1987–88 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1987–88 season
Chairman Jonathan Crisp[1]
Manager Wales Mike Walker
(Until 1 November 1987)
England Roger Brown
(From 1 November 1987)
Fourth Division 9th
FA Cup 3rd Round
Littlewoods Cup 1st Round
Sherpa Van Trophy 2nd Round (Southern section)
Top goalscorer League:
Dale Tempest (11)

All:
Dale Tempest (14)
Highest home attendance 2,599 (Cardiff City)
Lowest home attendance 1,140 (Swansea City)
Average home league attendance 1,784
Home colours

The 1987–88 season was Colchester United's seventh consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division.

Season Review

Prolific striker Tony Adcock decided it was time to move on and £80,000 saw him join Second Division Manchester City.

Manager Mike Walker recruited former U's boss Allan Hunter as his coach whilst Chairman Jonathan Crisp announced an ill-advised bombshell. In light of the worsening hooliganism countrywide he adopted a 100% members-only scheme, banning away fans. To deflect the furore Crisp leaked details of a proposed new stadium at Turner Rise and introduced developers Norcross Estates as shirt sponsors. Only 1,300 members attended the first fixture of the 1987–88 season, a drop of 1,400 on the previous average.

 Walker broke the club's transfer record spending £40,000 on striker Dale Tempest while a new lowest crowd was set as 1,140 watched the 29 September 1987 win over Swansea.   Having rebuilt his side winning seven out of eight games Walker was sensationally sacked by Crisp as United were joint top of the Fourth Division. Crisp claimed Walker had resigned, but an alleged personal matter between the pair was said to have been the spark. Walker was awarded Manager of the Month after he had been sacked.
 New manager Roger Brown took over a successful team and destroyed it. Recommended to Crisp by his 'advisors', Brown had been a factory manager and in charge at Poole Town.   From top spot on New Years Day Brown's team won just five games to finish ninth - United's lowest position for 15 seasons.

When hundreds of Wolves fans claimed membership and 'boosted' the Layer Road attendance to 2,413, Crisp scrapped his membership scheme declaring it had only been an experiment. The seeds of United's sad demise had been sown and the season's average was a paltry 1,769.

Crisp considered selling Layer Road and ground sharing with Ipswich whilst the Turner Rise stadium was built. Fortunately he was swayed by a group of ex-directors of the club. Crisp would have recouped his outlay, but when the stadium plans were delayed, over land ownership, United would have been totally homeless with no assets bar players.[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
–– Wales GK Mark Walton
–– England DF Scott Daniels
–– England DF Tony English
–– England DF Stephen Grenfell
–– England DF Rudi Hedman
–– England DF Steve Hetzke
–– England DF Stuart Hicks
–– Northern Ireland DF Colin Hill
–– England MF Nicky Chatterton
No. Position Player
–– England MF Lee Hunter
–– Republic of Ireland MF Tommy Keane
–– England MF Mark Radford
–– England MF John Reeves
–– England MF Gary Smith
–– England MF Winston White
–– England MF Richard Wilkins
–– England FW Dale Tempest
–– England FW Mario Walsh

Player Info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK Wales Mark Walton Wales Merthyr Tydfil 1 June 1969 England Luton Town 26 December 1987 £17,500
DF England Scott Daniels England South Benfleet 22 November 1969 England Youth Team 1 August 1988 Free
DF England Tony English England Luton 19 October 1966 England Coventry City 1 January 1985 Free
DF England Stephen Grenfell England Enfield 27 October 1966 England Tottenham Hotspur 28 November 1986 £15,000
DF England Rudi Hedman England Lambeth 16 November 1964 England Youth Team 1 August 1983 Free
DF England Steve Hetzke England Marlborough 3 June 1955 England Chester City 1 March 1988 £10,000
DF England Stuart Hicks England Peterborough 30 May 1967 England Wisbech Town 8 April 1988 Free
DF Northern Ireland Colin Hill England Uxbridge 12 November 1963 Portugal C.S. Marítimo 30 October 1987 Free
MF England Nicky Chatterton England South Norwood 18 May 1954 England Millwall 12 September 1986 Free
MF England Lee Hunter England Oldham 5 October 1969 England Youth Team 1 August 1987 Free
MF Republic of Ireland Tommy Keane Republic of Ireland Galway 16 September 1968 England Bournemouth 1 January 1988 £10,000
MF England Mark Radford England Leicester 20 December 1968 England Youth Team 1 August 1986 Free
MF England John Reeves England Hackney 8 July 1963 England Fulham 17 August 1985 Free
MF England Gary Smith England Harlow 3 December 1968 England Fulham 6 November 1987 Free
MF England Winston White England Leicester 26 October 1958 England Bury 3 April 1987 Free
MF England Richard Wilkins England Lambeth 28 May 1965 England Haverhill Rovers 17 November 1986 Free
FW England Dale Tempest England Leeds 30 December 1963 Belgium Lokeren 29 August 1987 £40,000
FW England Mario Walsh England Paddington 19 January 1966 England Torquay United 15 August 1987 £15,000

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 August 1987 DF England Scott Daniels England Youth Team Free
1 August 1987 DF England John Ray England Youth Team Free
1 August 1987 MF England Lee Hunter England Youth Team Free
15 August 1987 FW England Mario Walsh England Torquay United £15,000
18 August 1987 GK England Trevor Lake England West Ham United Free
28 August 1987 FW England Dale Tempest Belgium Lokeren £40,000
30 October 1987 DF Northern Ireland Colin Hill Portugal C.S. Marítimo Free
6 November 1987 MF England Gary Smith England Fulham Free
11 December 1987 MF England Keith Williams England Bournemouth Free
26 December 1987 GK Wales Mark Walton England Luton Town Free
1 January 1988 MF Republic of Ireland Tommy Keane England Bournemouth £10,000
1 March 1988 MF England Steve Hetzke England Chester City £10,000
8 April 1988 DF England Stuart Hicks England Wisbech Town Free

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
9 May 1987 GK England Alec Chamberlain England Everton £80,000
9 May 1987 DF England Keith Day England Leyton Orient Free
9 May 1987 MF England Andy Farrell England Burnley Free
17 May 1987 FW England Tony Adcock England Manchester City £75,000
18 August 1987 GK England Trevor Lake European Union Retired Free
13 October 1987 MF England Sean Norman England Wycombe Wanderers Free
5 December 1987 FW England Simon Lowe England Scarborough Free
21 January 1988 DF England Terry Baker England Billericay Town Free
30 January 1988 DF England John Ray England Wycombe Wanderers Free
8 April 1988 MF England Keith Williams England Salisbury City Free
15 April 1988 DF England Paul Hinshelwood England Dartford Free

Loans In

Date Pos. Player Name Parent Club Date Returned Notes
15 August 1987 GK England Graham Benstead England Norwich City 24 November 1987
25 August 1987 GK Wales Mark Walton England Luton Town 13 October 1987
14 November 1987 GK Wales Mark Walton England Luton Town 18 December 1987
18 December 1987 DF England Darren Angell England Portsmouth 18 December 1987
5 February 1988 DF England Glenn Keeley England Oldham Athletic 26 February 1988
19 February 1988 DF England David Coleman England Bournemouth 19 March 1988
4 March 1988 GK Canada Craig Forrest England Ipswich Town 29 April 1988
25 March 1988 FW England Sean Farrell England Luton Town 6 May 1988

Results

Fourth Division Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
8Leyton Orient 461912158563+2269
9Colchester United 461910174751-467
10Burnley 46207195762-567

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
15/08/1987 Burnley A 3-0 5,369 Walsh, English, Lowe
21/08/1987 Torquay United H 0-1 1,372
29/08/1987 Scunthorpe United A 2-2 2,003 Wilkins, White
31/08/1987 Scarborough H 1-3 1,525 Tempest
04/09/1987 Crewe Alexandra A 0-0 1,843
12/09/1987 Peterborough United H 4-1 1,164 White, Tempest, Chatterton (pen.), Walsh
16/09/1987 Hereford United A 0-1 1,951
19/09/1987 Hartlepool United A 1-3 1,698 Hinshelwood
25/09/1987 Exeter City A 0-2 1,443
29/09/1987 Swansea City H 2-1 1,140 Tempest, Hinshelwood
21/10/1988 Newport County A 2-1 1,200 Wilkins, Chatterton
09/10/1987 Leyton Orient H 0-0 1,665
17/10/1987 Wrexham A 1-0 1,493 Reeves
20/10/1987 Carlisle United H 1-0 1,328 Tempest
24/10/1987 Cambridge United A 1-0 2,450 Chatterton (pen.)
30/10/1987 Darlington H 2-1 1,659 Wilkins, Chatterton
03/11/1987 Rochdale A 4-1 1,399 Wilkins (2), Chatterton (pen.), Hinshelwood
06/11/1987 Halifax Town A 2-1 1,432 Wilkins, Chatterton (pen.)
21/11/1987 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0-1 2,413
27/11/1987 Stockport County A 1-1 1,703 Chatterton
11/12/1987 Bolton Wanderers H 3-0 1,725 Wilkins, White (2)
18/12/1987 Tranmere Rovers A 2-0 2,642 White (2)
26/12/1987 Exeter City A 2-0 2,675 Wilkins, Tempest
28/12/1987 Cardiff City H 2-1 2,599 Tempest, English
01/01/1988 Scunthorpe United H 0-3 2,287
02/01/1988 Peterborough United A 0-2 3,666
15/01/1988 Hartlepool United H 0-0 1,768
30/01/1988 Scarborough A 1-3 2,155 Hinshelwood (pen)
05/02/1988 Crewe Alexandra H 1-4 1,822 Tempest
13/02/1988 Cardiff City A 0-1 5,458
19/02/1988 Burnley H 0-1 2,520
26/02/1988 Newport County H 0-0 1,784
01/03/1988 Swansea City A 2-1 4,011 Tempest, White
04/03/1988 Wrexham H 1-2 1,797 Coleman
12/03/1988 Leyton Orient A 0-0 3,125
19/03/1988 Darlington A 0-2 2,034
25/03/1988 Cambridge United H 0-0 2,146
01/04/1988 Halifax Town H 2-1 1,992 Hinshelwood, Farrell
04/04/1988 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0-2 13,433
08/04/1988 Rochdale H 1-0 1,864 Tempest
15/04/1988 Torquay United A 0-0 3,508
19/04/1988 Hereford United H 1-0 1,367 Tempest
23/04/1988 Carlisle United A 0-4 1,496
29/04/1988 Stockport County H 2-0 1,607 Tempest, Wilkins
02/05/1988 Bolton Wanderers A 0-4 5,540
06/05/1988 Tranmere Rovers H 0-0 1,704

Source: 1987-88 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
18/08/1987 R1 (L1) Fulham A 1-3 2,782 White
25/08/1987 R1 (L2) Fulham H 0-2 1,554

Source: 1987-88 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
14/11/1987 R1 Tamworth H 3-0 3,215 Wilkins, Tempest, Chatterton (pen.)
05/12/1987 R2 Hereford United H 3-2 2,216 Chatterton (pen.), Wilkins, Hill
11/01/1988 R3 Plymouth Argyle A 0-2 10,351

Source: 1987-88 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Trophy

Southern Section

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
13/10/1987 Group Peterborough United H 3-2 912 Tempest (2), Norman
24/11/1987 Group Cambridge United A 0-0 857
19/01/1988 R1 Leyton Orient H 1-1
6-5 on Pens
1,351 Winston White
09/02/1988 R2 Notts County H 2-3 1,564 White (2)

Source: 1987-89 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 Graham Benstead 19 0 18 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– GK Canada Craig Forrest 11 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– GK England Trevor Lake 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
–– GK Wales Mark Walton 24 0 17 0 3 0 1 0 3 0
–– DF England Darren Angell 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Terry Baker 21 0 15 0 2 0 2 0 2 0
–– DF England David Coleman 6 1 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Scott Daniels 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Tony English 51 2 43 2 3 0 2 0 3 0
–– DF England Stephen Grenfell 49 0 41 0 3 0 1 0 4 0
–– DF England Rudi Hedman 51 0 42 0 3 0 2 0 4 0
–– DF England Steve Hetzke 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Stuart Hicks 7 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF Northern Ireland Colin Hill 30 1 25 0 2 1 0 0 3 0
–– DF England Paul Hinshelwood 49 5 40 5 3 0 2 0 4 0
–– DF England Glenn Keeley 5 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– DF England John Ray 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Nicky Chatterton 33 9 26 7 3 2 2 0 2 0
–– MF England Lee Hunter 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Republic of Ireland Tommy Keane 19 0 16 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
–– MF England Sean Norman 11 1 8 0 0 0 2 0 1 1
–– MF England Mark Radford 15 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– MF England John Reeves 25 1 20 1 1 0 2 0 2 0
–– MF England Gary Smith 12 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– MF England Winston White 50 11 41 7 3 0 2 1 4 3
–– MF England Richard Wilkins 54 11 46 9 3 2 2 0 3 0
–– MF England Keith Williams 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW England Sean Farrell 9 1 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW England Simon Lowe 12 1 10 1 0 0 2 0 0 0
–– FW England Dale Tempest 51 14 44 11 3 1 0 0 4 2
–– FW England Mario Walsh 15 2 11 2 2 0 2 0 0 0

Scorers

Most Frequent Starting XI

This section shows players in a 5-4-1 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 1 April 2011.
  3. "1987–88 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  4. "1987–88 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
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