The 1974–75 season was Colchester United's 33rd season in their history and their first season back in the third tier of English football for six years, the Third Division. Alongside competing in the Third Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the League Cup.
Jim Smith consolidated Colchester's position back in the third tier by leading them to an eleventh position finish to the season. They experienced a successful cup run in the League Cup, eventually falling to Second Division Aston Villa in the quarter-final stage. However, they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the second round by non-League outfit Leatherhead.
Season overview Ahead of the new season, Colchester's board warned that a break-even gate of 9,200 was required and that players would be sold if attendances didn't reach an average of 7,500. However, manager Jim Smith returned to former club Boston United to sign Bobby Svarc's old strike partner John Froggatt for £6,000. The acquisition was fruitful, with Svarc finding the back of the net 24 times in the league and 25 times in total, with Froggatt registering 18 with 16 in the league.
Having reached the quarter-final of the FA Cup four seasons prior, the U's emulated that achievement in the League Cup. After beating Oxford United and Southend United, they hosted First Division Carlisle United, beating the Cumbrians 2–0 to earn a home tie with Southampton. A 0–0 draw at Layer Road led to a 1–0 replay win at The Dell, courtesy of a Barry Dominey goal. This set up a quarter-final tie with Second Division Aston Villa. Villa were just too strong for United, winning 2–1 before a Layer Road crowd of 11,812.
Colchester's success in the League Cup was not replicated in the FA Cup as they were knocked out by non-League outfit Leatherhead in the second round. In the league, a strong start to the season was followed up by a weaker second half to the campaign as the U's fell from fifth to eleventh where they ended the season.
Crowds fell a long way short of the target expected by the board, with a league average of 4,941 attending during the season.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersMike WalkerGKColwyn Bay480 WatfordJuly 1973£4,000 DefendersStewart BrightFBColchester00ApprenticeSummer 1974Free transferMicky CookFBEnfield1926 Orient1 March 1969Free transferBarry DomineyCBEdmonton30 Enfield WMCSeptember 1973Free transferRay HarfordCBHalifax693 Port Vale3 February 1973£1,750Mick PackerFBWillesden350 WatfordJuly 1973Free transferLindsay SmithCBEnfield895Apprentice20 April 1971Free transfer MidfieldersRay BunkellMFEdmonton60 Swindon TownDecember 1973Part exchangeSteve FoleyMFClacton-on-Sea9121ApprenticeJuly 1969Free transferSteve LeslieMFHornsey10421Apprentice20 April 1971Free transferJimmy LindsayMFHamilton00 Watford17 August 1974Free transferBobby RobertsMFEdinburgh20 Coventry City1 March 1973Free transferPhil ThomasMFSherborne776 BournemouthSummer 1972Free transfer ForwardsIan AllinsonWGHitchin00ApprenticeSummer 1974Free transferJohn FroggattFWStanton Hill00 Boston UnitedSummer 1974£6,000Bobby SvarcFWLeicester6834 Boston UnitedDecember 1972£6,000
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1974FBStewart BrightApprenticeFree transferSummer 1974WGIan AllinsonApprenticeFree transferSummer 1974FWJohn Froggatt Boston United£6,00017 August 1974MFJimmy Lindsay WatfordFree transfer Total spending: ~ £6,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.Summer 1974MFBobby Mills Chelmsford CityNominalSummer 1974MFTony Wingate BarnetReleased25 January 1975CBStuart Morgan Bournemouth£4,000February 1975FBAlex Smith Halifax TownNominal2 May 1975WGColwyn Rowe Chelmsford CityReleased31 March 1975FWBarry Dyson Chelmsford CityReleased Total incoming: ~ £4,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.4 January 1975FWJohn Sims Derby County10 January 1975February 1975FBDanny Cameron Sheffield Wednesday4 March 1975February 1975MFIan McDonald Liverpool4 March 1975
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.February 1975FWBarry Dyson Chelmsford City31 March 1975
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 Total1FWBobby Svarc2401252FWJohn Froggatt1611183MFJimmy Lindsay60174MFSteve Leslie30365FBMicky Cook3003CBBarry Dominey2013MFSteve Foley30038CBRay Harford2002MFIan McDonald2002WGColwyn Rowe2002MFPhil Thomas200212MFRay Bunkell1001FWBarry Dyson1001FBMick Packer1001CBLindsay Smith1001Own goals1001TOTALS701778
Disciplinary record
Nationality Position Name Third Division FA Cup League Cup TotalMFSteve Leslie01000001CBStuart Morgan01000001CBRay Harford10000010TOTALS12000012
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Third Division FA Cup League Cup Total1Mike Walker131519TOTALS131519
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesMFJimmy Lindsay17 August 1974WatfordLayer RoadFWJohn Froggatt17 August 1974WatfordLayer RoadFWJohn Sims4 January 1975AldershotLayer RoadFBDanny Cameron8 February 1975WrexhamRacecourse GroundMFIan McDonald8 February 1975WrexhamRacecourse GroundWGIan Allinson19 April 1975Preston North EndLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific