The 1969–70 season was Colchester United's 28th season in their history and their second 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 ended an injury blighted season in tenth position in the Fourth Division, while they were knocked out in the first round of the FA Cup by Newport County, and in the second round of the League Cup by neighbours and rivals Ipswich Town in their heaviest defeat of the campaign.
Season overview For the new season, manager Dick Graham employed a new policy of recruiting older, more experienced players. He said:
He brought in Bobby Cram, formerly of West Bromwich Albion and hitherto playing in Canada, to become his captain for the season, while also paying £5,000 for Ken Jones from Millwall.
An eleven-game unbeaten home run gave Colchester a chance for a promotion push, but an expanding injury list held back the U's progress. Trainer Dennis Mochan made a final appearance for the club during the campaign having taking up a coaching position at the end of the previous season. The club finished in tenth place, while exiting both Cups in the early rounds; a defeat to Newport County in the first round of the FA Cup, and a second round defeat to Ipswich Town in the League Cup.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersGraham SmithGKLiverpool00 Notts CountySummer 1969Free transferRon WillisGKRomford30 Charlton AthleticOctober 1968£1,500 DefendersDave BicklesCBWest Ham353 Crystal Palace28 September 1968Free transferMicky CookFBEnfield00 Orient1 March 1969Free transferBobby CramFBHetton-le-Hole00 Vancouver Royals17 January 1970Free transferAlan DennisCBColchester00ApprenticeApril 1967Free transferBrian HallLBBurbage20422 Mansfield TownMarch 1965Free transferBert HoweFBCharlton00 OrientSummer 1969Free transferBobby HowlettCBWest Ham00 Southend UnitedSummer 1968Free transferAdrian WebsterDFColchester00ApprenticeJuly 1968Free transferBrian WoodCBHamworthy301 Orient14 September 1968£4,000 MidfieldersSteve FoleyMFClacton-on-Sea00ApprenticeJuly 1969Free transferKen JonesMFKeighley00 MillwallNovember 1969£5,000Roger JoslynMFColchester533Apprentice23 December 1967Free transfer ForwardsMicky BrownWGFarnham Common223 Luton Town26 October 1968£3,000Terry DysonWGMalton433 Fulham24 August 1968Free transferBrian GibbsFWGillingham3811 GillinghamSeptember 1968£8,000Danny LightFWChiswick4514 Crystal PalaceAugust 1968£4,000Roy MasseyFWMexborough00 OrientJuly 1969£5,000Jim OliverFWFalkirk5810 Brighton & Hove AlbionJanuary 1968£2,000Ray WhittakerWGBow00 Luton Town9 August 1969Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1969GKGraham Smith Notts CountyFree transferSummer 1969FBBert Howe OrientFree transferSummer 1969WGSteve Pitt Tottenham HotspurFree transferJuly 1969MFSteve FoleyApprenticeFree transferJuly 1969FWRoy Massey Orient£5,0009 August 1969WGRay Whittaker Luton TownFree transferNovember 1969MFKen Jones Millwall£5,00017 January 1970FBBobby Cram Vancouver RoyalsFree transfer Total spending: ~ £10,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonCBBrian Honeywood Chelmsford CityFree transferSummer 1969WGJohnny Martin WorkingtonReleased31 May 1969WGTerry Price Chelmsford CityFree transfer1 July 1969GKErnie Adams Crewe AlexandraFree transferAugust 1969GKTony Macedo Durban City£6,0005 August 1969FBOwen Simpson Southend United£4,000October 1969WGSteve Pitt Stevenage BoroughReleased25 October 1969FBDennis Mochan Colchester UnitedCoaching staff Total incoming: ~ £10,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.11 October 1969FBEddie Presland Crystal Palace8 November 19691 November 1969WGMalcolm Slater Orient25 November 1969
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 Total1MFKen Jones1600162FWBrian Gibbs1400143FWRoy Massey704114WGMicky Brown90095WGRay Whittaker70076LBBrian Hall40047FWDanny Light20028WGTerry Dyson1001FBBert Howe1001MFRoger Joslyn1001FWJim Oliver1001CBBrian Wood1001Own goals0101TOTALS641469
Disciplinary record
Nationality Position Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup TotalWGTerry Dyson10000010FWBrian Gibbs10000010LBBrian Hall10000010FBBert Howe10000010CBBobby Howlett10000010FWJim Oliver10000010WGMalcolm Slater10000010TOTALS70000070
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Total1Graham Smith90110TOTALS90110
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesGKGraham Smith9 August 1969Lincoln CitySincil BankFBBert Howe9 August 1969Lincoln CitySincil BankCBBobby Howlett9 August 1969Lincoln CitySincil BankFWRoy Massey9 August 1969Lincoln CitySincil BankWGSteve Pitt9 August 1969Lincoln CitySincil BankWGRay Whittaker9 August 1969Lincoln CitySincil BankFBMicky Cook6 October 1969WrexhamRacecourse GroundFBEddie Presland11 October 1969Bradford Park AvenueLayer RoadWGMalcolm Slater1 November 1969AldershotRecreation GroundMFKen Jones22 November 1969Grimsby TownLayer RoadFBBobby Cram17 January 1970Swansea CityVetch FieldCBAlan Dennis22 April 1970Lincoln CityLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific