The 1983–84 season was Colchester United's 42nd season in their history and third 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.
Another promotion push ended a long way short with an eighth-placed finish, 15 points shy of the promotion places. Colchester reached the third round of the League Cup, where they faced Manchester United at Layer Road only to suffer a 2–0 defeat. They also reached the third round of the FA Cup, exiting to Charlton Athletic. In the inaugural Associate Members' Cup, the U's fell to a 2–0 defeat to Essex rivals Southend United in the second round.
Season overview Cyril Lea began his first full season in charge by bringing in assistant Stewart Houston in a player-coach capacity. He had however already seen the frustrating exit of last seasons top scorer Ian Allinson, who was allowed to leave the club for Arsenal on a free transfer following an administrative error.
In the early stages of the season, Colchester kept pace with the leaders as they embarked on a League Cup run. Following a 1–1 draw at Second Division Swansea City, chairman Maurice Cadman pledged Lea funds to purchase two players if there was an attendance greater than 5,000 in the second leg of the tie. As such, 5,204 were in attendance to see the U's beat the Swans 1–0. They were drawn at home to Manchester United in the third round as Layer Road saw its final-ever five figure gate when 13,031 saw the 2–0 defeat for the U's.
Colchester's form tailed off in the latter stages of the season as they ended the season 15 points adrift of the promotion places in eighth position, despite Tony Adcock's 33 goals. Now frustrated at his board's successive attempts to fund promotion that ultimately ended in failure, Maurice Cadman announced that win bonuses would be dropped for the 1984–85 season replaced by an insurance-backed promotion bonus. He also announced that the club had been put up for sale at a value of £150,000.
Attendances on average were up, largely in thanks to the cup runs, but otherwise league attendances dropped off, and a new low of 1,226 witnessed Colchester's 3–0 win over Torquay United on 28 April 1984. Meanwhile, stalwarts Micky Cook, who had set a club record of 614 league appearances, and Steve Leslie both retired through injury.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersAlec ChamberlainGKMarch40 Ipswich TownSummer 1982Undisclosed DefendersPhil ColemanFBWoolwich967 MillwallFebruary 1981£15,000Tony HadleyCBUpminster00 Southend UnitedAugust 1983UndisclosedRudi HedmanCBLambeth00ApprenticeFebruary 1984Free transferStewart HoustonCBDunoon00 Sheffield UnitedSummer 1983UndisclosedIan PhillipsFBCumnock00 Northampton TownSeptember 1983£5,000Steve WignallCBLiverpool28817 Doncaster RoversSeptember 1977£5,000 MidfieldersAndy FarrellMF/FBColchester00ApprenticeSummer 1982Free transferJeff HullMFRochford274 Basildon United17 December 1982UndisclosedSteve LeslieMFHornsey47145Apprentice20 April 1971Free transferRoger OsborneMFOtley1137 Ipswich TownFebruary 1981£25,000 ForwardsTony AdcockFWBethnal Green8323Apprentice31 March 1981Free transferKeith BowenFW Northampton134 Brentford25 March 1983£10,000Perry GrovesWGBow313 Cornard DynamosSummer 1981Free transferDave HubbickFWSouth Shields00 Dagenham15 October 1983Free transferLes MutrieFWNewcastle upon Tyne00 Hull CityJanuary 1984£10,000Craig OldfieldFWWarley00 Stowmarket TownSummer 1982Free transferJohn TaylorFWNorwich00ApprenticeSummer 1981Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1983CBStewart Houston Sheffield UnitedUndisclosedAugust 1983CBTony Hadley Southend UnitedUndisclosedSeptember 1983FBIan Phillips Northampton Town£5,000October 1983CBAdam Nichols Wits UniversityFree transfer15 October 1983FWDave Hubbick DagenhamFree transferJanuary 1984FWLes Mutrie Hull City£10,000February 1984CBRudi HedmanApprenticeFree transfer Total spending: ~ £15,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonGKIan Cranstone WealdstoneFree transferEnd of seasonGKBobby HamiltonFree agentReleasedEnd of seasonCBAdrian Keith Haverhill RoversReleasedEnd of seasonFBWayne Ward Wivenhoe TownReleasedEnd of seasonMFAndy Gooding Wivenhoe TownReleasedSummer 1983FWRoy McDonough Southend UnitedUndisclosed2 January 1984CBAdam NicholsFree agentReleased14 April 1984FBMicky CookFree agentRetired Total incoming: ~ £0
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.September 1983FBPhil Coleman WrexhamMarch 1984
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 Adcock26052332FWKeith Bowen12510183CBSteve Wignall8020104CBStewart Houston41005FBIan Phillips500056FBMicky Cook20002WGPerry Groves20002FWLes Mutrie200029MFJeff Hull10001MFSteve Leslie10001CBAdam Nichols10001MFRoger Osborne10001Own goals40004TOTALS6968285
Disciplinary record
Nationality Position Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy TotalCBTony Hadley0011000011FBMicky Cook2000000020TOTALS2011000031
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total1Alec Chamberlain1811020TOTALS1811020
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesCBTony Hadley27 August 1983DarlingtonFeethamsCBStewart Houston27 August 1983DarlingtonFeethamsMFAndy Farrell27 August 1983DarlingtonFeethamsFWCraig Oldfield3 September 1983BlackpoolLayer RoadFBIan Phillips9 September 1983Stockport CountyEdgeley ParkFWJohn Taylor14 September 1983ReadingElm ParkFWDave Hubbick15 October 1983Northampton TownLayer RoadCBAdam Nichols18 October 1983BuryLayer RoadFWLes Mutrie28 January 1984Stockport CountyLayer RoadCBRudi Hedman4 March 1984BuryGigg Lane
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific