Wikipedia

1955–56 Colchester United F.C. season

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.

Colchester United
1955–56 season
ChairmanBill Allen[1]
ManagerBenny Fenton
StadiumLayer Road
Third Division South12th
FA Cup1st round
(eliminated by
Torquay United)
Top goalscorerLeague:
Kevin McCurley (29)
All:
Kevin McCurley (29)
Highest home attendance13,176
v Ipswich Town, 26 December 1955[2]
Lowest home attendance4,811
v Millwall, 11 February 1956[3]
Average home league attendance7,668[4]
Biggest win5–0
v Swindon Town, 3 March 1956
Biggest defeat0–6
v Leyton Orient, 8 September 1955

Season overview edit

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.[5]

Players edit

As of match played 28 April 1956.[6]
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Percy Ames GK   Plymouth (1931-12-13)13 December 1931 (aged 23) 0 0   Tottenham Hotspur 1 May 1955 Free transfer
George Wright GK   Plymouth (1919-10-10)10 October 1919 (aged 35) 219 0   Plymouth Argyle May 1949 £1,000
John Wright GK   Aldershot (1933-08-13)13 August 1933 (aged 21) 2 0   Colchester Casuals 23 May 1952 Free transfer
Defenders
Brian Dobson CB   Colchester (1934-03-01)1 March 1934 (aged 21) 0 0 Amateur January 1956 Free transfer
George Fisher FB   Bermondsey (1925-06-19)19 June 1925 (aged 29) 0 0   Fulham 1 September 1955 £1,000
John Fowler FB   Leith (1933-10-17)17 October 1933 (aged 21) 0 0   Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 20 August 1955[a] Free transfer
George French FB   Colchester (1926-11-10)10 November 1926 (aged 28) 3 0   West Ham United February 1949 Free transfer
John Harrison FB   Leicester (1927-09-27)27 September 1927 (aged 27) 205 0   Aston Villa 30 September 1950[a] Nominal
Billy Hunt CB   Colchester (1934-11-25)25 November 1934 (aged 20) 0 0 Amateur August 1953 Free transfer
Reg Stewart CB   Sheffield (1925-10-30)30 October 1925 (aged 29) 265 1   Sheffield Wednesday 20 August 1949[a] £1,000
Midfielders
Bob Dale WH   Irlam (1931-10-31)31 October 1931 (aged 23) 55 8   Bury 24 December 1953 £1,500
Benny Fenton WH   West Ham (1918-10-10)10 October 1918 (aged 36) 11 2   Charlton Athletic 5 March 1955[a] £500
Trevor Harris WH   Colchester (1936-02-06)6 February 1936 (aged 19) 1 0 Amateur July 1951 Free transfer
Bert Hill WH   West Ham (1930-03-08)8 March 1930 (aged 25) 38 1   Chelsea September 1952 £300
Ron Hunt WH   Colchester (1933-09-26)26 September 1933 (aged 21) 31 0 Amateur October 1951 Free transfer
Forwards
Russell Blake WG   Colchester (1935-07-24)24 July 1935 (aged 19) 0 0   Dedham Old Boys 8 September 1955[a] Free transfer
Bobby Hill IF   Edinburgh (1938-06-09)9 June 1938 (aged 16) 0 0   Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare 9 June 1955 Free transfer
Martyn King CF   Birmingham (1937-08-23)23 August 1937 (aged 17) 0 0 Amateur Summer 1955 Free transfer
Kevin McCurley CF   Consett (1926-04-02)2 April 1926 (aged 29) 110 35   Liverpool June 1951 £750
Sammy McLeod IF   Glasgow (1934-01-04)4 January 1934 (aged 21) 0 0   Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare 20 August 1955[a] Free transfer
Alfred Noble IF   Hackney (1924-09-18)18 September 1924 (aged 30) 0 0   Briggs Sports September 1955 Free transfer
Ken Plant CF   Nuneaton (1925-08-15)15 August 1925 (aged 29) 59 19   Bury January 1954 Undisclosed
Peter Wright WG   Colchester (1934-01-26)26 January 1934 (aged 21) 67 13 Amateur November 1951 Free transfer
  1. ^ a b c d e f Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

Transfers edit

In edit

Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
Summer 1955 CF   Martyn King Amateur Free transfer [7]
1 May 1955 GK   Percy Ames   Tottenham Hotspur Free transfer [8]
9 June 1955 IF   Bobby Hill   Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Free transfer [9]
20 August 1955 FB   John Fowler   Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Free transfer [10][a]
20 August 1955 IF   Sammy McLeod   Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Free transfer [11][a]
September 1955 IF   Alfred Noble   Briggs Sports Free transfer [12]
1 September 1955 FB   George Fisher   Fulham £1,000 [13]
8 September 1955 WG   Russell Blake   Dedham Old Boys Free transfer [14][a]
January 1956 CB   Brian Dobson Amateur Free transfer [15]
  • Total spending:   ~ £1,000
  1. ^ a b c Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

Out edit

Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
End of season WH   Austin Dunne   Tonbridge Released [16]
Summer 1955 FB   Digger Kettle   Sudbury Town Free transfer [17]
4 May 1955 WH   Jimmy Elder   Yeovil Town Released [18][a]
4 May 1955 FB   Fred Lewis   Headington United Released [19][a]
4 May 1955 WG   Cliff Birch   Great Yarmouth Town Free transfer [20][a]
July 1955 IF   Paddy Leonard   Tonbridge Free transfer [21]
August 1955 IF   Johnny McKim   Clacton Town Released [22]
September 1955 CB   Roy Bicknell Retired Retired [23]
March 1956 WG   Mike Grice   West Ham United £9,000 [24]
  • Total incoming:   ~ £9,000
  1. ^ a b c Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club

Match details edit

Third Division South edit

Main article: 1955–56 Football League

Results round by round edit

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAAHHAAHHAAHHHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHHHAAHAHAHHAAHAAH
ResultDLLWLLLWDDLDWWWLWWWDLWLDLWDDWWLWDWWLWLDLDLWLLW
Position13192219202223202121222120181416141312131311121214121212991110119897989910991112
Source: 11v11.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

League table edit

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
10 Gillingham 46 19 10 17 69 71 0.972 48
11 Northampton Town 46 20 7 19 67 71 0.944 47
12 Colchester United 46 18 11 17 76 81 0.938 47
13 Shrewsbury Town 46 17 12 17 69 66 1.045 46
14 Southampton 46 18 8 20 91 81 1.123 44
Source: [citation needed]

Matches edit

20 August 1955 (1955-08-20) 1 Exeter City 0–0 Colchester United Exeter
Report Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 11,871
24 August 1955 (1955-08-24) 2 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 3–1 Colchester United Bournemouth
Unknown goalscorer     Report McCurley   Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 8,066
27 August 1955 (1955-08-27) 3 Colchester United 3–6 Southend United Colchester
McCurley   49', 90' (pen.)
Fowler   65'		 Report
Report		 Baron   40'
Hollis   53', 62', 74', 82'
McGuigan   56'		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,915
1 September 1955 (1955-09-01) 4 Colchester United 1–0 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Colchester
Fowler   Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,964
3 September 1955 (1955-09-03) 5 Coventry City 2–0 Colchester United Coventry
Unknown goalscorer  
Own goal   o.g.'		 Report Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 23,171
8 September 1955 (1955-09-08) 6 Leyton Orient 6–0 Colchester United Leyton
Fenton   o.g.'
Hartburn   pen.'
Unknown goalscorer     		 Report Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 13,483
10 September 1955 (1955-09-10) 7 Colchester United 0–3 Brentford Colchester
Report Towers   
Taylor  		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,843
15 September 1955 (1955-09-15) 8 Colchester United 2–1 Leyton Orient Colchester
Harrison  
McCurley  		 Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,191
17 September 1955 (1955-09-17) 9 Watford 1–1 Colchester United Watford
Marden   Report McCurley   Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 9,326
21 September 1955 (1955-09-21) 10 Norwich City 1–1 Colchester United Norwich
Coxon   pen.' Report Plant   Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 13,555
24 September 1955 (1955-09-24) 11 Colchester United 0–3 Reading Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer     Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,125
29 September 1955 (1955-09-29) 12 Colchester United 1–1 Gillingham Colchester
Stewart   Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,208
1 October 1955 (1955-10-01) 13 Millwall 0–1 Colchester United New Cross
Report Grice   Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 11,807
8 October 1955 (1955-10-08) 14 Torquay United 1–2 Colchester United Torquay
Unknown goalscorer   Report McCurley  
P. Wright  		 Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 7,419
15 October 1955 (1955-10-15) 15 Colchester United 2–1 Newport County Colchester
Plant    Report Johnston   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,225
22 October 1955 (1955-10-22) 16 Swindon Town 3–1 Colchester United Swindon
Micklewright   
Owen  		 Report
Report		 Plant   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,373
29 October 1955 (1955-10-29) 17 Colchester United 4–1 Queens Park Rangers Colchester
McCurley    
Grice		 Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,339
5 November 1955 (1955-11-05) 18 Northampton Town 0–2 Colchester United Northampton
Report McCurley  
Grice  		 Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 14,091
12 November 1955 (1955-11-12) 19 Colchester United 4–0 Aldershot Colchester
McCurley   10' 
P. Wright   17'
McLeod   37'		 Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,695
26 November 1955 (1955-11-26) 20 Colchester United 3–3 Brighton & Hove Albion Colchester
McCurley   44', 82', 85' Report Foreman  
Gordon  
Harburn  		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,010
3 December 1955 (1955-12-03) 21 Southampton 3–0 Colchester United Southampton
Hoskins  
Day  
Reeves  		 Report Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 11,072
17 December 1955 (1955-12-17) 22 Colchester United 5–1 Exeter City Colchester
Fenton  
Plant  
Grice  
P. Wright   		 Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,179
24 December 1955 (1955-12-24) 23 Southend United 4–0 Colchester United Southend-on-Sea
Baron  
Hollis  
McGuigan   		 Report
Report		 Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 8,404
26 December 1955 (1955-12-26) 24 Colchester United 3–3 Ipswich Town Colchester
McCurley   32'
Plant   70'
Parker   83' (o.g.)		 Report
Report		 Parker   37', 87' (pen.)
Grant   80'		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 13,176
Referee: Ken Aston
27 December 1955 (1955-12-27) 25 Ipswich Town 3–1 Colchester United Ipswich
MacLuckie   51'
Blackman   53'
Reed   78'		 Report
Report		 McCurley   6' Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 22,644
31 December 1955 (1955-12-31) 26 Colchester United 2–0 Coventry City Colchester
Plant  
McCurley  		 Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,618
7 January 1956 (1956-01-07) 27 Crystal Palace 1–1 Colchester United Selhurst
Unknown goalscorer   Report Plant   Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 6,438
14 January 1956 (1956-01-14) 28 Brentford 2–2 Colchester United Brentford
Rainford  
Taylor  		 Report McCurley  
P. Wright  		 Stadium: Griffin Park
Attendance: 8,492
21 January 1956 (1956-01-21) 29 Colchester United 4–1 Watford Colchester
Plant  
McCurley  
Grice  
P. Wright  		 Report Brown   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,699
28 January 1956 (1956-01-28) 30 Colchester United 2–0 Shrewsbury Town Colchester
McCurley  
Grice  		 Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,679
11 February 1956 (1956-02-11) 31 Colchester United 1–2 Millwall Colchester
McLeod   Report Summers    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 4,811
18 February 1956 (1956-02-18) 32 Colchester United 3–2 Torquay United Colchester
Plant     Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,906
25 February 1956 (1956-02-25) 33 Newport County 0–0 Colchester United Newport
Report Stadium: Somerton Park
Attendance: 5,588
27 February 1956 (1956-02-27) 34 Reading 1–3 Colchester United Reading
Unknown goalscorer   Report Dale  
McCurley  
P. Wright  		 Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 4,667
3 March 1956 (1956-03-03) 35 Colchester United 5–0 Swindon Town Colchester
Plant   12', 84', 86'
Dale   20'
Fisher   44'		 Report
Report		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,836
10 March 1956 (1956-03-10) 36 Queens Park Rangers 6–2 Colchester United Shepherd's Bush
Unknown goalscorer        Report McCurley  
P. Wright  		 Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 7,905
17 March 1956 (1956-03-17) 37 Colchester United 2–0 Northampton Town Colchester
Plant  
McCurley  		 Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,333
24 March 1956 (1956-03-24) 38 Aldershot 1–0 Colchester United Aldershot
Jackson   pen.' Report Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 3,874
30 March 1956 (1956-03-30) 39 Colchester United 1–1 Walsall Colchester
McCurley   Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,130
31 March 1956 (1956-03-31) 40 Colchester United 2–4 Crystal Palace Colchester
Fenton  
Bert Hill  		 Report Unknown goalscorer      Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,397
2 April 1956 (1956-04-02) 41 Walsall 0–0 Colchester United Walsall
Report Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 15,179
7 April 1956 (1956-04-07) 42 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–0 Colchester United Hove
Harburn  
Langley   pen.'		 Report Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 17,364
14 April 1956 (1956-04-14) 43 Colchester United 3–2 Southampton Colchester
Bobby Hill   39'
McCurley   46', 85'		 Report Traynor   3'
Mulgrew   52'		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,560
21 April 1956 (1956-04-21) 44 Shrewsbury Town 2–1 Colchester United Shrewsbury
Unknown goalscorer    Report Own goal   Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 6,967
25 April 1956 (1956-04-25) 45 Gillingham 2–1 Colchester United Gillingham
Unknown goalscorer    Report Plant   Stadium: Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 5,622
28 April 1956 (1956-04-28) 46 Colchester United 3–2 Norwich City Colchester
McCurley   
P. Wright  		 Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,004

FA Cup edit

Main article: 1955–56 FA Cup
19 November 1955 (1955-11-19) 1st round Torquay United 2–0 Colchester United Torquay
Unknown goalscorer    Report Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 8,823

Squad statistics edit

Appearances and goals edit

[6][25]

No. Pos Nat Player Total Third Division
South		 FA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   ENG Percy Ames 45 0 44 0 1 0
GK   ENG John Wright 2 0 2 0 0 0
DF   ENG Brian Dobson 6 0 6 0 0 0
DF   ENG George Fisher 43 1 42 1 1 0
DF   SCO John Fowler 16 2 16 2 0 0
DF   ENG John Harrison 41 1 40 1 1 0
DF   ENG Billy Hunt 1 0 1 0 0 0
DF   ENG Reg Stewart 42 1 41 1 1 0
MF   ENG Bob Dale 40 2 39 2 1 0
MF   ENG Benny Fenton 33 2 32 2 1 0
MF   ENG Trevor Harris 2 0 2 0 0 0
MF   ENG Bert Hill 22 1 22 1 0 0
MF   ENG Ron Hunt 3 0 3 0 0 0
FW   ENG Russell Blake 5 0 5 0 0 0
FW   SCO Bobby Hill 4 1 4 1 0 0
FW   ENG Kevin McCurley 47 29 46 29 1 0
FW   SCO Sammy McLeod 43 2 42 2 1 0
FW   ENG Alfred Noble 1 0 1 0 0 0
FW   ENG Ken Plant 37 17 36 17 1 0
FW   ENG Peter Wright 46 9 45 9 1 0
Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
FW   ENG Mike Grice 38 6 37 6 1 0

Goalscorers edit

[25]

Place Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1   CF Kevin McCurley 29 0 29
2   CF Ken Plant 17 0 17
3   WG Peter Wright 9 0 9
4   WG Mike Grice 6 0 6
5   WH Bob Dale 2 0 2
  WH Benny Fenton 2 0 2
  FB John Fowler 2 0 2
  IF Sammy McLeod 2 0 2
9   FB George Fisher 1 0 1
  FB John Harrison 1 0 1
  WH Bert Hill 1 0 1
  IF Bobby Hill 1 0 1
  CB Reg Stewart 1 0 1
Own goals 2 0 2
TOTALS 76 0 76

Clean sheets edit

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[26]

Place Nationality Player Third Division South FA Cup Total
1   Percy Ames 10 0 10
2   John Wright 1 0 1
TOTALS 11 0 11

Player debuts edit

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[27]

Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes
GK   Percy Ames 20 August 1955 Exeter City St James Park
FB   John Fowler 20 August 1955 Exeter City St James Park
IF   Sammy McLeod 20 August 1955 Exeter City St James Park
CB   Billy Hunt 27 August 1955 Southend United Layer Road
FB   George Fisher 1 September 1955 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Layer Road
WG   Russell Blake 8 September 1955 Leyton Orient Brisbane Road
IF   Alfred Noble 27 December 1955 Ipswich Town Portman Road
CB   Brian Dobson 24 March 1956 Aldershot Recreation Ground
IF   Bobby Hill 2 April 1956 Walsall Fellows Park

See also edit

References edit

General edit

Books

  • Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
  • Ambrosen, Tony (1993). Amber in the Blood: A History Of Newport County. Uxbridge: Yore Publications. ISBN 978-1-874427-40-7.
  • White, Eric (1989). 100 Years of Brentford. Redditch: Oldfield Press. ISBN 0951526200.

Websites

Specific edit

  1. ^ Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 278. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
  2. ^ "Colchester Utd 3–3 Ipswich Town". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Colchester Utd 1–2 Millwall". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  5. ^ Hudson, Matt (11 July 2012). "The 1950s and 1960s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Martyn King". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Percy Ames". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Bobby Hill". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  10. ^ "John Fowler". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Sammy McLeod". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Alfred Noble". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  13. ^ "George Fisher". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Russell Blake". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Brian Dobson". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  16. ^ "Austin Dunne". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  17. ^ "Digger Kettle". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Jimmy Elder". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  19. ^ "Fred Lewis". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Cliff Birch". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  21. ^ "Paddy Leonard". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  22. ^ "Johnny McKim". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  23. ^ "Roy Bicknell". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  24. ^ "Mike Grice". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  25. ^ a b "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  26. ^ "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  27. ^ "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
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