1970–71 Colchester United F.C. season

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Colchester United
1970–71 season
Chairman Bill Graver
(until March 1971)
Roy Chapman
(from March 1971)[1]
Manager England Dick Graham
Fourth Division 6th
FA Cup Quarter-final
League Cup 2nd Round
Top goalscorer League:
Ray Crawford (24)
All:
Ray Crawford (31)
Highest home attendance 7,777 (Southend United)
Lowest home attendance 3,502 (Barrow)
Average home league attendance 5,599
Football kit (blue jersey; blue shorts with white sides; and white socks).
Home colours
← 1969–70 1971–72 →

The 1970–71 season was Colchester United's third consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division. United reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, famously beating Football League First Division Leeds United 3-2.

Season Review

Manager Dick Graham increased the average age of United's squad at the start of the 1970s with the summer signings of ex-England international Ray Crawford, Brian Garvey, John Kurila, Mick Mahon and Brian Owen. During the season, both Roy Massey and Owen incurred career ending injuries forcing Graham to sign Brian Lewis and Dave Simmons.

The Football League, despite the protests of the pools companies, re-introduced permission to play Friday night football. Colchester arranged ten games for Friday kick offs but it would be the FA Cup that drew worldwide attention. United disposed of non-League Ringmer via a Crawford hat trick in round one and then completed a Cup double over new boys Cambridge, having already secured a 5-0 win over the 'other' U's in the League Cup. Colchester knocked out non-League Barnet at Underhill in the third round only to be drawn away to Rochdale. Trailing 3-1 with just five minutes left, United staged a remarkable comeback to earn a replay. With the knowledge of the Fifth Round draw having been made, United trounced hapless Dale by 5-0 to earn a home tie with mighty Leeds on 13 February 1971. Leeds were top of the League and boasted ten internationals in their side, Colchester were eighth in the Football League Fourth Division Fourth Division. Nobody gave the U's a chance but they raced into a 3-0 lead, in front of a 16,000 Layer Road crowd, with goals from Crawford (2) and Simmons before Leeds generated something of a comeback to finally lose 3-2. The result was sensational as was the fact that United were in the FA Cup Quarter Finals. Sixth Round opponents Everton did their homework and Graham's 'Granddad's Army' finally succumbed to the tune of 5-0 in front of 53,028 at Goodison Park. While United finished sixth in the league, just two points off promotion - they simply had too many fixtures to complete in rapid succession as a result of the cup run.[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 Graham Smith
–– England DF Eric Burgess
–– England DF Micky Cook
–– England DF Bobby Cram
–– England DF Brian Garvey
–– Scotland DF John Gilchrist
–– England DF Brian Hall
–– Scotland DF John Kurila
–– England DF Dave Simmons
No. Position Player
–– England DF Lindsay Smith
–– England MF Phil Bloss
–– England MF Ken Jones
–– England MF Steve Leslie
–– England MF Brian Lewis
–– England MF Mick Mahon
–– England MF Brian Owen
–– England FW Ray Crawford
–– England FW Brian Gibbs

Player Info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK England Graham Smith England Liverpool 2 November 1947 England Notts County 9 August 1969 Free
DF England Eric Burgess England Edgware 27 October 1944 England Plymouth Argyle 20 February 1971 Free
DF England Micky Cook England Enfield 9 April 1951 England Leyton Orient 6 October 1969 Free
DF England Bobby Cram England Hetton-le-Hole 19 November 1939 Canada Vancouver Royals 17 January 1970 Free
DF England Brian Garvey England Kingston upon Hull 3 July 1937 England Watford 15 August 1970 Free
DF Scotland John Gilchrist Scotland Wishaw 5 September 1939 England Fulham 15 August 1970 Free
DF England Brian Hall England Burbage 9 March 1939 England Mansfield Town 6 March 1965 Free
DF Scotland John Kurila Scotland Glasgow 10 April 1941 England Southend United 19 August 1970 Free
DF England Dave Simmons England Ryde 24 October 1948 England Aston Villa 26 December 1970 £6,000
DF England Lindsay Smith England Enfield 18 September 1954 England Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF England Phil Bloss England Colchester 16 January 1953 England Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF England Ken Jones England Keighley 9 February 1941 England Millwall 22 November 1969 £5,000
MF England Steve Leslie England Hornsey 4 September 1952 England Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF England Brian Lewis England Woking 26 January 1943 England Oxford United 26 December 1970 £6,000
MF England Mick Mahon England Manchester 17 September 1944 England York City 15 August 1970 Free
MF England Brian Owen England Harefield 2 November 1944 England Watford 19 August 1970 Free
FW England Ray Crawford England Portsmouth 13 July 1936 England Kettering Town 15 August 1970 £3,000
FW England Brian Gibbs England Gillingham 6 October 1936 England Gillingham 14 September 1968 £6,000

