wing and new Captain and outside half Damian James a try and four penalties.


2004–05 Ystalyfera RFC season
Problems and some bad luck then returned with only two league wins in the next sixteen games. The Welsh Cup Second Round tie versus Maesteg was scratched and exit from the Swansea Valley Cup was inflicted by Abercrave 7-17. Keeping up something of a habit, the last two games of the season were victories over the only teams below us, ensuring we again remained in Division Three. The first of these crucial fixtures was at home to Glynneath.


2004–05 Ystalyfera RFC season
An inspiring 57-17 was achieved by fast flowing rugby all over the field. Christian Roets, David Hawkins and Simon Donovan scored two tries each. Phillip Thomas, John Williams and Peter Abraham one try each, Gareth James kicked 6 conversions. Three days later Ystalyfera beat Ammanford 38-26 at Ynysydarren, Christian Roets scored a try, Damian James a try and four conversions, and Alun Guerrier four tries – a record in a single game by a forward.


2004–05 Ystalyfera RFC season
Damian James scored 202 points this season, Christian Roets getting 9 tries. Christian was also voted Players Player of the year whilst Arwel Williams was Supporters favourite.


2004–05 in Argentine football
The 2004-05 Argentine First Division season saw Américo Gallego's Newell's Old Boys win the Apertura title after a fierce battle against Vélez Sársfield for the supremacy. Vélez soon got over the disappointment after winning the Clausura with Banfield finishing second despite playing most of the tournament with a young squad because they were also competing the Copa Libertadores de América.


2004–05 in Argentine football
Huracán de Tres Arroyos and Almagro were relegated to the Nacional B after lackluster performance while Argentinos Juniors and Instituto played the promotion against Atlético de Rafaela and Huracán, respectively. Both won their series and were able to stay in the top category of the Argentine Football.


2004–05 in Argentine football, Torneo Clausura ("Closing" Tournament), Relegation, "Promoción" playoff
Argentinos Juniors wins 4-2 and remains in the Argentine First Division


2004–05 in Argentine football, Torneo Clausura ("Closing" Tournament), Relegation, "Promoción" playoff
Instituto wins 3-1 and remains in the Argentine First Division


2004–05 in Argentine football, National team
This section covers Argentina's games from August 1, 2004 to July 31, 2005.


2004–05 in Argentine football, National team
For the Olympic Games results, please see here. Those results are not tallied here because the team is made of Under–23 players, not the full squad.


2004–05 in Australian soccer
The 2004–05 season was the 36th season of competitive association football in Australia. After the National Soccer League folded, there was no men's national league competition for the 2004–05 season and was soon to be replaced by the A-League for the 2005–06 season.


2004–05 in Belgian football
The 2004–05 season was the 102nd competitive season in Belgian football.


2004–05 in Belgian football, Overview
The Brussels derby is played once again since FC Brussels promoted.


2004–05 in Belgian football, National team
Belgium began their qualifying campaign for the Football World Cup 2006.


2004–05 in Belgian football, Final tables, Third division, Third division A
For their second season since the renewal of the club, Y.R. K.V. Mechelen gained the title this time in extremis before R. Cappellen F.C., who reaches the third division playoffs along with Torhout 1992 K.M. and F.C. Denderleeuw respectively winners of the first and second slices. The third slice went to Mechelen so it is Cappellen that replaces them in the playoffs. K.F.C. Evergem-Center and K. Lyra T.S.V. are relegated to promotion while K.S.K. Wevelgem City will fight in the Promotion playoffs.


2004–05 in Belgian football, Final tables, Third division, Third division B
United Overpelt-Lommel won this year's edition with a comfortable advance and also won the last two slices. Oud-Heverlee Leuven has won the first slice so the 3rd and 4th placed teams (respectively K.S.K. Tongeren and R. Sprimont Comblain Sport) enter the playoffs. At the bottom of the table, Seraing R.U.L. and Veldwezelt will play Promotion next season while U.R. Namur will have to undergo the playoffs.


2004–05 in Danish football
The 2004-05 season in Danish football, starting July 2004 and ending June 2005:


2004–05 in Dutch football
The 2004-05 season in Dutch football saw PSV winning the double under the guidance of manager Guus Hiddink. Since PSV won the title in the Eredivisie, the losing KNVB Cup finalist, Willem II, earned the right to play in the UEFA Cup.


2004–05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.


2004–05 in English football, National team
England began their qualifying campaign for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They played alongside UK neighbours Wales and Northern Ireland in the European Group 6.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, FA Premier League
Chelsea, in their first season under new manager José Mourinho, broke records as they won their first League title for 50 years, losing just one Premiership game all season and setting a top-flight record of 29 wins and 95 points, in addition to winning the League Cup. Arsenal (unbeaten league champions a year earlier) extended their unbeaten run to 49 games before a controversial loss at Manchester United ended this remarkable achievement. Despite this, The Gunners were Chelsea's closest challengers and finished in second place, 12 points behind.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, FA Premier League
United kept the two London teams under pressure with their own impressive league form since ending Arsenal's run, but slipped up and ultimately took third place. Everton, who had only just avoided relegation a year earlier, surprised all the observers by clinching the fourth Champions League place (even more remarkable considering they lost striker Wayne Rooney to Manchester United at the end of August). Liverpool, in their first season under Rafa Benítez, suffered from indifferent domestic form and finished in fifth place, finishing much closer to the relegation zone in terms of points than the top.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, FA Premier League
Despite this, however, Benítez showed off his impressive managerial skills with an unforeseen and staggering Champions League run that took them to the final in Istanbul against highly regarded and highly tipped Italian club Milan, forcing the game into extra time and penalties. Liverpool kept the advantage in the shootout, winning 3–2 and ending a 21-year wait to win Europe's elite competition. This stunning achievement, considering Liverpool's poor domestic form that season, was enough for UEFA to allow Liverpool to become the fifth English team in next year's competition to take part, a first for European football.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, FA Premier League
Bolton Wanderers finished sixth – their highest league finish in decades and just a lower goal difference keeping them behind Liverpool – to qualify for the UEFA Cup, having never played in Europe before. Middlesbrough joined them, finishing seventh.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, FA Premier League
All three relegation places were decided on the final day of the season, for the first time in Premier League history. Crystal Palace, Norwich City and Southampton (after 27 years) went down, but West Bromwich Albion managed to stay up despite being bottom before the games started and also having the worst record of any Premiership team to avoid relegation (six wins and 34 points). They were also the first-ever Premiership team to avoid relegation after being bottom on Christmas Day, and the first top-flight team to achieve this feat since Sheffield United in 1991.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, The Football League, Football League Championship
After narrowly missing out on promotion the previous season, Sunderland clinched a return to the top-flight as champions. Wigan Athletic joined them as runners-up, entering the top-tier for the first time in their history and giving manager Paul Jewell his second promotion to the Premier League in six years. West Ham United made amends for their loss in the play-off final the previous year by beating Preston North End.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, The Football League, Football League Championship
Unusually, none of the sides relegated to the Championship in 2003–04 did particularly well. While Leeds United were widely predicted for a second successive relegation and possible bankruptcy (both of which looked likely in the middle of the season, but were staved off by another takeover), Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City were predicted to challenge for promotion. Instead, both sides started badly, and replaced their managers mid-season, never really looking like promotion contenders.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, The Football League, Football League Championship
At the bottom of the table, Rotherham United and Gillingham's luck finally ran out, and both were relegated after a short few years in which both clubs battled the odds on small budgets. What made bigger headlines was Nottingham Forest's relegation to League One, six years after they were in the Premiership, and which made them the first European Cup winners to drop to the third division of their domestic league. Dario Gradi's Crewe Alexandra managed to survive relegation on the last day of the season in their 2–1 win over Coventry City, which was their first win without striker Dean Ashton, who was sold to Norwich City for £3 million.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, The Football League, Football League One
Luton Town performed the best out of any League side to clinch promotion. Hull City joined them, their second promotion in as many seasons. Sheffield Wednesday – who looked like spending another season fighting relegation in the first few months – returned to the Championship under new manager Paul Sturrock, who put his sacking at Southampton behind him to lead Wednesday to their best season in nearly a decade.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, The Football League, Football League One
Going down to League Two were Stockport, who continued their decline which began with relegation from Division One in 2001–02, Peterborough United, feeling the strain of their financial situation, soon followed. Torquay United, whose first season out of the bottom division in 12 years, ended in disappointment and they were also relegated. The fourth relegated side would have been Milton Keynes Dons (formerly Wimbledon), but Wrexham went into administration and lost ten points as a result (despite the club's argument that it would be harder for them to exit administration if they were relegated).


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, The Football League, Football League One
Leading goalscorer: Stuart Elliott (Hull City) – 27, and Dean Windass (Bradford City) – 27


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, The Football League, Football League Two
Just two years after winning the Conference, Yeovil Town followed in Doncaster Rovers' footsteps by winning the League Two title. Scunthorpe United – relegation candidates the season before – joined them, while Swansea City edged the last automatic promotion spot. The side that they edged out, Southend United, made amends by winning the play-offs, beating Lincoln City in the final.


2004–05 in English football, Final standings, The Football League, Football League Two
At the bottom, Cambridge United and Kidderminster Harriers' finances hit them hard, and they fell out of the league, both on the back of signing several foreign players who proved ineffective. While Cambridge went into administration, this happened after they were already relegated, and made no difference overall, short of lifting Kidderminster above them.


2004–05 in English football, Transfer deals, Summer transfer window
The summer transfer window runs from the end of the previous season until 31 August.


2004–05 in English football, Transfer deals, January transfer window
The mid-season transfer window runs from 1 to 31 January 2005.


2004–05 in Pakistani football
The 2004–05 season was the 56th season of competitive football in Pakistan.


2004–05 in Portuguese football
The 2004–05 season saw Benfica clinch the SuperLiga Galp Energia title after almost 11 years without the championship. The SuperLiga had one of the most competitive years, with both Braga and Boavista fighting for the title for a reasonable amount of time, closing the gap on the Big Three of Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP. The Big Three all managed to qualify for the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, while Braga, Vitória de Guimarães and Vitória de Setúbal qualified for the 2005–06 UEFA Cup. Benfica did not manage to achieve the double, losing to Vitória de Setúbal in the 2004–05 Taça de Portugal final.


2004–05 in Portuguese football
In the League of Honour, Paços de Ferreira won the title and alongside newcomers Naval 1º de Maio and former competitors Estrela da Amadora secured their place in the first level of Portuguese football for 2005–06.


2004–05 in Portuguese football
In the UEFA competitions, the Portuguese teams qualified in the 2003–04 season were Porto and Benfica in the Champions League; Sporting CP, Braga, Martítimo and Nacional in the UEFA Cup; and União de Leiria in the 2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup. Early in the season, Porto lost the 2003 UEFA Super Cup to 2002–03 Champions League victors Milan. Porto would ultimately reach the round of 16 of the Champions League, where they were eliminated by Internazionale. In the middle of the season, Porto also won their second Intercontinental Cup against Once Caldas. Meanwhile, Sporting CP managed to reach the UEFA Cup Final (which was already chosen to be played at Sporting's Estádio José de Alvalade) where they lost to CSKA Moscow. The fact that Leiria reached the finals of the Intertoto Cup is also noteworthy.


2004–05 in Portuguese football
Meanwhile, the Portugal national football team managed to secure a comfortable position that would prove decisive in the qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2006.


2004–05 in Portuguese football, SuperLiga
After almost 11 years, the longest "drought" period in Benfica's history comes to an end. It was an "awkward" season, mainly due to the inconsistency of the perennial title candidates. Never a team had won the championship with such a small number of points since victories awarded three points. The 65 points of Benfica would only be sufficient to manage a fourth-place finish the year before and, considering a percentage of points awarded, their score of 64% would not have been enough to place them in first or second in any other of the previous Portuguese championships. Inconsistency was present in Benfica's season, but their main rivals were no better. In the upper part of the table, Braga's season was noteworthy: it was fighting for the title only four games before the end of the season.


2004–05 in Portuguese football, SuperLiga, Promoted teams
These teams were promoted from the League of Honour at the start of the season:


2004–05 in Portuguese football, SuperLiga, UEFA competitions and relegations
These teams were qualified for the UEFA competitions of 2005–06:


2004–05 in Portuguese football, SuperLiga, UEFA competitions and relegations
These teams were relegated to the League of Honour at the end of the season:


2004–05 in Portuguese football, Taça de Portugal
Vitória de Setúbal won their third Cup after beating Benfica 2–1 at the final played 29 May in the Estádio do Jamor. Simão scored first for Benfica, a penalty in the fifth minute, but an own goal by Ricardo Rocha in the 26th minute and another by Albert Meyong for Setúbal turned the game around.


2004–05 in Portuguese football, League of Honour, Promoted teams
These teams were promoted from the Second Division B at the start of the season:


2004–05 in Portuguese football, League of Honour, Promotions and relegations
The following teams were promoted to the SuperLiga (future Liga betandwin.com) for 2005–06:


2004–05 in Portuguese football, League of Honour, Promotions and relegations
The following teams were relegated to the Second Division for 2005–06:


2004–05 in Portuguese football, Portugal national team
KEY:  WCQ3 = World Cup Qualification match - Group 3; F = Friendly


2004–05 in Romanian football
The 2004/05 season was one of the best seasons of Divizia A in the 21st century. Steaua București became champions of Romania and Dinamo București won the Romanian Cup and the Romanian Super Cup. Rapid won third place in Divizia A.


2004–05 in Romanian football, European Cups, UEFA Champions League, Dinamo București
This section will cover Dinamo's games from July 28, 2004 until the start of August 25, 2004.


2004–05 in Romanian football, European Cups, UEFA Cup, Steaua București
This section will cover Steaua's games from August 12, 2004 until March 20, 2005.


2004–05 in Romanian football, European Cups, UEFA Cup, Oţelul Galaţi
This section will cover Oţelul's games from July 15, 2004 until August 26, 2004.


2004–05 in Romanian football, European Cups, UEFA Cup, Dinamo București
This section will cover Dinamo's games from September 16, 2004 until September 30, 2004.


2004–05 in Romanian football, European Cups, UEFA Intertoto Cup, Gloria Bistriţa
This section will cover Gloria's games from June 20, 2004 until June 27, 2004.


2004–05 in Romanian football, Romania national team
This section will cover Romania's games from Football World Cup 2006 (qualification UEFA).


2004–05 in Scottish football
The 2004–05 season was the 108th season of competitive football in Scotland.


2004–05 in Scottish football, League Competitions, Scottish Premier League
The 2004–05 Scottish Premier League season saw Rangers win the title after a last day win over Hibernian as Celtic were beaten by two late Motherwell goals from Scott McDonald, a win would have been enough for Celtic to retain their title regardless of Rangers' result. Dundee, also on the last day of the season, were relegated to the Scottish First Division after a draw with Livingston. Rangers and Celtic both qualified for the UEFA Champions League while Hibernian, in manager Tony Mowbray's first season in charge, went into the UEFA Cup. Inverness Caledonian Thistle, in their first season in the top flight, finished in 8th place.


2004–05 in Venezuelan football
The following article presents a summary of the 2004-05 football season in Venezuela.


2004–05 in Welsh football, Welsh Cup
Total Network Solutions beat Carmarthen Town 1–0 in the final of the Welsh Cup.


2004–05 in Welsh football, Welsh League Cup
Carmarthen Town beat Rhyl 2–0 in the final of the Welsh League Cup.


2004–05 snooker season
The 2004–05 snooker season was a series of snooker tournaments played between 11 September 2004 and 8 May 2005. The following table outlines the results for ranking events and the invitational events.


2004–05 snooker season, Official rankings
The top 16 of the world rankings, these players automatically played in the final rounds of the world ranking events and were invited for the Masters.


2004–05 snooker season, Points distribution
2004/2005 Points distribution for world ranking events, all new players received double points:


2004–05 synchronized skating season
The 2004–05 synchronized skating season began on July 1, 2004, and ended on June 30, 2005. During this season, which was concurrent with the season for the other four disciplines (men's single, ladies' single, pair skating and ice dancing), elite synchronized skating teams competed on the International Skating Union (ISU) Championship level at the 2005 World Championships and Junior World Challenge Cup. They also competed at various other international as well as national synchronized skating competitions.


2004–2005 Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a non-stop solo Round the World Yacht Race for IMOCA 60 class yachts this is the 5th edition of the race starting on the 7th November 2004 from Les Sables-d'Olonne.


2004–2005 Vendée Globe, Summary
The start of the 2004 race was watched by an estimated 300,000 people, which took place in mild weather. A fast start was followed by a few minor equipment problems, allowing the first racers to cross the equator just after 10 days. This was three days faster than the previous race, with all of the starters still sailing.


2004–2005 Vendée Globe, Summary
Attrition began on entry into the Roaring Forties: Alex Thomson diverted to Cape Town to make unassisted repairs and continue racing. The fleet encountered a number of other problems. Hervé Laurent retired with serious rudder problems, Thomson abandoned, and Conrad Humphreys anchored to make unassisted rudder repairs. Gear problems and abandonments continued, then the fleet ran into an area of ice, and Sébastien Josse hit an iceberg head-on.


2004–2005 Vendée Globe, Summary
The lead changed several times as the fleet re-entered the Atlantic. The race remained close right to the finish, which saw three boats finish within 29 hours.


2004–2005 Vendée Globe, Summary
The first Race Director Denis Horeau returned to the role after 15 years to head the event management team.


2004–2005 Vendée Globe, Entries, Participant Facts Equipment
Twenty skippers started the race a qualification passage was required to validate the registration of each boat, this course could have been carried out as part of another sailing race.


2004–2006 European Nations Cup First Division
The 2004–06 European Nations Cup doubled up as an element of qualification for the Rugby World Cup 2007. Ukraine replaced Spain as Champions of Division 2A. Romania and Georgia finished level on points, but Romania won the title on points difference; reigning champions Portugal finished in third place.


2004–2006 European Nations Cup Third Division
The 2004–2006 European Nations Cup was the fifth edition of the newly reformed European Championship for tier 2 & 3 Rugby Union Nations.


2004–2006 European Nations Cup Third Division
In  2004–05 Season, the team of second and third division play the first two round of European qualification for RWC 2007


2004–2006 European Nations Cup Third Division
The team defeated in the first round and two new teams (Azerbaijan) and Armenia) played a "challenge", that wasn't completed.


2004–2006 European Nations Cup Third Division
In 2005–06 a tournament was regularly played by the team excluded from third round of European qualification for RWC 2007


2004–2006 European Nations Cup Third Division, Pool A
The highest level was the Pool "A", with five teams, the best runner-up of RWC qualification


2004–2006 European Nations Cup Third Division, Pool B-C playoff
Preliminary play off was played between 6 team in two round, with two worst team of RWC 2007 qualification admitted to second round


2004–2006 European Nations Cup Third Division, Pool B
The middle level was the Pool "B", with five teams:


2004–2006 Montenegrin municipal elections
Montenegrin municipal elections were held in all 21 municipalities, between June 2004 and October 2006. It resulted in the victory of the ruling DPS-SDP coalition in 15 out of 21 municipalities, where they secured a majority, alone or in a coalition with national minority parties.


2004–2006 Montenegrin municipal elections, Results, Results in rest of municipalities
In seventeen other municipalities ruling Coalition for European Montenegro (DPS, SDP and HGI) win the power in most municipalities. It seize majority in Podgorica, Nikšić, Rožaje, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Bar, Danilovgrad,Mojkovac, Cetinje, Plav, Berane and Šavnik as well in Ulcinj where they form an post-election coalition with Democratic Union of Albanians to form local government. While the main opposition coalition Together for Change (SNP-SNS-NS-DSS) has secured the majority and forms the local government in Pljevlja, Plužine, Andrijevica and Kolašin municipalities.


2004–2008 Mississippi Legislature
The last election for the Mississippi Legislature was held in November 2003, with the election winners meeting in January 2004, to begin their four year terms of office.


2004–2008 legislature of the Romanian Parliament
In 2004 Romanian general election, held on 28 November, no party won an outright majority. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) won the largest number of seats but was in opposition because the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA), the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), the Romanian Humanist Party (PUR; which later became the Conservative Party), and the National Minorities formed a governing coalition. The Conservative Party (PC) withdrew in December 2006, meaning that the government lost the majority. In April 2007, the liberal Prime-Minister, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, dismissed the Democratic Party (PD) ministers from the government and formed a minority government with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), thereby marking the end of the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA).


2004–2008 legislature of the Romanian Parliament, Senate
The President of the Senate for this legislature was Nicolae Văcăroiu, who was elected on 20 December 2004. Following his ad interim presidency of Romania, he delegated his attributions to the vicepresident Doru Ioan Tărăcilă. After Văcăroiu was sworn in as president of the Court of Accounts, Ilie Sârbu was elected as the new President of the Senate.


2004–2008 legislature of the Romanian Parliament, Senate
The table below gives the state of play before the 2008 election; parties in bold were part of the governing coalition at the end of this legislature.


2004–2008 legislature of the Romanian Parliament, Chamber of Deputies
During the 2004–2008 legislature, the president of the Chamber of Deputies was Bogdan Olteanu from the National Liberal Party (PNL), who was elected on 20 March 2006, after the Chamber's former president, Adrian Năstase, was forced by his own party (the Social Democratic Party, PSD) to step down amidst allegations of corruption.


2004–2008 legislature of the Romanian Parliament, Chamber of Deputies
After the 2004 elections, several deputies from the Social Democratic Party switched to other parties (including the governing Justice and Truth Alliance, DA) or became independents, with the total number of Social Democratic Party seats being reduced from 113 to 105. The number of Justice and Truth Alliance (DA) deputies also increased from 112 to 118, making it the largest formation in parliament as of October 2006. This changed again in December 2006, leaving the Social Democratic Party with 107 seats and the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA) with 101. Since April 2007 the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA) has split leaving the two former members with 51 respectively 50 members. Deputies elected to the European Parliament in the 2007 election resigned, thus reducing the number of deputies to 314 as of 4 December 2007.


2004–2008 legislature of the Romanian Parliament, Chamber of Deputies
A new election was held in 2008. The table below gives the state of play before the 2008 election; parties in bold were part of the governing coalition at the end of this legislature. That coalition was tacitly supported by the PSD.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens
The 2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens in Washington, United States has been documented as a continuous eruption in the form of gradual extrusion of magma. Starting in October 2004 and ceasing in January 2008, a new lava dome was built up. The new dome did not rise above the rim of the crater created by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
On September 23, 2004, around 2:00 a.m. PDT, Mount St. Helens experienced an earthquake swarm, with about 200 small (less than magnitude 1) earthquakes occurring less than one-half mile (one kilometer) below the 1980s lava dome. Activity increased, and on September 26, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network issued a "notice of volcanic unrest", stating that a "hazardous event" was possible, and the U.S. Forest Service closed the mountain to all climbing. They also closed some trails in the area, due to the risk of debris flows from the possible melting of the Crater Glacier in the volcanic crater.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
Seismic activity continued to accelerate following the USGS advisory, with earthquakes approaching magnitude 2.5 occurring at a rate of about four per minute on September 29, prompting the USGS and Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network to issue a second advisory, increasing the "alert level" to the second of three levels, and warn of an increased likelihood of a steam explosion or eruption from the lava dome within the next few days. Such an event was expected to be relatively small and not pose a threat to regions beyond the immediate area of the mountain. However, the intensities and occurrences of the earthquakes continued to rise. The largest earthquake recorded was a magnitude 3.3.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
At 12:02 p.m. PDT on October 1, 2004, the mountain erupted a plume of steam and volcanic ash about 9,700 feet (about 3 kilometers) into the air (according to pilot reports), from a vent in the then-unnamed Crater Glacier just southwest of the lava dome. The resulting ash plume was reported to have drifted south to Vancouver, Washington, and Wood Village, Oregon, dusting cars with a fine layer of black, sooty ash.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
Mount St. Helens vented another plume of steam the next day at 12:14 p.m. PDT, which was stronger than the previous steam release. A low-frequency harmonic tremor followed the steam release, which led seismologists to raise the "alert level" to the third of three levels, indicating a potential threat to life and property. Accordingly, the Johnston Ridge Observatory overlooking Mount St. Helens was evacuated; television media established their bases at Castle Lake Viewpoint about nine miles (14 km) away, while tourists moved to various locations for several miles along State Route 504.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
On October 3, low-frequency harmonic tremor activity began at around 3:00 a.m. PDT and lasted for up to 90 minutes, which may have indicated the movement of magma beneath the mountain. The tremors were followed by a steam release at around 10:40 a.m.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
Mount St. Helens' eruptive activity continued over the following days, with steam releases occurring on October 4 at 9:47 a.m., 2:12 p.m., and at 5:40 p.m.; then again on the morning of October 5 at around 9:03 a.m., with an ash plume that dusted Randle, Morton, and Packwood, Washington, towns on or near U.S. Route 12 about 30 miles (48 km) from the volcano. Between steam releases, elevated seismic activity on the mountain continued with the strongest tremors remaining near magnitude 3.0.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
On October 6, the U.S. Geological Survey announced that the alert level was being lowered, saying "We no longer think that an eruption is imminent in the sense of minutes or hours."


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
Magma reached the surface of the volcano around October 11, resulting in the building of a new lava dome on the existing dome's south side. Dome building continued, with the USGS reporting in early November 2004 that magma was being extruded at a rate of 7 to 10 cubic meters per second. Had magma continued to extrude at this rate uninterrupted, the crater would have been completely filled and Mount St. Helens would have regained its former height in about eleven years. The Mount St. Helens  located at Johnston Ridge was able to view the new dome especially at night when the glow of new magma was visible via the camera's infrared capabilities.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2004 activity
Included in the new dome was a feature dubbed the "Whaleback" (named such because of its close resemblance to the back of a whale), which was a lava spine, a long shaft of solidified magma being extruded by pressure of magma underneath it. This feature was very hot but fragile. The edges of it began crumbling rapidly, forming loose material around the new dome. The rate of crumbling soon matched the rate of growth, with the size of the whaleback remaining fairly constant.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2005 activity
On February 1, 2005, the new lava dome on Mount Saint Helens measured 7,642 feet (2,329 m) in elevation. This brought its elevation to 1,363 feet (415 m) above the 1980 crater floor, approximately 2,000 feet (610 m) above the surface of the Crater Glacier, and 721 feet (220 m) below the highest point of the volcano. The whaleback feature measured approximately 1,550 feet (470 m) in length and 500 feet (150 m) in width.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2005 activity
The diameter of the new dome was about 1,700 feet (520 m), and it contained about 50 million cubic yards (40 million cubic meters) of material. The total amount of glacier lost by this date was estimated to be 5–10%, but the flow of water from the crater was almost unchanged because the porous nature of the floor of the crater caused the water to be absorbed quickly.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2005 activity
Mount St. Helens experienced major activity again on March 8, 2005, at about 5:30 p.m. PST, when a 36,000-foot (11 km) plume of steam and presumably ash was witnessed emerging from the volcano, accompanied by a tremor that measured about magnitude 2.5. The plume was visible from the metropolitan areas of Seattle, Washington, to Salem, Oregon, but only lasted for about 20–30 minutes. Ash was reported falling from the sky in Yakima, Washington, and surrounding areas. This activity was not considered a large eruption but merely a minor release of pressure consistent with the nature of dome building. Scientists believed it was triggered by a partial collapse of the lava dome. There was no increase in quake activity before the volcanic event.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2005 activity
By May 5, 2005, the highest point on the new dome was 7,675 feet (2,339 m), 688 feet (210 m) below the highest point of the volcano. It contained approximately 58 million cubic yards (45 million cubic meters) of material. Growth of the new dome continued steadily, and small earthquakes continued to be observed every few minutes. The whaleback feature disintegrated steadily but continued to be extruded as solidified lava pushed upward from below.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2005 activity
On July 2, 2005, the tip of the whaleback feature broke off, causing a rockfall that sent ash and dust several hundred meters into the air.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2006 activity
Following the collapse of the dome and whaleback, a new feature, termed the "slab", began growing. Approximately the size of a football field, the large, cooled volcanic rock was being forced upward as quickly as 6 feet (2 m) per day, though the top part of the slab would usually collapse on a daily basis, under its own weight.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2006 activity
On July 21, 2006, the crater rim was reopened to hikers.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2006 activity
On December 19, 2006, an eruption sent a steam plume billowing over Washington.


2004–2008 volcanic activity of Mount St. Helens, 2008 activity
After a relatively quiet 2007, on January 16, 2008, USGS geologist John S. Pallister spotted steam seeping from the lava dome in Mount St. Helens' crater. At approximately the same time, the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network recorded a magnitude 2.9 earthquake, followed by a small tremor that lasted for nearly ninety minutes, and a magnitude 2.7 earthquake. But by the end of January, the lava dome growth had stopped. On July 10, 2008, it was determined that the eruption that began in 2004 had ended, after 5 months of inactivity.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal
The 2004– 2010 Italian football scandal, also known as Caso Plusvalenze, was a scandal over alleged false accounting at Italian football clubs. The investigation started in 2004 and concluded in 2010.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Background
In the early 2000s, various Italian football clubs declared bankruptcy as benefactors withdrew financial support. Investigations found a widespread culture of illegality. Involved football clubs included A.C. Fiorentina (2002), Monza (2004), S.S.C. Napoli (2004), Ancona Calcio (2004), Torino Calcio (2005), A.C. Perugia (2005), Como (2005), Reggiana (2005), Salernitana Sport (2005) and A.C. Venezia (2005). In addition, Parma went into administration (bankruptcy) and was re-founded as Parma Football Club S.p.A. (2004).


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Background
Previously, some of these clubs profited by cross-trading players using the football transfer market, wherein multiple players were exchanged between clubs, generally involving monetary consideration. This practice typically resulted in short-term financial benefit for the clubs, but in the long run it increased expenditure through 'amortisation,' (the counterpart for tangible assets is depreciation) of players' financial value. In February 2003, a law was passed that allowed clubs to defer amortisation expenses (Italian Law 91/1981, Article 18B), and avoid recapitalisation through negative equity.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Background
Despite the law, many clubs continued to practice cross-trading in order to raise the short-term profit required to meet financial criteria for the 2003– 2004 season. The law was declared unconstitutional in 2005, which caused some clubs to recapitalize and remove their amortisation fund by 30 June 2007. As a result, the clubs had to overcome yet another capital shortfall, which later created controversy when re-evaluating their brand and mortgages to banks.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Background
Scandals also involved inaccurate dating of profits obtained via player transfers. For example, in July 2001 Roma sold their Japanese international midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata for 55 billion lire, but the club documented the profit in their accounts for the 2000–01 season, claiming that the deal was agreed to before the cut-off of the financial year, which was 30 June 2001 for most clubs.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Background
Before 2003, when cross-trading was prevalent, many injustices became evident. Examples include deals involving Giuseppe Colucci and Alberto Maria Fontana (Roma–Verona, both 12.5 billion lire fee); and an exchange that involved Amedeo Mangone, Paolo Poggi and Sergei Gurenko for Diego Fuser, Raffaele Longo and Saliou Lassissi (Roma–Parma, both 65 billion lire transfer fees in total).


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Background
Other deals included those of Matuzalém and an anonymous player (Parma–Napoli, both 14 billion lire); Manuele Blasi and Giuseppe Cattivera (Roma–Perugia, both 18 billion lire); Paolo Ginestra and Matteo Bogani (Milan–Inter); Giammarco Frezza and Alessandro Frau (Inter–Roma, both 8.8 billion lire) in 2001; Vratislav Greško and Matías Almeyda (Inter–Parma, both €16M fee); Luigi Sartor and Sebastiano Siviglia (Parma-Roma, both around €9M fee); Francesco Coco and Clarence Seedorf (Milan–Inter, both €29M fee); Davide Bombardini and Franco Brienza (Palermo–Roma, 50% rights both €5.5M fee); Gabriele Paoletti and Luigi Panarelli for Fontana–Frezza (Torino–Roma, 50% rights both €10.5M fee) in 2002; Rubén Maldonado and Gonzalo Martínez in January 2003.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Background
The scandal was a culmination of the period that the Italian media dubbed doping amministrativo (doping[-like] administration), bilanciopoli (balance sheet scandal), plusvalenze fittizie or plusvalenze fai-da-te (DIY profit). Bologna chairman Giuseppe Gazzoni Frascara proclaimed his innocence and reported false accounting to the Italian Football Federation. Bologna, however, was also involved in cross-trading, as when the remaining 50% rights of Jonatan Binotto were acquired from Juventus by selling Giacomo Cipriani, Alessandro Gamberini and Alex Pederzoli in 2000 for the same total transfer fee, and for selling Binotto to Internazionale for Fabio Macellari in 2001.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, The trading
Since the Italian Football Federation was unable to prove that the football clubs intended to "flop" the price of mature footballers, only deals involving youth players were punished.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, The investigation
In 2004, Roma and Lazio, followed by Milan and Internazionale, were investigated for false accounting. Moreover, the liquidator of Como pointed out its failure to Preziosi. The accusation suggested that the owner transferred Como's assets to Genoa at an uneconomical price. On A.C. Fiorentina's side, the liquidator from the Court of Florence found that the date of player profit and cross-trading were wrong on the balance sheet. Perugia's failure was also under investigation. The fall of Spezia Calcio was also linked to its previous owner Internazionale.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, The investigation
A separate charge related to Brunelli's was exposed in 2007; Brunelli claimed that the transfer document did not contain his signature and that he knew nothing when he was transferred from Milan to Internazionale. Brunelli was banned for two months from football, even though he was retired at the time. Brunelli's agent was charged and dismissed, and Brunelli sued Internazionale for negligence, forcing Brunelli to retire. This trial was also dismissed. Lazio was acquitted in 2007 along with Juventus. Roma was fined by the court of Rome.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, The investigation
In January 2007, the prosecutor exposed the alleged false account of Crespo (cash-plus player swap) and Domenico Morfeo (failure of Fiorentina). During an ongoing investigation of Parma, a football player, Amauri, was signed by Parma from Napoli as a free agent, but a massive agent fee was also paid. Amauri did not have EU citizenship and Italian clubs were commonly buying the non-EU registration quota from other clubs.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, The investigation
While the clubs sold the brand to their subsidiaries and mortgaged them, such as Inter Milan on "Inter Brand", A.C. Milan on "Milan Entertainment", A.S. Roma on "Soccer S.A.S. di Brand Management", and "S.S. Lazio Marketing & Communication S.p.A.", the move prompted Guardia di Finanza to visit Co.Vi.Soc. of Italian Football Federation to collect information. However, no further action was taken.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Aftermath
Sampdoria denied any wrongdoing in the Kalu–Antonini transfer. Zamparini, the chairman of Palermo, insisted that the fine was heavy, as the cross-trading was under previous ownership (Sensi). The club chose to defer to amortize the €10 million transfer fee of Franco Brienza (like every other club on flopped signing prior to 2002), instead of writing off €10 million immediately in order to appear in the 2002–03 financial year.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Aftermath
Failure to recapitalize and balance sheet related scandals still occurred, namely Treviso, S.S.C. Venezia, Gallipoli Acireale, Pergocrema  and board members of the clubs were given heavy fines.


