1954–55 Colchester United F.C. season

February 2016 February 2016 Colchester United 1954–55 Bill AllenWhitehead Jeff Drury Kevin The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years 2008 Breedon Books Derby 978-1-85983-629-3 278 Jack Butler(until 14 January)Alf Miller & Claude Orrin(January to March)Benny Fenton(from March) Layer Road Third Division South 24th (re-elected) FA Cup 1st round(eliminated byReading) Ken Plant (13) Ken Plant (13) 10,809v Southend United, 8 April 1955http://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=match&pd=1022&sort=shan&order=asc&fsea=14&frt=all&fhan=all&it=587 Colchester Utd 2–0 Southend United Coludata.co.uk 1 March 2016 3,517v Torquay United, 31 March 1955http://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=match&pd=1022&sort=shan&order=asc&fsea=14&frt=all&fhan=all&it=585 Colchester Utd 0–2 Torquay United Coludata.co.uk 1 March 2016 7,284http://coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Club%20Stats/LeagueAveragesAttendance.html Average Attendance Figures Per Season Coludaybyday.co.uk 1 March 2016 4–1v Northampton Town, 4 September 1954 1–6v Northampton Town, 18 April 1955 Home _white_stripes _whitestripes _white_stripes _3whitehoops 0000FF 0000FF 0000FF FFFFFF 0000FF Football kit (white jersey with blue, vertical stripes; white shorts;; and blue socks with white, horizontal hoops). 1953–54 1955–56 The 1954–55 season was Colchester United's 13th season in their history and their fifth season in the Third Division South, the third tier of English football. Alongside competing in the Third Division South, the club also participated in the FA Cup. Following a replay, Colchester were knocked out of the FA Cup in the first round by Reading. Meanwhile, in the league, Colchester's poor run of form had Jack Butler allowed indefinite leave following a bout of ill health. After resigning in January 1955, Colchester appointed Benny Fenton as his replacement, and despite an upturn in form, a run of defeats at the end of the season meant Colchester needed to apply for re-election for the second successive season. Once more, all clubs applying for re-election were successful, with Colchester receiving 44 votes, behind Third Division North clubs Grimsby Town (49 votes) and Chester City (47 votes), but eleven votes ahead of division rivals Walsall.http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=3506 A history of admission to the Football League Nonleaguematters.co.uk 1 March 2016 5 January 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150105134251/http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=3506 dead Season overview Eight successive league defeats from October to December saw Colchester bottom of the league for Christmas Day, and the plight of the club had begun to have an effect on the health of manager Jack Butler. After falling ill in November, Butler was handed indefinite leave until by the club until the end of his contract in 1956. Suffering from a mental breakdown, Butler eventually resigned on 14 January 1955, while club secretary Claude Orrin was charged with finding a new manager. During this transitional period, Orrin and Alf Miller took charge of the first-team, before appointing Benny Fenton as manager after attracting 48 applications for the vacancy. Despite a brief boost in on-field fortunes in March and early April, performances tailed off as Colchester picked up just one point in the final eight games of the campaign. The club finished bottom of the Football League and were again required to seek re-election, in which they were successful.http://www.cu-fc.com/news/article/history-1950s-and-1960s-230131.aspx The 1950s and 1960s Hudson Matt 11 July 2012 Colchester United FC 22 May 2011 Players match played 4 May 1955.http://coludata.co.uk/content.php?pg=appearances&pd=1010#frmft=True&pg=appearances&pd=1010&fsea=14&fplist=all&flgcup=all&fcompstShowAll=&fdfaShowAll= Appearances Coludata.co.uk 2 March 2016 Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersGeorge WrightGKENGPlymouth1954 6 1 1919 10 10 y2050ENG Plymouth ArgyleMay 1949£1,000John WrightGKENGAldershot1954 6 1 1933 8 13 y00ENG Colchester Casuals23 May 1952Free transfer DefendersRoy BicknellCBENGDoncaster1954 6 1 1926 2 19 y290ENG Gravesend & NorthfleetJune 1952£1,000George FrenchFBENGColchester1954 6 1 1926 11 10 y30ENG West Ham UnitedFebruary 1949Free transferJohn HarrisonFBENGLeicester1954 6 1 1927 9 27 y1700ENG Aston Villa30 September 1950DG Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the clubNominalBilly HuntCBENGColchester1954 6 1 1934 11 25 y00AmateurAugust 1953Free