Colchester Town F.C.
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| Colchester Town | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Colchester Town Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | The Oysters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1867 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dissolved | 1937 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Layer Road (1909-1937) (Capacity 6,660) |
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| Chairman | n/a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | n/a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | n/a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1936-37 | Essex County League, resigned | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Colchester Town Football Club were an amateur team formed in 1867 (though some state 1873) as The Oystermen. They played their home games at Cambridge Road in Colchester. During this time they played in blue shirts and white shorts.
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[edit] History
In 1879 the club was affiliated to The Football Association and in 1882 they were founder members of The Essex Football Association. The following season saw the inaugural season of the Essex Senior Cup which Colchester Town won 3-1 against Braintree. It was around this time that the club colours changed to pink and chocolate quarters. Colchester Town would appear twice more in the Essex Senior Cup Final, losing to Ilford in 1891-92 and Leyton in 1899-1900. Local rivals Colchester Crown finished as runners-up to Leyton three seasons later.
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In 1890 they merged with another local side, Excelsior F.C., and the two became known as Colchester Town F.C. Early in 1902 Town left their Cambridge Road ground and moved to a new site in Reed Hall and then moving to a ground on the junction of Drury Road and Maldon Road, and then moved to Albert Road. The club used the Globe Hotel in North Station Road as it's base and for changing rooms. In 1894 they joined the Border League and were Champions in their first season.
The 1909-10 season saw Colchester Town move to what would prove to be their last home, Layer Road. In 1910 a new stand was built on the ground thanks to the generosity of local supporters. The opening was marked by the visit of Arsenal F.C. for a friendly match, which Arsenal won 3-2. The same season saw Colchester Town join the South Essex League.
Football was brought to a halt in 1914 due to the outbreak of World War I. Layer Road was handed over to the army for use as a drill ground. Seven Town players were killed in action during the great war, a tablet with their names inscribed on it was hung in the changing rooms.
Their names:
- Lieutenant Charles Carrington (Durham Light Infantry, 5th Btn)
- Private Will Chaplin (Suffolk Regiment, 4th Btn)
- Sgt T E Ellison
- Lance Corporal Albert Edward Pitchford (Royal Suffolk Regiment, 2nd Btn)
- Acting Bombardie Arthur Knox (Royal Horse Artillery, 1st/1st Essex Bde)
- AB W Boyle
- Sapper T W Bagley (Royal Engineers, "L" Signal Bn)
In 1909 the club rented land in Layer Road from the army and in 1921 the club applied for membership to the Athenian League but were rejected. They spent a season playing friendly matches and then joined the Middlesex League, which they won at the first attempt. In 1925 Town joined the Spartan League Division One. They spent eleven seasons in the Spartan League but never challenged for honours. Their best season was 1928-29 when they managed fourth place. It was around this time that changing rooms were finally added to the Layer Road site.
The Eastern Counties League was formed in 1935-36 and Colchester Town were founder members along with local rivals Ipswich Town, amongst others. Though they beat Ipswich 4-1 at home that season, they were thrashed 7-3 away. For the next two seasons the club finished 11th out of 12 teams. In 1937, they moved to the newly formed Essex County League, but after 6 games of the 1937-38 season the club resigned from the league and folded. Early in the year Colchester United were formed as a professional club. They had intended to run both teams, one professional and one amateur, under the same umbrella but the Essex County FA ruled that both teams could not be run under one set of rules.
Colchester United still play at Layer Road. It is still a common misconception that Colchester United and Colchester Town were the same team.
[edit] Honours
- 1883-84 - Essex Senior Cup Champions
- 1891-92 - Essex Senior Cup Runners-Up
- 1894-95 - Border League Champions
- 1899-00 - Essex Senior Cup Runners-Up
- 1912-13 - South Essex League Champions
- 1912-13 - Essex & Suffolk Border League Champions
- 1912-13 - East Anglian League Champions
- 1923-24 - Middlesex League Champions
[edit] Leagues
- 1894-95 - 1931-32 - Border League
- 1900-01 - North Essex League
- 1903-04 - 1913-14 - (South) East Anglian League
- 1908-09 - Colchester & District League
- 1910-11 - 1920-21 - South Essex League
- 1922-23 - 1923-24 - Middlesex League
- 1925-26 - 1934-35 - Spartan League
- 1935-36 - 1936-37 - Eastern Counties League
- 1937-38 - Essex County League (resigned December 1937)
Colchester Town often entered teams in to more than one league.
[edit] Grounds
- 1873-1902 Cambridge Road
- 1902-1903 Reed Hall
- 1903-1903 Drury Road
- 1903-1908 The Oval, Sheepen Road
- 1909-1937 Layer Road
