1984–85 Colchester United F.C. season

The 1984–85 season was Colchester United's 43rd season in their history and fourth consecutive season in fourth tier of English football, the Fourth Division. Alongside competing in the Fourth Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Associate Members' Cup.

Once again, Colchester finished high in the Fourth Division table, but ten points off promotion. Remarkably, the U's were paired against Gillingham in all three cup competitions they participated in, but only succeeded in beating them once, failing to defeat them in the first round of the League Cup and second round of the FA Cup, but won over two legs in the Associate Members' Cup.

Season overview Despite chairman Maurice Cadman announcing the removal of win bonuses for the season, only three of the eight out-of-contract players chose to move on despite the new scheme. Steve Wignall however decided to leave for Brentford.

Colchester were paired with Gillingham in the first round of the League Cup, where they were beaten 5–2 over two legs. The U's were then drawn against them in the second round of the FA Cup after seeing off Southend United in the Essex derby following a replay. Again, Gillingham won, on this occasion scoring five in a single match and inflicting the heaviest ever home defeat on Colchester.

In-form forward Tony Adcock continued his scoring form, with 28 goals to his name by January. However, with Liverpool rumoured to be interested in signing him and Bobby Hunt's 38-goal record in sight, he suffered a serious knee injury which ruled him out for almost the remainder of the season.

Once more Colchester fell just short of promotion in seventh place, but ten points adrift of automatic promotion in fourth position. The club equalled its record away win with a 5–1 victory at Exeter City on 23 March.

Meanwhile, Maurice Cadman found a new buyer for the club, with Jonathan Crisp paying the £150,000 asking price. He promised Second Division football within five years, but in light of the Bradford City stadium fire on 11 May, a move away from the timber-constructed Layer Road stands meant fabricating a move away or redevelopment of the stadium was of utmost importance.

Players

Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersAlec ChamberlainGKMarch600 Ipswich TownSummer 1982Undisclosed DefendersKeith DayCBGrays00 AveleySummer 1984UndisclosedTony EnglishDF/MFLuton00 Coventry City24 December 1984Free transferRudi HedmanCBLambeth40ApprenticeFebruary 1984Free transferStewart HoustonCBDunoon515 Sheffield UnitedSummer 1983UndisclosedIan PhillipsFBCumnock485 Northampton TownSeptember 1983£5,000 MidfieldersAndy FarrellMF/FBColchester210ApprenticeSummer 1982Free transferJeff HullMFRochford665 Basildon United17 December 1982UndisclosedRoger OsborneMFOtley1578 Ipswich TownFebruary 1981£25,000Noel ParkinsonMFKingston upon Hull00 Scunthorpe UnitedAugust 1984Undisclosed ForwardsTony AdcockFWBethnal Green13656Apprentice31 March 1981Free transferKeith BowenFW Northampton6822 Brentford25 March 1983£10,000Simon BurmanWG/MFIpswich00Apprentice15 February 1985Free transferPerry GrovesWGBow815 Cornard DynamosSummer 1981Free transferLiburd HenryFWRoseau00UnknownSummer 1984Free transferRussell IrvingFWWallsend00 Ipswich TownSummer 1984Undisclosed

Transfers

In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1984CBKeith Day AveleyUndisclosedSummer 1984FWLiburd HenryUnknownFree transferSummer 1984FWRussell Irving Ipswich TownUndisclosedAugust 1984FBDaryl Godbold Norwich CityUndisclosedAugust 1984MFNoel Parkinson Scunthorpe UnitedUndisclosedAugust 1984MFStuart YoungmanApprenticeFree transfer24 December 1984DF/MFTony English Coventry CityFree transfer5 February 1985FWTommy English Plymouth ArgyleUndisclosed15 February 1985WG/MFSimon BurmanApprenticeFree transfer Total spending: ~ £0

Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonFBPhil Coleman Chelmsford CityReleasedEnd of seasonMFSteve Leslie Chelmsford CityReleasedEnd of seasonFWCraig Oldfield Bury TownReleasedSummer 1984CBTony Hadley Southend UnitedFree transferSummer 1984FWLes Mutrie Hartlepool UnitedReleasedAugust 1984CBSteve Wignall BrentfordUndisclosedDecember 1984FWJohn Taylor Sudbury TownReleased21 December 1984FBDaryl Godbold WroxhamUndisclosed5 February 1985FWTommy English Canberra CityUndisclosed23 April 1985MFStuart Youngman WroxhamUndisclosed23 April 1985FWDave Hubbick Gravesend & NorthfleetReleased Total incoming: ~ £0

Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.March 1985FWPaul Shinners Gillingham10 May 1985

Match details

Fourth Division

Results round by round

League table

Matches

League Cup

FA Cup

Associate Members' Cup

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

!colspan="16"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season

Goalscorers

Place Nationality Position Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total1FWTony Adcock24103282FWKeith Bowen17010183WGPerry Groves10101124FWRussell Irving9100105MFNoel Parkinson600066MFJeff Hull500057CBKeith Day400048DF/MFTony English30003CBStewart Houston1110310CBRudi Hedman20002MFRoger Osborne2000212FBDaryl Godbold10001FWDave Hubbick10001FBIan Phillips10001FWPaul Shinners10001Own goals01001TOTALS8752498

Disciplinary record

Nationality Position Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy TotalWGPerry Groves1100000011FBIan Phillips4000000040FWKeith Bowen2000000020GKAlec Chamberlain2000000020MFJeff Hull2000000020MFNoel Parkinson2000000020WGSimon Burman1000000010CBKeith Day1000000000DF/MFTony English1000000010MF/FBAndy Farrell1000000010FBDaryl Godbold1000000000CBRudi Hedman1000000010FWPaul Shinners1000000010TOTALS201000000201

Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total1Alec Chamberlain70018TOTALS70018

Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesCBKeith Day25 August 1984Southend UnitedLayer RoadFBDaryl Godbold25 August 1984Southend UnitedLayer RoadFWRussell Irving25 August 1984Southend UnitedLayer RoadMFNoel Parkinson28 August 1984GillinghamPriestfield StadiumDF/MFTony English23 January 1985GillinghamPriestfield StadiumFWTommy English5 February 1985GillinghamLayer RoadWG/MFSimon Burman29 March 1985Tranmere RoversLayer RoadFWPaul Shinners16 April 1985Torquay UnitedPlainmoorMFStuart Youngman23 April 1985AldershotRecreation Ground

See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons

References General Books

Websites

Specific