1983–84 Colchester United F.C. season
1983–84 season | |||
Chairman | Maurice Cadman[1] | ||
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Manager | Cyril Lea | ||
Fourth Division | 8th | ||
FA Cup | 3rd Round | ||
Milk Cup | 3rd Round | ||
Associate Members' Cup | 2nd Round (Southern section) | ||
Top goalscorer |
League: Tony Adcock (26) All: Tony Adcock (33) | ||
Highest home attendance | 3,402 (Crewe Alexandra) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 1,226 (Torquay United) | ||
Average home league attendance | 2,180 | ||
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The 1983–84 season was Colchester United's third consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division.
Season Review
Four months after becoming caretaker, Cyril Lea was appointed full-time manager with Stewart Houston assisting. He lost Ian Allinson to Arsenal on an infuriating free transfer following an administrational blunder at Layer Road.
Always in touch with the leaders United embarked on another League Cup run. Securing a fine 1-1 draw at Second Division Swansea City, United Chairman Maurice Cadman pledged that if more than 5,000 attended the second leg at Layer Road that he would give Lea funds to buy two more players. The U's beat the Swans 1-0 in front of 5,204 and his promise was underwritten when Colchester drew Manchester United in the Third Round on 8 November 1983. The 13,031 crowd would be the last-ever five figure gate at Layer Road and the slick Red Devils ran out comfortable 2-0 winners.
As had become the norm U's form tailed off and they ended 15 points adrift of promotion in eighth place despite Tony Adcock's 33 goals. Frustrated by his Board's attempt to fund promotion that continually ended in close failure, Cadman announced that win bonuses would be dropped for the 1984–85 season with an insurance-backed promotion bonus on offer and the club was available for sale at £150,000.
Attendances continued to fall and a new low of 1,226 watched the 3-0 win over Torquay on 28 April 1984. Micky Cook, who had set a club record 613 appearances, and Steve Leslie both retired through injury.[2]
Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Player Info
Pos. | Name | Place of Birth | Date of Birth | Previous Club | Date Joined | Fee |
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GK | Alec Chamberlain | March | 20 June 1964 | Ipswich Town | 3 January 1983 | Free |
DF | Phil Coleman | Woolwich | 8 September 1960 | Millwall | 21 February 1981 | £15,000 |
DF | Tony Hadley | Upminster | 5 July 1955 | Southend United | 27 August 1983 | Free |
DF | Rudi Hedman | Lambeth | 16 November 1964 | Youth Team | 1 August 1983 | Free |
DF | Stewart Houston | Dunoon | 20 August 1949 | Sheffield United | 27 August 1983 | Free |
DF | Ian Phillips | Cumnock | 23 April 1959 | Northampton Town | 9 September 1983 | Free |
DF | Steve Wignall | Liverpool | 17 September 1954 | Doncaster Rovers | 13 September 1977 | £5,000 |
MF | Andy Farrell | Colchester | 7 October 1965 | Youth Team | 1 August 1983 | Free |
MF | Perry Groves | Bow | 19 April 1965 | Youth Team | 1 August 1981 | Free |
MF | Jeff Hull | Rochford | 25 August 1960 | Basildon United | 17 December 1982 | Free |
MF | Roger Osborne | Otley | 9 March 1950 | Ipswich Town | 14 February 1981 | £25,000 |
FW | Tony Adcock | Bethnal Green | 27 March 1963 | Youth Team | 1 August 1980 | Free |
FW | Keith Bowen | Northampton | 26 February 1958 | Brentford | 25 March 1983 | Free |
FW | Dave Hubbick | South Shields | 16 March 1960 | Dagenham | 15 October 1983 | Free |
FW | Les Mutrie | Newcastle upon Tyne | 5 May 1952 | Hull City | 28 January 1984 | £10,000 |
Transfers
Transfers In
Date | Pos. | Player Name | Previous Club | Transfer Fee | Notes |
1 August 1983 | DF | Rudi Hedman | Youth Team | Free | |
1 August 1983 | MF | Andy Farrell | Youth Team | Free | |
1 August 1983 | FW | Craig Oldfield | Youth Team | Free | |
1 August 1983 | FW | John Taylor | Youth Team | Free | |
27 August 1983 | DF | Stewart Houston | Sheffield United | Free | |
27 August 1983 | DF | Tony Hadley | Southend United | Free | |
9 September 1983 | DF | Ian Phillips | Northampton Town | Free | |
15 October 1983 | FW | Dave Hubbick | Dagenham | Free | |
18 October 1983 | DF | Adam Nichols | Ipswich Town | Free | |
28 January 1984 | FW | Les Mutrie | Hull City | £10,000 | |
Transfers Out
Date | Pos. | Player Name | New Club | Transfer Fee | Notes |
2 May 1983 | GK | Mike Walker | Retired | Free | |
13 May 1983 | DF | Mick Packer | Wivenhoe Town | Free | |
13 May 1983 | DF | Wayne Ward | Tiptree United | Free | |
13 May 1983 | MF | Ian Allinson | Arsenal | Free | |
13 May 1983 | FW | Roy McDonough | Southend United | Free | |
14 September 1983 | FW | John Taylor | Cambridge United | Free | |
2 January 1984 | DF | Adam Nichols | Wits University | Free | |
21 February 1984 | DF | Craig Oldfield | Stowmarket Town | Free | |
31 March 1984 | MF | Steve Leslie | Brentwood | Free | |
14 April 1984 | DF | Micky Cook | Retired | Free | |
Results
Fourth Division Results Summary
Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | Peterborough United | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 72 | 48 | +24 | 68 |
8 | Colchester United | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 69 | 53 | +16 | 67 |
9 | Torquay United | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 59 | 64 | -5 | 67 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Fourth Division Results
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
27/08/1983 | Darlington | A | 2-0 | 1,441 | Adcock, Houston |
03/09/1983 | Blackpool | H | 2-1 | 2,169 | Adcock (pen.), Serella (o.g.) |
06/09/1983 | Bristol City | H | 0-0 | 2,120 | |
09/09/1983 | Stockport County | A | 0-0 | 2,077 | |
17/09/1983 | Rochdale | H | 4-0 | 1,955 | Bowen, Adcock (2), Wignall |
24/09/1983 | Chesterfield | A | 1-1 | 4,106 | Wignall |
26/09/1983 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1-2 | 1,866 | Adcock (pen.) |
01/10/1983 | Chester City | H | 1-0 | 1,976 | Adcock |
07/10/1983 | York City | A | 0-3 | 6,207 | |
15/10/1983 | Northampton Town | H | 2-2 | 1,964 | Houston, Cook |
18/10/1983 | Bury | H | 1-0 | 1,969 | Adcock |
22/10/1983 | Swindon Town | A | 1-2 | 3,079 | Adcock (pen.) |
29/10/1983 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2-0 | 3,402 | Adcock (2) (pen.) |
01/11/1983 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 3-3 | 3,491 | Bowen, Humphries (o.g.), Adcock (pen.) |
05/11/1983 | Reading | H | 3-0 | 2,433 | Houston, Steve Leslie, Adcock |
12/11/1983 | Mansfield Town | A | 0-0 | 3,042 | |
26/11/1983 | Torquay United | A | 1-2 | 1,364 | Cook |
03/12/1983 | Hartlepool United | H | 6-0 | 1,935 | Wignall (2), Nichols, Phillips (2), Groves |
17/12/1983 | Halifax Town | H | 4-1 | 1,866 | Houston, Adcock, Bowen (2) |
26/12/1983 | Peterborough United | A | 0-2 | 6,527 | |
27/12/1983 | Aldershot | H | 4-1 | 3,123 | Adcock (2) (pen), Wignall, Bowen |
02/01/1984 | Wrexham | H | 1-1 | 3,182 | Adcock |
14/01/1984 | Darlington | H | 2-1 | 2,151 | Adcock (2) (pen.) |
28/01/1984 | Stockport County | H | 1-1 | 2,213 | Adcock |
04/02/1984 | Chester City | A | 4-1 | 1,179 | Bowen (2), Phillips, Mutrie |
11/02/1984 | Chesterfield | H | 2-0 | 2,358 | Adcock, Wignall |
14/02/1984 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1-1 | 2,821 | Bowen |
18/02/1984 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1-1 | 2,532 | Bowen |
25/02/1984 | Swindon Town | H | 0-0 | 2,448 | |
04/03/1984 | Bury | A | 1-1 | 1,576 | Adcock (pen.) |
07/03/1984 | Reading | A | 0-1 | 3,360 | |
10/03/1984 | Mansfield Town | H | 1-0 | 2,007 | Bowen |
17/03/1984 | York City | H | 1-3 | 3,032 | Bowen |
24/03/1984 | Northampton Town | A | 1-3 | 1,499 | Phillips |
31/03/1984 | Bristol City | A | 1-4 | 6,504 | Wignall |
04/04/1984 | Hereford United | A | 1-1 | 2,501 | Wignall |
07/04/1984 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0-1 | 1,679 | |
14/04/1984 | Hartlepool United | A | 0-0 | 1,001 | |
17/04/1984 | Rochdale | A | 0-0 | 1,020 | |
21/04/1984 | Peterborough United | H | 1-1 | 1,746 | Adcock |
23/04/1984 | Aldershot | A | 1-5 | 2,443 | Adcock |
28/04/1984 | Torquay United | H | 3-0 | 1,226 | Compton (o.g.), Phillips (pen.), Adcock |
