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1953–54 Colchester United F.C. season

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Colchester United
1953–54 season
ChairmanBill Allen[1]
ManagerRon Meades
(11 June to 15 June)
Jack Butler
(from 16 June)
StadiumLayer Road
Third Division South23rd
FA Cup1st round
(eliminated by
Millwall)
Top goalscorerLeague:
Bert Barlow (10)
All:
Bert Barlow (10)
Highest home attendance10,316
v Ipswich Town, 19 December 1953[2]
Lowest home attendance6,035
v Southend United, 29 April 1954[3]
Average home league attendance7,797[4]
Biggest win5–0
v Queens Park Rangers, 25 December 1953
Biggest defeat0–4
v Millwall, 23 November 1953

The 1953–54 season was Colchester United's twelfth season in their history and their fourth 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. Colchester were knocked out in the first round of the cup by Millwall following a replay. The club struggled in the league for the second successive season, eventually finishing 23rd of 24 teams under new manager Jack Butler. The club had to apply for re-election at the end of the season for the first of three occasions in its history. All four clubs applying for re-election were successful, with Colchester receiving 45 votes, behind Chester by three votes but ahead of both Walsall (32 votes) and Halifax Town (28 votes).[5]

Season overview

Following Jimmy Allen's resignation at the end of the previous season, the Colchester United board shortlisted three names for the vacant managerial position, and in-line with their cost reduction policy, appointed Ron Meades as player-manager. Meades had claimed to have been with Cardiff City, and more recently manager of Western League side Wadebridge Town. Jouralist Arthur Wood investigated into Meades' background and revealed that Meades was a fraud, and after just four days in charge, Meades was asked to leave by the club.

Colchester hurriedly appointed a new manager in Jack Butler, a former Arsenal player and England international. He had coached in Belgium, initially with Royal Daring Club Molenbeek and had been in charge of the Belgium national team between 1935 and 1940, leading them to the 1938 World Cup finals. More recently, he had managed Torquay United and Crystal Palace, but Butler had little time to prepare his side ahead of the new season, and a 13-game winless run in late 1953 saw Colchester slump to 23rd position in the league.

With the crowd average falling season-on-season to 7,797, the club were required to apply for re-election after finishing the campaign ten points adrift of safety. Colchester earned 45 votes, enough to ensure another season in the Football League, but having been prolific goalscorers earlier in their history, the club had scored only 50 league goals this season.[6]

Players

As of match played 29 April 1954.[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK England ENG Frank Coombs
— GK England ENG George Wright
— GK England ENG John Wright
— DF England ENG Harry Bearryman
— DF England ENG Roy Bicknell
— DF England ENG Bob Dale
— DF England ENG Brian Dobson
— DF Republic of Ireland IRL Austin Dunne
— DF Scotland SCO Jimmy Elder
— DF England ENG George French
— DF England ENG Trevor Harris
— DF England ENG John Harrison
— DF England ENG Bertie Hill
— DF England ENG Billy Hunt
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF England ENG Ron Hunt
— DF England ENG Doug Keene
— DF England ENG Digger Kettle
— DF England ENG Fred Lewis
— DF England ENG Reg Stewart
— FW England ENG Peter Aitchison
— FW England ENG Russell Blake
— FW England ENG John Church
— FW England ENG Mike Grice
— FW England ENG Kevin McCurley
— FW Scotland SCO Johnny McKim
— FW England ENG Ken Plant
— FW England ENG Peter Wright

Match details

Third Division South

Main article: 1953–54 Football League

Third Division South results round by round

Template:Fb rbr header Template:Fb rbr ground

Template:Fb rbr result

Template:Fb rbr position fl

Template:Fb rbr footer

  Win   Draw   Loss

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv1 Pts2 Promotion, qualification or relegation
20 Swindon Town 46 15 10 21 67 70 0.957 40
21 Shrewsbury Town 46 14 12 20 65 76 0.855 40
22 Crystal Palace 46 14 12 20 60 86 0.698 40
23 Colchester United 46 10 10 26 50 78 0.641 30 Re-elected to Third Division South
24 Walsall 46 9 8 29 40 87 0.460 26

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Number of goals scored

(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated; (R) Relegated.

Notes:

1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Matches

20 August 1953 (1953-08-20) 1 Colchester United 3–1 Torquay United Colchester
Barlow
Elder
McCurley 		Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,841
22 August 1953 (1953-08-22) 2 Ipswich Town 3–0 Colchester United Ipswich
MacLuckie
Reed 		Report
Report		 Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 18,130
Referee: J. Pollard
26 August 1953 (1953-08-26) 3 Exeter City 1–2 Colchester United Exeter
Unknown goalscorer Report Barlow
McCurley 		Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 10,589
29 August 1953 (1953-08-29) 4 Colchester United 4–1 Crystal Palace Colchester
Scott
Barlow
McCurley 		Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,811
3 September 1953 (1953-09-03) 5 Colchester United 0–1 Exeter City Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,791
5 September 1953 (1953-09-05) 6 Bristol City 3–0 Colchester United Bristol
Unknown goalscorer Report Stadium: Ashton Gate Stadium
Attendance: 17,219
9 September 1953 (1953-09-09) 7 Norwich City 2–1 Colchester United Norwich
Unknown goalscorer Report Scott Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 22,228
12 September 1953 (1953-09-12) 8 Colchester United 3–0 Aldershot Colchester
Barlow
Bearryman
McCurley 		Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,170
17 September 1953 (1953-09-17) 9 Colchester United 0–1 Norwich City Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 10,218
19 September 1953 (1953-09-19) 10 Swindon Town 3–0 Colchester United Swindon
Lewis o.g.'
Betteridge 		Report
Report		 Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 12,284
23 September 1953 (1953-09-23) 11 Southampton 2–1 Colchester United Southampton
Horton
Day 		Report McKim Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,842
26 September 1953 (1953-09-26) 12 Colchester United 1–1 Walsall Colchester
Grice Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,643
1 October 1953 (1953-10-01) 13 Colchester United 0–1 Southampton Colchester
Report Day Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,705
3 October 1953 (1953-10-03) 14 Shrewsbury Town 3–1 Colchester United Shrewsbury
Unknown goalscorer Report Barlow Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 9,915
10 October 1953 (1953-10-10) 15 Colchester United 0–3 Coventry City Colchester
Report Brown Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,174
17 October 1953 (1953-10-17) 16 Gillingham 2–0 Colchester United Gillingham
Unknown goalscorer Report Stadium: Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 8,296
24 October 1953 (1953-10-24) 17 Colchester United 1–1 Northampton Town Colchester
Elder pen.' Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,599
31 October 1953 (1953-10-31) 18 Torquay United 3–1 Colchester United Torquay
Unknown goalscorer Report McCurley Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 6,251
7 November 1953 (1953-11-07) 19 Colchester United 2–2 Watford Colchester
Barlow
McCurley 		Report Bowie
Nolan 		Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,905
14 November 1953 (1953-11-14) 20 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–0 Colchester United Hove
Gordon Report Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 15,624
28 November 1953 (1953-11-28) 21 Reading 2–0 Colchester United Reading
Unknown goalscorer Report Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 12,036
5 December 1953 (1953-12-05) 22 Colchester United 1–0 Leyton Orient Colchester
Grice Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,819
19 December 1953 (1953-12-19) 23 Colchester United 1–2 Ipswich Town Colchester
Scott Report
Report		 Elsworthy
Reed 		Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 10,316
Referee: J. Pollard
25 December 1953 (1953-12-25) 24 Colchester United 5–0 Queens Park Rangers Colchester
Scott
Barlow
McKim 		Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,155
26 December 1953 (1953-12-26) 25 Queens Park Rangers 0–0 Colchester United Shepherd's Bush
Report Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 10,674
2 January 1954 (1954-01-02) 26 Crystal Palace 0–1 Colchester United South Norwood
Report McCurley 25' Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 6,971
9 January 1954 (1954-01-09) 27 Colchester United 2–2 Newport County Colchester
Barlow 66'
Dale 74'		 Report Graham
Haines 		Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,434
16 January 1954 (1954-01-16) 28 Colchester United 0–2 Bristol City Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,931
23 January 1954 (1954-01-23) 29 Aldershot 3–0 Colchester United Aldershot
Unknown goalscorer Report Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 4,502
6 February 1954 (1954-02-06) 30 Colchester United 2–2 Swindon Town Colchester
Plant Template:Goal46
Dale 		Report
Report		 Sampson 22'
Owen 		Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,824
13 February 1954 (1954-02-13) 31 Walsall 2–3 Colchester United Walsall
Unknown goalscorer Report Plant
P. Wright 		Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 9,819
20 February 1954 (1954-02-20) 32 Colchester United 3–1 Shrewsbury Town Colchester
Barlow
Keene
Plant		 Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,852
27 February 1954 (1954-02-27) 33 Coventry City 2–1 Colchester United Coventry
Bradbury
Jamieson pen.'		 Report Plant Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 11,852
6 March 1954 (1954-03-06) 34 Colchester United 0–1 Gillingham Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,824
13 March 1954 (1954-03-13) 35 Southend United 3–0 Colchester United Southend-on-Sea
Bainbridge
Hollis 		Report
Report		 Stadium: Southend Stadium
Attendance: 8,100
20 March 1954 (1954-03-20) 36 Colchester United 2–4 Reading Colchester
Elder pen.' pen.' Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,726
27 March 1954 (1954-03-27) 37 Watford 3–0 Colchester United Watford
Adams
R. Brown
Cook 		Report Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 10,466
3 April 1954 (1954-04-03) 38 Colchester United 1–1 Brighton & Hove Albion Colchester
Hill 89' Report Leadbetter 82' Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,282
10 April 1954 (1954-04-10) 39 Leyton Orient 3–1 Colchester United Leyton
Unknown goalscorer Report McKim Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 9,309
16 April 1954 (1954-04-16) 40 Colchester United 1–1 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Colchester
Dale Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,223
17 April 1954 (1954-04-17) 41 Colchester United 3–0 Millwall Colchester
Bearryman
McKim 		Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,450
19 April 1954 (1954-04-19) 42 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 4–2 Colchester United Bournemouth
Unknown goalscorer Report Dale
P. Wright 		Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 7,778
22 April 1954 (1954-04-22) 43 Newport County 1–1 Colchester United Newport
Graham Report Plant Stadium: Somerton Park
Attendance: 7,396
24 April 1954 (1954-04-24) 44 Northampton Town 3–0 Colchester United Northampton
Unknown goalscorer Report Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 7,344
26 April 1954 (1954-04-26) 45 Millwall 0–0 Colchester United New Cross
Report Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 5,572
29 April 1954 (1954-04-29) 46 Colchester United 0–1 Southend United Colchester
Report
Report		 Bainbridge Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,035

FA Cup

Main article: 1953–54 FA Cup
21 November 1953 (1953-11-21) 1st round Colchester United 1–1 Millwall Colchester
McCurley Report Stobbart Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,765
23 November 1953 (1953-11-23) 1st round replay Millwall 4–0 Colchester United New Cross
Stobbart
Hazlett
Neary 		Report Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 8,898

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

[7][8]

No. Pos Nat Player Total Third Division
South		 FA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England ENG Frank Coombs 7 0 7 0 0 0
GK England ENG George Wright 41 0 39 0 2 0
DF England ENG Harry Bearryman 39 2 37 2 2 0
DF England ENG Roy Bicknell 21 0 19 0 2 0
DF England ENG Bob Dale 21 4 21 4 0 0
DF Scotland SCO Jimmy Elder 39 4 37 4 2 0
DF England ENG George French 2 0 2 0 0 0
DF England ENG John Harrison 42 0 41 0 1 0
DF England ENG Bertie Hill 16 1 16 1 0 0
DF England ENG Ron Hunt 2 0 2 0 0 0
DF England ENG Doug Keene 24 1 22 1 2 0
DF England ENG Digger Kettle 4 0 3 0 1 0
DF England ENG Fred Lewis 48 0 46 0 2 0
DF England ENG Reg Stewart 27 0 27 0 0 0
FW England ENG John Church 7 0 6 0 1 0
FW England ENG Mike Grice 18 2 18 2 0 0
FW England ENG Kevin McCurley 34 9 32 8 2 1
DF Scotland SCO Johnny McKim 19 6 19 6 0 0
FW England ENG Ken Plant 17 6 17 6 0 0
FW England ENG Peter Wright 23 2 22 2 1 0
Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
FW England ENG Bert Barlow 34 10 32 10 2 0
FW England ENG Dick Cullum 1 0 1 0 0 0
FW England ENG Tommy Harris 3 0 3 0 0 0
FW England ENG Augie Scott 39 4 37 4 2 0

