Barnsley won promotion under Andy Ritchie in 2005–06, and Shuker played a total of 57 competitive games in league and cup competitions, and was an ever-present in the league. He scored a total of ten goals, including braces against Oldham Athletic and Swindon Town; Barnsley won every game in which Shuker found the net. He played in both legs of the play-off semi-final win over Huddersfield Town, and also played in the Millennium Stadium final, scoring a penalty in the shoot-out victory over Swansea City. He was offered a new contract, however the club withdrew the offer after four weeks; Shuker said that "the manager wanted me back, the lads as well, it seems the chairman is running the club, picking the players. Money wasn't the issue, I turned down an extra £500 from another club because I wanted to stay." A year later, former teammate Daniel Nardiello also criticized Chairman Sheperd, saying "He's made promises to me in the past and not kept them, but I never made a fuss and just got on with things. I didn't like the way he treated my mate Chris Shuker a couple of seasons ago either."