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 (re-elected)
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. Journalist Arthur Wood investigated 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, Jack Butler, a former player for Arsenal 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]
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Frank CoombsGKEnglandEast Ham24 April 1925 (aged 28)310England Southend United8 March 1952[lower-alpha 1]£450
George WrightGKEnglandPlymouth10 October 1919 (aged 33)1640England Plymouth ArgyleMay 1949£1,000
John WrightGKEnglandAldershot13 August 1933 (aged 19)00England Colchester Casuals23 May 1952Free transfer
Defenders
Roy BicknellCBEnglandDoncaster19 February 1926 (aged 27)80England Gravesend & NorthfleetJune 1952£1,000
George FrenchFBEnglandColchester10 November 1926 (aged 26)10England West Ham UnitedFebruary 1949Free transfer
John HarrisonFBEnglandLeicester27 September 1927 (aged 25)1280England Aston Villa30 September 1950[lower-alpha 1]Nominal
Billy HuntCBEnglandColchester25 November 1934 (aged 18)00AmateurAugust 1953Free transfer
Digger KettleFBEnglandColchester3 June 1922 (aged 30)1681England Arclight SportsSeptember 1946Free transfer
Fred LewisFBEnglandBroughton Gifford26 July 1923 (aged 29)00England ChelseaSummer 1953Free transfer
Reg StewartCBEnglandSheffield30 October 1925 (aged 27)1910England Sheffield Wednesday20 August 1949[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Midfielders
Harry BearrymanWHEnglandWandsworth26 September 1924 (aged 28)29310England Chelsea4 July 1947Free transfer
Bob DaleWHEnglandIrlam31 October 1931 (aged 21)00England Bury24 December 1953£1,500
Austin DunneWHRepublic of IrelandLimerick31 July 1934 (aged 18)00Republic of Ireland LimerickOctober 1953Free transfer
Jimmy ElderWHScotlandScone5 March 1928 (aged 25)14310England Portsmouth19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Trevor HarrisWHEnglandColchester6 February 1936 (aged 17)00AmateurJuly 1951Free transfer
Bert HillWHEnglandWest Ham8 March 1930 (aged 23)10England ChelseaSeptember 1952£300
Ron HuntWHEnglandColchester26 September 1933 (aged 19)30AmateurOctober 1951Free transfer
Doug KeeneWHEnglandHendon30 August 1928 (aged 24)00England Brighton & Hove Albion20 August 1953[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Forwards
Peter AitchisonWGEnglandHarlow19 September 1931 (aged 21)122AmateurAugust 1950Free transfer
John ChurchWGEnglandLowestoft17 September 1919 (aged 33)12222England Norwich City19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Mike GriceWGEnglandWoking3 November 1931 (aged 21)131England Lowestoft TownSummer 1952£25
Kevin McCurleyCFEnglandConsett2 April 1926 (aged 27)5825England LiverpoolJune 1951£750
Johnny McKimIFScotlandGreenock22 January 1926 (aged 27)8433England Chelsea19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Ken PlantCFEnglandNuneaton15 August 1925 (aged 27)00England BuryJanuary 1954Undisclosed
Peter WrightWGEnglandColchester26 January 1934 (aged 19)212AmateurNovember 1951Free transfer
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

Transfers

In

Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
Summer 1953 FB England Fred Lewis England Chelsea Free transfer [8]
June 1953 CF England Tommy Harris England Leyton Orient Part-exchange with Stan Edwards [9]
August 1953 CB England Billy Hunt Amateur Free transfer [10]
20 August 1953 WH England Doug Keene England Brighton & Hove Albion £1,000 [11][lower-alpha 1]
October 1953 WH Republic of Ireland Austin Dunne Republic of Ireland Limerick Free transfer [12]
24 December 1953 WH England Bob Dale England Bury £1,500 [13]
January 1954 CF England Ken Plant England Bury Undisclosed [14]
  • Total spending: Decrease ~ £2,500
  1. Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

Out

Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
2 May 1953 FB England Phil Rookes England Chichester City Manager [15][lower-alpha 1]
June 1953 CF England Stan Edwards England Leyton Orient Part-exchange with Tommy Harris [16]
22 August 1953 FB Wales Trevor Rowlands England Great Yarmouth Town Free transfer [17]
5 December 1953 CF England Tommy Harris England Tonbridge Free transfer [9][lower-alpha 1]
23 January 1954 FW England Dick Cullum England Sittingbourne Free transfer [18][lower-alpha 1]
13 March 1954 IF England Bert Barlow Retired Retired [19][lower-alpha 1]
17 April 1954 IF England Augie Scott England Cheltenham Town Player-coach [20][lower-alpha 1]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club

Match details

Third Division South

Results round by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAAHHAAHHAAHHAHAHAHAAHHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAH
ResultWLWWLLLWLLLDLLLLDLDLLWLWDWDLLDWWLLLLLDLDWLDLDL
Position2159681314101316182020222222222222222222232323232222232323232323232323232323232323232323
Source: 11v11.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Promotion 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
24 Walsall 46 9 8 29 40 87 0.460 26
Source: rsssf.com

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 Selhurst
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 46'
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

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][21]

No. Pos Nat Player TotalThird Division
South
FA Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK England ENG Frank Coombs 707000
GK England ENG George Wright 41039020
DF England ENG Roy Bicknell 21019020
DF England ENG George French 202000
DF England ENG John Harrison 42041010
DF England ENG Digger Kettle 403010
DF England ENG Fred Lewis 48046020
DF England ENG Reg Stewart 27027000
MF England ENG Harry Bearryman 39237220
MF England ENG Bob Dale 21421400
MF Scotland SCO Jimmy Elder 39437420
MF England ENG Bert Hill 16116100
MF England ENG Ron Hunt 202000
MF England ENG Doug Keene 24122120
FW England ENG John Church 706010
FW England ENG Mike Grice 18218200
FW England ENG Kevin McCurley 34932821
FW Scotland SCO Johnny McKim 19619600
FW England ENG Ken Plant 17617600
FW England ENG Peter Wright 23222210
Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
FW England ENG Bert Barlow 3410321020
FW England ENG Dick Cullum 101000
FW England ENG Tommy Harris 303000
FW England ENG Augie Scott 39437420

Goalscorers

[21]

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

Clean sheets

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[22]

Place Nationality Player Third Division South FA Cup Total
1 England George Wright 7 0 7
TOTALS 7 0 7

Player debuts

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[23]

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

    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. 1 2 "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    8. "Fred Lewis". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    9. 1 2 "Tommy Harris". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    10. "Billy Hunt". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
    11. "Doug Keene". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    12. "Austin Dunne". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
    13. "Bob Dale". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    14. "Ken Plant". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    15. "Phil Rookes". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    16. "Stan Edwards". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    17. "Trevor Rowlands". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    18. "Dick Cullum". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    19. "Bert Barlow". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    20. "Augie Scott". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    21. 1 2 "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
    22. "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
    23. "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
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