01/05/1984 | Blackpool | A | 2-3 | 3,111 | Hull, Adcock |
05/05/1984 | Wrexham | A | 2-0 | 1,016 | Osborne, Groves |
07/05/1984 | Hereford United | H | 3-0 | 1,286 | Bowen, Adcock, Larkin (o.g.) |
11/05/1984 | Halifax Town | H | 1-4 | 1,248 | Mutrie |
Source: 1983-84 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
League Cup
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
30/08/1983 | R1 (L1) | Reading | H | 3-2 | 2,418 | Adcock (2), Wignall |
14/09/1983 | R1 (L2) | Reading | A | 3-4 Away goals |
3,460 | Adcock, Wignall, Bowen |
04/10/1983 | R2 (L1) | Swansea City | A | 1-1 | 3,758 | Adcock |
25/10/1983 | R2 (L2) | Swansea City | H | 1-0 | 5,204 | Adcock |
08/11/1983 | R3 | Manchester United | H | 0-2 | 13,031 |
Source: 1983-84 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
FA Cup
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
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19/11/1983 | R1 | Torquay United | A | 2-1 | 2,126 | Bowen (2) |
10/12/1983 | R2 | Wealdstone | H | 4-0 | 2,673 | Bowen (3), Houston |
07/01/1984 | R3 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0-1 | 6,296 |
Source: 1983-84 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
League Trophy
Southern Section
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
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21/02/1984 | R1 | Wimbledon | H | 2-1 | 1,888 | Adcock (pen.) (2) |
13/03/1984 | R2 | Southend United | H | 0-2 | 2,841 |
Source: 1983-84 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
Squad statistics
No. | Nat. | Pos. | Name | Total | Division Four | FA Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | |||||
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Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
–– | GK | Alec Chamberlain | 56 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Phil Coleman | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Micky Cook | 45 | 2 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Tony Hadley | 55 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Rudi Hedman | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Stewart Houston | 51 | 5 | 42 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Adam Nichols | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Ian Phillips | 48 | 5 | 43 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Steve Wignall | 45 | 10 | 36 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Andy Farrell | 21 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Perry Groves | 50 | 2 | 42 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Jeff Hull | 39 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Steve Leslie | 32 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Roger Osborne | 44 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Tony Adcock | 53 | 33 | 43 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | |
–– | FW | Keith Bowen | 55 | 18 | 46 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Dave Hubbick | 14 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Les Mutrie | 16 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Craig Oldfield | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
–– | FW | John Taylor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scorers
All
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League
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FA Cup
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League Cup
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League Trophy
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Most Frequent Starting XI
This section shows players in a 5-3-2 formation with the most league starts during the season.
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References
- ↑ Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 279. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
- ↑ "The U's History: The 80s". Colchester United F.C. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ↑ "1983–84 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ↑ "1983–84 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
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