The 2003–04 season was Colchester United's 62nd season in their history and their sixth successive season in the third tier of English football, the Second Division. Alongside competing in the Second Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Football League Trophy.
Colchester embarked on cup runs in the FA Cup, reaching the fifth round where they were eliminated by Sheffield United, while they also were one fixture away from a trip to the Millennium Stadium in the Football League Trophy after falling to a 4–3 aggregate defeat to Southend United. The U's cup exploits eventually led to a late season drop in form, as they slipped from 5th position to 14th with fixture congestion. They recovered to finished 11th, nine points away from the play-offs.
Season overview Phil Parkinson embarked on his first full season in charge by applying what he had learnt from the final few months of the previous campaign, while gaining his UEFA A Licence and UEFA B Licence as well as a degree he studied for in his spare time. He introduced sports science to the club, revolutionising the way players trained, ate and rested.
The U's participated in a record 15 cup ties during the season, making significant progress in the FA Cup and Football League Trophy. Helped by the astute signings of Wayne Andrews and Premier League youngsters Craig Fagan and Rowan Vine, Colchester reached the FA Cup fifth round, defeating Oxford United, Aldershot Town, Accrington Stanley, and Coventry City, courtesy of a Vine hat-trick, before succumbing to Sheffield United 1–0 at Bramall Lane. Two days after the FA Cup clash, the U's were faced with the task of overcoming a Football League Trophy southern section final first-leg 3–2 deficit against Southend United. The match ended 1–1, with former U's manager Steve Wignall's Southend progressing. Fixture congestion was a contributing factor in Colchester's slip down the table from 5th position to 14th, while losing Karl Duguid to a serious knee injury.
At the end of the season, Colchester completed the campaign in eleventh position, nine points adrift of the play-off places.
Players
No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee Goalkeepers1Simon BrownGKChelmsford1140 Tottenham Hotspur20 July 1999Free transfer13Dean GerkenGKSouthend-on-Sea00Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer31Richard McKinneyGKBallymoney230 Swindon Town10 August 2002Free transfer Defenders2Andy MyersCB/FBHounslow00 Bradford City11 July 2003Free transfer3Joe KeithFBPlaistow16519 West Ham United24 May 1999Free transfer5Scott FitzgeraldCB Westminster1000 Millwall19 October 2000Free transfer19Alan WhiteCBDarlington1203 Luton Town16 July 2000Free transfer20Ross CrouchCBColchester00Youth team14 April 2004Free transfer21John WhiteFBColchester00Youth team1 July 2003Free transfer22Greg HalfordFB/MFChelmsford10Youth team1 August 2002Free transfer24Pat BaldwinCBCity of London220 Chelsea16 August 2002Free transfer25Sam StockleyFBTiverton351 Oxford United31 October 2002Free transfer Midfielders4Gavin JohnsonMFEye1023 Dunfermline Athletic14 November 1999Free transfer6Thomas PinaultMFGrasse935 AS Cannes1 July 1999Free transfer7Karl DuguidMFLetchworth26637Youth team9 December 1995Free transfer10Kemal IzzetMFWhitechapel9914 Charlton Athletic13 April 2001Free transfer15Craig JohnstonMF00Youth team1 July 2002Free transfer17Bobby BowryMF Hampstead792 Millwall25 July 2001Free transferLiam ColemanMF/FWColchester00Youth team1 July 2003Free transfer Forwards8Wayne AndrewsFWPaddington00 Oldham Athletic2 July 2003Free transfer9Scott McGleishFWChipping Barnet13636 Barnet12 January 2001£15,00011Jamie CadeFWDurham00 Middlesbrough25 November 2003Free transfer12Craig FaganFWBirmingham426 Birmingham City25 March 2004Free transfer23Tristan ToneyFW00Youth team1 July 2002Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.1 July 2003MF/FWLiam ColemanYouth teamFree transfer1 July 2003WGPhil Hadland Leek TownFree transfer1 July 2003FBJohn WhiteYouth teamFree transfer2 July 2003FWWayne Andrews Oldham AthleticFree transfer11 July 2003CB/FBAndy Myers Bradford CityFree transfer15 October 2003FWJermaine Brown ArsenalFree transfer27 October 2003MFRichard Johnson WatfordFree transfer25 November 2003FWJamie Cade MiddlesbroughFree transfer25 March 2004FWCraig Fagan Birmingham CityFree transfer14 April 2004CBRoss CrouchYouth teamFree transfer Total spending: ~ £0
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonMFMarc Canham Team BathReleased1 June 2003CBMark Warren Southend UnitedFree transfer30 June 2003FWBen Cranfield Braintree TownReleased30 June 2003MFMatt HearnFree agentReleased1 July 2003FWMvondo Atangana Grays AthleticReleased1 July 2003FBJoe DunneFree agentRetired1 July 2003MFChris Keeble Heybridge SwiftsReleased1 July 2003MFMick Stockwell Heybridge SwiftsReleased14 July 2003FWKevin Rapley Chester CityReleased7 August 2003CBMike Edwards Grimsby TownReleased30 September 2003WGPhil Hadland Leek TownFree transfer30 October 2003FWAdrian Coote Wivenhoe TownReleased4 November 2003MFRichard Johnson Stoke CityReleased27 November 2003FWDean Morgan ReadingFree transfer12 January 2004FWJermaine Brown Boston UnitedReleased Total incoming: ~ £0
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.5 August 2003FWCraig Fagan Birmingham City24 March 20047 August 2003FWRowan Vine Portsmouth9 May 200426 August 2003CBLiam Chilvers Arsenal9 May 200429 January 2004FBPaul Tierney Manchester United29 February 200412 February 2004CBWayne Brown Watford9 May 200422 March 2004FWGareth Williams Crystal Palace9 May 2004
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.5 December 2003CBPat Baldwin St Albans City5 January 200415 March 2004CBScott Fitzgerald Brentford9 May 2004
Match details
Second Division
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 Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total19FWScott McGleish101061728FWWayne Andrews1200214316FWRowan Vine640212412FWCraig Fagan90101053FBJoe Keith22015610MFKemal Izzet3001422FB/MFGreg Halford4000486MFThomas Pinault001127MFKarl Duguid2000226FWGareth Williams20002114MFGavin Johnson1000119CBAlan White1000120FWJermaine Brown00011Own goals01001TOTALS52821476
Disciplinary record
Number Nationality Position Name Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total12FWCraig Fagan921010101227MFKarl Duguid422010007219CBAlan White511000107110MFKemal Izzet701000109016FWRowan Vine70100010908FWWayne Andrews510000005118CBLiam Chilvers400001004125FBSam Stockley401010107027CBWayne Brown31000000312CB/FBAndy Myers21000000216MFThomas Pinault400010005017MFBobby Bowry40000000401GKSimon Brown10001000203FBJoe Keith10100000209FWScott McGleish20000000204MFGavin Johnson00000010105CBScott Fitzgerald100000001022FB/MFGreg Halford100000001024CBPat Baldwin000010001026FBPaul Tierney0010000010TOTALS648906160859
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Number Nationality Player Second Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total11Simon Brown1030013231Richard McKinney10001TOTALS1130014
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Number Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes2CB/FBAndy Myers9 August 2003BarnsleyOakwell12FWCraig Fagan9 August 2003BarnsleyOakwell16FWRowan Vine9 August 2003BarnsleyOakwell20WGPhil Hadland15 August 2003Swindon TownLayer Road8FWWayne Andrews23 August 2003Port ValeVale Park18CBLiam Chilvers30 August 2003Tranmere RoversPrenton Park11MFRichard Johnson4 November 2003Yeovil TownHuish Park20FWJermaine Brown9 December 2003Wycombe WanderersAdams Park11FWJamie Cade13 December 2003Oldham AthleticLayer Road26FBPaul Tierney31 January 2004Tranmere RoversLayer Road27CBWayne Brown17 February 2004Southend UnitedRoots Hall12FWCraig Fagan27 March 2004Peterborough UnitedLayer Road26FWGareth Williams27 March 2004Peterborough UnitedLayer Road13GKDean Gerken12 April 2004BrentfordGriffin Park
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific