The 1982–83 season was Colchester United's 41st season in their history and second 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 Football League Trophy.
Colchester challenged for the top four but once again fell short, on this occasion missing promotion by just two points. A tragic season saw forward John Lyons take his own life, while Allan Hunter resigned two months later, replaced by his assistant Cyril Lea in February.
In the cups, Colchester were entered into the second and final iteration of the Football League Trophy, which the U's exited at the group stage, which defeats to Southampton and Torquay United in the second and first round of the League and FA Cup respectively denied the club a cup run.
Season overview Allan Hunter continued in his role as player-manager for the new season, with former Ipswich Town coach Cyril Lea his assistant. Colchester led the table undefeated after seven games and earned a League Cup second round tie against Southampton. Following a 0–0 draw at Layer Road, with England international Peter Shilton in inspired form, the U's could not repeat their heroics from 1974 at The Dell, losing 4–2 and making another early exit.
The season then took a tragic turn, when in November, just hours after turning out for the U's against Chester City, forward John Lyons committed suicide at his home in Layer de la Haye. After this incident and having to give up his own playing career, Allan Hunter resigned as manager in January with Colchester in seventh place. Cyril Lea took over initially until the end of the campaign and promptly won eight of his first eleven games. However, four defeats in 17 days during April cost the U's and they finished sixth position in the league, missing promotion by just two points.
Ian Allinson ended the season as Colchester's top scorer with 26 league and cup goals, while youth graduate Tony Adcock scored 17 goals. Veteran goalkeeper Mike Walker, who had missed just nine games in ten seasons for the club, announced his retirement at the end of the season.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersAlec ChamberlainGKMarch00 Ipswich TownSummer 1982UndisclosedIan CranstoneGKRochford00 Tottenham HotspurSummer 1977Free transferBobby HamiltonGK00UnknownSummer 1977 DefendersPhil ColemanFBWoolwich514 MillwallFebruary 1981£15,000Micky CookFBEnfield60721 Orient1 March 1969Free transferAdrian KeithCBColchester00 West Ham UnitedDecember 1982Free transferWayne WardFBColchester50ApprenticeApril 1982Free transferSteve WignallCBLiverpool23612 Doncaster RoversSeptember 1977£5,000 MidfieldersAndy FarrellMF/FBColchester00ApprenticeSummer 1982Free transferAndy GoodingMF00ApprenticeSummer 1981Free transferJeff HullMFRochford00 Basildon United17 December 1982UndisclosedSteve LeslieMFHornsey43544Apprentice20 April 1971Free transferRoger OsborneMFOtley605 Ipswich TownFebruary 1981£25,000 ForwardsTony AdcockFWBethnal Green496Apprentice31 March 1981Free transferKeith BowenFW Northampton00 Brentford25 March 1983£10,000Perry GrovesWGBow90 Cornard DynamosSummer 1981Free transferRoy McDonoughFWSolihull6218 ChelseaFebruary 1981£15,000Craig OldfieldFWWarley00 Stowmarket TownSummer 1982Free transferJohn TaylorFWNorwich00ApprenticeSummer 1981Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1982GKAlec Chamberlain Ipswich TownUndisclosedSummer 1982CBKevin BeattieFree agentFree transferSummer 1982MF/FBAndy FarrellApprenticeFree transferSummer 1982FWCraig Oldfield Stowmarket TownFree transferDecember 1982CBAdrian Keith West Ham UnitedFree transfer17 December 1982MFJeff Hull Basildon UnitedUndisclosed25 March 1983FWKeith Bowen Brentford£10,000 Total spending: ~ £10,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonGKJeff Wood HJK HelsinkiFree transferNovember 1982CBKevin Beattie MiddlesbroughFree transfer9 November 1982FWJohn LyonsJanuary 1983CBAllan HunterFree agentRetiredFebruary 1983FWKevin Bremner Millwall£25,00022 April 1983MFDennis Longhorn Chelmsford CityReleased2 May 1983GKMike WalkerFree agentRetired13 May 1983FBMick Packer Wivenhoe TownBecame player-manager13 May 1983WGIan Allinson ArsenalFree transfer Total incoming: ~ £25,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.1 January 1983FWJohn Linford Ipswich Town1 March 198312 March 1983FWKeith Bowen Brentford19 March 1983
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.October 1982FWKevin Bremner Birmingham CityOctober 1982December 1982FWKevin Bremner WrexhamDecember 1982January 1983FWKevin Bremner Plymouth ArgyleJanuary 1983
Match details
Fourth Division
Results round by round
League table
Matches
Football League Trophy
League Cup
FA 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 Total1WGIan Allinson22022262FWTony Adcock17000173FWJohn Lyons6013104FWRoy McDonough800085CBSteve Wignall401056FWKeith Bowen40004MFJeff Hull400048FBPhil Coleman20013WGPerry Groves2010310FWKevin Bremner20002MFRoger Osborne2000212FBMicky Cook10001MFSteve Leslie10001Own goals00000TOTALS7505686
Disciplinary record
Nationality Position Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy TotalFBMicky Cook0100000001FWRoy McDonough0100000001FBMick Packer0100000001CBSteve Wignall0100000001TOTALS0400000004
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total1Mike Walker15031192Alec Chamberlain10001TOTALS1603120
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesCBKevin Beattie17 August 1982WatfordVicarage RoadMFJeff Hull17 December 1982Stockport CountyLayer RoadCBAdrian Keith1 January 1983Torquay UnitedPlainmoorGKAlec Chamberlain3 January 1983Hartlepool UnitedLayer RoadFWJohn Linford14 January 1983Halifax TownThe ShayFWKeith Bowen12 March 1983BuryLayer RoadFWKeith Bowen25 March 1983Tranmere RoversLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific