1979–80 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1979–80 season
Chairman Jack Rippingale[1]
Manager Bobby Roberts
Stadium Layer Road
Third Division 5th
FA Cup 3rd round
(eliminated by
Reading)
League Cup 2nd round
(eliminated by
Aston Villa)
Top goalscorer League:
Trevor Lee (17)
All:
Trevor Lee (18)
Highest home attendance 6,221
v Aston Villa, 28 August 1979[2]
Lowest home attendance 2,346
v Mansfield Town, 18 September 1979[3]
Average home league attendance 3,932[4]
Biggest win 6–1
v Brentford, 22 March 1980
Biggest defeat 0–3
v Rotherham United, 25 August 1979
v Chesterfield, 8 September 1979
v Blackburn Rovers, 27 October 1979
v Sheffield Wednesday, 2 February 1980
Football kit (white jersey with blue, vertical stripes; blue shorts; and white socks).
Home colours

The 1979–80 season was Colchester United's 38th season in their history and third successive season in third tier of English football, the Third Division. Alongside competing in the Third Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the League Cup.

An excellent season in the league took Colchester to their highest finish since the 1956–57 season with fifth position, having occupied the top four spots for the majority of the campaign. Colchester exited the FA Cup in round three to Reading, while they fell to defeat after a penalty shoot-out to First Division side Aston Villa.

Season overview

With a very much unchanged squad from the previous campaign, Colchester faced First Division opposition in the League Cup second round after beating Watford over two legs in the first round. Rekindling memories of the Quarter-final tie five years prior, the U's were drawn at home to Aston Villa, who won 2–0 at Layer Road. However, in the away fixture at Villa Park, Colchester earned a 2–0 victory to take the tie to extra time and penalties. The penalty takers were successful enough that it was necessary for the goalkeepers to take their turns. Mike Walker stepped up to take his penalty for Colchester and missed, meaning the U's bowed out 9–8.

Keeping track with the league leaders for much of the season – and even being level on points with first-placed Sheffield United at one stage – Colchester had ten away wins to their name before successive defeats to Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers and Reading in February and March 1980. Injuries to Steve Foley and Bobby Gough contributed to the U's downturn in form, and having occupied a top four spot for much of the season, Colchester had to be content with a fifth-place finish, six points short of the promotion places. It was the closest United had come to Second Division football since the 1956–57 season, but attendances weren't reflective of on-field performance, with a league average gate of 3,818, the third-lowest in the division ahead of Wimbledon and Chester.[5]

Players

As of match played 2 May 1980.[6]
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Ian CranstoneGKEnglandRochford00England Tottenham HotspurSummer 1977Free transfer
Bobby HamiltonGK00UnknownSummer 1977
Mike WalkerGKWalesColwyn Bay28 November 1945 (aged 33)3120England WatfordJuly 1973£4,000
Defenders
Micky CookFBEnglandEnfield9 April 1951 (aged 28)45115England Orient1 March 1969Free transfer
Leo CusenzaFBEnglandEdmonton20 February 1963 (aged 16)00ApprenticeSummer 1979Free transfer
Steve DowmanCBEnglandIlford15 April 1958 (aged 21)14124Apprentice24 August 1976[lower-alpha 1]Free transfer
Mick PackerFBEnglandWillesden20 April 1950 (aged 29)26814England WatfordJuly 1973Free transfer
Steve WignallCBEnglandLiverpool17 September 1954 (aged 24)896England Doncaster RoversSeptember 1977£5,000
Steve WrightCBEnglandClacton-on-Sea16 June 1959 (aged 19)431England Woods Athletic1 October 1977Free transfer
Midfielders
Russell CottonMFEnglandWellington4 April 1960 (aged 19)30Apprentice26 October 1977Free transfer
Tony EvansMFEnglandColchester14 March 1960 (aged 19)162Apprentice4 March 1978[lower-alpha 1]Free transfer
Steve FoleyMFEnglandClacton-on-Sea21 June 1953 (aged 25)22643ApprenticeJuly 1969Free transfer
Steve LeslieMFEnglandHornsey4 September 1952 (aged 26)29040Apprentice20 April 1971[lower-alpha 1]Free transfer
Eddie RowlesMFEnglandGosport10 March 1951 (aged 28)328England Darlington26 December 1977[lower-alpha 1]£15,000
Forwards
Ian AllinsonWGEnglandHitchin1 October 1957 (aged 21)15919ApprenticeSummer 1974Free transfer
Bobby GoughFWEnglandLadywood20 July 1949 (aged 29)17563England SouthportJanuary 1976£7,000
Gary HarveyFWEnglandColchester19 November 1961 (aged 17)00ApprenticeMarch 1978Free transfer
Bobby HodgeWGEnglandExeter30 April 1952 (aged 27)384England Exeter CitySeptember 1978£15,000
Trevor LeeFWEnglandLewisham3 June 1954 (aged 24)3212England MillwallNovember 1978£15,000
  1. 1 2 3 4 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 1979 FB England Leo Cusenza Apprentice Free transfer [7]
  • Total spending: Decrease ~ £0

    Out

    Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
    31 August 1979 MF England Ray Bunkell Colchester United reserve team manager Free transfer [8][lower-alpha 1]
    26 December 1979 MF England Paul Dyer England Gravesend & Northfleet Released [9][lower-alpha 1]
    • Total incoming: Increase ~ £0
    1. 1 2 Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club

    Match details

    Third Division

    Third Division results round by round

    Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
    GroundAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAHAAHAHAHHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH
    ResultWWLLLDWWDWDWWWWLDDLWWDLDDDWLWLWWWLLLWLDDWLDWLW
    Position41891917141094332223334221233222222212555555555555

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

    League table

    PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts1Promotion, qualification or relegation
    3Sheffield Wednesday (P)46211698147+3458Promoted to Second Division
    4Chesterfield462311127146+2557
    5Colchester United462012146456+852
    6Carlisle United461812166656+1048
    7Reading461616146665+148

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

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

    Notes:

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

    Matches

    League Cup

    FA Cup

    Squad statistics

    Appearances and goals

    [6][10]

    No. Pos Nat Player TotalThird DivisionFA CupLeague Cup
    AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
    GK Wales Mike Walker 5404604040
    DF England Micky Cook 5004404020
    DF England Steve Dowman 452372403+10
    DF England Mick Packer 4944344020
    DF England Steve Wignall 4634032040
    DF England Steve Wright 33123+313+1030
    MF England Russell Cotton 40400000
    MF England Tony Evans 602+400000
    MF England Steve Foley 5084284040
    MF England Steve Leslie 5414614040
    MF England Eddie Rowles 391026+882+1220
    FW England Ian Allinson 46437+123+1141
    FW England Bobby Gough 391231+1103042
    FW England Gary Harvey 42420000
    FW England Bobby Hodge 44634+353041
    FW England Trevor Lee 511843174041
    Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
    MF England Ray Bunkell 10100000
    MF England Paul Dyer 403+100000

    Goalscorers

    [10]

    Place Nationality Position Name Third Division FA Cup League Cup Total
    1 England FW Trevor Lee 17 0 1 18
    2 England FW Bobby Gough 10 0 2 12
    3 England MF Eddie Rowles 8 2 0 10
    4 England MF Steve Foley 8 0 0 8
    5 England WG Bobby Hodge 5 0 1 6
    6 England WG Ian Allinson 2 1 1 4
    England FB Mick Packer 4 0 0 4
    8 England CB Steve Wignall 3 0 0 3
    9 England CB Steve Dowman 2 0 0 2
    England FW Gary Harvey 2 0 0 2
    11 England MF Steve Leslie 1 0 0 1
    England CB Steve Wright 1 0 0 1
    Own goals 1 0 0 1
    TOTALS 64 3 5 72

    Disciplinary record

    [11]

    Nationality Position Name Third Division FA Cup League Cup Total
    Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card
    England FW Bobby Gough 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
    England CB Steve Dowman 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
    England FB Micky Cook 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
    England CB Steve Wignall 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
    TOTALS 3 1 0 0 0 1 3 2

    Clean sheets

    Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[12]

    Place Nationality Player Third Division FA Cup League Cup Total
    1 Wales Mike Walker 12 2 2 16
    TOTALS 12 2 2 16

    Player debuts

    Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[13]

    Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes
    FW England Gary Harvey 19 April 1980 Millwall 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.

      Websites

      • "Colchester United football club match record: 1980". 11v11.com. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
      • "Season 1979-80". Royalsrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2018.

      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 0–2 Aston Villa". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
      3. ↑ "Colchester Utd 2–1 Mansfield Town". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
      4. ↑ "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
      5. ↑ Hudson, Matt (11 July 2012). "The 1970s and 1980s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
      6. 1 2 "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
      7. ↑ "Leo Cusenza". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
      8. ↑ "Ray Bunkell". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
      9. ↑ "Paul Dyer". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
      10. 1 2 "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
      11. ↑ "Discipline". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
      12. ↑ "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
      13. ↑ "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
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