1957–58 Colchester United F.C. season

The 1957–58 season was Colchester United's 16th season in their history and their eighth 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. They were eliminated at the first round stage of the cup for the fifth successive season, on this occasion to non-league side Wisbech Town. In the league, with the division being restructured at the end of the season, Colchester managed to finish in the top half of the table by three points to avoid a move to the newly formed Fourth Division, instead remaining in the third tier.

Colchester United
1957–58 season
ChairmanBill Allen[1]
ManagerBenny Fenton
StadiumLayer Road
Third Division South12th
FA Cup1st round
(eliminated by
Wisbech Town)
Top goalscorerLeague:
Ken Plant (19)

All:
Ken Plant (19)
Highest home attendance11,077
v Norwich City, 14 September 1957[2]
Lowest home attendance4,391
v Northampton Town, 30 September 1957[3]
Average home league attendance10,891[4]
Biggest win4–0
v Watford, 26 December 1957
Biggest defeat0–7
v Reading, 18 September 1957

Season overview

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With Football League reorganisation looming at the end of the season, Colchester's priority for the 1957–58 season was to finish in the top half of the table to join the top half of the Third Division North to form the new nationwide Third Division. The other teams would form the Fourth Division.

During the campaign, Benny Fenton's squad suffered from numerous call-ups for national service, and as such Fenton brought in reinforcements in November with Neil Langman arriving from Plymouth Argyle for £6,750 and John Evans for £4,000 from Liverpool. Meanwhile, Birmingham City offered Colchester £10,000 for winger Peter Wright, but he opted to remain as a part-time player.

Colchester secured their place in the third tier for another season in the final game of the season when they beat Southampton 4–2 at Layer Road.[5]

Players

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As of match played 1 May 1957.[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 25) 92 0   Tottenham Hotspur 1 May 1955 Free transfer
John Wright GK   Aldershot (1933-08-13)13 August 1933 (aged 23) 4 0   Colchester Casuals 23 May 1952 Free transfer
Defenders
Brian Dobson CB   Colchester (1934-03-01)1 March 1934 (aged 23) 6 0 Amateur January 1956 Free transfer
George Fisher FB   Bermondsey (1925-06-19)19 June 1925 (aged 31) 89 3   Fulham 1 September 1955 £1,000
John Fowler FB   Leith (1933-10-17)17 October 1933 (aged 23) 60 3   Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 20 August 1955[a] Free transfer
John Laidlaw FB   Aldershot (1936-07-05)5 July 1936 (aged 20) 0 0   Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare June 1957 Free transfer
Alf Marshall FB   Dagenham (1933-05-21)21 May 1933 (aged 24) 0 0   Dagenham 14 October 1957 £25
Chic Milligan CB   Ardrossan (1930-07-26)26 July 1930 (aged 26) 35 1   Ardrossan Winton Rovers 18 August 1956[a] £1,000
Edgar Rumney FB   Abberton (1936-09-15)15 September 1936 (aged 20) 0 0   Colchester Casuals 1 May 1957 Free transfer
Midfielders
Benny Fenton WH   West Ham (1918-10-10)10 October 1918 (aged 38) 83 12   Charlton Athletic 5 March 1955[a] £500
Trevor Harris WH   Colchester (1936-02-06)6 February 1936 (aged 21) 3 0 Amateur July 1951 Free transfer
Bert Hill WH   West Ham (1930-03-08)8 March 1930 (aged 27) 75 3   Chelsea September 1952 £300
Ron Hunt WH   Colchester (1933-09-26)26 September 1933 (aged 23) 34 0 Amateur October 1951 Free transfer
Derek Parker WH   Wivenhoe (1926-06-23)23 June 1926 (aged 30) 6 0   West Ham United March 1957 £2,500
Forwards
Russell Blake WG   Colchester (1935-07-24)24 July 1935 (aged 21) 7 0   Dedham Old Boys 8 September 1955[a] Free transfer
John Evans IF   Tilbury (1929-08-28)28 August 1929 (aged 27) 0 0   Liverpool 23 November 1957[a] £4,000
Bobby Hill IF   Edinburgh (1938-06-09)9 June 1938 (aged 18) 43 8   Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare 9 June 1955 Free transfer
Martyn King CF   Birmingham (1937-08-23)23 August 1937 (aged 19) 3 1 Amateur Summer 1955 Free transfer
Neil Langman CF   Bere Alston (1932-02-21)21 February 1932 (aged 25) 0 0   Plymouth Argyle November 1957 £6,750
Kevin McCurley CF   Consett (1926-04-02)2 April 1926 (aged 31) 189 74   Liverpool June 1951 £750
Sammy McLeod IF   Glasgow (1934-01-04)4 January 1934 (aged 23) 47 4   Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare 20 August 1955[a] Free transfer
Hamish McNeill IF   Alva (1934-11-16)16 November 1934 (aged 22) 0 0   Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic August 1957 £600
Ken Plant CF   Nuneaton (1925-08-15)15 August 1925 (aged 31) 143 60   Bury January 1954 Undisclosed
Tommy Williams WG   Battersea (1935-02-10)10 February 1935 (aged 22) 23 3   Carshalton Athletic September 1956 Free transfer
Peter Wright WG   Colchester (1934-01-26)26 January 1934 (aged 23) 158 30 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

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Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
1 May 1957 FB   Edgar Rumney   Colchester Casuals Free transfer [7]
June 1957 FB   John Laidlaw   Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Free transfer [8]
August 1957 IF   Hamish McNeill   Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic £600 [9]
14 October 1957 FB   Alf Marshall   Dagenham £25 [10]
November 1957 CF   Neil Langman   Plymouth Argyle £6,750 [11]
23 November 1957 IF   John Evans   Liverpool £4,000 [12][a]
  • Total spending:   ~ £11,375
  1. ^ Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club
Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
31 May 1957 WG   Les Barrell   Clacton Town Released [13]
June 1957 IF   Eddie Smith   Queens Park Rangers £1,050 [14]
July 1957 CB   Reg Stewart   Hastings United Free transfer [15]
  • Total incoming:   ~ £1,050

Match details

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Third Division South

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Results round by round

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Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAAHAHHAAAHHAAHAAHAHHAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHH
ResultWLDWWLLLDLDWLDWDWWLDWDLWWDDWDWLWLWWLLLDDDLLWLW
Position731176613151622211621151312778878121111121088997887910111011111212121212
Source: 11v11.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Promotion or relegation
10 Queens Park Rangers 46 18 14 14 64 65 0.985 50
11 Newport County 46 17 14 15 73 67 1.090 48
12 Colchester United 46 17 13 16 77 79 0.975 47
13 Northampton Town 46 19 6 21 87 79 1.101 44 Moved to 4th Division
14 Crystal Palace 46 15 13 18 70 72 0.972 43
Source: [citation needed]

Matches

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24 August 1957 (1957-08-24) 1 Colchester United 3–0 Torquay United Colchester
McCurley   pen.'
P. Wright   
Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,760
26 August 1957 (1957-08-26) 2 Queens Park Rangers 1–0 Colchester United Shepherd's Bush
Cameron   Report Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 12,135
31 August 1957 (1957-08-31) 3 Brentford 3–3 Colchester United Brentford
Newcombe   1'
Towers   
Report Parker  
P. Wright   
Stadium: Griffin Park
Attendance: 12,730
2 September 1957 (1957-09-02) 4 Colchester United 2–1 Queens Park Rangers Colchester
P. Wright   90'
McCurley  
Report Finney   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,992
7 September 1957 (1957-09-07) 5 Southend United 2–3 Colchester United Southend-on-Sea
Crossan   17'  Report
Report
Plant   6'
P. Wright   12'
McCurley   51' (pen.)
Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 18,125
9 September 1957 (1957-09-09) 6 Colchester United 1–3 Reading Colchester
McCurley   Report Unknown goalscorer     Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,774
14 September 1957 (1957-09-14) 7 Colchester United 1–2 Norwich City Colchester
McCurley   Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 11,077
18 September 1957 (1957-09-18) 8 Reading 7–0 Colchester United Reading
Unknown goalscorer         Report Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 13,811
21 September 1957 (1957-09-21) 9 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 1–1 Colchester United Bournemouth
Dowsett   46' Report McNeill   4' Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 16,057
26 September 1957 (1957-09-26) 10 Northampton Town 4–1 Colchester United Northampton
Unknown goalscorer      Report Plant   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 4,000
28 September 1957 (1957-09-28) 11 Colchester United 1–1 Walsall Colchester
P. Wright   Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,366
30 September 1957 (1957-09-30) 12 Colchester United 1–0 Northampton Town Colchester
P. Wright   Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 4,391
5 October 1957 (1957-10-05) 13 Coventry City 1–0 Colchester United Coventry
Griffiths   40' Report Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 14,423
9 October 1957 (1957-10-09) 14 Plymouth Argyle 1–1 Colchester United Plymouth
Langman   Report
Report
McLeod   Stadium: Home Park
Attendance: 22,550
12 October 1957 (1957-10-12) 15 Colchester United 3–0 Exeter City Colchester
Plant   
McCurley  
Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,930
15 October 1957 (1957-10-15) 16 Watford 1–1 Colchester United Watford
Anderson   Report P. Wright   Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,580
19 October 1957 (1957-10-19) 17 Gillingham 2–3 Colchester United Gillingham
Unknown goalscorer    Report McCurley   
Williams  
Stadium: Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 8,535
26 October 1957 (1957-10-26) 18 Colchester United 2–1 Millwall Colchester
P. Wright   65'
Plant   79'
Report Shepherd   8' Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,260
2 November 1957 (1957-11-02) 19 Swindon Town 4–0 Colchester United Swindon
Micklewright   26'
Edwards   37'
Skull   76'
Richards   83'
Report
Report
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 14,198
9 November 1957 (1957-11-09) 20 Colchester United 1–1 Aldershot Colchester
Fenton   71' Report Lacey   83' Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,569
23 November 1957 (1957-11-23) 21 Colchester United 2–1 Port Vale Colchester
Plant   5'
Williams   45'
Report Askey   79' Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,106
Referee: C. Woan
30 November 1957 (1957-11-30) 22 Newport County 2–2 Colchester United Newport
Harris   17'
Dixon   28'
Report Langman   2'
Plant   8'
Stadium: Somerton Park
Attendance: 8,866
14 December 1957 (1957-12-14) 23 Brighton & Hove Albion 5–2 Colchester United Hove
Gordon   4', 76'
Sexton   20' (pen.)
Harburn   50'
Howard   55'
Report Fisher   16' (pen.)
Williams   51'
Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 9,716
21 December 1957 (1957-12-21) 24 Torquay United 1–3 Colchester United Torquay
Northcott   80' Report P. Wright   20', 40'
Evans  
Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 5,749
26 December 1957 (1957-12-26) 25 Colchester United 4–0 Watford Colchester
Plant    
Langman  
Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,379
28 December 1957 (1957-12-28) 26 Colchester United 1–1 Brentford Colchester
Langman   Report Francis   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,548
4 January 1958 (1958-01-04) 27 Shrewsbury Town 0–0 Colchester United Shrewsbury
Report Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 5,600
11 January 1958 (1958-01-11) 28 Colchester United 1–0 Southend United Colchester
Williams   55' Report
Report
Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,357
18 January 1958 (1958-01-18) 29 Norwich City 1–1 Colchester United Norwich
Unknown goalscorer   Report Plant   Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 17,523
1 February 1958 (1958-02-01) 30 Colchester United 3–2 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Colchester
Evans   
P. Wright  
Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,091
8 February 1958 (1958-02-08) 31 Walsall 3–0 Colchester United Walsall
Unknown goalscorer     Report Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 7,639
15 February 1958 (1958-02-15) 32 Colchester United 4–1 Coventry City Colchester
Fenton   pen.'  pen.'
Plant   
Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,613
22 February 1958 (1958-02-22) 33 Exeter City 4–3 Colchester United Exeter
Unknown goalscorer      Report Evans  
Plant  
Langman  
Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 7,636
1 March 1958 (1958-03-01) 34 Colchester United 3–2 Gillingham Colchester
Plant   
Langman  
Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,158
8 March 1958 (1958-03-08) 35 Millwall 1–4 Colchester United New Cross
Johnson   Report Plant  
Langman  
P. Wright   
Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 7,307
15 March 1958 (1958-03-15) 36 Colchester United 1–3 Swindon Town Colchester
Langman   Report
Report
Edwards  
Richards  
Kelly  
Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,241
22 March 1958 (1958-03-22) 37 Port Vale 2–0 Colchester United Burslem
Steele  
Wilkinson  
Report Stadium: Vale Park
Attendance: 7,161
29 March 1958 (1958-03-29) 38 Colchester United 1–2 Brighton & Hove Albion Colchester
Evans   Report Unknown goalscorer    Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,751
4 April 1958 (1958-04-04) 39 Crystal Palace 1–1 Colchester United Selhurst
Unknown goalscorer   Report Plant   Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 17,787
7 April 1958 (1958-04-07) 40 Colchester United 1–1 Crystal Palace Colchester
Evans   Report Unknown goalscorer   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,528
12 April 1958 (1958-04-12) 41 Colchester United 1–1 Newport County Colchester
Langman   Report Harris   Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,472
16 April 1958 (1958-04-16) 42 Aldershot 2–1 Colchester United Aldershot
Unknown goalscorer    Report Plant   Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 2,630
19 April 1958 (1958-04-19) 43 Southampton 3–2 Colchester United Southampton
Roper  
Reeves  
Page  
Report McCurley    Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 13,842
21 April 1958 (1958-04-21) 44 Colchester United 3–0 Shrewsbury Town Colchester
Evans  
McCurley  
P. Wright  
Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,092
26 April 1958 (1958-04-26) 45 Colchester United 1–2 Plymouth Argyle Colchester
Blake   1' Report
Report
Carter   56' (pen.)
Baker   81'
Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,593
1 May 1958 (1958-05-01) 46 Colchester United 4–2 Southampton Colchester
McCurley  
Blake  
McLeod  
Williams  
Report Mulgrew  
Reeves  
Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,914

FA Cup

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16 November 1957 (1957-11-16) 1st round Wisbech Town 1–0 Colchester United Wisbech
Pye   67' Report Stadium: Fenland Park
Attendance: 9,552

Squad statistics

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Appearances and goals

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[6][16]

No. Pos Nat Player Total Third Division
South
FA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   ENG Percy Ames 47 0 46 0 1 0
DF   ENG Brian Dobson 17 0 16 0 1 0
DF   ENG George Fisher 46 1 45 1 1 0
DF   SCO John Fowler 46 0 46 0 0 0
DF   SCO Chic Milligan 27 0 26 0 1 0
DF   ENG Edgar Rumney 5 0 5 0 0 0
MF   ENG Benny Fenton 23 3 23 3 0 0
MF   ENG Trevor Harris 7 0 7 0 0 0
MF   ENG Bert Hill 32 0 31 0 1 0
MF   ENG Ron Hunt 4 0 4 0 0 0
MF   ENG Derek Parker 30 1 29 1 1 0
FW   ENG Russell Blake 8 2 8 2 0 0
FW   ENG John Evans 24 7 24 7 0 0
FW   SCO Bobby Hill 11 0 11 0 0 0
FW   ENG Neil Langman 23 8 23 8 0 0
FW   ENG Kevin McCurley 29 12 28 12 1 0
FW   SCO Sammy McLeod 16 2 15 2 1 0
FW   SCO Hamish McNeill 2 1 2 1 0 0
FW   ENG Ken Plant 45 19 44 19 1 0
FW   ENG Tommy Williams 29 5 28 5 1 0
FW   ENG Peter Wright 46 16 45 16 1 0

Goalscorers

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[16]

Place Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1   CF Ken Plant 19 0 19
2   WG Peter Wright 16 0 16
3   CF Kevin McCurley 12 0 12
4   CF Neil Langman 8 0 8
5   IF John Evans 7 0 7
6   WG Tommy Williams 5 0 5
7   WH Benny Fenton 3 0 3
8   WG Russell Blake 2 0 2
  IF Sammy McLeod 2 0 2
10   FB George Fisher 1 0 1
  IF Hamish McNeill 1 0 1
  WH Derek Parker 1 0 1
Own goals 0 0 0
TOTALS 77 0 77

Disciplinary record

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[17]

Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
           
  WH Benny Fenton 1 0 0 0 1 0
TOTALS 1 0 0 0 1 0

Clean sheets

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Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[18]

Place Nationality Player Third Division South FA Cup Total
1   Percy Ames 7 0 7
TOTALS 7 0 7

Player debuts

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Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[19]

Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes
FB   Edgar Rumney 2 September 1957 Queens Park Rangers Layer Road
IF   Hamish McNeill 21 September 1957 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Dean Court
IF   John Evans 23 November 1957 Port Vale Layer Road
CF   Neil Langman 23 November 1957 Port Vale Layer Road

See also

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References

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General

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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.
  • Kent, Jeff (1990). The Valiants' Years: The Story of Port Vale. Stafford: Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  • White, Eric (1989). 100 Years of Brentford. Redditch: Oldfield Press. ISBN 0951526200.

Websites

Specific

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  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 Norwich City". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Colchester Utd 1–0 Northampton Town". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  5. ^ Hudson, Matt (11 July 2012). "The 1950s and 1960s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Edgar Rumney". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  8. ^ "John Laidlaw". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Hamish McNeill". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Alf Marshall". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Neil Langman". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  12. ^ "John Evans". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  13. ^ "Les Barrell". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Eddie Smith". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Reg Stewart". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  17. ^ "Discipline". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  19. ^ "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2016.