The 1975–76 season was Colchester United's 34th season in their history and their second consecutive season in third tier of English football, the Third Division. Alongside competing in the Third Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the League Cup.
With Jim Smith departing for Second Division Blackburn Rovers in the summer, his former Colchester United coach Bobby Roberts was appointed manager in his place. A succession of poor results spelt relegation for Colchester, while they exited both cup competitions in the first round.
Season overview Jim Smith was prized away from Colchester by Second Division Blackburn Rovers over the summer. His coach Bobby Roberts was appointed manager but his early days in charge proved ominous for the remainder of the season. A winless first five games was only worsened by Smith returned to sign top scorer Bobby Svarc for £25,000 from the cash-strapped U's.
Colchester suffered defeat at the hands of non-League opposition in the FA Cup once again after being taken to a replay and then extra time by Dover. They were soundly beaten 4–1 at the end of extra time. They also lost out in the League Cup first round 4–3 on aggregate against Crystal Palace. Despite this, Colchester rallied for a mid-season resurgence of form to climb to twelfth position in the league table, but some crushing defeats including 6–1 at Chesterfield and 6–0 at Brighton & Hove Albion put the U's back in the relegation mire. Relegation was confirmed as Colchester finished 22nd position in the table, with Steve Leslie the club's top scorer with a record low of just six league goals.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersLee SmeltGKEdmonton00 Bishop's StortfordSummer 1975Free transferMike WalkerGKColwyn Bay1020 WatfordJuly 1973£4,000 DefendersStewart BrightFBColchester00ApprenticeSummer 1974Free transferMicky CookFBEnfield2469 Orient1 March 1969Free transferBarry DomineyCBEdmonton353 Enfield WMCSeptember 1973Free transferDerek HarrisonCBLittlethorpe00 Torquay UnitedSummer 1975Free transferMick PackerFBWillesden721 WatfordJuly 1973Free transferLindsay SmithCBEnfield1386Apprentice20 April 1971Free transferJohnny WilliamsFBTottenham00 WatfordJune 1976Undisclosed MidfieldersRay BunkellMFEdmonton401 Swindon TownDecember 1973Part exchangePaul DyerMFLeicester00 Notts CountySummer 1975UndisclosedSteve FoleyMFClacton-on-Sea10924ApprenticeJuly 1969Free transferSteve LeslieMFHornsey14627Apprentice20 April 1971Free transfer ForwardsIan AllinsonWGHitchin10ApprenticeSummer 1974Free transferTerry AndersonWGWoking40 Baltimore Comets23 August 1975Free transferJohn FroggattFWStanton Hill5418 Boston UnitedSummer 1974£6,000Colin GarwoodFWHeacham00 Huddersfield TownFebruary 1976£4,000Bobby GoughFWLadywood00 SouthportJanuary 1976£7,000
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1975GKLee Smelt Bishop's StortfordFree transferSummer 1975CBDerek Harrison Torquay UnitedFree transferSummer 1975MFPaul Dyer Notts CountyUndisclosedJune 1975FBJohnny Williams WatfordUndisclosed23 August 1975WGTerry Anderson Baltimore CometsFree transferJanuary 1976FWBobby Gough Southport£7,000February 1976FWColin Garwood Huddersfield Town£4,000 Total spending: ~ £11,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonCBRay Harford RomfordPlayer-coachSummer 1975MFJimmy Lindsay Hereford United£13,00018 August 1975MFBobby Roberts Colchester UnitedManagerOctober 1975FWBobby Svarc Blackburn Rovers£25,000January 1976MFPhil ThomasFree agentRetired Total incoming: ~ £38,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.16 August 1975FBJon O'Donnell Cambridge United16 August 1975January 1976FWBilly Telford Peterborough United7 February 197624 January 1976GKLen Bond Bristol City14 February 1976February 1976FWColin Garwood Huddersfield TownFebruary 1976
Match details
Third Division
Results round by round
League table
Matches
League Cup
FA Cup
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
!colspan="14"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
Goalscorers
Place Nationality Position Name Third Division FA Cup League Cup Total1MFSteve Leslie61072CBLindsay Smith41163MFSteve Foley5005FWJohn Froggatt5005FWBobby Gough5005FWBobby Svarc30257MFRay Bunkell40048FBMick Packer21039CBBarry Dominey1102MFPaul Dyer2002FWColin Garwood200212FBMicky Cook1001FWBilly Telford1001Own goals0000TOTALS414348
Disciplinary record
Nationality Position Name Third Division FA Cup League Cup TotalMFSteve Foley01000001FWJohn Froggatt01000001FBMicky Cook10000010FBJohnny Williams10000010TOTALS22000022
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Third Division FA Cup League Cup Total1Mike Walker140014TOTALS140014
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesMFPaul Dyer16 August 1975Preston North EndDeepdaleCBDerek Harrison16 August 1975Preston North EndDeepdaleFBJon O'Donnell16 August 1975Preston North EndDeepdaleFBJohnny Williams23 August 1975Mansfield TownLayer RoadFBStewart Bright8 November 1975Shrewsbury TownLayer RoadFWBobby Gough10 January 1976Crystal PalaceLayer RoadGKLen Bond24 January 1976Hereford UnitedLayer RoadFWBilly Telford24 January 1976Hereford UnitedLayer RoadFWColin Garwood14 February 1976Shrewsbury TownGay Meadow
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific