Wikipedia

1954–55 Colchester United F.C. season

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.[5]

Colchester United
1954–55 season
ChairmanBill Allen[1]
ManagerJack Butler
(until 14 January)
Alf Miller & Claude Orrin
(January to March)
Benny Fenton
(from March)
StadiumLayer Road
Third Division South24th (re-elected)
FA Cup1st round
(eliminated by
Reading)
Top goalscorerLeague:
Ken Plant (13)
All:
Ken Plant (13)
Highest home attendance10,809
v Southend United, 8 April 1955[2]
Lowest home attendance3,517
v Torquay United, 31 March 1955[3]
Average home league attendance7,284[4]
Biggest win4–1
v Northampton Town, 4 September 1954
Biggest defeat1–6
v Northampton Town, 18 April 1955

Season overview edit

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.[6]

Players edit

As of match played 4 May 1955.[7]
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
George Wright GK   Plymouth (1919-10-10)10 October 1919 (aged 34) 205 0   Plymouth Argyle May 1949 £1,000
John Wright GK   Aldershot (1933-08-13)13 August 1933 (aged 20) 0 0   Colchester Casuals 23 May 1952 Free transfer
Defenders
Roy Bicknell CB   Doncaster (1926-02-19)19 February 1926 (aged 28) 29 0   Gravesend & Northfleet June 1952 £1,000
George French FB   Colchester (1926-11-10)10 November 1926 (aged 27) 3 0   West Ham United February 1949 Free transfer
John Harrison FB   Leicester (1927-09-27)27 September 1927 (aged 26) 170 0   Aston Villa 30 September 1950[a] Nominal
Billy Hunt CB   Colchester (1934-11-25)25 November 1934 (aged 19) 0 0 Amateur August 1953 Free transfer
Digger Kettle FB   Colchester (1922-06-03)3 June 1922 (aged 31) 172 1   Arclight Sports September 1946 Free transfer
Fred Lewis FB   Broughton Gifford (1923-07-26)26 July 1923 (aged 30) 48 0   Chelsea Summer 1953 Free transfer
Reg Stewart CB   Sheffield (1925-10-30)30 October 1925 (aged 28) 218 0   Sheffield Wednesday 20 August 1949[a] £1,000
Midfielders
Bob Dale WH   Irlam (1931-10-31)31 October 1931 (aged 22) 21 4   Bury 24 December 1953 £1,500
Austin Dunne WH   Limerick (1934-07-31)31 July 1934 (aged 19) 0 0   Limerick October 1953 Free transfer
Jimmy Elder WH   Scone (1928-03-05)5 March 1928 (aged 26) 182 14   Portsmouth 19 August 1950[a] £1,000
Benny Fenton WH   West Ham (1918-10-10)10 October 1918 (aged 35) 0 0   Charlton Athletic 5 March 1955[a] £500
Trevor Harris WH   Colchester (1936-02-06)6 February 1936 (aged 18) 0 0 Amateur July 1951 Free transfer
Bert Hill WH   West Ham (1930-03-08)8 March 1930 (aged 24) 17 1   Chelsea September 1952 £300
Ron Hunt WH   Colchester (1933-09-26)26 September 1933 (aged 20) 5 0 Amateur October 1951 Free transfer
Forwards
Cliff Birch WG   Newport (1928-09-01)1 September 1928 (aged 25) 0 0   Newport County June 1954 £1,000
Mike Grice WG   Woking (1931-11-03)3 November 1931 (aged 22) 31 3   Lowestoft Town Summer 1952 £25
Paddy Leonard IF   Dublin (1929-07-25)25 July 1929 (aged 24) 0 0   Bristol Rovers July 1954 Free transfer
Kevin McCurley CF   Consett (1926-04-02)2 April 1926 (aged 28) 92 34   Liverpool June 1951 £750
Johnny McKim IF   Greenock (1926-01-22)22 January 1926 (aged 28) 103 39   Chelsea 19 August 1950[a] £1,000
Ken Plant CF   Nuneaton (1925-08-15)15 August 1925 (aged 28) 17 6   Bury January 1954 Undisclosed
Peter Wright WG   Colchester (1934-01-26)26 January 1934 (aged 20) 44 4 Amateur November 1951 Free transfer
  1. ^ a b c d e 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 1954 GK   Jimmy Kirk   Bury Free transfer [8]
Summer 1954 FB   Ron George   Crystal Palace Free transfer [9]
June 1954 WH   Frank McCourt   Manchester City Nominal [10]
June 1954 WG   Cliff Birch   Newport County £1,000 [11]
July 1954 IF   Paddy Leonard   Bristol Rovers Free transfer [12]
5 March 1955 WH   Benny Fenton   Charlton Athletic £500 [13][a]
  • Total spending:   ~ £1,500
  1. ^ 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.
Summer 1954 GK   Frank Coombs   Gravesend & Northfleet Released [14]
Summer 1954 WH   Doug Keene   Dartford Released [15]
Summer 1954 WG   John Church   Crittall Athletic Released [16]
31 May 1954 WH   Harry Bearryman   Metropolitan Police Free transfer [17]
6 November 1954 WG   Peter Aitchison   Sittingbourne Free transfer [18][a]
5 February 1955 FB   Ron George   Sudbury Town Free transfer [9][a]
19 February 1955 WH   Frank McCourt   Poole Town Released [10][a]
28 April 1955 GK   Jimmy Kirk   Torquay United Free transfer [8][a]
  1. ^ a b c d 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: 1954–55 Football League

