The 1968–69 season was Colchester United's 27th season in their history and their first season back in the fourth tier of English football, the Fourth Division following relegation the previous season. Alongside competing in the Fourth Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the League Cup.
In a transitional season under new manager Dick Graham, Colchester missed an instant return to the third tier by four points, finishing the season in sixth place. The U's were eliminated at the second round of both FA and League Cups.
Season overview Colchester appointed former Crystal Palace manager Dick Graham to replace Neil Franklin. Having guided Palace from the Fourth Division to the Second Division, Graham intended to emulate his work at Selhurst Park.
Seven games into the season, with his side earning just one point, Graham cleared out the squad, ousting six players and sold Duncan Forbes and Derek Trevis for a combined fee of £19,000. He brought in a number of players, including goalkeeper Tony Macedo and former Tottenham Hotspur double-winner Terry Dyson. Colchester's form drastically improved, earning 33 points from a possible 42 to propel up the table into fourth position and the promotion places. However, after a poor Easter period, earning just two points against promotion-rivals Bradford City, Halifax Town and Swansea Town saw the U's slip back into sixth place and four points short of promotion.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersErnie AdamsGKHackney500 Arsenal1 July 1967Free transferTony MacedoGKGibraltar00 Fulham2 November 1968£6,000Ron WillisGKRomford00 Charlton AthleticOctober 1968£1,500 DefendersDave BicklesCBWest Ham00 Crystal Palace28 September 1968Free transferMicky CookFBEnfield00 Orient1 March 1969Free transferAlan DennisCBColchester00ApprenticeApril 1967Free transferBrian HallLBBurbage15416 Mansfield TownMarch 1965Free transferBrian HoneywoodCBChelmsford00 Ipswich TownAugust 1968Free transferBobby HowlettCBWest Ham00 Southend UnitedSummer 1968Free transferDennis MochanFBFalkirk812 Nottingham Forest24 September 1966Free transferOwen SimpsonFBMickley00 Orient10 August 1968£3,500Adrian WebsterDFColchester00ApprenticeJuly 1968Free transferBrian WoodCBHamworthy00 Orient14 September 1968£4,000 MidfieldersRoger JoslynMFColchester120Apprentice23 December 1967Free transfer ForwardsMicky BrownWGFarnham Common00 Luton Town26 October 1968£3,000Terry DysonWGMalton00 Fulham24 August 1968Free transferBrian GibbsFWGillingham00 GillinghamSeptember 1968£8,000Danny LightFWChiswick00 Crystal PalaceAugust 1968£4,000Johnny MartinWGAshington8011 Aston Villa20 August 1966Free transferJim OliverFWFalkirk150 Brighton & Hove AlbionJanuary 1968£2,000Terry PriceWGColchester393 Orient16 September 1967£2,000
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1968CBBobby Howlett Southend UnitedFree transferSummer 1968FBGerry Perryman Northampton TownFree transferJuly 1968CBColin Moughton Queens Park RangersTrialJuly 1968DFAdrian WebsterApprenticeFree transferAugust 1968CBBrian Honeywood Ipswich TownFree transferAugust 1968FWDanny Light Crystal Palace£4,00010 August 1968FBOwen Simpson Orient£3,50024 August 1968WGTerry Dyson FulhamFree transferSeptember 1968FWBrian Gibbs Gillingham£8,00014 September 1968CBBrian Wood Orient£4,00028 September 1968CBDave Bickles Crystal PalaceFree transferOctober 1968GKRon Willis Charlton Athletic£1,50026 October 1968WGMicky Brown Luton Town£3,0002 November 1968GKTony Macedo Fulham£6,00016 November 1968FWKen O'Rourke ArsenalTrialNovember 1968WGBarry Rowan Dallas TornadoFree transfer1 March 1969FBMicky Cook OrientFree transfer Total spending: ~ £30,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonCBBob Walker Bedford TownFree transferEnd of seasonWGAlan Shires Chelmsford CityReleasedSummer 1968WHDavid Buck Halstead TownReleasedSummer 1968CBMick Loughton Brentwood TownReleasedSummer 1968MFBobby Blackwood Hawick Royal AlbertPlayer-managerSummer 1968FWPeter Bullock Exeter CityFree transferSummer 1968FWReg Stratton Brentwood TownFree transfer26 August 1968GKAlan Buck Poole TownReleased26 August 1968CBColin Moughton Bedford TownEnd of trialSeptember 1968CBDuncan Forbes Norwich City£10,0004 September 1968FBGerry Perryman Corby TownFree transfer4 September 1968MFJohn Mansfield Brentwood TownFree transfer20 September 1968MFDerek Trevis Walsall£11,00023 November 1968FWKen O'Rourke Bedford TownEnd of trialJanuary 1969WGBarry Rowan Durban UnitedReleasedFebruary 1969FWPeter Barlow WorkingtonFree transfer28 February 1969FWKen Hodgson Poole TownReleased Total incoming: ~ £21,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.31 August 1968CBBrian Wood Orient7 September 19687 September 1968GKTony Macedo Fulham26 October 1968
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.Early 1969FWKen Hodgson Chelmsford CityFebruary 1969January 1969WGJohnny Martin Chelmsford CityJanuary 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 Total1FWDanny Light1220142FWBrian Gibbs1100113FWJim Oliver901104LBBrian Hall32165FBOwen Simpson40046CBDave Bickles3003WGMicky Brown3003WGTerry Dyson3003MFRoger Joslyn3003WGTerry Price210311MFDerek Trevis1001CBBrian Wood1001Own goals2002TOTALS575264
Disciplinary record
Nationality Position Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup TotalFBOwen Simpson20000020WGTerry Dyson10000010CBDuncan Forbes00001010FWJim Oliver10000010MFDerek Trevis00001010TOTALS40002060
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Total1Tony Macedo1510162Ernie Adams10123Ron Willis1001TOTALS171119
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesCBBrian Honeywood10 August 1968BrentfordGriffin ParkCBColin Moughton10 August 1968BrentfordGriffin ParkFBOwen Simpson10 August 1968BrentfordGriffin ParkFBGerry Perryman24 August 1968ChesterSealand RoadWGTerry Dyson24 August 1968ChesterSealand RoadFWDanny Light24 August 1968ChesterSealand RoadCBBrian Wood31 August 1968Doncaster RoversLayer RoadGKTony Macedo7 September 1968York CityLayer RoadCBBrian Wood14 September 1968Bradford CityValley ParadeFWBrian Gibbs14 September 1968Bradford CityValley ParadeCBDave Bickles28 September 1968Exeter CitySt James ParkWGMicky Brown26 October 1968Lincoln CitySincil BankGKTony Macedo2 November 1968WrexhamLayer RoadFWKen O'Rourke16 November 1968Chesham UnitedLayer RoadGKRon Willis23 November 1958Swansea TownVetch FieldWGBarry Rowan23 November 1958Swansea TownVetch Field
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific