1977–78 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1977–78 season
Chairman Maurice Cadman
Manager Bobby Roberts
Third Division 8th
FA Cup 2nd Round
League Cup 3rd Round
Top goalscorer League:
Bobby Gough (13)
All:
Bobby Gough (17)
Highest home attendance 6,447 (Gillingham)
Lowest home attendance 2,554 (Rotherham United)
Average home attendance 4,568
← 1976–77 1978–79 →

The 1977–78 season was Colchester United's first season back in the Football League Third Division after a one year absence playing in the Football League Fourth Division.

Contents

Season Review

Colchester soared to the top of the Third Division table with four straight wins at the start of the season.



Embarking on a League Cup run that saw United thump Jim Smith's Second Division Blackburn 4-0 in a Second Round replay before facing up to Leeds at Elland Road in the next round. Leeds were not going to be embarrassed twice and gained some revenge with a 4-0 win.

When the U's visited leaders Wrexham on November 19th 1977, it was the first time that United had one of their League fixtures featured on the prestigious Saturday night TV slot. One win in ten after January and the sale of Colin Garwood to Portsmouth for £25,000 spelt the end of United's promotion aspirations. Colchester finished in eighth place and eight points behind third-placed Preston.[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 Steve Dowman
–– DF Mick Packer
–– DF Steve Wignall
–– DF Johnny Williams
–– DF Steve Wright
–– MF Ian Allinson
No. Position Player
–– MF Ray Bunkell
–– MF Russell Cotton
–– MF Paul Dyer
–– MF Tony Evans
–– MF Steve Foley
–– MF Steve Leslie
–– MF Eddie Rowles
–– FW Bobby Gough

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 Steve Dowman Manor Park 15 April 1958 Youth Team 1 August 1976 Free
DF Mick Packer Willesden 20 April 1950 Watford 25 August 1973 Free
DF Steve Wignall Liverpool 17 September 1954 Doncaster Rovers 13 September 1977 £5,000
DF Johnny Williams Tottenham 26 March 1947 Watford 23 August 1975 Free
DF Steve Wright Clacton-on-Sea 16 June 1959 Youth Team 1 August 1977 Free
MF Ian Allinson Hitchin 1 October 1957 Youth Team 1 August 1974 Free
MF Ray Bunkell Edmonton 18 September 1949 Swindon Town 8 December 1973 £5,000
MF Russell Cotton Wellington 4 April 1960 Youth Team 1 August 1977 Free
MF Paul Dyer Leicester 24 January 1953 Notts County 16 August 1975 Free
MF Tony Evans Colchester 14 March 1960 Youth Team 1 August 1977 Free
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 Eddie Rowles Gosport 10 March 1951 Darlington 26 December 1977 £15,000
FW Bobby Gough Ladywood 20 July 1949 Southport 10 January 1976 £7,000

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 August 1977 DF Steve Wright Youth Team Free
1 August 1977 MF Russell Cotton Youth Team Free
1 August 1977 MF Tony Evans Youth Team Free
13 September 1977 DF Steve Wignall Doncaster Rovers £5,000
26 December 1977 MF Eddie Rowles Darlington £15,000

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
14 May 1977 DF Lindsay Smith Cambridge United £12,000
21 January 1978 FW John Froggatt Port Vale £10,000
4 March 1978 FW Colin Garwood Portsmouth £25,000

Results

Third Division Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
7 Gillingham 46 15 20 11 67 60 +7 48
8 Colchester United 46 15 18 13 55 44 +11 48
9 Chesterfield 46 17 14 15 58 49 +9 48

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

Third Division Results

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
20/08/1977 Gillingham A 3-1 3,450 Foley, Packer, Gough
23/08/1977 Bradford City H 3-0 4,371 Froggatt, Gough, Leslie
27/08/1977 Chester City H 2-0 4,169 Gough (2)
02/09/1977 Tranmere Rovers A 0-1 3,263
09/09/1977 Plymouth Argyle H 3-1 5,719 Williams, Gough, Dowman
13/09/1977 Portsmouth A 0-0 11,757
17/09/1977 Rotherham United A 0-1 4,906
24/09/1977 Preston North End H 0-0 4,978
27/09/1977 Port Vale H 2-3 4,820 Gough, Garwood
01/10/1977 Carlisle United A 3-1 4,611 Garwood (2), Gough
05/10/1977 Chesterfield A 0-0 4,575
08/10/1977 Hereford United H 0-0 4,586
14/10/1977 Oxford United H 1-1 4,893 Foley
22/10/1977 Cambridge United A 0-2 5,423
28/10/1977 Peterborough United H 3-0 4,827 Allinson, Packer, Gough
05/11/1977 Walsall A 2-4 4,231 Allinson, Garwood
11/11/1977 Swindon Town H 2-0 4,788 Garwood, Bunkell
19/11/1977 Wrexham A 1-2 9,198 Wignall
03/12/1977 Sheffield Wednesday A 2-1 9,000 Cook, Garwood
09/12/1977 Exeter City H 3-1 4,267 Dowman, Gough, Garwood
26/12/1977 Lincoln City H 1-1 5,840 Froggatt
27/12/1977 Bury A 1-1 5,409 Foley
31/12/1977 Shrewsbury Town A 0-1 4,336
02/01/1978 Walsall H 1-1 6,039 Gough
07/01/1978 Bradford City A 2-1 3,266 Gough, Dowman
13/01/1978 Gillingham H 1-1 6,447 Gough
21/01/1978 Chester City A 1-2 2,855 Rowles
27/01/1978 Tranmere Rovers H 0-0 4,465
04/02/1978 Plymouth Argyle A 1-1 4,639 Rowles
25/02/1978 Carlisle United H 2-2 3,867 Garwood, Dowman
28/02/1978 Preston North End A 0-4 9,225
04/03/1978 Hereford United A 0-1 3,831
07/03/1978 Portsmouth H 4-0 3,570 Foley, Rowles, Taylor (o.g.), Allinson
11/03/1978 Oxford United A 0-3 4,060
14/03/1978 Peterborough United A 0-1 4,468
17/03/1978 Cambridge United H 2-1 5,260 Allinson, Wignall
25/03/1978 Bury H 1-0 3,661 Allinson
27/03/1978 Lincoln City A 0-0 4,709
01/04/1978 Shrewsbury Town H 1-2 2,910 Leslie
04/04/1978 Chesterfield H 2-0 3,303 Gough, Leslie
08/04/1978 Swindon Town A 0-0 4,596
15/04/1978 Wrexham H 1-1 5,385 Foley
22/04/1978 Exeter City A 0-0 3,853
24/04/1978 Port Vale A 3-0 3,684 Allinson, Foley (2)
29/04/1978 Sheffield Wednesday H 1-1 4,337 Dowman
03/05/1978 Rotherham United H 0-0 2,554

Source: 1977-78 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Cup

Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
13/08/1977 R1 (L1) Aldershot A 1-1 2,574 Gough
16/08/1977 R1 (L2) Aldershot H 4-1 3,360 Howitt (o.g.), Dowman, Froggatt (2)
31/08/1977 R2 Blackburn Rovers A 1-1 6,193 Garwood
07/09/1977 R2 (R) Blackburn Rovers H 4-0 5,843 Gough (2), Allinson, Garwood
26/10/1977 R3 Leeds United A 0-4 17,713

Source: 1977-78 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

Main article: 1977–78 FA Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
26/11/1977 R1 Bournemouth H 1-1 4,465 Gough
29/11/1977 R1 (R) Bournemouth A 0-0 3,838
05/12/1977 R1 (2R) Bournemouth N 4-1 2,230 Dowman, Garwood (3)
17/12/1977 R2 Watford A 0-2 11,907

Source: 1977-78 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[2]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Division Three FA Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK Mike Walker 55 0 46 0 4 0 5 0
–– DF Micky Cook 53 1 44 1 4 0 5 0
–– DF Steve Dowman 52 7 43 5 4 1 5 1
–– DF Mick Packer 52 2 44 2 3 0 5 0
–– DF Steve Wignall 38 2 34 2 4 0 0 0
–– DF Johnny Williams 35 1 27 1 3 0 5 0
–– DF Steve Wright 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Ian Allinson 54 7 45 6 4 0 5 1
–– MF Ray Bunkell 28 1 24 1 1 0 3 0
–– MF Russell Cotton 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Paul Dyer 32 0 30 0 1 0 1 0
–– MF Tony Evans 7 0 7 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Steve Foley 35 7 32 7 1 0 2 0
–– MF Steve Leslie 49 3 41 3 4 0 4 0
–– MF Eddie Rowles 9 3 9 3 0 0 0 0
–– FW John Froggatt 34 4 25 2 4 0 5 2
–– FW Colin Garwood 39 13 30 8 4 3 5 2
–– FW Bobby Gough 51 17 42 13 4 1 5 3

Scorers

[3]

All

Scorer Goals
Bobby Gough 17
Colin Garwood 13
Ian Allinson 7
Steve Dowman
Steve Foley
John Froggatt 4
Steve Leslie 3
Eddie Rowles
Mick Packer 2
Steve Wignall
Ray Bunkell 1
Micky Cook
Johnny Williams
Own goal 2

League

Scorer Goals
Bobby Gough 13
Colin Garwood 8
Steve Foley 7
Ian Allinson 6
Steve Dowman 5
Steve Leslie 3
Eddie Rowles
John Froggatt 2
Mick Packer
Steve Wignall
Ray Bunkell 1
Micky Cook
Johnny Williams
Own goal 1

FA Cup

Scorer Goals
Colin Garwood 3
Steve Dowman 1
Bobby Gough

League Cup

Scorer Goals
Bobby Gough 3
John Froggatt 2
Colin Garwood
Ian Allinson 1
Steve Dowman
Own goal 1

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 Micky Cook 44 1
DF Mick Packer 44 2
DF Steve Dowman 43 5
DF Steve Wignall 32 2
DF Johnny Williams 26 1
MF Ian Allinson 45 6
MF Steve Leslie 41 3
MF Steve Foley 29 7
FW Bobby Gough 42 13
FW Colin Garwood 28 8

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 10 April 2011. 
  2. ^ "1977–78 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. http://www.coludata.co.uk/appearances.asp?sid=38&cid=All. Retrieved 10 April 2011. 
  3. ^ "1977–78 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. http://www.coludata.co.uk/goals.asp?sid=38&cid=All. Retrieved 10 April 2011. 
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