Colchester United 1976–77 football season
The 1976–77 season was Colchester United's 35th season in their history and first season back in fourth tier of English football , the Fourth Division following relegation the previous season. Alongside competing in the Fourth Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the League Cup .
Colchester bounced back to the Third Division at the first attempt under Bobby Roberts with a largely unchanged team from the previous season. He led them to a third-place finish in the league, while in the FA Cup, Colchester took First Division Derby County to a replay in the fourth round. In the League Cup, it took Second Division Millwall three attempts to dispatch the U's in a replay following the initial two legs.
Season overview [ ]
Colchester made an instant return to the Third Division after the board kept the faith in manager Bobby Roberts . The season began strongly with twelve successive home victories. Despite a first round League Cup defeat to Millwall , an impressive FA Cup run saw the U's lose out in the fourth round to First Division Derby County in a replay at the Baseball Ground . Over 14,000 fans had seen Colin Garwood equalise in the seventh minute of injury time in the first match at Layer Road .
A settled side aided Colchester's progress across the season. Eight players played over 40 of the 46 league games. The two favoured forwards of Bobby Gough and Colin Garwood registered 17 and 16 goals respectively, while centre-half Steve Dowman scored twelve goals in his debut season. Colchester were promoted in third position behind only Cambridge United and Exeter City .[5]
Players [ ]
As of match played 14 May 1977. [6]
Name
Position
Nationality
Place of birth
Date of birth
Apps
Goals
Signed from
Date signed
Fee
Goalkeepers
Mike Walker
GK
Colwyn Bay
(1945-11-28 ) 28 November 1945 (aged 30)
149
0
Watford
July 1973
£4,000
Defenders
Micky Cook
FB
Enfield
(1951-04-09 ) 9 April 1951 (aged 25)
289
10
Orient
1 March 1969
Free transfer
Steve Dowman
CB
Ilford
(1958-04-15 ) 15 April 1958 (aged 18)
0
0
Apprentice
24 August 1976[a]
Free transfer
Mick Packer
FB
Willesden
(1950-04-20 ) 20 April 1950 (aged 26)
120
4
Watford
July 1973
Free transfer
Lindsay Smith
CB
Enfield
(1954-09-18 ) 18 September 1954 (aged 21)
183
12
Apprentice
20 April 1971[a]
Free transfer
Johnny Williams
FB
Tottenham
(1947-03-26 ) 26 March 1947 (aged 29)
39
0
Watford
June 1976
Undisclosed
Midfielders
Ray Bunkell
MF
Edmonton
(1949-09-18 ) 18 September 1949 (aged 26)
85
5
Swindon Town
December 1973
Part exchange
Paul Dyer
MF
Leicester
(1953-01-24 ) 24 January 1953 (aged 23)
40
2
Notts County
Summer 1975
Undisclosed
Steve Foley
MF
Clacton-on-Sea
(1953-06-21 ) 21 June 1953 (aged 22)
139
29
Apprentice
July 1969
Free transfer
Steve Leslie
MF
Hornsey
(1952-09-04 ) 4 September 1952 (aged 23)
187
34
Apprentice
20 April 1971[a]
Free transfer
Forwards
Ian Allinson
WG
Hitchin
(1957-10-01 ) 1 October 1957 (aged 18)
6
0
Apprentice
Summer 1974
Free transfer
John Froggatt
FW
Stanton Hill
(1945-12-13 ) 13 December 1945 (aged 30)
98
23
Boston United
Summer 1974
£6,000
Colin Garwood
FW
Heacham
(1949-06-29 ) 29 June 1949 (aged 26)
15
2
Huddersfield Town
February 1976
£4,000
Bobby Gough
FW
Ladywood
(1949-07-20 ) 20 July 1949 (aged 26)
22
5
Southport
January 1976
£7,000
^ Jump up to: a b c 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.
24 August 1976
CB
Steve Dowman
Apprentice
Free transfer
[7] [a]
Total spending: ~ £0
^ Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club
Out [ ]
Total incoming: ~ £0
Loans in [ ]
Date
Position
Nationality
Name
From
End date
Ref.
19 February 1977
GK
Glenn Ellis
Ipswich Town
22 February 1977
[13] [a]
^ Loan start and end dates refer to the date of the player's first and final games for the club
Match details [ ]
Fourth Division [ ]
Results round by round [ ]
Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 Ground A H A H A H A H A H A A H H H A H A H A H A H H H A H A A H A A H A A H A H A H H A H A A H Result L W L W L W D W D W L L W W W W W L W L W W W L W L W W L W W W L D D D D D D W W D W W L W Position 24 7 13 9 14 8 10 5 5 6 9 11 10 5 6 3 3 4 3 4 4 3 2 2 2 5 3 2 4 3 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 4 3
Source:
11v11.com A = Away;
H = Home;
W = Win;
D = Draw;
L = Loss
League table [ ]
1
Cambridge United
46
26
13
7
87
40
+47
65
Division Champions, promoted
2
Exeter City
46
25
12
9
70
46
+24
62
Promoted
3
Colchester United
46
25
9
12
77
43
+34
59
4
Bradford City
46
23
13
10
78
51
+27
59
5
Swansea City
46
25
8
13
92
68
+24
58
Source:[citation needed ]
Matches [ ]
Colchester United v Halifax Town
24 August 1976 (1976-08-24 ) 2 Colchester United 3–0 Halifax Town show Colchester
Allinson 74' , 75' Gough 89'
Report
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,489 Referee: D Reeves
Rochdale v Colchester United
Watford v Colchester United
Colchester United v Crewe Alexandra
Bournemouth v Colchester United
25 September 1976 (1976-09-25 ) 7 Bournemouth 0–0 Colchester United show Bournemouth
Report
Stadium: Dean Court Attendance: 3,881 Referee: D Biddle
Southend United v Colchester United
8 October 1976 (1976-10-08 ) 9 Southend United 0–0 Colchester United show Southend-on-Sea
Report
Stadium: Roots Hall Attendance: 6,690 Referee: K Salmon
Colchester United v Hartlepool
Scunthorpe United v Colchester United
23 October 1976 (1976-10-23 ) 11 Scunthorpe United 2–0 Colchester United show Scunthorpe
Pilling 40' Keeley 61'
Report
Stadium: Old Showground Attendance: 3,157 Referee: R Horner
Colchester United v Stockport County
12 November 1976 (1976-11-12 ) 15 Colchester United 1–0 Stockport County show Colchester
Dowman 85'
Report
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,948 Referee: B Daniels
Barnsley v Colchester United
27 November 1976 (1976-11-27 ) 16 Barnsley 0–1 Colchester United show Barnsley
Report
Garwood 8'
Stadium: Oakwell Attendance: 5,662 Referee: J Rice
Colchester United v Darlington
4 December 1976 (1976-12-04 ) 17 Colchester United 4–0 Darlington show Colchester
Gough 8' Dowman 36' , 75' Smith 80'
Report
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,951 Referee: P Reeves
Bradford City v Colchester United
18 December 1976 (1976-12-18 ) 18 Bradford City 1–0 Colchester United show Bradford
Cooke 39'
Report
Stadium: Valley Parade Attendance: 4,173 Referee: A Saunders
Swansea City v Colchester United
Colchester United v Southport
Colchester United v Rochdale
5 February 1977 (1977-02-05 ) 25 Colchester United 1–0 Rochdale show Colchester
Dowman 27'
Report
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 4,943 Referee: K Salmon
Colchester United v Watford
19 February 1977 (1977-02-19 ) 27 Colchester United 1–0 Watford show Colchester
Packer 13' (pen. )
Report
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 5,678 Referee: D Smith
Crewe Alexandra v Colchester United
26 February 1977 (1977-02-26 ) 29 Crewe Alexandra 1–0 Colchester United show Crewe
Smith 31' (o.g. )
Report
Stadium: Gresty Road Attendance: 2,410 Referee: K Hacken
Colchester United v Bournemouth
4 March 1977 (1977-03-04 ) 30 Colchester United 1–0 Bournemouth show Colchester
Froggatt 14'
Report
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 4,948 Referee: M Taylor
Halifax Town v Colchester United
Colchester United v Southend United
19 March 1977 (1977-03-19 ) 33 Colchester United 0–1 Southend United show Colchester
Report
Morris 87'
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 6,637 Referee: I Hunting
Hartlepool v Colchester United
Colchester United v Scunthorpe United
2 April 1977 (1977-04-02 ) 36 Colchester United 1–1 Scunthorpe United show Colchester
Leslie 2'
Report
Lumby 34'
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,799 Referee: B James
Colchester United v Swansea City
Stockport County v Colchester United
Colchester United v Barnsley
29 April 1977 (1977-04-29 ) 43 Colchester United 1–0 Barnsley show Colchester
Smith 83'
Report
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 5,802 Referee: Tom Bune
Southport v Colchester United
3 May 1977 (1977-05-03 ) 44 Southport 1–3 Colchester United show Southport
Walker 15' (o.g. )
Report
Froggatt 65' , 78' Gough 76'
Stadium: Haig Avenue Attendance: 867 Referee: C Newsome
Darlington v Colchester United
7 May 1977 (1977-05-07 ) 45 Darlington 2–0 Colchester United show Darlington
Rowles 21' , 48'
Report
Stadium: Feethams Attendance: 1,964 Referee: M Lowe
Colchester United v Bradford City
League Cup [ ]
Millwall v Colchester United
Colchester United v Millwall
17 August 1976 (1976-08-17 ) 1st round 2nd leg Colchester United 2–1 Millwall show Colchester
Gough 35' Garwood 41'
Report
Evans 60'
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,155 Referee: B Daniels Note: Colchester and Millwall drew 3–3 on aggregate
Colchester United v Millwall
FA Cup [ ]
Colchester United v Brentford
11 December 1976 (1976-12-11 ) 2nd round Colchester United A–A Brentford show Colchester
Report
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 5,286 Referee: J Sewell Note: Match abandoned after 62-minutes with the score at 0–0 due to a frozen pitch.
Squad statistics [ ]
Appearances and goals [ ]
[6] [14]
Goalscorers [ ]
[14]
Disciplinary record [ ]
[15]
Nationality
Position
Name
Fourth Division
FA Cup
League Cup
Total
FB
Mick Packer
2
1
0
0
0
0
2
1
FW
John Froggatt
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
FB
Johnny Williams
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
TOTALS
4
1
0
0
0
0
4
1
Clean sheets [ ]
Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet .[16]
Place
Nationality
Player
Fourth Division
FA Cup
League Cup
Total
1
Mike Walker
14
1
0
15
2
Glenn Ellis
1
0
0
1
TOTALS
15
1
0
16
Player debuts [ ]
Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[17]
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 .
Websites
Specific [ ]
show National teams
League competitions
Levels 1–4 Levels 5–6 Levels 7–9
Athenian League (One , Two )
(level 7 only )
(level 7 only )
Essex Senior League (level 7 only )
Hellenic League (Premier , One )
(level 7 only )
(level 7 only )
London Spartan League (One , Two )
Midland Football Combination (level 7 only )
Midland League (Premier , One )
Northern League (level 7 only )
(, )
Sussex County League (One , Two )
United Counties League (Premier , One , Two )
West Midlands (Regional) League (level 7 only )
Western League (Premier , One )
Yorkshire League (One , Two , Three )
Cup competitions
FA cups Football League cups
European competitions