transferDigger KettleFBENGColchester1954 6 1 1922 6 3 y1721ENG Arclight SportsSeptember 1946Free transferFred LewisFBENGBroughton Gifford1954 6 1 1923 7 26 y480ENG ChelseaSummer 1953Free transferReg StewartCBENGSheffield1954 6 1 1925 10 30 y2180ENG Sheffield Wednesday20 August 1949DG£1,000 MidfieldersBob DaleWHENGIrlam1954 6 1 1931 10 31 y214ENG Bury24 December 1953£1,500Austin DunneWHIRLLimerick1954 6 1 1934 7 31 y00IRL LimerickOctober 1953Free transferJimmy ElderWHSCOScone1954 6 1 1928 3 5 y18214ENG Portsmouth19 August 1950DG£1,000Benny FentonWHENGWest Ham1954 6 1 1918 10 10 y00ENG Charlton Athletic5 March 1955DG£500Trevor HarrisWHENGColchester1954 6 1 1936 2 6 y00AmateurJuly 1951Free transferBert HillWHENGWest Ham1954 6 1 1930 3 8 y171ENG ChelseaSeptember 1952£300Ron HuntWHENGColchester1954 6 1 1933 9 26 y50AmateurOctober 1951Free transfer ForwardsCliff BirchWGWAL 1953Newport1954 6 1 1928 9 1 y00WAL 1953 Newport CountyJune 1954£1,000Mike GriceWGENGWoking1954 6 1 1931 11 3 y313ENG Lowestoft TownSummer 1952£25Paddy LeonardIFIRLDublin1954 6 1 1929 7 25 y00ENG Bristol RoversJuly 1954Free transferKevin McCurleyCFENGConsett1954 6 1 1926 4 2 y9234ENG LiverpoolJune 1951£750Johnny McKimIFSCOGreenock1954 6 1 1926 1 22 y10339ENG Chelsea19 August 1950DG£1,000Ken PlantCFENGNuneaton1954 6 1 1925 8 15 y176ENG BuryJanuary 1954UndisclosedPeter WrightWGENGColchester1954 6 1 1934 1 26 y444AmateurNovember 1951Free transfer Transfers In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1954GKSCOJimmy KirkENG BuryFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=199 Jimmy Kirk Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 Summer 1954FBENGRon GeorgeENG Crystal PalaceFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=202 Ron George Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 June 1954WHNIRFrank McCourtENG Manchester CityNominalhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=201 Frank McCourt Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 June 1954WGWAL 1953Cliff BirchWAL 1953 Newport County£1,000http://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=198 Cliff Birch Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 July 1954IFIRLPaddy LeonardENG Bristol RoversFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=200 Paddy Leonard Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 5 March 1955WHENGBenny FentonENG Charlton Athletic£500http://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=203 Benny Fenton Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 DG Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club Total spending: ~ £1,500 Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.Summer 1954GKENGFrank CoombsENG Gravesend & NorthfleetReleasedhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=182 Frank Coombs Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 Summer 1954WHENGDoug KeeneENG DartfordReleasedhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=193 Doug Keene Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 Summer 1954WGENGJohn ChurchENG Crittall AthleticReleasedhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=168 John Church Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 31 May 1954WHENGHarry BearrymanENG Metropolitan PoliceFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=141 Harry Bearryman Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 6 November 1954WGENGPeter AitchisonENG SittingbourneFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=181 Peter Aitchison Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 FG Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club5 February 1955FBENGRon GeorgeENG Sudbury TownFree transferFG19 February 1955WHNIRFrank McCourtENG Poole TownReleasedFG28 April 1955GKSCOJimmy KirkENG Torquay UnitedFree transferFG Match details Third Division South 1954–55 Football League Results round by round table b Round Ground H/A/A/H/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/A/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/H/H/A/A/H/A/A/H/H/A Result D/D/D/L/W/L/L/L/D/W/L/W/W/L/L/L/L/L/L/L/L/D/D/D/W/W/L/L/W/D/D/W/D/D/L/L/D/W/L/L/L/L/L/D/L/L Position 14/13/15/19/11/16/19/20/20/18/22/19/14/18/19/21/23/23/23/23/23/23/23/23/23/21/22/23/23/23/22/21/21/22/23/23/23/22/23/23/23/23/24/24/24/24 Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss green1 red1 11v11.com March 2016 League table Third Division South y COL Matches 1954 08 21 y 1 Colchester United 0–0 ReportReport Swindon Town Layer Road Colchester 9,767 D 1954 08 25 y 2 Exeter City 2–2 Report Colchester United Houghton 1Ellaway 25 Leonard 16Grice 33 St James Park Exeter 9,320 D 1954 08 28 y 3 Crystal Palace 0–0 Report Colchester United Selhurst Park Selhurst 14,348 D 1954 09 02 y 4 Colchester United 1–2 Report Exeter City Plant Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,963 L 1954 09 04 y 5 Colchester United 4–1 Report Northampton Town Birch Plant Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,467 W 1954 09 09 y 6 Colchester United 0–2 Report Bristol City Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 8,522 L 1954 09 11 y 7 Watford 2–0 Report Colchester United Bowie Cook Vicarage Road Watford 13,794 L 1954 09 14 y 8 Bristol City 4–0 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Ashton Gate Stadium Bristol 18,455 L 1954 09 18 y 9 Colchester United 3–3 Report Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Dale Plant Grice Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,801 D 1954 09 23 y 10 Colchester United 1–0 Report Norwich City Dale Layer Road Colchester 8,506 W 1954 09 25 y 11 Queens Park Rangers 4–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Birch Loftus Road Shepherd's Bush 11,738 L 1954 09 29 y 12 Norwich City 0–2 Report Colchester United Dale Plant Carrow Road Norwich 15,672 W 1954 10 02 y 13 Colchester United 1–0 Report Newport County McKim Layer Road Colchester 8,691 W 1954 10 09 y 14 Colchester United 2–4 Report Brighton & Hove Albion McKim Plant pen. Foreman Gordon Mundy Layer Road Colchester 9,334 L 1954 10 16 y 15 Brentford 3–2 Report Colchester United Robertson Stobbart Rainford McKim Grice Griffin Park Brentford 10,218 L 1954 10 23 y 16 Colchester United 0–1 Report Coventry City Capel Layer Road Colchester 8,124 L 1954 10 30 y 17 Walsall 3–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer McKim Fellows Park Walsall 11,117 L 1954 11 06 y 18 Colchester United 0–2 Report Millwall Prior Pacey Layer Road Colchester 7,551 L 1954 11 13 y 19 Leyton Orient 2–0 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Brisbane Road Leyton 16,782 L 1954 11 27 y 20 Reading 4–0 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Elm Park Reading 6,512 L 1954 12 04 y 21 Colchester United 2–4 Report Shrewsbury Town Plant P. Wright Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 5,168 L 1954 12 18 y 22 Swindon Town 1–1 ReportReport Colchester United McClelland Plant County Ground Swindon 5,254 D 1954 12 25 y 23 Aldershot 2–2 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer McKim P. Wright Recreation Ground Aldershot 5,123 D 1954 12 27 y 24 Colchester United 1–1 Report Aldershot P. Wright Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,967 D 1955 01 01 y 25 Colchester United 2–0 Report Crystal Palace Plant P. Wright Layer Road Colchester 5,806 W 1955 01 08 y 26 Southampton 0–1 Report Colchester United Grice The Dell Southampton 12,449 W 1955 01 22 y 27 Colchester United 1–3 Report Watford Grice Adams Cook Paton Layer Road Colchester 4,729 L 1955 02 05 y 28 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 2–0 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Dean Court Bournemouth 7,417 L 1955 02 12 y 29 Colchester United 1–0 Report Queens Park Rangers Leonard Layer Road Colchester 4,903 W 1955 02 19 y 30 Newport County 0–0 Report Colchester United Somerton Park Newport 5,612 D 1955 02 26 y 31 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–1 Report Colchester United Moore Dale Goldstone Ground Hove 11,074 D 1955 03 05 y 32 Colchester United 3–2 Report Brentford Elder pen.Plant Leonard Francis Dudley Layer Road Colchester 8,251 W 1955 03 12 y 33 Coventry City 0–0 Report Colchester United Highfield Road Coventry 10,058 D 1955 03 19 y 34 Colchester United 2–2 Report Walsall Grice P. Wright Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,361 D 1955 03 26 y 35 Millwall 5–2 Report Colchester United Summers Pacey Hazlett Short Leonard P. Wright The Den New Cross 8,349 L 1955 03 31 y 36 Colchester United 0–2 Report Torquay United Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 3,517 L 1955 04 02 y 37 Colchester United 2–2 Report Leyton Orient Fenton 39Plant 58 Rees 6 75 Layer Road Colchester 9,448 D 1955 04 08 y 38 Colchester United 2–0 ReportReport Southend United Fenton 18Stewart 23 Layer Road Colchester 10,809 W 1955 04 09 y 39 Gillingham 2–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Elder pen. Priestfield Stadium Gillingham 11,002 L 1955 04 11 y 40 Southend United 4–2 ReportReport Colchester United Grant Hollis McKim Leonard Roots Hall Southend-on-Sea 8,478 L 1955 04 16 y 41 Colchester United 0–2 Report Reading Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,046 L 1955 04 18 y 42 Northampton Town 