The 1970–71 season was Colchester United's 29th season in their history and their third successive season in the fourth tier of English football, the Fourth Division. Alongside competing in the Fourth Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the League Cup.
Colchester reached the FA Cup quarter-final, famously beating First Division Leeds United 3–2 at Layer Road in the fifth round. They had already defeated Ringmer, Cambridge United, Barnet and Rochdale along the way, before being defeated 5–0 by Everton at Goodison Park. Owing to their cup run, Colchester's league form stuttered, ending the campaign in sixth place, while they suffered a second round exit in the League Cup after being beaten by Birmingham City following a replay.
Season overview During the summer of 1970, manager Dick Graham increased the average age of his Colchester squad by signing a number of ageing players, including ex-England international Ray Crawford, Brian Garvey, John Kurila, Mick Mahon and Brian Owen. During the season, both Owen and Roy Massey suffered serious or career ending injuries, forcing Graham into signing Brian Lewis and Dave Simmons.
The 1970–71 season is most notable for Colchester's famous FA Cup run. In the first round, the U's disposed of non-League Ringmer courtesy of a Ray Crawford hat-trick. They then completed a cup double over Cambridge United, beating them 5–0 in the first round of the League Cup and then 3–0 in the second round of the FA Cup. Colchester defeated further non-League opposition in the third round, winning against Barnet at Underhill Stadium. The U's trailed 3–1 with five minutes remaining of their fourth round tie with Rochdale before staging a late comeback to earn a 3–3 draw and a Layer Road replay, where they thrashed Rochdale 5–0. This earned them a home tie against First Division side Leeds United, a side top of the League and who boasted ten internationals in their side.
Leeds United were at the time one of the best teams in the country. However, Dick Graham's side set out to frustrate Leeds by suppressing their usual wing play and playing direct football instead. Chairs and other obstacles were placed by the sidelines to produce an illusion of a narrow playing surface. Colchester found themselves 3–0 ahead after two goals from Ray Crawford and one from Dave Simmons. However, Leeds began to fight back, pulling back two goals with 17-minutes remaining, before Colchester goalkeeper Graham Smith produced a phenomenal save to deny Mick Jones with the score at 3–2. Colchester held on to record a famous victory and one of the most notable FA Cup giant-killings.
With the U's in the quarter-finals, they were drawn against Everton at Goodison Park. Dick Graham's Grandad's Army finally succumbed to defeated by a 5–0 scoreline in front of a crowd of 53,028.
Colchester's cup run had a negative impact on their league form. With fixtures backing up, a run of 17 league games following their cup exit until the end of the season proved too much as they finished the campaign in sixth position, two points shy of promotion.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersBrian SherrattGKStoke-on-Trent00 Gainsborough TrinityAugust 1970Free transferGraham SmithGKLiverpool460 Notts CountySummer 1969Free transfer DefendersEric BurgessFBEdgware00 Plymouth ArgyleDecember 1970Free transferMicky CookFBEnfield210 Orient1 March 1969Free transferBobby CramFBHetton-le-Hole210 Vancouver Royals17 January 1970Free transferAlan DennisCBColchester30ApprenticeApril 1967Free transferBrian GarveyCBKingston upon Hull00 WatfordJune 1970Free transferJohn GilchristFBWishaw00 Fulham15 August 1970Free transferBrian HallLBBurbage25326 Mansfield TownMarch 1965Free transferBobby HowlettCBWest Ham180 Southend UnitedSummer 1968Free transferJohn KurilaCBGlasgow00 Southend UnitedSummer 1970Free transferTrevor PainterCBNorwich00 Norwich City30 April 1970Free transferLindsay SmithCBEnfield00Apprentice20 April 1971Free transferAdrian WebsterDFColchester00ApprenticeJuly 1968Free transfer MidfieldersPhil BlossMFColchester00ApprenticeJanuary 1971Free transferSteve FoleyMFClacton-on-Sea00ApprenticeJuly 1969Free transferKen JonesMFKeighley2816 MillwallNovember 1969£5,000Steve LeslieMFHornsey00Apprentice20 April 1971Free transferBrian LewisMFWoking00 Oxford United26 December 1970£5,000 ForwardsMicky BrownWGFarnham Common5812 Luton Town26 October 1968£3,000Ray CrawfordFWPortsmouth00 Kettering Town15 August 1970£3,000Brian GibbsFWGillingham8325 GillinghamSeptember 1968£8,000Mick MahonWGManchester00 York CityMay 1970Free transferBrian OwenWGHarefield00 WatfordMay 1970Free transferDave SimmonsFWRyde00 Aston Villa26 December 1970£6,000Ray WhittakerWGBow417 Luton Town9 August 1969Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1970CBJohn Kurila Southend UnitedFree transfer30 April 1970CBTrevor Painter Norwich CityFree transferMay 1970WGBrian Owen WatfordFree transferMay 1970WGMick Mahon York CityFree transferJune 1970CBBrian Garvey WatfordFree transferAugust 1970GKBrian Sherratt Gainsborough TrinityFree transfer15 August 1970FBJohn Gilchrist FulhamFree transfer15 August 1970FWRay Crawford Kettering Town£3,000December 1970FBEric Burgess Plymouth ArgyleFree transfer26 December 1970FWDave Simmons Aston Villa£6,00026 December 1970MFBrian Lewis Oxford United£5,000January 1971MFPhil BlossApprenticeFree transfer20 April 1971CBLindsay SmithApprenticeFree transfer20 April 1971MFSteve LeslieApprenticeFree transfer Total spending: ~ £14,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonFBBert Howe RomfordFree transferEnd of seasonCBBrian Wood WorkingtonReleasedSummer 1970GKRon Willis Arcadia ShepherdsFree transfer28 April 1970WGTerry Dyson Guildford CityFree transfer28 April 1970FWDanny Light Guildford CityReleasedMay 1970CBDave Bickles RomfordFree transferSeptember 1970FWJim Oliver King's LynnFree transferOctober 1970MFRoger Joslyn Aldershot£8,000March 1971FWRoy MasseyFree agentRetired Total incoming: ~ £8,000
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.April 1971WGMicky Brown RomfordEnd of season
Match details
Fourth 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 Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Total1FWRay Crawford2470312FWBrian Gibbs1100113MFKen Jones41494WGMick Mahon52075FWDave Simmons33066LBBrian Hall40157FBBobby Cram4004MFBrian Lewis2204FWRoy Massey4004WGBrian Owen202411FBJohn Gilchrist1102CBJohn Kurila200213MFPhil Bloss1001FBEric Burgess1001CBBrian Garvey0101Own goals2103TOTALS7018795
Disciplinary record
Nationality Position Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup TotalCBJohn Kurila20000020GKGraham Smith10100020WGBrian Owen10000010TOTALS40100050
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Total1Graham Smith1141162Brian Sherratt3003TOTALS144119
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesCBBrian Garvey15 August 1970HartlepoolLayer RoadFBJohn Gilchrist15 August 1970HartlepoolLayer RoadFWRay Crawford15 August 1970HartlepoolLayer RoadWGMick Mahon15 August 1970HartlepoolLayer RoadCBJohn Kurila19 August 1970Cambridge UnitedLayer RoadWGBrian Owen19 August 1970Cambridge UnitedLayer RoadGKBrian Sherratt21 September 1970DarlingtonFeethamsCBTrevor Painter18 December 1970ChesterLayer RoadFWDave Simmons26 December 1970Lincoln CitySincil BankMFBrian Lewis26 December 1970Lincoln CitySincil BankFBEric Burgess20 February 1971Newport CountyLayer RoadCBLindsay Smith20 April 1971Grimsby TownBlundell ParkMFSteve Leslie20 April 1971Grimsby TownBlundell ParkMFPhil Bloss26 April 1971BarrowLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific