1973–74 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1973–74 season
Chairman Maurice Cadman
Manager Jim Smith
Fourth Division 3rd (Promoted)
FA Cup 1st Round
League Cup 1st Round
Top goalscorer League:
Bobby Svarc (25)
All:
Bobby Svarc (26)
Highest home attendance 10,007 (Gillingham)
Lowest home attendance 3,460 (Bradford City)
Average home attendance 5,403
← 1972–73 1974–75 →

The 1973–74 season was Colchester United's sixth consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division. The season ended in success with promotion to the Football League Third Division.

Contents

Season Review

Manager Jim Smith brought wisely in the summer, bringing in Mike Walker and Mick Packer from Watford and splashing out a club record £11,000 on striker Paul Aimson. Whilst Aimson suffered a career-ending injury early in the season, Bobby Svarc plundered 25 league goals including a record equalling four goal haul at Chester in November 1973.

U's led the table around Christmas time, but failure to beat Peterborough and Gillingham at Layer Road cost them the championship. They also lost their first ventures into Sunday football losing at Bury and Doncaster by the same 2-0 scoreline.

Svarc's goals dried up at the wrong time, but the astute Smith brought in Gary Moore on loan and he scored 7 goals in 11 remaining games. 

United were promoted in third place five points behind Peterborough and two adrift of the Gills. The final home game of the season drew a 10,007 crowd as Gillingham stole runners-up spot with a 2-0 win. This would be the last time that Layer Road hosted a five-figure League attendance.[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 Mike Walker
–– DF Micky Cook
–– DF Barry Dominey
–– DF Ray Harford
–– DF Stuart Morgan
–– DF Mick Packer
–– DF Lindsay Smith
–– DF Alex Smith
No. Position Player
–– MF Ray Bunkell
–– MF Steve Foley
–– MF Steve Leslie
–– MF Bobby Roberts
–– MF Colwyn Rowe
–– MF Phil Thomas
–– FW Barry Dyson
–– FW Bobby Svarc

Player Info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK Mike Walker Colwyn Bay 28 November 1945 Watford 25 August 1973 £4,000
DF Micky Cook Enfield 9 April 1951 Leyton Orient 6 October 1969 Free
DF Barry Dominey Edmonton 21 October 1955 Enfield 16 April 1974 Free
DF Ray Harford Halifax 1 June 1945 Port Vale 3 February 1973 Free
DF Stuart Morgan Swansea 23 September 1949 Reading 12 August 1972 Free
DF Mick Packer Willesden 20 April 1950 Watford 25 August 1973 Free
DF Alex Smith Thornhill 11 May 1947 Southend United 27 January 1974 £5,000
DF Lindsay Smith Enfield 18 September 1954 Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF Ray Bunkell Edmonton 18 September 1949 Swindon Town 8 December 1973 £5,000
MF Steve Foley Clacton-on-Sea 21 June 1953 Youth Team 1 August 1971 Free
MF Steve Leslie Hornsey 4 September 1952 Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF Bobby Roberts Edinburgh 2 September 1940 Coventry City 16 March 1973 Free
MF Colwyn Rowe Ipswich 22 March 1956 Youth Team 1 August 1973 Free
MF Phil Thomas Dublin 14 December 1952 Bournemouth 19 August 1972 Free
FW Barry Dyson Oldham 6 October 1942 Leyton Orient 25 August 1973 Free
FW Bobby Svarc Leicester 8 February 1946 Boston United 29 December 1972 £6,000

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 August 1973 MF Colwyn Rowe Youth Team Free
25 August 1973 GK Mike Walker Watford £4,000
25 August 1973 DF Mick Packer Watford Free
25 August 1973 FW Paul Aimson Bournemouth £8,000
25 August 1973 FW Barry Dyson Leyton Orient Free
8 December 1973 MF Ray Bunkell Swindon Town £5,000
27 January 1974 DF Alex Smith Southend United £5,000
16 April 1974 DF Barry Dominey Enfield Free