6–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Elder o.g.Harrison o.g. McKim County Ground Northampton 3,198 L 1955 04 23 y 43 Shrewsbury Town 2–0 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Gay Meadow Shrewsbury 6,735 L 1955 04 28 y 44 Colchester United 2–2 Report Gillingham P. Wright Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 5,070 D 1955 04 30 y 45 Colchester United 3–5 Report Southampton Plant McCurley P. Wright Brown Hoskins Mulgrew Day Walker Layer Road Colchester 6,386 L 1955 05 04 y 46 Torquay United 2–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Birch Plainmoor Torquay 2,907 L FA Cup 1954–55 FA Cup 1954 11 20 y 1st round Reading 3–3 Report Colchester United Wheeler 36Uphill 40Hill o.g. Birch 21Grice 28McKim 73 Elm Park Reading 12,800 D 1954 11 25 y 1st round replay Colchester United 1–2 Report Reading Elder pen. Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 4,636 L Squad statistics Appearances and goals http://coludata.co.uk/content.php?pg=goals&pd=1014#frmft=True&pg=goals&pd=1014&fsea=5&fplist=all&flgcup=all&fcompstShowAll=&fdfaShowAll= Goals Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 Third DivisionSouth FA Cup George Wright ENG GK 12 0 2 0 John Wright ENG GK 2 0 0 0 John Harrison ENG DF 35 0 0 0 Digger Kettle ENG DF 2 0 0 0 Fred Lewis ENG DF 39 0 2 0 Reg Stewart ENG DF 45 1 2 0 Bob Dale ENG MF 34 4 0 0 Austin Dunne IRL MF 1 0 0 0 Jimmy Elder SCO MF 28 2 2 1 Benny Fenton ENG MF 11 2 0 0 Trevor Harris ENG MF 1 0 0 0 Bert Hill ENG MF 19 0 2 0 Ron Hunt ENG MF 26 0 0 0 Cliff Birch WAL FW 12 3 2 1 Mike Grice ENG FW 38 6 2 1 Paddy Leonard IRL FW 34 5 0 0 Kevin McCurley ENG FW 16 1 2 0 Johnny McKim SCO FW 32 7 2 1 Ken Plant ENG FW 40 13 2 0 Peter Wright ENG FW 23 9 0 0 |- !colspan="14"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season Jimmy Kirk SCO GK 32 0 0 0 Ron George ENG DF 6 0 2 0 Frank McCourt NIR MF 12 0 0 0 Peter Aitchison ENG FW 6 0 0 0 |} Goalscorers Place Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total1ENGCFKen Plant130132ENGWGPeter Wright9093SCOIFJohnny McKim7184ENGWGMike Grice6175IRLIFPaddy Leonard5056WAL 1953WGCliff Birch314ENGWHBob Dale4048SCOWHJimmy Elder2139ENGWHBenny Fenton20210ENGCFKevin McCurley101ENGCBReg Stewart101Own goals000TOTALS53457 Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.http://coludata.co.uk/content.php?pg=cleansheets&pd=1035#frmft=True&pg=cleansheets&pd=1035&fsea=13&fplist=all&flgcup=all&fcompstShowAll=&fdfa=1 Clean sheets (1st team) Coludata.co.uk 22 June 2017 Place Nationality Player Third Division South FA Cup Total1SCOJimmy Kirk7072ENGGeorge Wright404TOTALS11011 Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.http://coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Player%20Stats/PlayersDebuts/Alldebut.html Alltime- List of Debuts Coludaybyday.co.uk 8 March 2016 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20150626101319/http://coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Player%20Stats/PlayersDebuts/Alldebut.html 26 June 2015 Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesGKSCOJimmy Kirk21 August 1954Swindon TownLayer RoadWHNIRFrank McCourt21 August 1954Swindon TownLayer RoadWGWAL 1953Cliff Birch21 August 1954Swindon TownLayer RoadIFIRLPaddy Leonard21 August 1954Swindon TownLayer RoadFBENGRon George16 October 1954BrentfordGriffin ParkWHENGBenny Fenton5 March 1955BrentfordLayer RoadWHIRLAustin Dunne9 April 1955GillinghamPriestfieldWHENGTrevor Harris18 April 1955Northampton TownCounty GroundGKENGJohn Wright30 April 1955SouthamptonLayer Road 2 See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons References General Books Whitehead Jeff Drury Kevin The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years 2008 Breedon Books Derby 978-1-85983-629-3 Ambrosen Tony Amber in the Blood: A History Of Newport County 1993 Yore Publications Uxbridge 978-1-874427-40-7 White Eric 100 Years of Brentford 1989 Oldfield Press Redditch 0951526200 Websites http://www.11v11.com/teams/colchester-united/tab/matches/season/1955/ Colchester United football club match record: 1955 11v11.com 27 March 2016 http://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Millwall-Stats54-55.htm Statistics 1954/55 The Millwall History Files 27 March 2016 http://www.watfordfcarchive.com/downloads/seasons/Mergedseasons1950to1960.pdf 1950/51 to 1959/60 Watford Football Club archive 1881–2015 PDF 27 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160309025243/http://www.watfordfcarchive.com/downloads/seasons/Mergedseasons1950to1960.pdf 9 March 2016 dead dmy-all Specific 2 1954-55 Category:English football clubs 1954–55 season