1953–54 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1953–54 season
Manager Jack Butler
From 1 June
Third Division South 23rd
FA Cup 1st Round
Top goalscorer League:
Bert Barlow (10)
All:
Bert Barlow (10)
Highest home attendance 10,316 (Ipswich Town)
Lowest home attendance 6,035 (Southend United)
Average home attendance 7,623
← 1952–53 1954–55 →

The 1953–54 season was Colchester United's fourth consecutive season in the Football League Third Division South. They finished 23rd and successfully re-applied to the league.

Contents

Season Review

Jack Butler, a former Arsenal player, was appointed manager. Butler had been coaching in Belgium with the Royal Daring Club Molenbeek and had been in charge of the Belgian national team between 1935-40 leading them to the 1938 World Cup Finals. Butler had little time to prepare his side and a 13-game run without winning saw United in 23rd spot.



Crowds plummeted to 7,762 and the club had to go cap in hand to The Football League to apply for re-election after finishing 10 points adrift of the safety of 22nd place. 

Fortunately The U's were still endeared to their fellow League clubs and they polled 45 votes. Walsall, wooden-spoonists, took 32 votes easily seeing off the best non-League application of Peterborough who attracted 18 votes.


From being prolific scorers in their early history United scored just 50 League goals in 1953-54.[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 George Wright
–– DF Harry Bearryman
–– DF Bob Dale
–– DF Jimmy Elder
–– DF John Harrison
–– DF Bertie Hill
–– DF Ron Hunt
–– DF Digger Kettle
No. Position Player
–– DF Fred Lewis
–– DF Reg Stewart
–– MF Peter Aitchinson
–– MF Mike Grice
–– MF Peter Wright
–– FW Kevin McCurley
–– FW Johnny McKim
–– FW Ken Plant

Player Info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK George Wright Plymouth 10 October 1919 Plymouth Argyle 5 May 1949 Free
DF Harry Bearryman Wandsworth 26 September 1924 Chelsea 30 August 1947 Free
DF Bob Dale Irlam 31 October 1931 Bury 2 January 1954 Free
DF Jimmy Elder Scone 5 March 1928 Portsmouth 19 August 1950 £1,000
DF John Harrison Leicester 27 September 1927 Aston Villa 30 September 1950 Undisclosed
DF Bertie Hill West Ham 8 March 1930 Chelsea 11 April 1953 Free
DF Ron Hunt Colchester 26 September 1933 Youth Team 1 August 1951 Free
DF Digger Kettle Colchester 3 June 1922 Arclight Sports 26 December 1946 Free
DF Fred Lewis Broughton Gifford 26 July 1923 Chelsea 20 August 1953 Free
DF Reg Stewart Sheffield 30 October 1925 Sheffield Wednesday 20 August 1949 £1,000
MF Peter Aitchinson Harlow 19 September 1931 Youth Team 1 August 1951 Free
MF Mike Grice Woking 3 November 1931 Lowestoft Town 11 September 1952 £50
MF Peter Wright Colchester 26 January 1934 Youth Team 1 August 1951 Free
FW Kevin McCurley Consett 2 April 1926 Liverpool 22 March 1952 £750
FW Johnny McKim Greenock 22 January 1926 Chelsea 19 August 1950 £1,000
FW Ken Plant Nuneaton 15 August 1925 Bury 6 February 1954 Free

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
20 August 1953 DF Doug Keene Brighton & Hove Albion Free
20 August 1953 DF Fred Lewis Chelsea Free
10 October 1953 FW Tommy Harris Leyton Orient Free
2 January 1954 DF Bob Dale Bury Free
6 February 1954 FW Ken Plant Bury Free

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
2 May 1953 DF Phil Rookes Retired Free Became manager at Chichester
19 September 1953 DF George French Parkside Free
5 December 1953 FW Tommy Harris Tonbridge Angels Free
16 January 1954 MF John Church Crittall Athletic Free
23 January 1954 FW Dick Cullum Sittingbourne Free
13 March 1954 FW Bert Barlow Crittall Athletic Free
27 March 1954 GK Frank Coombs Gravesend & Northfleet Free
16 April 1954 DF Doug Keene Dartford Free
17 April 1954 FW Augie Scott Chelmsford City Free Player-manager
26 April 1954 DF Roy Bicknell Clacton Town Free

Results

Third Division South Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA Av Pts
22 Crystal Palace 46 14 12 20 60 86 0.698 40
23 Colchester United 46 10 10 26 50 78 0.641 30
24 Walsall 46 9 8 29 40 87 0.460 26

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GAv = Goal average; Pts = Points

Third Division South Results

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
20/08/1953 Torquay United H 3-1 8,841 Barlow, Elder, McCurley
22/08/1953 Ipswich Town A 0-3 18,130
26/08/1953 Exeter City A 2-1 10,589 Barlow, McKim
29/08/1953 Crystal Palace H 4-1 6,811 Barlow, McCurley (2), Scott
03/09/1953 Exeter City H 0-1 8,791
05/09/1953 Bristol City A 0-3 17,219
09/09/1953 Norwich City A 1-2 22,228 Scott
12/09/1953 Aldershot H 3-0 8,170 Barlow, Bearryman, McCurley
17/09/1953 Norwich City H 0-1 10,218
19/09/1953 Swindon Town A 0-3 12,284
23/09/1953 Southampton A 1-2 14,842 McKim
26/09/1953 Walsall H 1-1 7,643 Grice
01/10/1953 Southampton H 0-1 6,705
03/10/1953 Shrewsbury Town A 1-3 9,915 Barlow
10/10/1953 Coventry City H 0-3 8,174
17/10/1953 Gillingham A 0-2 8,296
24/10/1953 Northampton Town H 1-1 7,599 Elder (pen.)
31/10/1953 Torquay United A 1-3 6,251 McCurley
07/11/1953 Watford H 2-2 6,505 Barlow, McCurley
14/11/1953 Brighton & Hove Albion A 0-1 6,000
28/11/1953 Reading A 0-2 12,036
05/12/1953 Leyton Orient H 1-0 6,819 Grice
19/12/1953 Ipswich Town H 1-2 10,316 Scott
25/12/1953 Queens Park Rangers H 5-0 6,155 Barlow (2), McKim (2), Scott
26/12/1953 Queens Park Rangers A 0-0 10,674
02/01/1954 Crystal Palace A 1-0 6,971 McCurley
09/01/1954 Newport County H 2-2 6,434 Barlow, Dale
16/01/1954 Bristol City H 0-2 7,931
23/01/1954 Aldershot A 0-3 4,502
06/02/1954 Swindon Town H 2-2 6,824 Dale, Plant
13/02/1954 Walsall A 3-2 9,819 Plant (2), P.Wright
20/02/1954 Shrewsbury Town H 3-1 7,852 Barlow, Keene, Plant
27/02/1954 Coventry City A 1-2 11,852 Plant
06/03/1954 Gillingham H 0-1 6,824
13/03/1954 Southend United A 0-3 8,100
20/03/1954 Reading H 2-4 6,726 Elder (pen.) (2)
27/03/1954 Watford A 0-3 10,466
03/04/1954 Brighton & Hove Albion H 1-1 8,282 Hill
10/04/1954 Leyton Orient A 1-3 9,309 McKim
16/04/1954 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic H 1-1 8,223 Dale
17/04/1954 Millwall H 3-0 7,450 Bearryman, McKim (2)
19/04/1954 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic A 2-4 7,778 Dale, P.Wright
22/04/1954 Newport County A 1-1 7,396 Plant
24/04/1954 Northampton Town A 0-3 7,344
26/04/1954 Millwall A 0-0 5,572
29/04/1954 Southend United H 0-1 6,035

Source: 1953-54 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

Main article: 1953–54 FA Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
21/11/1953 R1 Millwall H 1-1 9,765 McCurley
23/11/1953 R1 (R) Millwall A 0-4 8,898

Source: 1953-54 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[2]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Third Division South FA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK Frank Coombs 7 0 7 0 0 0
–– GK George Wright 41 0 39 0 2 0
–– DF Harry Bearryman 39 2 37 2 2 0
–– DF Roy Bicknell 21 0 19 0 2 0
–– DF Bob Dale 21 4 21 4 0 0
–– DF Jimmy Elder 39 4 37 4 2 0
–– DF George French 2 0 2 0 0 0
–– DF John Harrison 43 0 42 0 1 0
–– DF Bertie Hill 15 1 15 1 0 0
–– DF Ron Hunt 3 0 3 0 0 0
–– DF Doug Keene 25 1 23 1 2 0
–– DF Digger Kettle 4 0 2 0 2 0
–– DF Fred Lewis 46 0 45 0 1 0
–– DF Reg Stewart 27 0 27 0 0 0
–– MF Peter Aitchinson 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF John Church 7 0 6 0 1 0
–– MF Mike Grice 18 2 18 2 0 0
–– MF Peter Wright 23 2 22 2 1 0
–– FW Bert Barlow 34 10 32 10 2 0
–– FW Dick Cullum 1 0 1 0 0 0
–– FW Tommy Harris 2 0 2 0 0 0
–– FW Kevin McCurley 34 8 32 7 2 1
–– FW Johnny McKim 19 7 19 7 0 0
–– FW Ken Plant 17 6 17 6 0 0
–– FW Augie Scott 40 4 38 4 2 0

Scorers

[3]

All

Scorer Goals
Bert Barlow 10
Kevin McCurley 8
Johnny McKim 7
Ken Plant 6
Bob Dale 4
Jimmy Elder
Augie Scott
Harry Bearryman 2
Mike Grice
Peter Wright
Bertie Hill 1
Doug Keene

League

Scorer Goals
Bert Barlow 10
Kevin McCurley 7
Johnny McKim
Ken Plant 6
Bob Dale 4
Jimmy Elder
Augie Scott
Harry Bearryman 2
Mike Grice
Peter Wright
Bertie Hill 1
Doug Keene

FA Cup

Scorer Goals
Kevin McCurley 1

References

  1. ^ "The U's History: The 50s". Colchester United F.C.. http://www.cu-fc.com/page/History/0,,10424~1320520,00.html. Retrieved 22 May 2011. 
  2. ^ "1953–54 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. http://www.coludata.co.uk/appearances.asp?sid=13&cid=All. Retrieved 22 May 2011. 
  3. ^ "1953–54 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. http://www.coludata.co.uk/goals.asp?sid=13&cid=All. Retrieved 22 May 2011. 
Managers
Managers
Players
Rivalries
Seasons
1937-38  • 1938-39  • 1939-40  • 1945-46  • 1946-47  • 1947-48  • 1948-49  • 1949-50  • 1950-51  • 1951-52  • 1952-53  • 1953-54  • 1954-55  • 1955-56  • 1956-57  • 1957-58  • 1958-59  • 1959-60  • 1960-61  • 1961-62  • 1962-63  • 1963-64  • 1964-65  • 1965-66  • 1966-67  • 1967-68  • 1968-69  • 1969-70  • 1970-71  • 1971-72  • 1972-73  • 1973-74  • 1974-75  • 1975-76  • 1976-77  • 1977-78 • 1978-79  • 1979-80  • 1980-81  • 1981-83  • 1982-83  • 1983-84 • 1984-85  • 1985-86  • 1986-87  • 1987-88  • 1988-89  • 1989-90  • 1990-91  • 1991-92  • 1992-93  • 1993-94  • 1994-95  • 1995-96  • 1996-97 • 1997-98  • 1998-99  • 1999-2000  • 2000-01  • 2001-02  • 2002-03  • 2003-04  • 2004-05  • 2005-06  • 2006-07  • 2007-08  • 2008-09  • 2009-10  • 2010–11  • Current
Stadiums
Layer Road (1937–2008) · Colchester Community Stadium (2008–)
Statistics