1952–53 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1952–53 season
Chairman Bill Allen[1]
Manager Jimmy Allen
(until 2 May)
Stadium Layer Road
Third Division South 22nd
FA Cup 3rd round
(eliminated by
Rotherham United)
Top goalscorer League:
Kevin McCurley (16)
All:
Kevin McCurley (19)
Highest home attendance 14,674
v Ipswich Town, 23 August 1952[2]
Lowest home attendance 3,382
v Crystal Palace, 19 March 1953[3]
Average home league attendance 8,002[4]
Biggest win 6–1
v Walsall, 14 February 1953
Biggest defeat 0–4
v Southend United, 7 March 1953;
1–5
v Torquay United, 18 April 1953;
0–4
v Norwich City, 2 May 1953
Football kit (white jersey with blue, vertical stripes; white shorts;; and blue socks with white, horizontal hoops).
Home colours

The 1952–53 season was Colchester United's eleventh season in their history and their third 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. Colchester reached the third round of the FA Cup for the second season running, but were knocked out by Second Division side Rotherham United after a replay. The club struggled in the league, eventually finishing 22nd of 24 teams which would ultimately cost manager Jimmy Allen his job.

Season overview

The season began with a Layer Road crowd of 14,674 witnessing a 0–0 draw with local rivals Ipswich Town, and in the early stages of the campaign, the club remained mid-table. In the FA Cup, Colchester disposed of Weymouth in the first round following a replay, and then Llanelli in the second round, before once again facing Second Division Yorkshire opposition in Rotherham United. After drawing 2–2 at Millmoor and forcing a replay, Colchester lost the Layer Road replay 2–0.

In the latter stages of the season, a poor run of just one point from six games saw United slip from 13th-position to 22nd, just one place and two points above the re-election positions. Meanwhile, forward Kevin McCurley had justified manager Jimmy Allen's £750 outlay with a return of 19 goals. However, with Allen's style of play criticised by supporters and his unwillingness to reduce the playing staff as requested by the board saw Allen tender his resignation on 2 May 1953.[5]

Players

As of match played 2 May 1953.[6]
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Frank CoombsGKEnglandEast Ham24 April 1925 (aged 27)130England Southend United8 March 1952[lower-alpha 1]£450
George WrightGKEnglandPlymouth10 October 1919 (aged 32)1310England Plymouth ArgyleMay 1949£1,000
John WrightGKEnglandAldershot13 August 1933 (aged 18)00England Colchester Casuals23 May 1952Free transfer
Defenders
Roy BicknellCBEnglandDoncaster19 February 1926 (aged 26)00England Gravesend & NorthfleetJune 1952£1,000
George FrenchFBEnglandColchester10 November 1926 (aged 25)00England West Ham UnitedFebruary 1949Free transfer
John HarrisonFBEnglandLeicester27 September 1927 (aged 24)770England Aston Villa30 September 1950[lower-alpha 1]Nominal
Digger KettleFBEnglandColchester3 June 1922 (aged 29)1681England Arclight SportsSeptember 1946Free transfer
Phil RookesFBEnglandDulverton23 April 1919 (aged 33)280England PortsmouthJuly 1951£1,000
Trevor RowlandsFBWalesWattstown2 February 1922 (aged 30)412England Norwich City20 July 1950£1,000
Reg StewartCBEnglandSheffield30 October 1925 (aged 26)1460England Sheffield Wednesday20 August 1949[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Midfielders
Harry BearrymanWHEnglandWandsworth26 September 1924 (aged 27)2439England Chelsea4 July 1947Free transfer
Jimmy ElderWHScotlandScone5 March 1928 (aged 24)937England Portsmouth19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Trevor HarrisWHEnglandColchester6 February 1936 (aged 16)00AmateurJuly 1951Free transfer
Bert HillWHEnglandWest Ham8 March 1930 (aged 22)00England ChelseaSeptember 1952£300
Ron HuntWHEnglandColchester26 September 1933 (aged 18)30AmateurOctober 1951Free transfer
Forwards
Peter AitchisonWGEnglandHarlow19 September 1931 (aged 20)92AmateurAugust 1950Free transfer
Bert BarlowIFEnglandKilnhurst22 July 1916 (aged 35)00England Leicester CitySummer 1952<£1,000
John ChurchWGEnglandLowestoft17 September 1919 (aged 32)8313England Norwich City19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Dick CullumFWEnglandColchester28 January 1931 (aged 21)00England Colchester Colts28 March 1951[lower-alpha 1]Free transfer
Stan EdwardsCFEnglandDawdon17 October 1926 (aged 25)00England Chelsea6 September 1952[lower-alpha 1]£750
Mike GriceWGEnglandWoking3 November 1931 (aged 20)00England Lowestoft TownSummer 1952£25
Kevin McCurleyCFEnglandConsett2 April 1926 (aged 26)116England LiverpoolJune 1951£750
Johnny McKimIFScotlandGreenock22 January 1926 (aged 26)5118England Chelsea19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]£1,000
Augie ScottIFEnglandSunderland19 February 1921 (aged 31)486England Southampton18 August 1951[lower-alpha 1]£2,000
Peter WrightWGEnglandColchester26 January 1934 (aged 18)90AmateurNovember 1951Free transfer
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 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 1952 IF England Bert Barlow England Leicester City <£1,000 [7]
Summer 1952 WG England Mike Grice England Lowestoft Town £25 [8]
23 May 1952 GK England John Wright England Colchester Casuals Free transfer [9]
June 1952 CB England Roy Bicknell England Gravesend & Northfleet £1,000 [10]
September 1952 WH England Bert Hill England Chelsea £300 [11]
6 September 1952 CF England Stan Edwards England Chelsea £750 [12][lower-alpha 1]
  • Total spending: Decrease ~ £3,075
  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 WG Scotland Adam Davidson Scotland Carnoustie Panmure Released [13]
End of season CF England Arthur Turner England Headington United Free transfer [14]
Summer 1952 WH England John Moore England Staines Town Free transfer [15]
Summer 1952 FW England Jack McClelland England Stoke City Undisclosed [16][17]
14 March 1953 WH England Harry Wilkinson England Folkestone Town Released [18][lower-alpha 1]
4 April 1953 WH England Len Jones England Ipswich Town Released [19][lower-alpha 1]
  1. 1 2 Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club

Match details

Third Division South

Third Division South results round by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHHAAHHAAHAAHAHAHAHHAAHAAHHAHAHAHHAHHAAHAAHHAAH
ResultDWDLWLLLWLWDLDLDWWWDLLWLDWLWDDLDWDDLLDWLLDLLLL
Position135513101417171717141820191919181715151518171717151716161517171112101416161316171721212222

Source: 11v11.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGAv1Pts2Promotion, qualification or relegation
20Queens Park Rangers4612151961820.74439
21Gillingham4612151955740.74339
22Colchester United4612142059760.77638
23Shrewsbury Town4612122268910.74736Re-elected to Third Division South
24Walsall4671029561180.47524

Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Number of goals scored

(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated; (R) Relegated.

Notes:

1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Matches

FA Cup

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

[6][20]

No. Pos Nat Player TotalThird Division
South		FA Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK England Frank Coombs 18018000
GK England George Wright 33028050
DF England Roy Bicknell 806020
DF England George French 101000
DF England John Harrison 51046050
DF England Phil Rookes 46043030
DF Wales Trevor Rowlands 525200
DF England Reg Stewart 45040050
MF England Harry Bearryman 50145150
MF Scotland Jimmy Elder 50345350
MF England Bert Hill 101000
FW England Peter Aitchison 303000
FW England Bert Barlow 33728651
FW England John Church 39934851
FW England Stan Edwards 19716532
FW England Mike Grice 13113100
FW England Kevin McCurley 4719421653
FW Scotland Johnny McKim 3315281352
FW England Augie Scott 40238220
FW England Peter Wright 12212200
Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
MF England Len Jones 13013000
MF England Harry Wilkinson 101000

Goalscorers

[20]

Place Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1 England CF Kevin McCurley 16 3 19
2 Scotland IF Johnny McKim 13 2 15
3 England WG John Church 8 1 9
4 England IF Bert Barlow 6 1 7
England CF Stan Edwards 5 2 7
6 Scotland WH Jimmy Elder 3 0 3
7 Wales FB Trevor Rowlands 2 0 2
England IF Augie Scott 2 0 2
England WG Peter Wright 2 0 2
10 England WH Harry Bearryman 1 0 1
England WG Mike Grice 1 0 1
Own goals 0 1 1
TOTALS 60 9 69

Disciplinary record

[21]

Nationality Position Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card
Scotland IF Johnny McKim 0 1 0 0 0 1
TOTALS 0 1 0 0 0 1

Clean sheets

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[22]

Place Nationality Player Third Division South FA Cup Total
1 England George Wright 6 1 7
2 England Frank Coombs 4 0 4
TOTALS 10 1 11

Player debuts

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[23]

Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes
CF England Stan Edwards 6 September 1952 Swindon Town Layer Road
WG England Mike Grice 11 September 1952 Bristol Rovers Layer Road
IF England Bert Barlow 13 September 1952 Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road
CB England Roy Bicknell 4 October 1952 Gillingham Layer Road
FB England George French 4 October 1952 Gillingham Layer Road
WH England Harry Wilkinson 14 March 1953 Watford Layer Road
WH England Bert Hill 11 April 1953 Bristol City Layer Road

    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.

    Websites

    • "Colchester United football club match record: 1953". 11v11.com. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
    • "Statistics 1952/53". The Millwall History Files. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
    • "1950/51 to 1959/60" (PDF). Watford Football Club archive 1881–2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
    • "Season 1952–1953". Weymouth FC. Retrieved 24 March 2016.

    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 0–0 Ipswich Town". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
    3. ↑ "Colchester Utd 3–0 Crystal Palace". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
    4. ↑ "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
    5. ↑ Hudson, Matt (11 July 2012). "The 1950s and 1960s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
    6. 1 2 "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
    7. ↑ "Bert Barlow". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    8. ↑ "Mike Grice". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    9. ↑ "John Wright". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
    10. ↑ "Roy Bicknell". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    11. ↑ "Bert Hill". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    12. ↑ "Stan Edwards". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    13. ↑ "Adam Davidson". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    14. ↑ "Arthur Turner". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
    15. ↑ "John Moore". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    16. ↑ "JOHNNY McCLELLAND". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
    17. ↑ Matthews, Tont (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City Football Club 1868 to 1994. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
    18. ↑ "Harry Wilkinson". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    19. ↑ "Len Jones". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    20. 1 2 "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    21. ↑ "Discipline". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
    22. ↑ "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
    23. ↑ "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
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