Results round by round edit

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAAHHHAAHHAAHHAHAHAAHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAHHHAAHAAHHA
ResultDDDLWLLLDWLWWLLLLLLLLDDDWWLLWDDWDDLLDWLLLLLDLL
Position14131519111619202018221914181921232323232323232323212223232322212122232323222323232324242424
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 Promotion or relegation
20 Crystal Palace 46 11 16 19 52 80 0.650 38
21 Swindon Town 46 11 15 20 46 64 0.719 37
22 Exeter City 46 11 15 20 47 73 0.644 37
23 Walsall 46 10 14 22 75 86 0.872 34 Re-elected
24 Colchester United 46 9 13 24 53 91 0.582 31
Source: rsssf.com

Matches edit

21 August 1954 (1954-08-21) 1 Colchester United 0–0 Swindon Town Colchester
Report
Report		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,767
25 August 1954 (1954-08-25) 2 Exeter City 2–2 Colchester United Exeter
Houghton   1'
Ellaway   25'		 Report Leonard   16'
Grice   33'		 Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 9,320
28 August 1954 (1954-08-28) 3 Crystal Palace 0–0 Colchester United Selhurst
Report Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 14,348
2 September 1954 (1954-09-02) 4 Colchester United 1–2 Exeter City Colchester
Plant   Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,963
4 September 1954 (1954-09-04) 5 Colchester United 4–1 Northampton Town Colchester
Birch  
Plant    		 Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,467
9 September 1954 (1954-09-09) 6 Colchester United 0–2 Bristol City Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,522
11 September 1954 (1954-09-11) 7 Watford 2–0 Colchester United Watford
Bowie  
Cook  		 Report Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 13,794
14 September 1954 (1954-09-14) 8 Bristol City 4–0 Colchester United Bristol
Unknown goalscorer      Report Stadium: Ashton Gate Stadium
Attendance: 18,455
18 September 1954 (1954-09-18) 9 Colchester United 3–3 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Colchester
Dale  
Plant  
Grice  		 Report Unknown goalscorer     Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,801
23 September 1954 (1954-09-23) 10 Colchester United 1–0 Norwich City Colchester
Dale   Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,506
25 September 1954 (1954-09-25) 11 Queens Park Rangers 4–1 Colchester United Shepherd's Bush
Unknown goalscorer      Report Birch   Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 11,738
29 September 1954 (1954-09-29) 12 Norwich City 0–2 Colchester United Norwich
Report Dale  
Plant  		 Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 15,672
2 October 1954 (1954-10-02) 13 Colchester United 1–0 Newport County Colchester
McKim   Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,691
9 October 1954 (1954-10-09) 14 Colchester United 2–4 Brighton & Hove Albion Colchester
McKim  
Plant   pen.'		 Report Foreman  
Gordon   
Mundy  		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,334
16 October 1954 (1954-10-16) 15 Brentford 3–2 Colchester United Brentford
Robertson  
Stobbart  
Rainford  		 Report McKim  
Grice  		 Stadium: Griffin Park
Attendance: 10,218
23 October 1954 (1954-10-23) 16 Colchester United 0–1 Coventry City Colchester
Report Capel   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,124
30 October 1954 (1954-10-30) 17 Walsall 3–1 Colchester United Walsall
Unknown goalscorer     Report McKim   Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 11,117
6 November 1954 (1954-11-06) 18 Colchester United 0–2 Millwall Colchester
Report Prior  
Pacey  		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,551
13 November 1954 (1954-11-13) 19 Leyton Orient 2–0 Colchester United Leyton
Unknown goalscorer    Report Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 16,782
27 November 1954 (1954-11-27) 20 Reading 4–0 Colchester United Reading
Unknown goalscorer      Report Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 6,512
4 December 1954 (1954-12-04) 21 Colchester United 2–4 Shrewsbury Town Colchester
Plant  
P. Wright  		 Report Unknown goalscorer      Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,168
18 December 1954 (1954-12-18) 22 Swindon Town 1–1 Colchester United Swindon
