1955–56 Colchester United F.C. season

March 2016 March 2016 Colchester United 1955–56 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 Benny Fenton Layer Road Third Division South 12th FA Cup 1st round(eliminated byTorquay United) Kevin McCurley (29) Kevin McCurley (29) 13,176v Ipswich Town, 26 December 1955http://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=match&pd=1022&sort=shan&order=asc&fsea=15&frt=all&fhan=all&it=620 Colchester Utd 3–3 Ipswich Town Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 4,811v Millwall, 11 February 1956http://coludata.co.uk/item.php?frmft=True&pg=match&pd=1022&order=asc&sort=shan&fsea=15&fdfaShowAll=&fcomp1ShowAll=&frt=all&fhan=all&it=627 Colchester Utd 1–2 Millwall Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 7,668http://coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Club%20Stats/LeagueAveragesAttendance.html Average Attendance Figures Per Season Coludaybyday.co.uk 8 March 2016 26 June 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150626124236/http://coludaybyday.co.uk/Statistics/Club%20Stats/LeagueAveragesAttendance.html dead 5–0v Swindon Town, 3 March 1956 0–6v Leyton Orient, 8 September 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). 1954–55 1956–57 The 1955–56 season was Colchester United's 14th season in their history and their sixth 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 in which the club were eliminated by Torquay United in the first round. The season was Benny Fenton's first full campaign in charge, and after building his own squad over the summer, he led Colchester to their highest position since the 1951–52 season with a 12th-placed finish. This came on the back of two consecutive seasons of successful re-election applications. Season overview Manager Benny Fenton assembled his own squad for the 1955–56 season, bringing in goalkeeper Percy Ames from Tottenham Hotspur, while also signing a number of players from Scottish junior football including John Fowler, Bobby Hill and Sammy McLeod. Fenton's side played an exciting attacking game. They scored 76 goals in the league, with Kevin McCurley scoring a club Football League best total of 29 goals, and strike partner Ken Plant scoring 17. Both players notched two hat-tricks each during the season as the club safely finished the campaign in 12th-place. Colchester played their first game under floodlights on 28 February 1955 when they beat Reading 3–1 at Elm Park. While Layer Road was still bereft of floodlighting, lighting had been installed for training purposes at the ground.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 20 May 2011 Players match played 28 April 1956.http://coludata.co.uk/content.php?pg=appearances&pd=1010#frmft=True&pg=appearances&pd=1010&fsea=15&fplist=all&flgcup=all&fcompstShowAll=&fdfaShowAll= Appearances Coludata.co.uk 9 March 2016 Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersPercy AmesGKENGPlymouth1955 6 1 1931 12 13 y00ENG Tottenham Hotspur1 May 1955Free transferGeorge WrightGKENGPlymouth1955 6 1 1919 10 10 y2190ENG Plymouth ArgyleMay 1949£1,000John WrightGKENGAldershot1955 6 1 1933 8 13 y20ENG Colchester Casuals23 May 1952Free transfer DefendersBrian DobsonCBENGColchester1955 6 1 1934 3 1 y00AmateurJanuary 1956Free transferGeorge FisherFBENGBermondsey1955 6 1 1925 6 19 y00ENG Fulham1 September 1955£1,000John FowlerFBSCOLeith1955 6 1 1933 10 17 y00SCO Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic20 August 1955DG Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the clubFree transferGeorge FrenchFBENGColchester1955 6 1 1926 11 10 y30ENG West Ham UnitedFebruary 1949Free transferJohn HarrisonFBENGLeicester1955 6 1 1927 9 27 y2050ENG Aston Villa30 September 1950DGNominalBilly HuntCBENGColchester1955 6 1 1934 11 25 y00AmateurAugust 1953Free transferReg StewartCBENGSheffield1955 6 1 1925 10 30 y2651ENG Sheffield Wednesday20 August 1949DG£1,000 MidfieldersBob DaleWHENGIrlam1955 6 1 1931 10 31 y558ENG Bury24 December 1953£1,500Benny FentonWHENGWest Ham1955 6 1 1918 10 10 y112ENG Charlton Athletic5 March 1955DG£500Trevor HarrisWHENGColchester1955 6 1 1936 2 6 y10AmateurJuly 1951Free transferBert HillWHENGWest Ham1955 6 1 1930 3 8 y381ENG ChelseaSeptember 1952£300Ron HuntWHENGColchester1955 6 1 1933 9 26 y310AmateurOctober 1951Free transfer ForwardsRussell BlakeWGENGColchester1955 6 1 1935 7 24 y00ENG Dedham Old Boys8 September 1955DGFree transferBobby HillIFSCOEdinburgh1955 6 1 1938 6 9 y00SCO Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare9 June 1955Free transferMartyn KingCFENGBirmingham1955 6 1 1937 8 23 y00AmateurSummer 1955Free transferKevin McCurleyCFENGConsett1955 6 1 1926 4 2 y11035ENG LiverpoolJune 1951£750Sammy McLeodIFSCOGlasgow1955 6 1 1934 1 4 y00SCO Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare20 August 1955DGFree transferAlfred NobleIFENGHackney1955 6 1 1924 9 18 y00ENG Briggs SportsSeptember 1955Free transferKen PlantCFENGNuneaton1955 6 1 1925 8 15 y5919ENG BuryJanuary 1954UndisclosedPeter WrightWGENGColchester1955 6 1 1934 1 26 y6713AmateurNovember 1951Free transfer Transfers In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1955CFENGMartyn KingAmateurFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=219 Martyn King Coludata.co.uk 14 March 2016 1 May 1955GKENGPercy AmesENG Tottenham HotspurFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=207 Percy Ames Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 9 June 1955IFSCOBobby HillSCO Easthouses Lily Miners WelfareFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=215 Bobby Hill Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 20 August 1955FBSCOJohn FowlerSCO Bonnyrigg Rose AthleticFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=208 John Fowler Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 DG Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club20 August 1955IFSCOSammy McLeodSCO Easthouses Lily Miners WelfareFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=209 Sammy McLeod Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 DGSeptember 1955IFENGAlfred NobleENG Briggs SportsFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=213 Alfred Noble Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 1 September 1955FBENGGeorge FisherENG Fulham£1,000http://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=211 George Fisher Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 8 September 1955WGENGRussell BlakeENG Dedham Old BoysFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=212 Russell Blake Coludata.co.uk 9 March 2016 DGJanuary 1956CBENGBrian DobsonAmateurFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=214 Brian Dobson Coludata.co.uk 11 February 2016 Total spending: ~ £1,000 Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonWHIRLAustin DunneENG TonbridgeReleasedhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=204 Austin Dunne Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 Summer 1955FBENGDigger KettleENG Sudbury TownFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=134 Digger Kettle Coludata.co.uk 8 March 2016 4 May 1955WHSCOJimmy ElderENG Yeovil TownReleasedhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=169 Jimmy Elder Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 FG Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club4 May 1955FBENGFred LewisENG Headington UnitedReleasedhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=194 Fred Lewis Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 FG4 May 1955WGWAL 1953Cliff BirchENG Great Yarmouth TownFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=198 Cliff Birch Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 FGJuly 1955IFIRLPaddy LeonardENG TonbridgeFree transferhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=200 Paddy Leonard Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 August 1955IFSCOJohnny McKimENG Clacton TownReleasedhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=171 Johnny McKim Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 September 1955CBENGRoy BicknellRetiredRetiredhttp://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=189 Roy Bicknell Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 March 1956WGENGMike GriceENG West Ham United£9,000http://coludata.co.uk/item.php?pg=player&it=187 Mike Grice Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 Total incoming: ~ £9,000 Match details Third Division South 1955–56 Football League Results round by round table b Round Ground A/A/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/AH/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/H/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/A/H Result D/L/L/W/L/L/L/W/D/D/L/D/W/W/W/L/W/W/W/D/L/W/L/D/L/W/D/D/W/W/L/W/D/W/W/L/W/L/D/L/D/L/W/L/L/W Position 13/19/22/19/20/22/23/20/21/21/22/21/20/18/14/16/14/13/12/13/13/11/12/12/14/12/12/12/9/9/11/10/11/9/8/9/7/9/8/9/9/10/9/9/11/12 Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss green1 red1 11v11.com 14 March 2016 League table Third Division South y COL Matches 1955 08 20 y 1 Exeter City 0–0 Report Colchester United St James Park Exeter 11,871 D 1955 08 24 y 2 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 3–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer McCurley Dean Court Bournemouth 8,066 L 1955 08 27 y 3 Colchester United 3–6 ReportReport Southend United McCurley 49 90 pen.Fowler 65 Baron 40Hollis 53 62 74 82McGuigan 56 Layer Road Colchester 8,915 L 1955 09 01 y 4 Colchester United 1–0 Report Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Fowler Layer Road Colchester 6,964 W 1955 09 03 y 5 Coventry City 2–0 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Own goal o.g. Highfield Road Coventry 23,171 L 1955 09 08 y 6 Leyton Orient 6–0 Report Colchester United Fenton o.g.Hartburn pen.Unknown goalscorer Brisbane Road Leyton 13,483 L 1955 09 10 y 7 Colchester United 0–3 Report Brentford Towers Taylor Layer Road Colchester 7,843 L 1955 09 15 y 8 Colchester United 2–1 Report Leyton Orient Harrison McCurley Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,191 W 1955 09 17 y 9 Watford 1–1 Report Colchester United Marden McCurley Vicarage Road Watford 9,326 D 1955 09 21 y 10 Norwich City 1–1 Report Colchester United Coxon pen. Plant Carrow Road Norwich 13,555 D 1955 09 24 y 11 Colchester United 0–3 Report Reading Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 8,125 L 1955 09 29 y 12 Colchester United 1–1 Report Gillingham Stewart Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 5,208 D 1955 10 01 y 13 Millwall 0–1 Report Colchester United Grice The Den New Cross 11,807 W 1955 10 08 y 14 Torquay United 1–2 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer McCurley P. Wright Plainmoor Torquay 7,419 W 1955 10 15 y 15 Colchester United 2–1 Report Newport County Plant Johnston Layer Road Colchester 8,225 W 1955 10 22 y 16 Swindon Town 3–1 ReportReport Colchester United Micklewright Owen Plant County Ground Swindon 6,373 L 1955 10 29 y 17 Colchester United 4–1 Report Queens Park Rangers McCurley Grice Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,339 W 1955 11 05 y 18 Northampton Town 0–2 Report Colchester United McCurley Grice County Ground Northampton 14,091 W 1955 11 12 y 19 Colchester United 4–0 Report Aldershot McCurley 10P. Wright 17McLeod 37 Layer Road Colchester 8,695 W 1955 11 26 y 20 Colchester United 3–3 Report Brighton & Hove Albion McCurley 44 82 85 Foreman Gordon Harburn Layer Road Colchester 9,010 D 1955 12 03 y 21 Southampton 3–0 Report Colchester United Hoskins Day Reeves The Dell Southampton 11,072 L 1955 12 17 y 22 Colchester United 5–1 Report Exeter City Fenton Plant Grice P. Wright Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 6,179 W 1955 12 24 y 23 Southend United 4–0 ReportReport Colchester United Baron Hollis McGuigan Roots Hall Southend-on-Sea 8,404 L 1955 12 26 y 24 Colchester United 3–3 ReportReport Ipswich Town McCurley 32Plant 70Parker 83 o.g. Parker 37 87 pen.Grant 80 Layer Road Colchester 13,176 Ken Aston D 1955 12 27 y 25 Ipswich Town 3–1 ReportReport Colchester United MacLuckie 51Blackman 53Reed 78 McCurley 6 Portman Road Ipswich 22,644 L 1955 12 31 y 26 Colchester United 2–0 Report Coventry City Plant McCurley Layer Road Colchester 8,618 W 1956 01 07 y 27 Crystal Palace 1–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Plant Selhurst Park Selhurst 6,438 D 1956 01 14 y 28 Brentford 2–2 Report Colchester United Rainford Taylor McCurley P. Wright Griffin Park Brentford 8,492 D 1956 01 21 y 29 Colchester United 4–1 Report Watford Plant McCurley Grice P. Wright Brown Layer Road Colchester 7,699 W 1956 01 28 y 30 Colchester United 2–0 Report Shrewsbury Town McCurley Grice Layer Road Colchester 5,679 W 1956 02 11 y 31 Colchester United 1–2 Report Millwall McLeod Summers Layer Road Colchester 4,811 L 1956 02 18 y 32 Colchester United 3–2 Report Torquay United Plant Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 6,906 W 1956 02 25 y 33 Newport County 0–0 Report Colchester United Somerton Park Newport 5,588 D 1956 02 27 y 34 Reading 1–3 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Dale McCurley P. Wright Elm Park Reading 4,667 W 1956 03 03 y 35 Colchester United 5–0 ReportReport Swindon Town Plant 12 84 86Dale 20Fisher 44 Layer Road Colchester 6,836 W 1956 03 10 y 36 Queens Park Rangers 6–2 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer McCurley P. Wright Loftus Road Shepherd's Bush 7,905 L 1956 03 17 y 37 Colchester United 2–0 Report Northampton Town Plant McCurley Layer Road Colchester 8,333 W 1956 03 24 y 38 Aldershot 1–0 Report Colchester United Jackson pen. Recreation Ground Aldershot 3,874 L 1956 03 30 y 39 Colchester United 1–1 Report Walsall McCurley Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 9,130 D 1956 03 31 y 40 Colchester United 2–4 Report Crystal Palace Fenton Bert Hill Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 7,397 L 1956 04 02 y 41 Walsall 0–0 Report Colchester United Fellows Park Walsall 15,179 D 1956 04 07 y 42 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–0 Report Colchester United Harburn Langley pen. Goldstone Ground Hove 17,364 L 1956 04 14 y 43 Colchester United 3–2 Report Southampton Bobby Hill 39McCurley 46 85 Traynor 3Mulgrew 52 Layer Road Colchester 5,560 W 1956 04 21 y 44 Shrewsbury Town 2–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Own goal Gay Meadow Shrewsbury 6,967 L 1956 04 25 y 45 Gillingham 2–1 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Plant Priestfield Stadium Gillingham 5,622 L 1956 04 28 y 46 Colchester United 3–2 Report Norwich City McCurley P. Wright Unknown goalscorer Layer Road Colchester 8,004 W FA Cup 1955–56 FA Cup 1955 11 19 y 1st round Torquay United 2–0 Report Colchester United Unknown goalscorer Plainmoor Torquay 8,823 L Squad statistics Appearances and goals http://coludata.co.uk/content.php?pg=goals&pd=1014#frmft=True&pg=goals&pd=1014&fsea=15&fplist=all&flgcup=all&fcompstShowAll=&fdfaShowAll= Goals Coludata.co.uk 13 March 2016 Third DivisionSouth FA Cup Percy Ames ENG GK 44 0 1 0 John Wright ENG GK 2 0 0 0 Brian Dobson ENG DF 6 0 0 0 George Fisher ENG DF 42 1 1 0 John Fowler SCO DF 16 2 0 0 John Harrison ENG DF 40 1 1 0 Billy Hunt ENG DF 1 0 0 0 Reg Stewart ENG DF 41 1 1 0 Bob Dale ENG MF 39 2 1 0 Benny Fenton ENG MF 32 2 1 0 Trevor Harris ENG MF 2 0 0 0 Bert Hill ENG MF 22 1 0 0 Ron Hunt ENG MF 3 0 0 0 Russell Blake ENG FW 5 0 0 0 Bobby Hill SCO FW 4 1 0 0 Kevin McCurley ENG FW 46 29 1 0 Sammy McLeod SCO FW 42 2 1 0 Alfred Noble ENG FW 1 0 0 0 Ken Plant ENG FW 36 17 1 0 Peter Wright ENG FW 45 9 1 0 |- !colspan="14"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season Mike Grice ENG FW 37 6 1 0 |} Goalscorers Place Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total1ENGCFKevin McCurley290292ENGCFKen Plant170173ENGWGPeter Wright9094ENGWGMike Grice6065ENGWHBob Dale202ENGWHBenny Fenton202SCOFBJohn Fowler202SCOIFSammy McLeod2029ENGFBGeorge Fisher101ENGFBJohn Harrison101ENGWHBert Hill101SCOIFBobby Hill101ENGCBReg Stewart101Own goals202TOTALS76076 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=15&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 Total1ENGPercy Ames100102ENGJohn Wright101TOTALS11011 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 13 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 NotesGKENGPercy Ames20 August 1955Exeter CitySt James ParkFBSCOJohn Fowler20 August 1955Exeter CitySt James ParkIFSCOSammy McLeod20 August 1955Exeter CitySt James ParkCBENGBilly Hunt27 August 1955Southend UnitedLayer RoadFBENGGeorge Fisher1 September 1955Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticLayer RoadWGENGRussell Blake8 September 1955Leyton OrientBrisbane RoadIFENGAlfred Noble27 December 1955Ipswich TownPortman RoadCBENGBrian Dobson24 March 1956AldershotRecreation GroundIFSCOBobby Hill2 April 1956WalsallFellows Park 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/1956/ Colchester United football club match record: 1956 11v11.com 27 March 2016 http://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Millwall-Stats55-56.htm Statistics 1955/56 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 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 1955-56 Category:English football clubs 1955–56 season