The 1965–66 season was Colchester United's 24th season in their history and their first 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.
Colchester were immediately promoted back to the Third Division after ending the season in fourth position. Queens Park Rangers handed Colchester another early FA Cup exit following a replay, while Middlesbrough knocked the U's out of the League Cup in the second round.
Season overview Neil Franklin brought in forward Reg Stratton to lead the line for the new season and he responded with 18 league goals and 21 in total. They won ten times on their travels, setting a new club record, while losing just three times at Layer Road. After leading the Fourth Division table across Easter, subsequent defeats to promotion rivals Darlington on two occasions and Torquay United saw Colchester drop to fourth position ahead of the final game of the season. A 2–1 defeat to Newport County left fans awaiting the result of Luton Town's game with Chester with Luton just one point behind and the game kicking off 15-minutes later than the U's fixture. The game finished 1–1 with Colchester, Luton, and Tranmere Rovers all tied on 56 points. Goal average would separate the sides, with Franklin's side pipping Tranmere to the final promotion spot by 0.08.
As the club did four years prior, the U's bounced back from the Fourth Division at the first attempt. The season was also notable as player replacements were allowed for the first time. Ray Price became Colchester's first substitute when he came on to replace the injured Ted Phillips after 85-minutes of their 2–0 home win over Rochdale on 18 September.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersAlan BuckGKColchester110AmateurJuly 1963Free transferSandy KennonGKJohannesburg100 Norwich CityMarch 1965Free transfer DefendersDuncan ForbesCBEdinburgh1410 Musselburgh Athletic4 September 1961NominalJohn FowlerFBLeith4125 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic20 August 1955Free transferBrian HallLBBurbage101 Mansfield TownMarch 1965Free transferDavid LaittFBColchester00AmateurSummer 1962Free transferMick LoughtonCBColchester281AmateurAugust 1961Free transferRay PriceFBHetton-le-Hole110 Norwich CitySummer 1964Free transferDavid RaineFBDarlington00 Doncaster Rovers1 June 1965Nominal MidfieldersBobby BlackwoodMFEdinburgh00 Ipswich Town1 June 1965Free transferDavid BuckWHColchester00Apprentice16 October 1965Free transferDave LamontMFGlasgow00ApprenticeJuly 1965Free transferJohn MansfieldMFColchester10ApprenticeAugust 1964Free transferDerek TrevisMFBirmingham607 Aston Villa7 March 1964Free transfer ForwardsBarrie AitchisonWGColchester414 Tottenham Hotspur1 August 1964£750Peter BarlowFWPortsmouth00ApprenticeSeptember 1965Free transferDennis BarrettIF00ApprenticeSummer 1964Free transferPeter BullockFWStoke-on-Trent00 Southend United30 October 1965NominalMike GriceWGWoking24830 Coventry City18 August 1962£1,000John HornsbyWGFerryhill00 Evenwood TownOctober 1965£25/5sArthur KayeWGHigham00 Middlesbrough21 August 1965Free transferTed PhillipsIFLeiston00 Luton Town11 September 1965Part exchangeReg StrattonFWKingsley00 Fulham28 May 1965Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.28 May 1965FWReg Stratton FulhamFree transfer1 June 1965FBDavid Raine Doncaster RoversNominal1 June 1965MFBobby Blackwood Ipswich TownFree transferJuly 1965MFDave LamontApprenticeFree transfer21 August 1965WHJackie Bell Norwich CityFree transfer21 August 1965WGArthur Kaye MiddlesbroughFree transferSeptember 1965FWPeter BarlowApprenticeFree transfer11 September 1965IFTed Phillips Luton TownPart exchange with Billy StarkOctober 1965WGJohn Hornsby Evenwood Town£25/5s16 October 1965WHDavid BuckApprenticeFree transfer30 October 1965FWPeter Bullock Southend UnitedNominal Total spending: ~ £25/5s
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonWHJohn Docherty Chelmsford CityReleasedEnd of seasonFBRichie Griffiths Haverhill RoversReleasedEnd of seasonIFGareth Salisbury ChesterfieldReleased23 April 1965IFBobby Hill Bury TownReleased23 April 1965IFArthur Langley Nottingham ForestReleased28 August 1965FWBilly Stark Luton Town£1,000 plus Ted PhillipsOctober 1965WHTecwyn Jones Crewe AlexandraNominal12 February 1966WHJackie Bell Gainford TownReleased Total incoming: ~ £1,000
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 Total1FWReg Stratton1803212IFTed Phillips1300133FWPeter Bullock110011LBBrian Hall911115MFBobby Blackwood32056MFDerek Trevis40047WGBarrie Aitchison30038WGArthur Kaye20029CBDuncan Forbes1001WGJohn Hornsby1001CBMick Loughton1001MFJohn Mansfield1001FWBilly Stark1001Own goals2002TOTALS703477
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Total1Sandy Kennon150015TOTALS150015
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesWHJackie Bell21 August 1965Port ValeVale ParkWGJohn Hornsby21 August 1965Port ValeVale ParkWGArthur Kaye21 August 1965Port ValeVale ParkFWReg Stratton21 August 1965Port ValeVale ParkMFBobby Blackwood1 September 1965Exeter CityLayer RoadIFTed Phillips11 September 1965BarnsleyLayer RoadFBDavid Raine22 September 1965MiddlesbroughLayer RoadWHDavid Buck16 October 1965Hartlepools UnitedLayer RoadFBDavid Laitt30 October 1965SouthportLayer RoadFWPeter Bullock30 October 1965SouthportLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Websites
Specific