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 May 1973 GK John McInally Retired Free
1 May 1973 DF Richard Bourne Ramsgate Free
1 May 1973 MF Stan Brown Wimbledon Free
17 November 1973 DF John McLaughlin Swindon Town £25,000
1 December 1973 MF Mick Mahon Wimbledon £3,000
22 February 1974 FW Paul Aimson Retired Free
27 April 1974 MF Bobby Mills Chelmsford City Free

Loans In

Date Pos. Player Name Parent Club Date Returned Notes
6 October 1973 FW Peter Silvester Norwich City 2 November 1973
10 November 1973 DF Alex Smith Southend United 5 January 1974
8 February 1974 MF Terry Anderson Norwich City 2 March 1974
16 March 1974 MF Paul Taylor York City 27 April 1974
16 March 1974 FW Gary Moore Southend United 27 April 1974

Results

Fourth Division Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA Av Pts
2 Gillingham (P) 46 25 12 9 90 49 1.837 62
3 Colchester United (P) 46 24 12 10 73 36 2.028 60
4 Bury (P) 46 24 11 11 81 49 1.653 59

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

Fourth Division Results

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
25/08/1973 Barnsley A 1-0 2,500 Svarc
01/09/1973 Crewe Alexandra H 3-2 4,078 Aimson, Svarc, Morgan
07/09/1973 Northampton Town H 0-0 4,916
11/09/1973 Reading H 0-0 4,565
15/09/1973 Newport County H 4-1 3,523 Thomas, Svarc, Leslie, Morgan
19/09/1973 Torquay United A 4-0 3,428 Thomas, Svarc, Dyson, Leslie
22/09/1973 Swansea City A 0-2 1,981
28/09/1973 Exeter City H 1-0 5,466 Leslie
02/10/1973 Torquay United H 2-2 5,291 Svarc (2)
06/10/1973 Hartlepool United A 0-0 1,910
12/10/1973 Darlington H 3-0 5,089 Foley (2), Svarc
19/10/1973 Scunthorpe United H 2-0 4,862 Morgan, Svarc
24/10/1973 Reading A 1-1 12,310 Svarc
27/10/1973 Rotherham United A 0-0 4,594
02/11/1973 Workington H 3-0 5,342 Morgan, Cook, Harford
10/11/1973 Mansfield Town A 2-2 3,033 Foley (2)
14/11/1973 Chester City A 4-0 1,973 Svarc (4)
17/11/1973 Stockport County H 3-1 4,966 Dyson (pen.) (2), Foley
01/12/1973 Bradford City H 4-0 3,460 Svarc (2), Morgan, Dyson
08/12/1973 Gilingham A 1-4 8,411 L.Smith
15/12/1973 Stockport County A 3-0 1,472 Svarc, Foley (2)
22/12/1973 Exeter City A 0-1 3,638
26/12/1973 Peterborough United H 1-1 7,960 Svarc
29/12/1973 Northampton Town H 1-0 5,042 Dyson (pen.)
01/01/1974 Crewe Alexandra A 2-1 2,383 Svarc, Foley
05/01/1974 Lincoln City H 4-1 4,398 Svarc (2), Morgan, Leslie
12/01/1974 Newport County A 3-1 304 Cook, Leslie, Thomas
25/01/1974 Barnsley H 2-0 5,793 Svarc, Dyson (pen.)
27/01/1974 Doncaster Rovers A 0-2 4,285
03/02/1974 Bury A 0-2 7,796
08/02/1974 Swansea City H 2-0 5,040 Morgan, Svarc
16/02/1974 Darlington A 0-1 2,275
22/02/1974 Hartlepool United H 3-0 5,608 A.Smith, Svarc, Aimson
02/03/1974 Peterborough United A 0-2 10,714
08/03/1974 Rotherham United H 0-1 5,180
16/03/1974 Scunthorpe United A 0-1 2,134
19/03/1974 Bury H 1-1 4,748 Moore
22/03/1974 Mansfield Town H 1-0 4,695 Morgan
27/03/1974 Lincoln City A 1-0 2,638 Svarc
30/03/1974 Workington A 4-1 1,103 Thomas, Moore, Svarc, Wood (o.g.)
02/04/1974 Doncaster Rovers H 3-0 5,124 Cook (2), Moore
05/04/1974 Chester City H 1-1 6,371 Moore (pen.)
12/04/1974 Brentford H 2-1 8,155 Moore (2)
16/04/1974 Brentford A 0-0 7,480
20/04/1974 Gillingham H 0-2 10,007
27/04/1974 Bradford City A 1-1 3,702 Moore

Source: 1973-74 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Cup

Main article: 1973–74 Football League Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
29/08/1973 R1 Gillingham A 2-4 3,991 Cook, Svarc

Source: 1973-74 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

Main article: 1973–74 FA Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
24/11/1973 R1 Peterborough United H 2-3 9,664 Mahon, Harford

Source: 1973-74 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[2]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Division Four FA Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK Mike Walker 48 0 46 0 1 0 1 0
–– DF Micky Cook 46 5 44 4 1 0 1 1
–– DF Barry Dominey 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF Ray Harford 48 2 46 1 1 1 1 0
–– DF John McLaughlin 20 0 18 0 1 0 1 0
–– DF Stuart Morgan 40 8 38 8 1 0 1 0
–– DF Mick Packer 35 0 33 0 1 0 1 0
–– DF Alex Smith 29 1 29 1 0 0 0 0
–– DF Lindsay Smith 35 1 34 1 1 0 0 0
–– MF Terry Anderson 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Ray Bunkell 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Steve Foley 34 8 32 8 1 0 1 0
–– MF Steve Leslie 24 5 24 5 0 0 0 0
–– MF Mick Mahon 14 1 12 0 1 1 1 0
–– MF Bobby Mills 18 0 18 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Bobby Roberts 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Colwyn Rowe 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Paul Taylor 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Phil Thomas 42 4 40 4 1 0 1 0
–– FW Paul Aimson 5 2 4 2 0 0 1 0
–– FW Barry Dyson 38 6 36 6 1 0 1 0
–– FW Gary Moore 11 7 11 7 0 0 0 0
–– FW Peter Silvester 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW Bobby Svarc 48 26 46 25 1 0 1 1

Scorers

All

Scorer Goals
Bobby Svarc 26
Steve Foley 8
Stuart Morgan
Gary Moore 7
Barry Dyson 6
Micky Cook 5
Steve Leslie
Phil Thomas 4
Paul Aimson 2
Ray Harford
Mick Mahon 1
Alex Smith
Lindsay Smith
Own goal 1

League

Scorer Goals
Bobby Svarc 25
Steve Foley 8
Stuart Morgan
Gary Moore 7
Barry Dyson 6
Steve Leslie 5
Micky Cook 4
Phil Thomas
Paul Aimson 2
Ray Harford 1
Alex Smith
Lindsay Smith
Own goal 1

FA Cup

Scorer Goals
Ray Harford 1
Mick Mahon

League Cup

Scorer Goals
Micky Cook 1
Bobby Svarc

Most Frequent Starting XI

This section shows players in a 5-3-2 formation with the most league starts during the season.

Pos. Name Apps. Goals
GK Mike Walker 46 0
DF Ray Harford 46 1
DF Micky Cook 44 4
DF Stuart Morgan 38 8
DF Mick Packer 32 0
DF Alex Smith 29 1
MF Phil Thomas 38 4
MF Steve Foley 32 8
MF Steve Leslie 21 5
FW Bobby Svarc 46 25
FW Barry Dyson 36 6

Packer

Thomas

Leslie

References

  1. ^ "The U's History: The 70s". Colchester United F.C.. http://www.cu-fc.com/page/History/0,,10424~1320500,00.html. Retrieved 18 April 2011. 
  2. ^ "1973–74 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. http://www.coludata.co.uk/appearances.asp?sid=34&cid=All. Retrieved 18 April 2011. 
  3. ^ "1973–74 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. http://www.coludata.co.uk/goals.asp?sid=34&cid=All. Retrieved 18 April 2011. 
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