2004–2010 Italian football scandal, Aftermath
Some research had criticized the effectiveness of the indicators of FIGC's Covisoc on the actual financial health of the football club.


2004–2010 Telangana protests
The Telangana protests 2004-2010 refers to the movements and agitations related to the Telangana movement that took place between the years 2004 and 2010. For the 2004 Assembly and Parliament elections, the Congress party and the TRS had an electoral alliance in the Telangana region to consider the demand of separate Telangana State. However, again in 2006, the then Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy categorically said that the state would remain united. This again resulted in statewide protests.


2004–2010 Telangana protests
In 2009, Union Minister of Home Affairs P. Chidambaram announced that the Indian government would start the process of forming a separate Telangana state, pending the introduction and passage of a separation resolution in the Andhra Pradesh assembly after an 11-day fast by Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao. This again resulted in protests across both Andhra and Rayalseema as in a short time of the Home Minister's declaration, MLAs from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions submitted their resignations in protest.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2004 to 2009
In the run-up to the 2004 Assembly & Parliament elections, then Union Home Minister L. K. Advani ruled out inclusion of Telangana in the NDA agenda and said "Unless there is consensus among all political parties in the state and unless that consensus is reflected in a resolution of the state Assembly, we don’t propose to include it in the NDA agenda"


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2004 to 2009
For these elections, the Congress party and the TRS forged an electoral alliance in the Telangana region to consider the demand of separate Telangana State. Congress came to power in the state and formed a coalition government at the centre; TRS joined the coalition after the common minimum programme of the coalition government included that the demand for separate Telangana state will be considered after due consultations and consensus.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2004 to 2009
In the 2004 Parliament's winter session, BJP advised TRS & Congress not to talk about separate Telangana and concentrate on more important issues such as suicides & starvation deaths. The Congress stood by the CWC resolution favouring a second SRC on the demand for smaller states.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2004 to 2009
In April 2006 the then Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy categorically said that the state would remain united. In September 2006 TRS withdrew support from the coalition government for failing to create an independent Telangana state.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2004 to 2009
In December 2006 the TRS won a by-election to the Karimnagar parliamentary constituency with a margin of 2.01 lakh votes. TRS and Congress leaders from Telangana continued their fight for the creation of a Telangana state in 2008. All TRS legislators in Parliament and in the State (4 MPs, 16 MLAs, and 3 MLCs) resigned in the first week of March 2008 and forced by-elections to increase pressure on the Congress party to take action. By-elections for the 16 MLA seats and the 4 MP seats were held on 29 May 2008.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2004 to 2009
During the election campaign, the TRS party called the by-election a referendum on a Telangana state. The Congress and TDP parties said it is not a referendum on Telangana, and said that they were not opposed to the formation of Telangana state. In June 2008, Tulla Devender Goud, a politbureau member and Deputy Leader of the Telugu Desam Party, resigned from the party, saying he would devote his time and energy to the formation of a separate Telangana state.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2004 to 2009
In July 2008, Goud and other leaders such as E. Peddi Reddy formed a new party called Nava Telangana Praja Party (NTPP). On 9 October 2008 the TDP announced its support for the creation of Telangana. Konda Laxman Bapuji of the Nava Telangana Party announced that "We solemnly declare statehood for Telangana on 2 November 2008."


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2009 to 2010, 2009 Assembly & Parliament Elections
In February 2009 the state government declared that it had no objection, in principle, to the formation of separate Telangana and that the time had come to move forward decisively on this issue. To resolve related issues, the government constituted a joint house committee. In the lead-up to the 2009 General Elections in India, all the major parties in Andhra Pradesh supported the formation of Telangana. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) again announced that they would create two more states, Telangana and Gorkhaland, if they won the election.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2009 to 2010, 2009 Assembly & Parliament Elections
The Congress Party said it was committed to Telangana statehood, but claimed that Muslim minorities were opposed to the creation of separate state, along with the majority of the people. The MIM party and Muslim leaders within Congress felt that the new state would jeopardise the interests of minorities, the safety and welfare of Muslims, and the future of the Urdu language.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2009 to 2010, 2009 Assembly & Parliament Elections
The Telugu Desam Party promised to work for Telangana statehood. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) joined a Mahakutami ("grand alliance") with the TDP and other parties to defeat the Congress party for denying statehood. The Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), founded in August 2008 by film star Chiranjeevi, pledged support to Telangana statehood if it becomes inevitable. The Nava Telangana Praja Party announced that it would merge with PRP after it concluded that there was not enough political space for two sub-regional Telangana parties that had Telananga statehood as their main agenda, Devender Goud later quit PRP and returned to the Telugu Desam Party.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2009 to 2010, 2009 Assembly & Parliament Elections
In the 2009 elections, Congress returned to power both at the center and state. It won 154 out of 294 Assembly seats and 33 out of 42 Parliament seats. Within Telangana, Congress won 50 out of 119 Assembly seats and 12 out of 17 Parliament seats. TRS managed to win only 10 assembly seats out of the 45 it contested and only 2 MP seats.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2009 to 2010, YSR's death & KCR's fast
Within few months of getting re-elected as popular CM, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) died in a helicopter crash in September 2009. This resulted in a leadership crisis within the Congress party and also created a political vacuum in the state. During this time, TRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) raised his pitch for the separate state. On 29 November 2009, he started a fast-unto-death, demanding that the Congress party introduce a Telangana bill in Parliament. He was arrested by the police. Student organisations, employee unions, and various organisations joined the movement. KCR had told a Congress emissary on 6 December that he would break his fast if Congress president Sonia Gandhi made a public appeal to him to do so. General strikes shut down Telangana on 6 and 7 December.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, 2009 to 2010, YSR's death & KCR's fast
In an all party meeting called by the state government on the night of 7 December to discuss regarding KCR's fast and how to handle it, all major Opposition parties extended their support for a separate state for Telangana. The state Congress and its ally Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen have left it to the Congress high command to take a final decision. Minutes of the meeting were faxed to Congress high command. Student organisations planned a massive rally at the state Assembly on 10 December without government permission. This prompted deployment of police troops throughout Telangana. The apparent decline in KCR's health led to a sense of urgency to the issue.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Bifurcation Announcement & rollback
On 9 December 2009, Union Minister of Home Affairs P. Chidambaram announced that the Indian government would start the process of forming a separate Telangana state, pending the introduction and passage of a separation resolution in the Andhra Pradesh assembly. KCR ended his 11-day fast claiming it a "true victory of the people of Telangana." Pro-Telangana supporters celebrated the central government decision, while those from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions protested. Within a short time of the Home Minister's declaration, MLAs from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions submitted their resignations in protest. By 16 December, at least 147 MLAs including Praja Rajyam Founder and Telugu actor Chiranjeevi and 22 ministers along with many MPs had resigned.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Bifurcation Announcement & rollback
On 16 December, there was a split in the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) over the Telangana issue, with its leader Chiranjeevi as well as 16 out of 18 party MLAs opposing the division of Andhra Pradesh, while Telangana leaders in the party were unhappy with the shift in the party's views. On 23 December, the Government of India announced that no action on Telangana will be taken until a consensus is reached by all parties. Subsequently, Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema region MLAs & MPs withdrew their resignations.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Telangana (TJAC/JAC)
The TRS reacted by calling for another general strike on 24 December 2009 which was aimed at stalling the regional economy. A Joint Action Committee (JAC) was formed with the pro-separation members of the major political parties. There were reports that members of the JAC had widely divergent approaches on the issue of a separate Telangana. MLAs and ministers from Telangana submitted their resignations demanding immediate steps to initiate the process of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. Pro -Telangana protestors & Osmania University students attacked then Telugu Desam Party leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy, pushed him down, kicked and rained blows on him till he escaped on a bike.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Telangana (TJAC/JAC)
The Home minister conducted an all-party meeting on 5 January to elicit views of all parties in the State. On the advice of Congress party's central leadership, all of the Ministers from Telangana withdrew their resignations. Rallies, hunger strikes, and suicides continued throughout Telangana to protest against the delay in bifurcating the State.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Telangana (TJAC/JAC)
Security establishments submitted an assessment to the prime minister that the creation of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand helped Maoists entrench better, as they took advantage of administrative problems in a new state. Similarly they said "Remnants of the Maoist movement are strongest in Telangana so any break-up of the state (Andhra) will help them". On 3 January 2010 Varavara rao, a Maoist Emissary gave an open call at OU students march to launch a militant fight for the statehood cause.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Telangana (TJAC/JAC)
On 6 January 2010, TJAC said the strikes, rail-blockades, various protests would not have been held peacefully if Maoists had infiltrated the pro-Telangana movement. It blamed some Andhra leaders for those allegations. It questioned, how the Maoists could have joined the movement when state government claims that the naxalism had been wiped out in the State?


