The 2004–05 season was Colchester United's 63rd season in their history and their seventh successive season in the third tier of English football, the newly renamed League One. Alongside competing in League One, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Football League Trophy.
After reaching the area final of the Football League Trophy, Colchester were eliminated by the team that they played in the final, Southend United, in the first round of the competition. However, they fared better in the League Cup, defeating Premier League West Bromwich Albion in the second round but were defeated by Southampton in the third. They also reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, where the U's further Premier League opposition in Blackburn Rovers but were beaten 3–0.
In the league, Colchester had a poor mid-season run, eventually ending the season 15th in the League One table.
Season overview Phil Parkinson rung the changes for the new season, with numerous new signings and multiple outgoings. After a strong start to the season, topping the table after three games, a bad spell of mid-season form saw Colchester drop down the League One rankings. Just four wins in 25 games was the catalyst to a 15th-placed finish, while fans were left frustrated at Parkinson's 4-5-1 formation at home. One positive was that no team managed to score more than two goals against the U's in the league.
On 21 September 2004, West Bromwich Albion became the last top-flight club to visit Layer Road for their League Cup fixture. Colchester won 2–1, earning a trip to another Premier League side in Southampton. They pushed their hosts close, but were eventually defeated 3–2.
In the FA Cup, Colchester needed a replay to beat Mansfield Town, while also winning on their travels at Rushden & Diamonds and Hull City. In the fourth round, they were drawn against Premier League Blackburn Rovers where they lost 3–0.
Players
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee Goalkeepers1Aidan DavisonGK Sedgefield00 Grimsby Town5 July 2004Free transfer13Dean GerkenGKSouthend-on-Sea10Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer35Mark CousinsGKChelmsford00Youth team1 August 2004Free transfer Defenders2Greg HalfordFB/MFChelmsford254Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer3Joe KeithFBPlaistow20624 West Ham United24 May 1999Free transfer5Wayne BrownCBBarking190 Watford8 July 2004Free transfer12Pat BaldwinCBCity of London290 Chelsea16 August 2002Free transfer14Stephen HuntFBSouthampton00 Southampton5 July 2004Free transfer16George ElokobiFB/CBMamfe00 Dulwich Hamlet1 August 2004Free transfer18Liam ChilversCBChelmsford510 Arsenal10 June 2004Free transfer19Garry RichardsCBRomford00Youth team1 July 2004Free transfer23John WhiteFBColchester00Youth team1 July 2003Free transfer25Sam StockleyFBTiverton931 Oxford United31 October 2002Free transfer Midfielders4Gavin JohnsonMFEye1234 Dunfermline Athletic14 November 1999Free transfer6Kevin WatsonMFHackney00 Reading5 July 2004Free transfer7Karl DuguidMFLetchworth30839Youth team9 December 1995Free transfer10Kemal IzzetMFWhitechapel15518 Charlton Athletic13 April 2001Free transfer15Ben BowditchMFHarlow00 AB10 August 2004Free transfer17Bobby BowryMF Hampstead1092 Millwall25 July 2001Free transfer21Robbie KingMFChelmsford00Youth team1 July 2004Free transfer27Craig JohnstonMF00Youth team1 July 2002Free transfer26Neil DannsMF Liverpool134 Blackburn Rovers23 December 2004Nominal28Richard GarciaMFPerth00 West Ham United3 September 2004NominalLiam ColemanMF/FWColchester00Youth team1 July 2003Free transfer Forwards8Gareth WilliamsFWCardiff158 Crystal Palace31 August 2004Part-exchange9Marino KeithFWPeterhead00 Plymouth Argyle1 March 2005Free transfer11Jamie CadeFWDurham150 Middlesbrough25 November 2003Free transfer29Jamie GuyFWBarking00Youth team1 July 2004Free transferTristan ToneyFW00Youth team1 July 2002Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.10 June 2004CBLiam Chilvers ArsenalFree transfer1 July 2004FWJamie GuyYouth teamFree transfer1 July 2004MFRobbie KingYouth teamFree transfer1 July 2004CBGarry RichardsYouth teamFree transfer5 July 2004GKAidan Davison Grimsby TownFree transfer5 July 2004FBStephen Hunt SouthamptonFree transfer5 July 2004MFKevin Watson ReadingFree transfer8 July 2004CBWayne Brown WatfordFree transfer1 August 2004GKMark CousinsYouth teamFree transfer1 August 2004FB/CBGeorge Elokobi Dulwich HamletFree transfer10 August 2004MFBen Bowditch ABFree transfer31 August 2004FWGareth Williams Crystal PalacePart-exchangewith Wayne Andrews3 September 2004MFRichard Garcia West Ham UnitedNominal19 October 2004GKAndy Marriott Coventry CityFree transfer23 December 2004MFNeil Danns Blackburn RoversNominal21 January 2005FWGuylain Ndumbu-Nsungu Sheffield WednesdayFree transfer1 March 2005FWMarino Keith Plymouth ArgyleFree transfer Total spending: ~ £0
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.2 June 2004CBAlan White Leyton OrientFree transfer11 June 2004CBScott Fitzgerald BrentfordReleased24 June 2004GKSimon Brown HibernianFree transfer30 June 2004FWScott McGleish Northampton TownFree transfer30 June 2004GKRichard McKinney WalsallReleased30 June 2004CB/FBAndy Myers BrentfordReleased24 July 2004MFThomas Pinault Grimsby TownReleased31 August 2004FWWayne Andrews Crystal PalacePart-exchangewith Gareth Williamsplus £100,0004 November 2004GKAndy Marriott BuryFree transfer28 February 2005FWCraig Fagan Hull CityUndisclosed31 March 2005CBRoss Crouch Halstead TownUndisclosed31 March 2005FWGuylain Ndumbu-Nsungu DarlingtonFree transfer Total incoming: ~ £100,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.3 August 2004FWBen May Millwall20 October 200410 September 2004MFNeil Danns Blackburn Rovers10 November 200417 March 2005WGMarc Goodfellow Bristol City8 May 200524 March 2005FWRyan Jarvis Norwich City8 May 2005
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.24 September 2004CBRoss Crouch Wivenhoe Town24 October 200429 September 2004FWJamie Guy Tiptree United29 October 200429 September 2004FWTristan Toney Tiptree United29 October 200414 January 2005CBRoss Crouch Redbridge14 February 200514 January 2005CBGarry Richards Gravesend & Northfleet14 February 200514 January 2005FWTristan Toney Redbridge14 February 200527 January 2005FB/CBGeorge Elokobi Chester City27 February 200518 February 2005CBGarry Richards Redbridge18 March 200517 March 2005FBJoe Keith Bristol City8 May 2005
Match details
League One
League table
Results round by round
Matches
Football League Cup
Football League Trophy
FA Cup
Squad statistics Appearances and goals
!colspan="16"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
Goalscorers
Place Number Nationality Position Name League One FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total19FWCraig Fagan842014226MFNeil Danns110101234MFGavin Johnson90101042FB/MFGreg Halford44109528MFRichard Garcia4101668FWGareth Williams3200573FBJoe Keith400049FWMarino Keith4000496MFKevin Watson200028FWWayne Andrews2000220FWBen May10102125CBWayne Brown1000114FBStephen Hunt1000118CBLiam Chilvers1000120WGMarc Goodfellow1000124FWGuylain Ndumbu-Nsungu1000125FBSam Stockley10001Own goals21003TOTALS60126179
Disciplinary record
Number Nationality Position Name League One FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total9FWCraig Fagan10120100013126MFNeil Danns11000100012018CBLiam Chilvers61000000612FB/MFGreg Halford500000005012CBPat Baldwin201010105014FBStephen Hunt11000010215CBWayne Brown40000000403FBJoe Keith20100000304MFGavin Johnson300000003025FBSam Stockley30000000306MFKevin Watson200000002028MFRichard Garcia20000000201GKAidan Davison10000000109FWMarino Keith100000001024FWGuylain Ndumbu-Nsungu1000000010TOTALS543403020633
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Number Nationality Player League One FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total11Aidan Davison80008213Dean Gerken31004TOTALS1110012
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Number Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes1GKAidan Davison7 August 2004Sheffield WednesdayHillsborough Stadium5CBWayne Brown7 August 2004Sheffield WednesdayHillsborough Stadium6MFKevin Watson7 August 2004Sheffield WednesdayHillsborough Stadium18CBLiam Chilvers7 August 2004Sheffield WednesdayHillsborough Stadium20FWBen May7 August 2004Sheffield WednesdayHillsborough Stadium14FBStephen Hunt21 August 2004ChesterfieldSaltergate15MFBen Bowditch24 August 2004Cheltenham TownLayer Road23FBJohn White24 August 2004Cheltenham TownLayer Road8FWGareth Williams4 September 2004Swindon TownLayer Road28MFRichard Garcia4 September 2004Swindon TownLayer Road26MFNeil Danns11 September 2004AFC BournemouthDean Court26MFNeil Danns28 December 2004Luton TownKenilworth Road24FWGuylain Ndumbu-Nsungu22 January 2005Luton TownLayer Road29FWJamie Guy5 February 2005BlackpoolLayer Road9FWMarino Keith5 March 2005BrentfordLayer Road20WGMarc Goodfellow19 March 2005Sheffield WednesdayLayer Road30FWRyan Jarvis1 April 2005Doncaster RoversBelle Vue
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific