1955–56 Colchester United F.C. season

The 1955–56 season was Colchester United's 14th season in their history and their sixth season in the Third Division South, the third tier of English football. Alongside competing in the Third Division South, the club also participated in the FA Cup in which the club were eliminated by Torquay United in the first round. The season was Benny Fenton's first full campaign in charge, and after building his own squad over the summer, he led Colchester to their highest position since the 1951–52 season with a 12th-placed finish. This came on the back of two consecutive seasons of successful re-election applications.

Colchester United
1955–56 season
ChairmanBill Allen[1]
ManagerBenny Fenton
StadiumLayer Road
Third Division South12th
FA Cup1st round
(eliminated by
Torquay United)
Top goalscorerLeague:
Kevin McCurley (29)
All:
Kevin McCurley (29)
Highest home attendance13,176
v Ipswich Town, 26 December 1955[2]
Lowest home attendance4,811
v Millwall, 11 February 1956[3]
Average home league attendance7,668[4]
Biggest win5–0
v Swindon Town, 3 March 1956
Biggest defeat0–6
v Leyton Orient, 8 September 1955

Season overview

Manager Benny Fenton assembled his own squad for the 1955–56 season, bringing in goalkeeper Percy Ames from Tottenham Hotspur, while also signing a number of players from Scottish junior football including John Fowler, Bobby Hill and Sammy McLeod.

Fenton's side played an exciting attacking game. They scored 76 goals in the league, with Kevin McCurley scoring a club Football League best total of 29 goals, and strike partner Ken Plant scoring 17. Both players notched two hat-tricks each during the season as the club safely finished the campaign in 12th-place.

Colchester played their first game under floodlights on 28 February 1955 when they beat Reading 3–1 at Elm Park. While Layer Road was still bereft of floodlighting, lighting had been installed for training purposes at the ground.[5]

Players
As of match played 28 April 1956.[6]
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Percy AmesGKPlymouth (1931-12-13)13 December 1931 (aged 23)00 Tottenham Hotspur1 May 1955Free transfer
George WrightGKPlymouth (1919-10-10)10 October 1919 (aged 35)2190 Plymouth ArgyleMay 1949£1,000
John WrightGKAldershot (1933-08-13)13 August 1933 (aged 21)20 Colchester Casuals23 May 1952Free transfer
Defenders
Brian DobsonCBColchester (1934-03-01)1 March 1934 (aged 21)00AmateurJanuary 1956Free transfer
George FisherFBBermondsey (1925-06-19)19 June 1925 (aged 29)00 Fulham1 September 1955£1,000
John FowlerFBLeith (1933-10-17)17 October 1933 (aged 21)00 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic20 August 1955[lower-alpha 1]Free transfer
George FrenchFBColchester (1926-11-10)10 November 1926 (aged 28)30 West Ham UnitedFebruary 1949Free transfer
John HarrisonFBLeicester (1927-09-27)27 September 1927 (aged 27)2050 Aston Villa30 September 1950[lower-alpha 1]Nominal
Billy HuntCBColchester (1934-11-25)25 November 1934 (aged 20)00AmateurAugust 1953Free transfer
Reg StewartCBSheffield (1925-10-30)30 October 1925 (aged 29)2651 Sheffield Wednesday20 August 1949[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Midfielders
Bob DaleWHIrlam (1931-10-31)31 October 1931 (aged 23)558 Bury24 December 1953£1,500
Benny FentonWHWest Ham (1918-10-10)10 October 1918 (aged 36)112 Charlton Athletic5 March 1955[lower-alpha 1]£500
Trevor HarrisWHColchester (1936-02-06)6 February 1936 (aged 19)10AmateurJuly 1951Free transfer
Bert HillWHWest Ham (1930-03-08)8 March 1930 (aged 25)381 ChelseaSeptember 1952£300
Ron HuntWHColchester (1933-09-26)26 September 1933 (aged 21)310AmateurOctober 1951Free transfer
Forwards
Russell BlakeWGColchester (1935-07-24)24 July 1935 (aged 19)00 Dedham Old Boys8 September 1955[lower-alpha 1]Free transfer
Bobby HillIFEdinburgh (1938-06-09)9 June 1938 (aged 16)00 Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare9 June 1955Free transfer
Martyn KingCFBirmingham (1937-08-23)23 August 1937 (aged 17)00AmateurSummer 1955Free transfer
Kevin McCurleyCFConsett (1926-04-02)2 April 1926 (aged 29)11035 LiverpoolJune 1951£750
Sammy McLeodIFGlasgow (1934-01-04)4 January 1934 (aged 21)00 Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare20 August 1955[lower-alpha 1]Free transfer
Alfred NobleIFHackney (1924-09-18)18 September 1924 (aged 30)00 Briggs SportsSeptember 1955Free transfer
Ken PlantCFNuneaton (1925-08-15)15 August 1925 (aged 29)5919 BuryJanuary 1954Undisclosed
Peter WrightWGColchester (1934-01-26)26 January 1934 (aged 21)6713AmateurNovember 1951Free transfer
  1. Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

Transfers

In
Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
Summer 1955 CF Martyn King Amateur Free transfer [7]
1 May 1955 GK Percy Ames Tottenham Hotspur Free transfer [8]
9 June 1955 IF Bobby Hill Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Free transfer [9]
20 August 1955 FB John Fowler Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Free transfer [10][lower-alpha 1]
20 August 1955 IF Sammy McLeod Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Free transfer [11][lower-alpha 1]
September 1955 IF Alfred Noble Briggs Sports Free transfer [12]
1 September 1955 FB George Fisher Fulham £1,000 [13]
8 September 1955 WG Russell Blake Dedham Old Boys Free transfer [14][lower-alpha 1]
January 1956 CB Brian Dobson Amateur Free transfer [15]
  • Total spending: ~ £1,000
  1. Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

Out
Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
End of season WH Austin Dunne Tonbridge Released [16]
Summer 1955 FB Digger Kettle Sudbury Town Free transfer [17]
4 May 1955 WH Jimmy Elder Yeovil Town Released [18][lower-alpha 1]
4 May 1955 FB Fred Lewis Headington United Released [19][lower-alpha 1]
4 May 1955 WG Cliff Birch Great Yarmouth Town Free transfer [20][lower-alpha 1]
July 1955 IF Paddy Leonard Tonbridge Free transfer [21]
August 1955 IF Johnny McKim Clacton Town Released [22]
September 1955 CB Roy Bicknell Retired Retired [23]
March 1956 WG Mike Grice West Ham United £9,000 [24]
  • Total incoming: ~ £9,000
  1. Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club

Match details

Third Division South
Main article: 1955–56 Football League

Results round by round
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAAHHAAHHAAHHHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHHHAAHAHAHHAAHAAH
ResultDLLWLLLWDDLDWWWLWWWDLWLDLWDDWWLWDWWLWLDLDLWLLW
Position13192219202223202121222120181416141312131311121214121212991110119897989910991112
Source: 11v11.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
10 Gillingham 46 19 10 17 69 71 0.972 48
11 Northampton Town 46 20 7 19 67 71 0.944 47
12 Colchester United 46 18 11 17 76 81 0.938 47
13 Shrewsbury Town 46 17 12 17 69 66 1.045 46
14 Southampton 46 18 8 20 91 81 1.123 44
Source:

Matches
20 August 1955 (1955-08-20) 1 Exeter City 0–0 Colchester United Exeter
Report Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 11,871
24 August 1955 (1955-08-24) 2 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 3–1 Colchester United Bournemouth
Unknown goalscorer Report McCurley Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 8,066
27 August 1955 (1955-08-27) 3 Colchester United 3–6 Southend United Colchester
McCurley  49', 90' (pen.)
Fowler  65'		 Report
Report		 Baron  40'
Hollis  53', 62', 74', 82'
McGuigan  56'		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,915
1 September 1955 (1955-09-01) 4 Colchester United 1–0 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Colchester
Fowler Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,964
3 September 1955 (1955-09-03) 5 Coventry City 2–0 Colchester United Coventry
Unknown goalscorer
Own goal  o.g.'		 Report Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 23,171
8 September 1955 (1955-09-08) 6 Leyton Orient 6–0 Colchester United Leyton
Fenton  o.g.'
Hartburn  pen.'
Unknown goalscorer 		Report Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 13,483
10 September 1955 (1955-09-10) 7 Colchester United 0–3 Brentford Colchester
Report Towers
Taylor 		Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,843
15 September 1955 (1955-09-15) 8 Colchester United 2–1 Leyton Orient Colchester
Harrison
McCurley 		Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,191
17 September 1955 (1955-09-17) 9 Watford 1–1 Colchester United Watford
Marden Report McCurley Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 9,326
21 September 1955 (1955-09-21) 10 Norwich City 1–1 Colchester United Norwich
Coxon  pen.' Report Plant Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 13,555
24 September 1955 (1955-09-24) 11 Colchester United 0–3 Reading Colchester
Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,125
29 September 1955 (1955-09-29) 12 Colchester United 1–1 Gillingham Colchester
Stewart Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,208
1 October 1955 (1955-10-01) 13 Millwall 0–1 Colchester United New Cross
Report Grice Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 11,807
8 October 1955 (1955-10-08) 14 Torquay United 1–2 Colchester United Torquay
Unknown goalscorer Report McCurley
P. Wright 		Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 7,419
15 October 1955 (1955-10-15) 15 Colchester United 2–1 Newport County Colchester
Plant Report Johnston Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,225
22 October 1955 (1955-10-22) 16 Swindon Town 3–1 Colchester United Swindon
Micklewright
Owen 		Report
Report		 Plant Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,373
29 October 1955 (1955-10-29) 17 Colchester United 4–1 Queens Park Rangers Colchester
McCurley
Grice		 Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,339
5 November 1955 (1955-11-05) 18 Northampton Town 0–2 Colchester United Northampton
Report McCurley
Grice 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 14,091
12 November 1955 (1955-11-12) 19 Colchester United 4–0 Aldershot Colchester
McCurley  10'
P. Wright  17'
McLeod  37'		 Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,695
26 November 1955 (1955-11-26) 20 Colchester United 3–3 Brighton & Hove Albion Colchester
McCurley  44', 82', 85' Report Foreman
Gordon
Harburn 		Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,010
3 December 1955 (1955-12-03) 21 Southampton 3–0 Colchester United Southampton
Hoskins
Day
Reeves 		Report Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 11,072
17 December 1955 (1955-12-17) 22 Colchester United 5–1 Exeter City Colchester
Fenton
Plant
Grice
P. Wright 		Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,179
24 December 1955 (1955-12-24) 23 Southend United 4–0 Colchester United Southend-on-Sea
Baron
Hollis
McGuigan 		Report
Report		 Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 8,404
26 December 1955 (1955-12-26) 24 Colchester United 3–3 Ipswich Town Colchester
McCurley  32'
Plant  70'
Parker  83' (o.g.)		 Report
Report		 Parker  37', 87' (pen.)
Grant  80'		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 13,176
Referee: Ken Aston
27 December 1955 (1955-12-27) 25 Ipswich Town 3–1 Colchester United Ipswich
MacLuckie  51'
Blackman  53'
Reed  78'		 Report
Report		 McCurley  6' Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 22,644
31 December 1955 (1955-12-31) 26 Colchester United 2–0 Coventry City Colchester
Plant
McCurley 		Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,618
7 January 1956 (1956-01-07) 27 Crystal Palace 1–1 Colchester United Selhurst
Unknown goalscorer Report Plant Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 6,438
14 January 1956 (1956-01-14) 28 Brentford 2–2 Colchester United Brentford
Rainford
Taylor 		Report McCurley
P. Wright 		Stadium: Griffin Park
Attendance: 8,492
21 January 1956 (1956-01-21) 29 Colchester United 4–1 Watford Colchester
Plant
McCurley
Grice
P. Wright 		Report Brown Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,699
28 January 1956 (1956-01-28) 30 Colchester United 2–0 Shrewsbury Town Colchester
McCurley
Grice 		Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,679
11 February 1956 (1956-02-11) 31 Colchester United 1–2 Millwall Colchester
McLeod Report Summers Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 4,811
18 February 1956 (1956-02-18) 32 Colchester United 3–2 Torquay United Colchester
Plant Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,906
25 February 1956 (1956-02-25) 33 Newport County 0–0 Colchester United Newport
Report Stadium: Somerton Park
Attendance: 5,588
27 February 1956 (1956-02-27) 34 Reading 1–3 Colchester United Reading
Unknown goalscorer Report Dale
McCurley
P. Wright 		Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 4,667
3 March 1956 (1956-03-03) 35 Colchester United 5–0 Swindon Town Colchester
Plant  12', 84', 86'
Dale  20'
Fisher  44'		 Report
Report		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 6,836
10 March 1956 (1956-03-10) 36 Queens Park Rangers 6–2 Colchester United Shepherd's Bush
Unknown goalscorer Report McCurley
P. Wright 		Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 7,905
17 March 1956 (1956-03-17) 37 Colchester United 2–0 Northampton Town Colchester
Plant
McCurley 		Report Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,333
24 March 1956 (1956-03-24) 38 Aldershot 1–0 Colchester United Aldershot
Jackson  pen.' Report Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 3,874
30 March 1956 (1956-03-30) 39 Colchester United 1–1 Walsall Colchester
McCurley Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 9,130
31 March 1956 (1956-03-31) 40 Colchester United 2–4 Crystal Palace Colchester
Fenton
Bert Hill 		Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 7,397
2 April 1956 (1956-04-02) 41 Walsall 0–0 Colchester United Walsall
Report Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 15,179
7 April 1956 (1956-04-07) 42 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–0 Colchester United Hove
Harburn
Langley  pen.'		 Report Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 17,364
14 April 1956 (1956-04-14) 43 Colchester United 3–2 Southampton Colchester
Bobby Hill  39'
McCurley  46', 85'		 Report Traynor  3'
Mulgrew  52'		 Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 5,560
21 April 1956 (1956-04-21) 44 Shrewsbury Town 2–1 Colchester United Shrewsbury
Unknown goalscorer Report Own goal Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 6,967
25 April 1956 (1956-04-25) 45 Gillingham 2–1 Colchester United Gillingham
Unknown goalscorer Report Plant Stadium: Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 5,622
28 April 1956 (1956-04-28) 46 Colchester United 3–2 Norwich City Colchester
McCurley
P. Wright 		Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,004

FA Cup
Main article: 1955–56 FA Cup
19 November 1955 (1955-11-19) 1st round Torquay United 2–0 Colchester United Torquay
Unknown goalscorer Report Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 8,823

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

[6][25]

No. Pos Nat Player TotalThird Division
South		FA Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Percy Ames 45044010
GK John Wright 202000
DF Brian Dobson 606000
DF George Fisher 43142110
DF John Fowler 16216200
DF John Harrison 41140110
DF Billy Hunt 101000
DF Reg Stewart 42141110
MF Bob Dale 40239210
MF Benny Fenton 33232210
MF Trevor Harris 202000
MF Bert Hill 22122100
MF Ron Hunt 303000
FW Russell Blake 505000
FW Bobby Hill 414100
FW Kevin McCurley 4729462910
FW Sammy McLeod 43242210
FW Alfred Noble 101000
FW Ken Plant 3717361710
FW Peter Wright 46945910
Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
FW Mike Grice 38637610

Goalscorers

[25]

Place Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1 CF Kevin McCurley 29 0 29
2 CF Ken Plant 17 0 17
3 WG Peter Wright 9 0 9
4 WG Mike Grice 6 0 6
5 WH Bob Dale 2 0 2
WH Benny Fenton 2 0 2
FB John Fowler 2 0 2
IF Sammy McLeod 2 0 2
9 FB George Fisher 1 0 1
FB John Harrison 1 0 1
WH Bert Hill 1 0 1
IF Bobby Hill 1 0 1
CB Reg Stewart 1 0 1
Own goals 2 0 2
TOTALS 76 0 76

Clean sheets

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[26]

Place Nationality Player Third Division South FA Cup Total
1 Percy Ames 10 0 10
2 John Wright 1 0 1
TOTALS 11 0 11

Player debuts

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[27]

Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes
GK Percy Ames 20 August 1955 Exeter City St James Park
FB John Fowler 20 August 1955 Exeter City St James Park
IF Sammy McLeod 20 August 1955 Exeter City St James Park
CB Billy Hunt 27 August 1955 Southend United Layer Road
FB George Fisher 1 September 1955 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Layer Road
WG Russell Blake 8 September 1955 Leyton Orient Brisbane Road
IF Alfred Noble 27 December 1955 Ipswich Town Portman Road
CB Brian Dobson 24 March 1956 Aldershot Recreation Ground
IF Bobby Hill 2 April 1956 Walsall Fellows Park

    See also

    References

    General

    Books

    • Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
    • Ambrosen, Tony (1993). Amber in the Blood: A History Of Newport County. Uxbridge: Yore Publications. ISBN 978-1-874427-40-7.
    • White, Eric (1989). 100 Years of Brentford. Redditch: Oldfield Press. ISBN 0951526200.

    Websites

    Specific
    1. Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 278. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
    2. "Colchester Utd 3–3 Ipswich Town". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
    3. "Colchester Utd 1–2 Millwall". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
    4. "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
    5. Hudson, Matt (11 July 2012). "The 1950s and 1960s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
    6. "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
    7. "Martyn King". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
    8. "Percy Ames". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    9. "Bobby Hill". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    10. "John Fowler". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    11. "Sammy McLeod". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    12. "Alfred Noble". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    13. "George Fisher". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    14. "Russell Blake". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
    15. "Brian Dobson". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
    16. "Austin Dunne". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    17. "Digger Kettle". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
    18. "Jimmy Elder". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    19. "Fred Lewis". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    20. "Cliff Birch". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    21. "Paddy Leonard". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    22. "Johnny McKim". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    23. "Roy Bicknell". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    24. "Mike Grice". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    25. "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
    26. "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
    27. "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
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