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Telangana (TJAC/JAC)
The JAC started relay hunger strikes and threatened the resignations of all legislators on 28 January, demanding that the Centre spell out its intentions and create a timetable for change. It said the agitations would continue until a Bill was passed in Parliament. On 3 February, the JAC organised human chain a distance of 500 kilometres (310 mi) from north to south in Telangana. Organizers claimed its longest human chain in India. The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind supported a separate Telangana state with the slogan "Justice for Telangana and Telangana for Justice" under the leadership of Malik Motasim Khan.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Telangana (TJAC/JAC)
The Jamaat, along with its student wing Students Islamic Organisation of India, organised a massive public meet at Nizam College grounds on 7 February 2010 Prominent leaders such as Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, Hamid Mohammed Khan and Khaja Arifuddin addressed the crowd. On 16 February, Congress legislators from the Telangana region resigned from the Joint Action Committee due to "unilateral actions by KCR. ".


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Justice Sri Krishna Committee
On 3 February the government announced the five-member committee that would look into the issue. It also announced Terms of Reference to the Srikrishna Committee, with a deadline of 31 December 2010. Telangana-JAC rejected the terms of reference saying that it "undid" the Union home minister's statement of 9 December in New Delhi. All ten TRS MLAs, one TDP MLA, and one BJP MLA insisted that the speaker of Assembly accept their resignations. The rest of the Telangana MLAs withdrew their resignations.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Justice Sri Krishna Committee
The SKC reported that there were a purported 313 suicides in Telangana between 30 November 2009 and 27 February 2010 according to news reports, but has not confirmed the veracity of the data


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Justice Sri Krishna Committee
In a report submitted to the Srikrishna Committee, ministers from Seema-Andhra region stated that the demand for separate Telangana under grounds of self-respect and self-rule is anti-national and will sow seeds for disintegration of the country. This statement evoked strong protests in Telangana and demands for the dismissal of those ministers.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Justice Sri Krishna Committee
All the Telangana MLAs who resigned in protest in February were re-elected in by-elections on 27 July 2010 with huge majorities. Congress and TDP candidates who decided to contest the elections, ignoring the appeal of JAC, lost their deposits by obtaining less than one-sixth of the votes in many constituencies. TDP candidates lost their deposits in all constituencies. On 16 December 2010, two weeks before the deadline for the submission of the Srikrishna report, TRS organised a public meeting in Warangal. It was estimated that 1.2 to 1.5 million people attended this meeting.


2004–2010 Telangana protests, Formation of Justice Sri Krishna Committee
It was reported that even more would have attended, but they were stranded on the roads due to traffic jams reaching between 20 kilometres (12 mi) to 35 kilometres (22 mi)  along roads leading to the city. Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K. Chandrasekhar Rao appealed to prime minister Manmohan Singh to note that the people of Telangana were losing patience. He demanded that the Centre introduce the Bill on Telangana in the next session of Parliament.


2005
2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2005th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 5th  year of the 3rd millennium, the 5th  year of the 21st century, and the  6th   year of the 2000s decade.


2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. 2005 was also the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995–2005).


2005 1. deild karla
The 2005 season of 1. deild karla was the 51st season of second-tier football in Iceland.


2005 10,000 Lakes Festival
The 2005 10,000 Lakes Festival was held July 21 through July 24.


2005 1000 Guineas
The 2005 1000 Guineas Stakes was a horse race held at Newmarket Racecourse on Sunday 1 May 2005. It was the 192nd running of the 1000 Guineas.


2005 1000 Guineas
The winner was Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor's Virginia Waters, an American-bred bay filly trained by Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle in County Tipperary and ridden by Kieren Fallon. Virginia Waters's victory was the first in the race for her owner and trainer and the fourth for Fallon after Sleepytime (1997), Wince (1999) and Russian Rhythm (2003).


2005 1000 Guineas, The contenders
The race attracted a field of twenty runners, sixteen trained in the United Kingdom and four in Ireland: there were no challengers from continental Europe. The favourite was the Barry Hills-trained Maids Causeway who had won the Sweet Solera Stakes and Rockfel Stakes in 2004. The four Irish challengers were headed by the Ballydoyle runner Virginia Waters, the winner of the Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes.


2005 1000 Guineas, The contenders
The Godolphin stable were represented by Satin Kiss, who had won two minor races in England in 2004 before winning both the UAE 1000 Guineas and the UAE Oaks on dirt in Dubai in early 2005. The best of the British-trained runners appeared to be Karen's Caper and Cape Columbine, first and second in the Nell Gwyn Stakes, the Masaka Stakes winner Vista Bella and the undefeated, but relatively untested Shanghai Lily. Maids Causeway headed an open betting market at odds of 5/1 ahead of Karen's Caper and Shanghai Lily on 6/1, Satin Kiss (8/1) and Cape Columbine (10/1). Virginia Waters and Vista Bella came next on 12/1,


2005 1000 Guineas, The race
Satin Kiss took the lead shortly after the start and set the pace from the 40/1 outsider Fen Shui, with Maids Causeway, Karen's Caper, Cap Columbine all in contention. Karen's Caper moved into the lead just after half distance but was overtaken by Maids Causeway a quarter of a mile from the finish, at which point Virginia Waters and Vista Bella began to make progress from the back of the field.


2005 1000 Guineas, The race
Virginia Waters gained the advantage a furlong from the finish, despite hanging to the right, and went clear of her rivals in the closing stages to win by two and a half lengths from Maids Causeway. Vista Bella was half a length away in third ahead of Karen's Caper and Cape Columbine. Satin Kiss faded to finish seventeenth whilst Shanghai Lily came home nineteenth of the twenty runners.


2005 1000 Guineas, The race
After the race, O'Brien said "Kieren gave her an unbelievable ride. He couldn't believe how much she had improved after she won at Leopardstown. It's great for all the lads, they've put in a lot of effort. You do your best every season – sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but it's great when it does".


2005 1000 km of Istanbul
The 2005 1000 km of Istanbul was the fifth and final round of the 2005 Le Mans Series season, held at the Istanbul Park, Turkey. It was run on November 13, 2005. Pescarolo Sport won the qualifying and the race.


2005 1000 km of Istanbul, Official results
Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).


2005 1000 km of Istanbul, Official results
† - #95 Racesport Peninsula TVR was listed as not classified due to failing to complete the final lap.


2005 1000 km of Monza
The 2005 1000 km of Monza was the second round of the 2005 Le Mans Series season and held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza. It was run on July 10, 2005.


2005 1000 km of Monza, Official results
Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).


2005 1000 km of Nürburgring
The 2005 1000 km of Nürburgring was the fourth round of the 2005 Le Mans Series season, held at the Nürburgring, Germany. It was run on September 4, 2005.


2005 1000 km of Nürburgring, Official results
Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).


2005 1000 km of Nürburgring, Official results
† - #36 Paul Belmondo Racing was listed as not classified due to failing to complete the final lap of the race.


2005 1000 km of Silverstone
The 2005 1000 km of Silverstone was the third round of the 2005 Le Mans Series season and held at Silverstone Circuit, United Kingdom. It was run on August 13, 2005.


2005 1000 km of Silverstone, Official results
Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).


2005 1000 km of Spa
The 2005 1000 km of Spa was the opening race of the 2005 Le Mans Series season and held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. It was run on April 17, 2005


2005 1000 km of Spa, Official results
Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).


2005 12 Hours of Sebring
The 2005 12 Hours of Sebring was the 53rd running of this event, and took place on March 19, 2005. The race was sponsored by Mobil 1 and was the opening race of the 2005 American Le Mans Series season run by IMSA.


2005 12 Hours of Sebring, Official results
Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).


2005 2. deild karla
The 2005 2. deild karla was the 40th season of third-tier football in Iceland. The league began on 16 May and was concluded on 10 September. It was contested by a total of ten clubs.


2005 2. deild karla, Teams
The 2005 2. deild karla was contested by ten clubs, six of which had played in the division during the previous season. 2004 champions KS and runners-up Víkingur Ólafsvík were promoted to the second tier; replacing them were Njarðvík and Stjarnan, both relegated from the 1. deild after finishing in the bottom two places at the end of the 2004 campaign. Also joining the division were Fjarðabyggð and Huginn, who were promoted from the 3. deild through the play-offs. Fjarðabyggð had reached the third tier of Icelandic football for the first time in their history after being founded in 2001.


2005 2. deild karla, Season statistics, Top goalscorers
Two players, Afturelding midfielder Þorvaldur Árnason and Stjarnan forward Guðjón Baldvinsson, each scored 14 league goals in the 2005 2. deild season.


2005 2. deild karla, Awards, Team of the year
The KSÍ selected a team of the year, which consisted of 11 players and 5 substitutes.


2005 2. divisjon
The 2005 2. divisjon season was the third highest association football league for men in Norway.


2005 2. divisjon
26 games were played in 4 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Sarpsborg Sparta, Manglerud Star, Haugesund and Tromsdalen were promoted to the First Division. Number twelve, thirteen and fourteen were relegated to the 3. divisjon. The winning teams from each of the 24 groups in the 3. divisjon each faced a winning team from another group in a playoff match, resulting in 12 playoff winners which were promoted to the 2. divisjon.


2005 24 Hours of Daytona
The 2005 Rolex 24 at Daytona was a Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series 24-hour endurance sports car race held on February 5–6, 2005 at the Daytona International Speedway road course. The race served as the first round of the 2005 Rolex Sports Car Series. For the first time, all cars used a standard tire, as the series mandated all cars use Hoosier tires. The overall winner of the race was the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Riley Mk XI driven by Max Angelelli, Wayne Taylor, and Emmanuel Collard. The GT class was won by the No. 71 Farnbacher Racing USA Porsche 996 GT3 Cup driven by Wolf Henzler, Dominik Farnbacher, Perre Ehret, and Shawn Price.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 73rd 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 73e 24 Heures du Mans) was an 24 hour automobile endurance race held for Le Mans Prototype and Grand Touring cars from 18 to 19 June 2005 at the Circuit de la Sarthe close by Le Mans, France. It was the 73rd running of the event, as organised by the automotive group, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) since 1923. Unlike other events, it was not a part of any endurance motor racing championship. A test day was held two weeks prior to the race on 5 June. Approximately 230,000 people attended the race.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans
A Pescarolo Sport C60 car shared by Jean-Christophe Boullion, Emmanuel Collard and Érik Comas started from pole position after Boullion set the overall fastest lap time in the fourth qualifying session. The car led the first two hours until a gearbox fault forced it into the garage for repairs and promoted the Champion Racing Audi R8 vehicle of Emmanuele Pirro to the lead until Pirro crashed after a safety car intervention. The sister Champion car of JJ Lehto, Tom Kristensen and Marco Werner took over the lead and maintained it for the rest of the race to win.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans
It was Werner's first Le Mans win, Lehto's second and Kristensen's seventh. Kristensen eclipsed Jacky Ickx as the all-time leader of overall Le Mans victories and Audi took its fifth win since the 2000 edition. Pescarolo finished two laps behind in second and the sister Champion Audi car of Frank Biela, Allan McNish and Pirro completed the race podium in third.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans
The Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) category was won by the Ray Mallock Racing MG-Lola EX264 car of Thomas Erdos, Mike Newton and Warren Hughes after it took the class lead in the final hour of the race. Karim Ojjeh, Claude-Yves Gosselin and Adam Sharpe in a Paul Belmondo Racing Courage C65 vehicle finished five laps behind the MG-Lola in second while the sister No. 37 car of Didier André, Paul Belmondo and Rick Sutherland was third in class. Corvette Racing won their fourth class victory since their debut in the 2001 race.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans
Olivier Beretta, Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen's No. 64 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R held a two-lap advantage over the No. 63 of Ron Fellows, Max Papis and Johnny O'Connell in the Le Mans Grand Touring 1 (LMGT1) category. Porsches led the Le Mans Grand Touring 2 (LMGT2) class with the No. 71 Alex Job Racing 911 GT3-RSR of Leo Hindery, Marc Lieb and Mike Rockenfeller ahead of the No. 90 White Lighting Racing car of Jörg Bergmeister, Patrick Long and Timo Bernhard.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Background
The dates of the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans were released in September 2004. It was the 73rd edition of the race and took place at the 8.482 mi (13.650 km) Circuit de la Sarthe road racing circuit close by Le Mans, France, from 18 to 19 June. The automotive journalist Charles Faroux proposed the race to Georges Durand, the president of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), and the industrialist Emile Coquile for a test of vehicle reliability and fuel-efficiency, which was first held in 1923. The event is considered one of the world's most prestigious motor races and is part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Background, Regulation and track changes
2005 marked major changes in the Le Mans regulations for the two Grand Touring (GT) categories. The Le Mans Grand Touring Sport category was renamed Le Mans Grand Touring 1 (LMGT1) and the Le Mans Grand Touring category became the Le Mans Grand Touring 2 (LMGT2) class. New vehicles in both of the classes were required to undergo homologation by both the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, the world governing body of motor racing, and the ACO.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Background, Regulation and track changes
2005 was the final year that cars built to confirm with the Le Mans Prototype 900 (LMP900) regulations could be entered alongside the newer "hybrid" cars constructed to comply to the updated aerodynamic regulations in the Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) category. LMP900 cars were required to run with a smaller air restrictor to lower engine performance and were required to weigh more than "hybrid" cars.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Background, Regulation and track changes
The ACO recommended that LMGT1 cars lapped the Circuit de la Sarthe no faster than 3 minutes, 55 seconds and LMGT2 were not permitted to go quicker than 4 minutes, 8 seconds. Had these rules not been met, the automotive group would immediately intervene to lower the performance of individual cars by altering their aerodynamic efficiency, reducing the size of the air restrictor and the fuel tank for future editions of the Le Mans race. GT2-specification vehicles were allowed to complete if a minimum of 100 road-going cars were constructed by "the big manufacturers" and 25 produced by "the small manufacturers." Otherwise, the ACO would suspend holomogation for the 2006 edition.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Background, Regulation and track changes
From late 2004 to early 2005, the circuit was resurfaced from Mulsanne to Arnage corners and a section of road was levelled at the circuit's 89th post.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries
The ACO received 78 applications (37 for the Le Mans Prototype (LMP) classes and 41 for the GT categories) by the deadline for entries on 19 January 2005. It granted 50 invitations to the race and entries were divided between the LMP1, Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), LMGT1 and LMGT2 categories.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Automatic entries
Automatic entries were earned by teams which won their category in the 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams which won Le Mans-based series and events such as the 2004 Petit Le Mans, the 2004 Le Mans Endurance Series and the 2004 American Le Mans Series were also invited. Some second-place finishers were also granted automatic entries in certain series though none were awarded to the winners and runners-up of the GT and N-GT categories of the 2004 FIA GT Championship as had been the case in the previous year.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Automatic entries
As entries were pre-selected to teams, they were restricted to a maximum of two cars and were not allowed to change their vehicles from the previous year to the next. Entries were permitted to change category provided that they did not change the make of car and the ACO granted official permission for the switch.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Automatic entries
On 18 January 2005, the ACO published its final list of automatic invitations. Audi Sport Japan Team Goh, the 2004 winners, and the runners-up Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx were among the teams to decline their automatic entries. Dyson Racing, Prodrive Racing, Barron Connor Racing, ChoroQ Racing Team, JMB Racing and Alex Job Racing also did not accept their automatic entries. No replacements were found.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Entry list and reserves
On 24 March 2005, the ACO announced the full 50-car entry list for Le Mans, plus eight reserves. Following the publication of entries, several teams withdrew their entries. Team Nasamax withdrew its two-year-old bio-ethanol-powered DM139-Judd car, citing financial difficulties causing the team to reduce its schedule for the 2005 racing season. This promoted the No. 91 T2M Motorsport Porsche 911-GT3 RSR to the race entry and it competed in the LMGT2 category.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Entry list and reserves
Four days later, ACEMCO Motorsports withdrew its No. 63 Saleen S7-R due to aerodynamic deficiencies caused by a modification of the height of the car's rear wing at the 2004 Petit Le Mans to comply with ACO regulations. This promoted the No. 76 IMSA Performance LMGT2-class Porsche to the race from the reserves.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Entry list and reserves
A revised entry list released by the ACO on 27 April confirmed the withdrawal of the Team Nasamax and ACEMCO Motorsports entries as well as the dropping of the Graham Nash Motorsport Saleen S7-R, Thierry Perrier's Porsche 911-GT3 RSR, a second Racing for Holland Dome S101-Judd car, a Ferrari 360 Modena GTC fielded by G.P.C. Sport and a second Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello purchased by Larbre Compétition from the reserve list. Four days before the start of scrutineering, Lucchini Engineering were unable to rectify a gearbox ratio problem in its LMP2/04 and were forced to withdraw the car, reducing the number of entries to 49.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Testing
A mandatory pre-Le Mans test day to work on car setup and driver orientation split into two daytime sessions of four hours each was held at the circuit on 5 June, involving 50 entries. Rainfall towards the end of the afternoon session prevented teams from improving their lap times. Pescarolo Sport set the day's pace with a 3 minutes, 32.468 seconds lap from Emmanuel Collard in the No. 16 C60 Hybrid Judd car. Soheil Ayari's sister No. 17 Pescarolo followed in second and Jonathan Cochet's No. 13 Courage Compétition car was third.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Testing
The fastest Audi R8 vehicle was fourth after a lap from JJ Lehto's No. 3 Champion Racing entry and Seiji Ara's No. 5 Jim Gainer International Dome S101 car was fifth. João Barbosa set a lap to put the No. 18 Rollcentre Racing Dallara SP1 car in sixth position and Franck Montagny's Team Oreca Audi was seventh.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Testing
Sam Hancock led the LMP2 class in the No. 32 Intersport Racing Lola B05/40 vehicle with a time of 3 minutes, 44.426 seconds ahead of Ray Mallock's No. 32 MG-Lola EX264 of Thomas Erdos, the No. 30 Kruse Motorsport Courage C65 of Phil Bennett and Didier André's No. 37 Paul Belmondo Racing cars. Aston Martin, in its first Le Mans works entry since the 1989 event, led the LMGT1 category with a 3 minutes, 50.033 seconds lap from Tomáš Enge's No. 58 DBR9 with the No. 59 of David Brabham second.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Testing
Christophe Bouchut's No. 61 Cirtek Motorsport Ferrari and the No. 64 and No. 63 Chevrolet Corvette C6.Rs of Oliver Gavin and Johnny O'Connell occupied third to fifth in class. The No. 90 White Lighting Racing car of Timo Bernhard helped Porsche to lead the LMGT2 category, followed by Robin Liddell's No. 77 Panoz Esperante GT-LM and the No. 76 IMSA Performance car of Romain Dumas.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
Eight hours of qualifying divided into four two-hour sessions were available to all entrants on 15 and 16 June. During the sessions, all entrants were required to set a time within 115 per cent of the fastest lap established by the fastest vehicle in each of the four categories to qualify for the race. Rain fell at the start of the first session, making the track slippery and reducing visibility. Some drivers met the required minimum distance to drive in the race. Collard led with a lap of 4 minutes, 13.526 seconds, which he set late in the session.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
Champion's lead Audi was in second with a lap from Tom Kristensen, and Ryo Michigami's Jim Gainer Dome car was third. Andy Wallace was fourth in Creation Autosportif's No. 7 DBA 03S-Judd car and Michael Krumm's Rollcentre Dallara vehicle came in fifth. Ayari's Pescarolo entry was provisionally sixth and Allan McNish was seventh in the No. 2 Champion car. Bouchut carried the Cirtek Ferrari to provisional pole in LMGT1 with a 4 minutes, 23.885 seconds time, ahead of the two Aston Martin cars by more than 12 seconds.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
A lap of 4 minutes, 24.832 seconds gave the LMP2 lead to Andre's Paul Belmondo Courage and the Intersport Lola of Hancock was second. Earlier, the No. 39 Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsport Lola car of Peter Owen had caused the session to be stopped because of a loss of control at its rear while changing gears. Owen crashed at the exit of the second Mulsanne chicane but he was unhurt. Mike Rockenfeller's Alex Job Porsche was fastest in LMGT2 with a 4 minutes, 37.574 seconds lap, followed by Jörg Bergmeister's No. 90 White Lighting and Dumas' No. 76 IMSA Performance entries.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
The track dried towards the conclusion of the second qualifying session and lap times began to lower. Ayari in Pescarolo's No. 17 car improved provisional pole position by more than 12 seconds with a 4 minutes, 1.197 seconds lap just before the session ended, followed by the improved No. 2 Champion Audi of McNish and Nicolas Minassian in Creation Autosportif's No. 7 DBA 03S entry. Montagny put the Oreca Audi on provisional pole with half an hour remaining before falling to fourth. Lehto in the second Champion car fell to fifth.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
Michigami was sixth and Jota's Zytek 04S car of Sam Hignett seventh. The Rollcentre Dallara suffered a flash fire that damaged the car's bodywork due to a seal on a fuel rig braking during a pit stop. The damage to the car curtailed its running early. Hancock gave the Intersport team provisional pole position in the LMP2 class after displacing the Paul Belmondo car of Andre, setting a time of 4 minutes, 11.719 seconds, a second faster than Ian James' second-placed No. 34 Miracle Motorsports Courage.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
In LMGT1, Larbre Compétition led the session with a 4 minutes, 20.688 seconds lap from Vincent Vosse to displace the Cirtek Ferrari from the top of the category's time sheets. Similarly, Dumas recorded a lap of 4 minutes, 25.598 seconds in the IMSA Performance Porsche to lead the LMGT2 category with 35 minutes to go.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
The weather for the two qualifying sessions on 16 June was humid and dry. For the second consecutive session, Ayari's No. 17 Pescarolo vehicle improved provisional pole position to a 3 minutes, 35.555 seconds lap. Team Oreca's Audi of Montagny placed second and McNish was the fastest Champion car in third. Cochet improved the No. 13 Pescarolo's time in the session's final minutes to go into fourth as Minassian's DBA 03S fell to fifth. Michigami's Jim Gainer Dome maintained sixth and Barbosa's Rollcentre Dallara was seventh.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
The No. 16 Pescarolo C60 had its times deleted for Collard touching the car after relieving Jean-Christophe Boullion though the penalty was rescinded 40 minutes later. In LMP2, Warren Hughes' first lap of 3 minutes, 49.845 seconds in the No. 25 Ray Mallock MG-Lola was bettered by James' 3 minutes, 48.819 seconds time in the No. 34 Miracle Courage C65 to lead the category. A crash at the exit to Indianapolis corner by Jean-Bernard Bouvet's No. 23 Gerard Welter WR LMP04 car halted the session after 90 minutes.


2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Qualifying
Pedro Lamy helped Aston Martin to lead in LMGT1 with a 3-minute, 50.311-second lap, followed by Brabham's No. 59 car and Gavin and O'Connell's Corvettes. Rockenfeller greatly improved Alex Job's Porsche lap to maintain the lead in LMGT2 with a time of 4 minutes, 5.326 seconds. Johannes van Overbeek's No. 80 Flying Lizard Motorsports and Bill Auberlen's No. 77 Panoz were second and third in class. Tom Coronel's throttle stuck in the No. 85 Spyker C8 Spyder GT2-R and he crashed in the Porsche Curves. Andrew Kirkcaldy's No. 93 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari struck a barrier at the Ford Chicane.