McClelland   Report
Report		 Plant   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,254
25 December 1954 (1954-12-25) 23 Aldershot 2–2 Colchester United Aldershot
Unknown goalscorer    Report McKim  
P. Wright  		 Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 5,123
27 December 1954 (1954-12-27) 24 Colchester United 1–1 Aldershot Colchester
P. Wright   Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,967
1 January 1955 (1955-01-01) 25 Colchester United 2–0 Crystal Palace Colchester
Plant  
P. Wright  		 Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,806
8 January 1955 (1955-01-08) 26 Southampton 0–1 Colchester United Southampton
Report Grice   Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 12,449
22 January 1955 (1955-01-22) 27 Colchester United 1–3 Watford Colchester
Grice   Report Adams  
Cook  
Paton  		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 4,729
5 February 1955 (1955-02-05) 28 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 2–0 Colchester United Bournemouth
Unknown goalscorer    Report Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 7,417
12 February 1955 (1955-02-12) 29 Colchester United 1–0 Queens Park Rangers Colchester
Leonard   Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 4,903
19 February 1955 (1955-02-19) 30 Newport County 0–0 Colchester United Newport
Report Stadium: Somerton Park
Attendance: 5,612
26 February 1955 (1955-02-26) 31 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–1 Colchester United Hove
Moore   Report Dale   Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 11,074
5 March 1955 (1955-03-05) 32 Colchester United 3–2 Brentford Colchester
Elder   pen.'
Plant  
Leonard  		 Report Francis  
Dudley  		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,251
12 March 1955 (1955-03-12) 33 Coventry City 0–0 Colchester United Coventry
Report Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 10,058
19 March 1955 (1955-03-19) 34 Colchester United 2–2 Walsall Colchester
Grice  
P. Wright  		 Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,361
26 March 1955 (1955-03-26) 35 Millwall 5–2 Colchester United New Cross
Summers   
Pacey  
Hazlett  
Short  		 Report Leonard  
P. Wright  		 Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 8,349
31 March 1955 (1955-03-31) 36 Colchester United 0–2 Torquay United Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 3,517
2 April 1955 (1955-04-02) 37 Colchester United 2–2 Leyton Orient Colchester
Fenton   39'
Plant   58'		 Report Rees   6', 75' Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,448
8 April 1955 (1955-04-08) 38 Colchester United 2–0 Southend United Colchester
Fenton   18'
Stewart   23'		 Report
Report		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 10,809
9 April 1955 (1955-04-09) 39 Gillingham 2–1 Colchester United Gillingham
Unknown goalscorer    Report Elder   pen.' Stadium: Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 11,002
11 April 1955 (1955-04-11) 40 Southend United 4–2 Colchester United Southend-on-Sea
Grant   
Hollis   		 Report
Report		 McKim  
Leonard  		 Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 8,478
16 April 1955 (1955-04-16) 41 Colchester United 0–2 Reading Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,046
18 April 1955 (1955-04-18) 42 Northampton Town 6–1 Colchester United Northampton
Unknown goalscorer     
Elder   o.g.'
Harrison   o.g.'		 Report McKim   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 3,198
23 April 1955 (1955-04-23) 43 Shrewsbury Town 2–0 Colchester United Shrewsbury
Unknown goalscorer    Report Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 6,735
28 April 1955 (1955-04-28) 44 Colchester United 2–2 Gillingham Colchester
P. Wright    Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,070
30 April 1955 (1955-04-30) 45 Colchester United 3–5 Southampton Colchester
Plant  
McCurley  
P. Wright  		 Report Brown  
Hoskins  
Mulgrew  
Day  
Walker  		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,386
4 May 1955 (1955-05-04) 46 Torquay United 2–1 Colchester United Torquay
Unknown goalscorer    Report Birch   Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 2,907

FA Cup edit

Main article: 1954–55 FA Cup
20 November 1954 (1954-11-20) 1st round Reading 3–3 Colchester United Reading
Wheeler   36'
Uphill   40'
Hill   o.g.'		 Report Birch   21'
Grice   28'
McKim   73'		 Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 12,800
25 November 1954 (1954-11-25) 1st round replay Colchester United 1–2 Reading Colchester
Elder   pen.' Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 4,636

Squad statistics edit

Appearances and goals edit

[7][19]

No. Pos Nat Player Total Third Division
South		 FA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   ENG George Wright 14 0 12 0 2 0
GK   ENG John Wright 2 0 2 0 0 0
DF   ENG John Harrison 35 0 35 0 0 0
DF   ENG Digger Kettle 2 0 2 0 0 0
DF   ENG Fred Lewis 41 0 39 0 2 0
DF   ENG Reg Stewart 47 1 45 1 2 0
MF   ENG Bob Dale 34 4 34 4 0 0
MF   IRL Austin Dunne 1 0 1 0 0 0
MF   SCO Jimmy Elder 30 3 28 2 2 1
MF   ENG Benny Fenton 11 2 11 2 0 0
MF   ENG Trevor Harris 1 0 1 0 0 0
MF   ENG Bert Hill 21 0 19 0 2 0
MF   ENG Ron Hunt 26 0 26 0 0 0
FW   WAL Cliff Birch 14 4 12 3 2 1
FW   ENG Mike Grice 40 7 38 6 2 1
FW   IRL Paddy Leonard 34 5 34 5 0 0
FW   ENG Kevin McCurley 18 1 16 1 2 0
FW   SCO Johnny McKim 34 8 32 7 2 1
FW   ENG Ken Plant 42 13 40 13 2 0
FW   ENG Peter Wright 23 9 23 9 0 0
Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
GK   SCO Jimmy Kirk 32 0 32 0 0 0
DF   ENG Ron George 8 0 6 0 2 0
MF   NIR Frank McCourt 12 0 12 0 0 0
FW   ENG Peter Aitchison 6 0 6 0 0 0

Goalscorers edit

[19]

Place Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1   CF Ken Plant 13 0 13
2   WG Peter Wright 9 0 9
3   IF Johnny McKim 7 1 8
4   WG Mike Grice 6 1 7
5   IF Paddy Leonard 5 0 5
6   WG Cliff Birch 3 1 4
  WH Bob Dale 4 0 4
8   WH Jimmy Elder 2 1 3
9   WH Benny Fenton 2 0 2
10   CF Kevin McCurley 1 0 1
  CB Reg Stewart 1 0 1
Own goals 0 0 0
TOTALS 53 4 57

Clean sheets edit

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[20]

Place Nationality Player Third Division South FA Cup Total
1   Jimmy Kirk 7 0 7
2   George Wright 4 0 4
TOTALS 11 0 11

Player debuts edit

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[21]

Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes
GK   Jimmy Kirk 21 August 1954 Swindon Town Layer Road
WH   Frank McCourt 21 August 1954 Swindon Town Layer Road
WG   Cliff Birch 21 August 1954 Swindon Town Layer Road
IF   Paddy Leonard 21 August 1954 Swindon Town Layer Road
FB   Ron George 16 October 1954 Brentford Griffin Park
WH   Benny Fenton 5 March 1955 Brentford Layer Road
WH   Austin Dunne 9 April 1955 Gillingham Priestfield
WH   Trevor Harris 18 April 1955 Northampton Town County Ground
GK   John Wright 30 April 1955 Southampton Layer Road

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 2–0 Southend United". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Colchester Utd 0–2 Torquay United". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  5. ^ "A history of admission to the Football League". Nonleaguematters.co.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  6. ^ Hudson, Matt (11 July 2012). "The 1950s and 1960s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Jimmy Kirk". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Ron George". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Frank McCourt". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Cliff Birch". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Paddy Leonard". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  13. ^ "Benny Fenton". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Frank Coombs". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Doug Keene". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  16. ^ "John Church". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  17. ^ "Harry Bearryman". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Peter Aitchison". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  19. ^ a b "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  21. ^ "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
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