Goalscorers

[8]

Place Nation Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1 England FW Bert Barlow 10 0 10
2 England FW Kevin McCurley 8 1 9
3 Scotland FW Johnny McKim 6 0 6
England FW Ken Plant 6 0 6
5 England DF Bob Dale 4 0 4
Scotland DF Jimmy Elder 4 0 4
England FW Augie Scott 4 0 4
8 England DF Harry Bearryman 2 0 2
England FW Mike Grice 2 0 2
England FW Peter Wright 2 0 2
11 England DF Bertie Hill 1 0 1
England DF Doug Keene 1 0 1
Own goals 0 0 0
TOTALS 51 1 52

Disciplinary record

[9]

Nationality Position Player Third Division South FA Cup Total
Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card
TOTALS 0 0 0 0 0 0

Captains

Number of games played as team captain.[10]

Place Nation Position Player Third Division South FA Cup Total
Not recorded
 46 2 48

Player debuts

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[11]

Position Player Date Opponent Ground Notes
DF England Doug Keene 20 August 1953 Torquay United Layer Road
DF England Fred Lewis 20 August 1953 Torquay United Layer Road
FW England Tommy Harris 10 October 1953 Coventry City Layer Road
DF England Bob Dale 2 January 1954 Crystal Palace Selhurst Park
FW England Ken Plant 6 February 1954 Swindon Town Layer Road

Transfers and contracts

In

Date Pos Player From Fee Ref
1 June 1953 DF England Fred Lewis England Chelsea Free transfer [12]
1 June 1953 FW England Tommy Harris England Leyton Orient Swap with Stan Edwards [13]
1 July 1953 FW England Russell Blake England Dedham Old Boys Free transfer [14]
20 August 1953 DF England Doug Keene England Brighton & Hove Albion £1,000 [15]
1 October 1953 DF Republic of Ireland Austin Dunne Republic of Ireland Limerick Free transfer [16]
24 December 1953 DF England Bob Dale England Bury £1,500 [17]
1 January 1954 FW England Ken Plant England Bury Undisclosed [18]

Out

Date Pos Player To Fee Ref
2 May 1953 DF England Phil Rookes England Chichester City Manager [19]
1 June 1953 FW England Stan Edwards England Leyton Orient Swap with Tommy Harris [20]
22 August 1953 DF Wales Trevor Rowlands England Great Yarmouth Town Free transfer [21]
5 December 1953 FW England Tommy Harris England Tonbridge Free transfer [13]
23 January 1954 FW England Dick Cullum England Sittingbourne Free transfer [22]
13 March 1954 FW England Bert Barlow Retired Retired [23]
17 April 1954 FW England Augie Scott England Chelmsford City Player-manager [24]

See also

References

General

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.

Websites

Specific

  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 1–2 Ipswich Town". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Colchester Utd 0–1 Southend United". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  4. ^ "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  5. ^ "A history of admission to the Football League". Nonleaguematters.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 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 22 February 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  9. ^ "Discipline". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  10. ^ "All matches". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  11. ^ "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  12. ^ "Fred Lewis". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  13. ^ a b "Tommy Harris". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  14. ^ "Russell Blake". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Doug Keene". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  16. ^ "Austin Dunne". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  17. ^ "Bob Dale". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  18. ^ "Ken Plant". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  19. ^ "Phil Rookes". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  20. ^ "Stan Edwards". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  21. ^ "Trevor Rowlands". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  22. ^ "Dick Cullum". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  23. ^ "Bert Barlow". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  24. ^ "Augie Scott". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
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