1984–85 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1984–85 season
Chairman Maurice Cadman[1]
Manager Wales Cyril Lea
Fourth Division 7th
FA Cup 2nd round
Milk Cup 1st round
Freight Rover Trophy 2nd round (southern section)
Top goalscorer League:
Tony Adcock (24)

All:
Tony Adcock (28)
Highest home attendance 2,525 (Hereford United)
Lowest home attendance 1,641 (Aldershot)
Average home league attendance 2,076
Home colours

The 1984–85 season was Colchester United's fourth consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division.

Season review

During the 1983–94 season, Chairman Maurice Cadman announced that win bonuses would be dropped for the 1984–85 season with an insurance-backed promotion bonus on offer and that the club was available for sale at £150,000. During the summer, only three of the eight players out of contract chose to move on despite the new bonus scheme. The biggest loss was Steve Wignall who joined Brentford.

Remarkably, United were paired with Gillingham in both major Cup competitions and the Freight Rover Trophy. The 5-0 FA Cup thrashing at Layer Road on 8 December 1984 became United's biggest ever home defeat.

Forward Tony Adcock continued to score at will and by January had 28 goals to his credit. It was rumoured that Liverpool were only a signature away from his capture, but a cruel knee injury virtually finished his season in which he surely would have smashed Bobby Hunt's 38 goal club record.

United also lost their shirt sponsors but Cadman finally got his buyer when Jonathan Crisp paid £150,000 for overall control of United. He promised Second Division football within five years but in the light of the horrific Bradford fire, the timber-constructed Layer Road stands and terracing meant that it was of utmost importance to accelerate United's move to a new stadium.

As was becoming the norm, United were just not quite good enough for promotion finishing seventh and ten points adrift of fourth place. The club equalled its record away win with a 5-1 return from the 23 March 1985 trip to Exeter but worryingly average crowds totalled just 2,076.[2]

Squad

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

No. Position Player
–– England GK Alec Chamberlain
–– England DF Keith Day
–– England DF Tony English
–– England DF Rudi Hedman
–– Scotland DF Stewart Houston
–– Scotland DF Ian Phillips
–– England MF Simon Burman
–– England MF Andy Farrell
No. Position Player
–– England MF Perry Groves
–– England MF Jeff Hull
–– England MF Roger Osborne
–– England MF Noel Parkinson
–– England FW Tony Adcock
–– Wales FW Keith Bowen
–– England FW Russell Irving

Player info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK England Alec Chamberlain England March 20 June 1964 England Ipswich Town 3 January 1983 Free
DF England Keith Day England Grays 29 November 1962 England Aveley 25 August 1984 Free
DF England Tony English England Luton 19 October 1966 England Coventry City 1 January 1985 Free
DF England Rudi Hedman England Lambeth 16 November 1964 England Youth Team 1 August 1983 Free
DF Scotland Stewart Houston Scotland Dunoon 20 August 1949 England Sheffield United 27 August 1983 Free
DF Scotland Ian Phillips Scotland Cumnock 23 April 1959 England Northampton Town 9 September 1983 Free
MF England Simon Burman England Ipswich 26 November 1965 England Youth Team 1 August 1984 Free
MF England Andy Farrell England Colchester 7 October 1965 England Youth Team 1 August 1983 Free
MF England Perry Groves England Bow 19 April 1965 England Youth Team 1 August 1981 Free
MF England Jeff Hull England Rochford 25 August 1960 England Basildon United 17 December 1982 Free
MF England Roger Osborne England Otley 9 March 1950 England Ipswich Town 14 February 1981 £25,000
MF England Noel Parkinson England Hull 16 November 1959 England Scunthorpe United 28 August 1984 Free
FW England Tony Adcock England Bethnal Green 27 March 1963 England Youth Team 1 August 1980 Free
FW Wales Keith Bowen England Northampton 26 February 1958 England Brentford 25 March 1983 Free
FW England Russell Irving England Wallsend 4 January 1964 England Ipswich Town 25 August 1984 Free

Transfers

Transfers in

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 August 1984 MF England Simon Burman England Youth Team Free
1 August 1984 MF England Stuart Youngman England Youth Team Free
25 August 1984 DF England Keith Day England Aveley Free
25 August 1984 DF England Daryl Godbold England Norwich City Free
25 August 1984 FW England Russell Irving England Ipswich Town Free
28 August 1984 MF England Noel Parkinson England Scunthorpe United Free
1 January 1985 DF England Tony English England Coventry City Free
5 February 1985 FW England Tommy English England Plymouth Argyle Free

Transfers out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
5 May 1984 DF England Phil Coleman England Exeter City Free
11 May 1984 DF England Tony Hadley England Southend United Free
11 May 1984 DF England Steve Wignall England Brentford Free
11 May 1984 FW England Les Mutrie England Hartlepool United Free
21 December 1984 DF England Daryl Godbold England Wroxham Free
5 February 1985 FW England Tommy English Australia Canberra City Free
23 April 1985 MF England Stuart Youngman England Wroxham Free
23 April 1985 FW England Dave Hubbick England Sudbury Town Free

Loans in

Date Pos. Player Name Parent Club Date Returned Notes
16 April 1985 FW England Paul Shinners England Gillingham 10 May 1985

Results

Fourth Division results summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
6Tranmere Rovers 46243198366+1775
7Colchester United 462014128765+2274
7Swindon Town 46219166258+472

