1938–39 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1938–39 season
Manager Ted Davis
Southern League 1st
Southern League Mid-Week Section 2nd
FA Cup 1st Round
Southern League Cup Semi-finalists (Competition not completed)
Top goalscorer League:
Arthur Pritchard (34)
All:
Arthur Pritchard (44)
Highest home attendance 13,000 (Guildford City)
Lowest home attendance 4,000 (Barry)
Average home attendance 7,298
← 1937–38 1939–40 →

The 1938–39 season was Colchester United's second season in the Southern Football League. Colchester were champions of the Southern League, finishing 1st ahead of local rivals Chelmsford City by 1 point. They also competed in and reached the 1st Round of the FA Cup and were semi-finalists in the Southern League Cup. The latter, however, could not be completed due to the outbreak of the Second World War.

Contents

Season Review

Manager Ted Davis strengthened his squad with League football very much on the agenda. The public responded as the opening fixture of 1938-39 against Gillingham attracted 8,142 and a week later 10,129 watched the Southern League visit from Arsenal 'A'. 

In October 1938, Layer Road hosted the Southern League versus the Cheshire League representative match. Alec Cheyne and Len Astill were selected from Colchester and Cheyne scored as the southerners ran out 4-1 victors.



Another 4-1 success heralded U's first venture into the FA Cup. Defeating Ilford at Layer Road before 8,160 supporters they bowed out to Folkestone in the First Round Proper.

A number of United's players actually belonged to Football League clubs in terms of contract. Davis had snapped up a host of experienced players and while they could freely play non-League for Colchester most had a 'price on their head' owing to their contracted club should another League club wish to engage them. With this in mind, Davis urged caution when the Colchester Board began discussing applying for membership of the Football League. Had United made the step up then they too would have been liable for the transfer fees or face losing a large part of the squad.



United had had a fantastic second season. They claimed the Southern League championship scoring 110 goals in 44 games, finished runners up in the Midweek section and reached the Southern League Cup semi-finals. 

Time ran out to play the semi-finals and it was agreed to play them the following campaign.



Once again goals were not a problem. Pritchard netted 43 times, while George Wallis scored 24 and Cheyne and Astill helped themselves to 21 apiece from United's 161 grand total.



With high hopes that United would be elected to the Football League, director Walter Clark presented U's case to the Football League members on May 23rd 1938. 

Colchester did not receive a single vote in their favour and this was put down to the fact that they had so many League-registered players on their books of whom Davis had, in effect, poached to play for Colchester.



The ownership of Layer Road was passed to the Borough Council with Chairman Maurice Pye declaring: "Every lover of football, will I'm sure, welcome this as a move in the right direction, for whatever happens this fine open space will always belong to the town, and be for the benefit of Colcestrians and their love of football." [1]

Squad

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

No. Position Player
–– GK Bill Light
–– GK Don Youngs
–– DF Cecil Allan
–– DF Joe Birch
–– DF Syd Fieldus
–– DF Tim Haley
–– DF George Leslie
–– DF Robert Morris
–– DF Alf Worton
No. Position Player
–– MF George Crisp
–– FW Len Astill
–– FW Alec Cheyne
–– FW Jack Hodge
–– FW George Merritt
–– FW Bob Murray
–– FW Arthur Pritchard
–– FW Ivan Thacker
–– FW George Wallis

Player Info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK Bill Light Woolston 11 June 1913 West Bromwich Albion 27 August 1938 £1,500
GK Don Youngs Unknown Unknown Royal Air Force 24 February 1938 Free
DF Cecil Allan Belfast 1 January 1915 Chelsea 22 September 1938 £2,000
DF Joe Birch Hednesford 6 July 1904 Fulham 27 August 1938 Free
DF Syd Fieldus Unknown 27 May 1909 Brentford 9 October 1937 Free
DF Tim Haley Unknown Unknown Colchester Town 1 January 1938 Free
DF George Leslie Slough 7 February 1914 Guildford City 28 August 1937 Free
DF Robert Morris Hatton 11 March 1913 Norwich City 27 August 1938 £500
DF Alf Worton Wolverhampton 4 April 1914 Norwich City 27 August 1938 Free
MF George Crisp Pontypool 3 June 1911 Newport County 28 August 1937 Undisclosed
FW Len Astill Wolverhampton 30 December 1916 Ipswich Town 27 August 1938 Free
FW Alec Cheyne Glasgow 28 April 1907 Chelsea 28 August 1937 £3,000
FW Jack Hodge Plymouth Unknown Luton Town 28 August 1937 Free
FW George Merritt Unknown 1 January 1917 Derby County 8 October 1938 Free
FW Bob Murray Newhaven 27 March 1915 Baty City 2 February 1939 £800
FW Arthur Pritchard Unknown 22 October 1917 Yeovil & Petters United 28 August 1937 Free
FW Ivan Thacker Lowestoft 1 January 1914 Hoffman's Athletic 3 March 1938 Free
FW George Wallis Sawley 11 March 1910 Bath City 3 March 1938 Free

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
27 August 1938 GK Bill Light West Bromwich Albion £1,500
27 August 1938 DF Joe Birch Fulham Free
27 August 1938 DF Robert Morris Norwich City £500
27 August 1938 DF Alf Worton Norwich City Free
27 August 1938 FW Len Astill Ipswich Town Free
27 August 1938 FW Ernie Matthews Sheffield Wednesday £2,500
22 September 1938 DF Cecil Allan Chelsea £2,000
8 October 1938 FW George Merritt Derby County Free
2 February 1939 FW Bob Murray Bath City £800

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
7 May 1938 DF Alexander Wood Chelmsford City Free
31 December 1938 FW Kenny Mayes Chelmsford City Free
11 March 1939 DF Jimmy Baker Retired Free
22 March 1939 DF George Smith Released Free
25 March 1939 GK Ronnie Dunn Released for War Free
13 April 1939 DF George Ritchie Retired Free
13 April 1939 FW Ernie Matthews Released for War Free

Results

Southern League Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Colchester United (C) 44 31 5 8 110 37 +73 67
2 Chelmsford City 44 30 6 8 126 52 +74 66
3 Gillingham 44 29 6 9 104 57 +47 64

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points

Southern League Mid-Week Section Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Tunbridge Wells Rangers 16 8 7 1 37 18 +19 23
2 Colchester United 16 9 2 5 36 21 +15 20
3 Norwich City Reserves 16 7 4 5 40 26 +14 18

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goals difference; Pts = Points

Southern League Results

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
27/08/1938 Gillingham H 2-0 8,142 Wallis, Matthews
03/09/1938 Arsenal 'A' H 2-0 10,129 Cheyne, Morris
07/09/1938 Dartford A 1-0 –– Cheyne
10/09/1938 Yeovil & Petters United H 8-1 7,160 Pritchard (3), Morris, Wallis, Cheyne, O.G., Astill
15/09/1938 Dartford H 4-0 –– Astill (2) (pen.), Pritchard (2)
24/09/1938 Exeter City Reserves A 1-2 2,500 Pritchard
01/10/1938 Cardiff City Reserves H 3-2 7,247 Wallis, Pritchard
08/10/1938 Aldershot Reserves A 1-0 –– Crisp
13/10/1938 Folkestone Town H 1-0 –– Pritchard
22/10/1938 Cheltenham Town A 1-2 –– Pritchard
29/10/1938 Bristol Rovers Reserves H 3-1 6,000 Cheyne (3)
05/11/1938 Norwich City Reserves A 5-1 3,000 Pritchard (3), Crisp (2)
19/11/1938 Yeovil & Petters United A 1-2 –– Pritchard
03/12/1938 Cheltenham Town H 3-1 5,000 Cheyne, Hodge
10/12/1938 Bath City H 4-0 –– Hodge (2), Cheyne, Matthews
17/12/1938 Bristol Rovers Reserves A 3-0 –– Cheyne (3)
31/12/1938 Barry H 5-1 4,000 Wallis (3), Hodge, Pritchard
07/01/1939 Tunbridge Wells Rangers A 2-0 –– Pritchard (2)
14/01/1939 Gillingham A 3-1 3,748 O.G., Crisp, Pritchard
21/01/1939 Newport County Reserves H 7-0 –– Hodge, Pritchard (2), Astill (2), Wallis (2)
04/02/1939 Swindon Town Reserves H 3-1 –– Astill (2), Morris
11/02/1939 Torquay United Reserves A 2-0 –– Baker, Pritchard
18/02/1939 Aldershot Reserves H 2-0 –– Hodge, Murray
25/02/1939 Folkestone Town A 4-1 –– Astill, Pritchard (2), Wallis
02/03/1939 Exeter City Reserves H 6-1 –– Pritchard (3), Astill (2), Murray
04/03/1939 Plymouth Argyle Reserves A 3-0 –– Pritchard, Murray, Hodge
11/03/1939 Swindon Town Reserves A 1-2 5,000 Pritchard
18/03/1939 Cardiff City Reserves A 0-3 ––
25/03/1939 Newport County Reserves A 1-0 –– Cheyne
29/03/1939 Arsenal 'A' A 0-0 ––
30/03/1939 Tunbridge Wells Rangers H 1-1 –– Murray
01/04/1939 Torquay United Reserves H 5-1 –– Pritchard (3), Crisp, Cheyne
07/04/1939 Guildford City H 1-0 13,000 Pritchard
08/04/1939 Worcester City H 1-1 –– Pritchard
10/04/1939 Gillingham A 1-3 10,000 Crisp
11/04/1939 Norwich City Reserves H 5-1 –– Hodge (2), Wallis (2), Cheyne
15/04/1939 Barry A 2-0 –– Matthews, Crisp
20/04/1939 Bath City A 3-0 –– Hodge (2), Pritchard
22/04/1939 Plymouth Argyle Reserves H 2-3 –– Cheyne, Pritchard
24/04/1939 Chelmsford City A 0-0 7,000
27/04/1939 Worcester City A 0-1 ––
29/04/1939 Ipswich Town Reserves H 4-0 –– Hodge, Wallis, Astill, Birch (pen.)
01/05/1939 Chelmsford City H 2-2 5,000 Astill, Morris
06/05/1939 Ipswich Town Reserves A 3-2 12,000 Cheyne, Wallis, Astill

Source: 1938-39 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Southern League Mid-Week Section Results

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
22/09/1938 Norwich City Reserves A 2-0 –– Astill, O.G.
28/09/1938 Folkestone Town A 2-1 –– Hodge, Pritchard
06/10/1938 Tunbridge Wells Rangers H 2-2 –– Wallis, Astill
20/10/1938 Portsmouth 'A' H 4-1 –– Thacker, Cheyne (3)
27/10/1938 Aldershot Reserves H 1-3 –– Smith
14/12/1938 Aldershot Reserves A 2-1 –– Matthews, Hodge
09/01/1939 Millwall Reserves A 2-1 –– Crisp, Pritchard
02/02/1939 Folkestone Town H 3-1 –– Wallis (2), Astill
08/02/1939 Guildford City A 0-1 750
15/02/1939 Tunbridge Wells Rangers A 1-2 –– Pritchard
23/02/1939 Guildford City H 3-0 –– Morris, Cheyne, Astill
16/03/1939 Dartford H 8-0 –– Crisp (2), Hodge, Cheyne, Murray, Wallis, Pritchard (2)
22/03/1939 Portsmouth 'A' A 0-1 ––
23/03/1939 Millwall Reserves H 2-1 –– Astill (2)
02/05/1939 Dartford A 2-2 –– Pritchard, Wallis
04/05/1939 Norwich City Reserves H 2-4 –– Murray, Wallis

Source: 1938-39 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Southern League Cup

Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
17/09/1938 R1 Ipswich Town Reserves H 5-0 15,700 Hodge, Cheyne, Pritchard, Astill (2)
28/01/1939 R2 Arsenal 'A' H 3-1 10,000 Wallis, Astill, Pritchard
13/04/1939 R3 Folkestone Town H 2-0 –– Cheyne, Pritchard

Source: 1938-39 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

Main article: 1938–39 FA Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
12/11/1938 4QR Ilford H 4-1 –– Pritchard, Wallis, Crisp, Hodge
26/11/1938 R1 Folkestone Town A 1-2 4,700 Leslie

Source: 1938-39 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[2]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Southern League Southern League Mid-Week Section FA Cup Southern League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK Ronnie Dunn 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
–– GK Bill Light 41 0 25 0 12 0 2 0 2 0
–– GK Don Youngs 20 0 17 0 2 0 0 0 1 0
–– DF Cecil Allan 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF Jimmy Baker 22 1 15 1 5 0 2 0 0 0
–– DF Joe Birch 62 1 44 1 13 0 2 0 3 0
–– DF Syd Fieldus 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF Tim Haley 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF George Leslie 58 1 40 0 13 0 2 1 3 0
–– DF Robert Morris 65 5 44 4 16 1 2 0 3 0
–– DF George Ritchie 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– DF George Smith 36 1 21 0 13 1 0 0 2 0
–– DF Alf Worton 63 0 44 0 15 0 2 0 2 0
–– MF George Crisp 29 11 20 7 7 3 2 1 0 0
–– FW Len Astill 42 22 27 13 12 6 0 0 3 3
–– FW Alec Cheyne 40 24 29 17 6 5 2 0 3 2
–– FW Jack Hodge 60 17 41 12 14 3 2 1 3 1
–– FW Ernie Matthews 8 4 7 3 1 1 0 0 0 0
–– FW Kenny Mayes 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW George Merritt 4 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW Bob Murray 29 6 21 4 8 2 0 0 0 0
–– FW Arthur Pritchard 59 44 40 34 14 6 2 1 3 3
–– FW Ivan Thacker 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
–– FW George Wallis 65 22 43 14 16 6 2 1 4 1

Scorers

[3]

All

Scorer Goals
Arthur Pritchard 44
Alec Cheyne 24
Len Astill 22
George Wallis
Jack Hodge 17
George Crisp 11
Bob Murray 6
Robert Morris 5
Ernie Matthews 4
Jimmy Baker 1
Joe Birch
George Leslie
George Smith
Ivan Thacker
Own goal 3

League

Scorer Goals
Arthur Pritchard 34
Alec Cheyne 17
George Wallis 14
Len Astill 13
Jack Hodge 12
George Crisp 7
Robert Morris 4
Bob Murray
Ernie Matthews 3
Jimmy Baker 1
Joe Birch
Own goal 2

Mid-Week Section

Scorer Goals
Len Astill 6
Arthur Pritchard
George Wallis
Alec Cheyne 5
George Crisp 3
Jack Hodge
Bob Murray 2
Ernie Matthews 1
Robert Morris
George Smith
Ivan Thacker
Own goal 1

FA Cup

Scorer Goals
George Crisp 1
Jack Hodge
George Leslie
Arthur Pritchard
George Wallis

Southern League Cup

Scorer Goals
Len Astill 3
Arthur Pritchard
Alec Cheyne 2
Jack Hodge 1
George Wallis

References

  1. ^ "The U's History: The 30s & 40s". Colchester United F.C.. http://www.cu-fc.com/page/History/0,,10424~1320530,00.html. Retrieved 30 May 2011. 
  2. ^ "1938–39 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. http://www.coludata.co.uk/appearances.asp?sid=3&cid=All. Retrieved 30 May 2011. 
  3. ^ "1938–39 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. http://www.coludata.co.uk/goals.asp?sid=3&cid=All. Retrieved 30 May 2011. 
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