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 August 1970 DF England Lindsay Smith England Youth Team Free
1 August 1970 MF England Phil Bloss England Youth Team Free
1 August 1970 MF England Steve Leslie England Youth Team Free
15 August 1970 DF England Brian Garvey England Watford Free
15 August 1970 DF Scotland John Gilchrist England Fulham Free
15 August 1970 MF England Mick Mahon England York City Free
15 August 1970 FW England Ray Crawford England Kettering Town £3,000
19 August 1970 DF Scotland John Kurila England Southend United Free
19 August 1970 MF England Brian Owen England Watford Free
21 September 1970 GK England Brian Sherratt England Barnsley Free
18 December 1970 DF England Trevor Painter England Norwich City Free
26 December 1970 DF England Dave Simmons England Aston Villa £6,000
26 December 1970 MF England Brian Lewis England Oxford United £6,000
20 February 1971 DF England Eric Burgess England Plymouth Argyle Free

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 May 1970 DF England Brian Wood England Workington Free
1 May 1970 MF England Terry Dyson England Guildford City Free
1 May 1970 FW England Danny Light England Guildford City Free
9 October 1970 MF England Roger Joslyn England Aldershot £8,000
5 December 1970 FW England Roy Massey European Union Retired Free
18 December 1970 DF England Trevor Painter England King's Lynn Free
12 April 1971 GK England Brian Sherratt England Clanfield Free
12 April 1971 MF England Ray Whittaker England Wealdstone Free
17 April 1971 MF England Alan Dennis England Dover Athletic Free

Results

Fourth Division Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA Av Pts
5 Chester City 46 24 7 15 69 55 1.255 55
6 Colchester United 46 21 12 13 70 54 1.296 54
7 Northampton Town 46 19 13 14 63 59 1.068 51

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
15/08/1970 Hartlepool United H 1-0 4,866 Gibbs
22/08/1970 Chester City A 1-2 5,447 Owen
29/08/1970 Northampton Town H 1-1 5,220 Owen
31/08/1970 Barrow A 2-0 2,422 Gibbs, Crawford
04/09/1970 Southport A 1-2 3,792 Gibbs
12/09/1970 Notts County H 2-3 4,285 Gibbs, Crawford
18/09/1970 Bournemouth A 1-4 7,769 Crawford
21/09/1970 Darlington A 0-0 4,042
25/09/1970 Crewe Alexandra H 3-0 5,012 Crawford (3)
30/09/1970 Workington A 1-1 2,350 Gibbs
03/10/1970 Peterborough United A 2-1 5,935 Gibbs, Massey
09/10/1970 Oldham Athletic H 1-2 5,423 Crawford
17/10/1970 Hartlepool United A 2-1 2,913 Mahon, Gibbs
19/10/1970 York City H 1-0 4,457 Crawford
23/10/1970 Stockport County A 0-0 5,113
30/10/1970 Aldershot H 5-2 5,848 Brodie (o.g.), Crawford, Hall, Jones (2)
07/11/1970 Exeter City A 2-2 4,420 Jones, Massey
10/11/1970 Newport County A 3-1 1,973 Jones, Massey (2)
13/11/1970 Southend United H 1-1 7,777 Crawford
28/11/1970 Brentford H 4-0 4,673 Gibbs, Cram, Crawford (2)
05/12/1970 Cambridge United A 1-2 5,183 Crawford
18/12/1970 Chester City H 0-1 4,342
26/12/1970 Lincoln City A 2-1 5,919 Lewis, Simmons
08/01/1971 Workington H 2-1 5,239 Cram, Crawford
16/01/1971 York City A 1-1 3,804 Kurila
05/02/1971 Cambridge United H 2-1 6,469 Crawford (2)
20/02/1971 Newport County H 4-2 6,444 Simmons, Mahon, Lewis (pen.), Crawford
22/02/1971 Grimsby Town H 1-0 7,253 Mahon
26/02/1971 Aldershot A 1-0 7,609 Cram
08/03/1971 Darlington H 2-0 7,110 Crawford, Simmons
12/03/1971 Southend United A 1-1 9,406 Barker (o.g.)
16/03/1971 Scunthorpe United A 0-2 3,715
20/03/1971 Exeter City H 1-1 5,630 Crawford
22/03/1971 Scunthorpe United H 2-0 5,592 Crawford (2)
27/03/1971 Southport H 1-0 5,909 Crawford
29/03/1971 Brentford A 0-1 9,190
03/04/1971 Northampton Town A 1-2 7,909 Kurila
09/04/1971 Peterborough United H 3-0 7,645 Gibbs, Gilchrist, Hall
10/04/1971 Lincoln City H 1-1 6,430 Gibbs
12/04/1971 Notts County A 0-4 14,084
17/04/1971 Oldham Athletic A 0-4 10,045
20/04/1971 Grimsby Town A 1-3 4,166 Burgess
23/04/1971 Bournemouth H 1-1 4,168 Crawford
26/04/1971 Barrow H 4-1 3,502 Mahon, Hall, Bloss, Cram (pen.)
01/05/1971 Crewe Alexandra A 3-0 2,708 Hall, Crawford, Mahon
07/05/1971 Stockport County H 1-1 5,477 Gibbs

Source: 1970-71 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Cup

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Main article: 1970–71 Football League Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
19/08/1970 R1 Cambridge United H 5-0 6,952 Hall, Owen (2), Jones (2) (pen.)
09/09/1970 R2 Birmingham City H 1-1 8,095 Jones
15/09/1970 R2 (R) Birmingham City A 1-2 17,606 Jones

Source: 1970-71 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

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Main article: 1970–71 FA Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
21/11/1970 R1 Ringmer H 3-0 6,139 Crawford (3)
12/12/1970 R2 Cambridge United H 3-0 7,348 Jones, Gilchrist, Garvey
05/01/1971 R3 Barnet A 1-0 4,990 Mahon
23/01/1971 R4 Rochdale A 3-3 12,321 Crawford, Lewis, Simmons
25/01/1971 R4 (R) Rochdale H 5-0 11,205 Lewis, Simmons, Parry (o.g.), Crawford, Mahon
13/02/1971 R5 Leeds United H 3-2 16,000 Crawford (2), Simmons
06/03/1971 QF Everton A 0-5 53,028

Source: 1970-71 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[3]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Division Four FA Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK England Brian Sherratt 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0
–– GK England Graham Smith 47 0 37 0 7 0 3 0
–– DF England Eric Burgess 10 1 10 1 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Micky Cook 40 0 35 0 4 0 1 0
–– DF England Bobby Cram 53 4 43 4 7 0 3 0
–– DF England Alan Dennis 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Brian Garvey 54 1 45 0 6 1 3 0
–– DF Scotland John Gilchrist 37 2 28 1 6 1 3 0
–– DF England Brian Hall 52 5 42 4 7 0 3 1
–– DF Scotland John Kurila 54 2 44 2 7 0 3 0
–– DF England Trevor Painter 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Dave Simmons 15 6 10 3 5 3 0 0
–– DF England Lindsay Smith 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Phil Bloss 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Ken Jones 37 9 32 4 2 1 3 4
–– MF England Roger Joslyn 8 0 7 0 0 0 1 0
–– MF England Steve Leslie 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Brian Lewis 22 4 17 2 5 2 0 0
–– MF England Mick Mahon 47 7 38 5 7 2 2 0
–– MF England Brian Owen 9 4 6 2 1 0 2 2
–– MF England Ray Whittaker 9 0 8 0 1 0 0 0
–– FW England Ray Crawford 55 31 45 24 7 7 3 0
–– FW England Brian Gibbs 56 11 46 11 7 0 3 0
–– FW England Roy Massey 18 4 16 4 1 0 1 0

Scorers

[4]

Most Frequent Starting XI

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

References

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