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

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
25/08/1984 Southend United H 3-3 2,378 Adcock (3)
31/08/1984 Scunthorpe United A 2-2 1,818 Bowen, Adcock
08/09/1984 Blackpool H 1-1 1,772 Adcock
15/09/1984 Bury A 3-4 2,145 Adcock, Houston, Hull
19/09/1984 Mansfield Town A 1-0 2,084 Bowen
22/09/1984 Aldershot H 2-0 1,641 Adcock (2)
29/09/1984 Northampton Town A 3-1 1,595 Parkinson, Adcock, Bowen
02/10/1984 Torquay United H 2-1 1,813 Bowen, Hull
13/10/1984 Darlington A 0-4 2,021
16/10/1984 Exeter City H 3-4 1,846 Adcock, Hull, Groves
20/10/1984 Chester City A 2-1 1,400 Adcock (2)
23/10/1984 Stockport County H 3-0 2,153 Hull (2), Groves
26/10/1984 Halifax Town H 1-3 2,295 Adcock
03/11/1984 Chesterfield A 1-1 3,614 Adcock
06/11/1984 Tranmere Rovers A 1-3 1,587 Godbold
09/11/1984 Hartlepool United H 1-0 2,136 Adcock
24/11/1984 Rochdale A 1-1 1,012 Groves
01/12/1984 Peterborough United H 3-1 2,070 Irving, Groves, Adcock
15/12/1984 Swindon Town A 1-2 2,263 Adcock
21/12/1984 Crewe Alexandra A 4-1 1,529 Adcock, Groves, Bowen (2)
26/12/1984 Hereford United H 2-2 2,525 Adcock, Bowen
28/12/1984 Port Vale H 3-2 2,014 Groves, Bowen (pen.) (2)
01/01/1985 Wrexham A 2-2 1,376 Phillips, Irving
26/01/1985 Bury H 1-0 2,028 Osborne
29/01/1985 Southend United A 5-2 2,401 Adcock, Groves (2), Bowen (2)
01/02/1985 Northampton Town H 4-1 2,314 Hedman, Adcock, Day, Parkinson (pen.)
22/02/1985 Chesterfield H 3-1 2,303 Adcock (3)
26/02/1985 Mansfield Town H 2-1 2,267 Day, Groves
01/03/1985 Halifax Town A 0-0 1,022
04/03/1985 Stockport County A 0-1 1,561
08/03/1985 Chester City H 1-1 2,224 Irving
15/03/1985 Darlington H 1-2 1,739 Irving
23/03/1985 Exeter City A 5-1 1,828 Bowen (2), Parkinson, Irving (2)
26/03/1985 Blackpool A 1-1 4,057 Tony English
29/03/1985 Tranmere Rovers H 2-1 2,044 Day, Tony English
02/04/1985 Scunthorpe United H 1-1 2,409 Day
06/04/1985 Hereford United A 1-2 3,485 Bowen (pen.)
08/04/1985 Wrexham H 4-1 2,204 Bowen, Irving (2), Hubbick
13/04/1985 Hartlepool United A 1-2 1,512 Parkinson
16/04/1985 Torquay United A 1-1 1,191 Bowen
19/04/1985 Rochdale H 1-1 1,853 Parkinson
23/04/1985 Aldershot A 0-1 1,624
27/04/1985 Peterborough United A 1-0 1,624 Hedman
04/05/1985 Swindon Town H 1-1 1,867 Tony English
06/05/1985 Port Vale A 2-3 2,526 Shinners, Groves
10/05/1985 Crewe Alexandra H 4-1 1,864 Osborne, Bowen, Parkinson, Irving

Source: 1984-85 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
28/08/1984 R1 (L1) Gillingham A 2-3 2,689 Bowen, Houston
02/09/1985 R1 (L2) Gillingham H 0-2 2,162

Source: 1984-85 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17/11/1984 R1 Southend United A 2-2 2,935 Irving, Houston
21/11/1984 R1 (R) Southend United H 3-2 (AET) 3,907 Adcock, Pennyfather (o.g.), Groves
08/12/1984 R2 Gillingham H 0-5 4,487

Source: 1984-85 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Trophy

Southern section

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
23/01/1985 R1 (L1) Gillingham A 2-2 –– Groves, Adcock
05/02/1985 R1 (L2) Gillingham H 2-0 1,762 Adcock (2)
12/03/1985 R2 Walsall A 0-1 4,108

Source: 1984-85 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[3]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Division Four FA Cup League Cup League Trophy
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK England Alec Chamberlain 54 0 46 0 3 0 2 0 3 0
–– DF England Keith Day 52 4 45 4 3 0 2 0 2 0
–– DF England Tony English 25 3 22 3 0 0 0 0 3 0
–– DF England Daryl Godbold 9 1 6 1 1 0 2 0 0 0
–– DF England Rudi Hedman 36 2 30 2 3 0 0 0 3 0
–– DF Scotland Stewart Houston 35 3 29 1 2 1 2 1 2 0
–– DF Scotland Ian Phillips 45 1 37 1 3 0 2 0 3 0
–– MF England Simon Burman 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Andy Farrell 46 0 38 0 3 0 2 0 3 0
–– MF England Perry Groves 52 12 44 10 3 1 2 0 3 1
–– MF England Jeff Hull 24 5 18 5 3 0 2 0 1 0
–– MF England Roger Osborne 47 2 40 2 2 0 2 0 3 0
–– MF England Noel Parkinson 51 6 44 6 3 0 1 0 3 0
–– MF England Stuart Youngman 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW England Tony Adcock 35 28 28 24 3 1 2 0 2 3
–– FW Wales Keith Bowen 47 18 42 17 1 0 2 1 2 0
–– FW England Tommy English 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– FW England Dave Hubbick 5 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW England Russell Irving 48 10 41 9 3 1 1 0 3 0
–– FW England Paul Shinners 6 1 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Scorers

Most frequent starting XI

This section shows players in a 4-4-2 formation with the most league starts during the season.

References

  1. 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.
  2. "The U's History: The 80s". Colchester United F.C. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  3. "1984–85 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  4. "1984–85 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
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