The 1956–57 season was Colchester United's 15th season in their history and their seventh season in the Third Division South, the third tier of English football. Alongside competing in the Third Division South, the club also participated in the FA Cup in which the club were eliminated by Southend United in the first round in the first Essex derby in a cup competition. The season would be Colchester United's highest league finish for 50 years by ending their campaign in third position. It has only been bettered on three occasions; the 2005–06 season, 2006–07 season and the 2007–08 season.
Season overview The 1956–57 season proved to be Colchester United's best finish in their history, ending the season in third position in the third tier with a result that was not bettered until 2006. For the majority of the season, Colchester were favourites for promotion, during which time they went 20 league games unbeaten between December 1956 and Easter 1957.
Colchester and rivals Ipswich Town vied for the top spot for much of the season. Colchester were seven-points ahead of their third-placed rivals when the two sides met at Layer Road on 16 February 1957. A record crowd of 18,559 witnessed the 0–0 draw, with over 4,000 fans turned away and over 100 spectators witnessing the action from the roof of the Popular Side stand. Player-manager Benny Fenton missed a 21st-minute penalty during the match, which was saved by Ipswich goalkeeper Roy Bailey.
A 2–1 win over second-placed Torquay United, who trailed by four points as a result, improved Colchester's title credentials. However, the loss of influential players to injury including Bob Dale and Chic Milligan damaged Colchester's hopes. Three consecutive draws in late March and early April allowed Torquay to close the gap to just one point, with Ipswich five points adrift. Over Easter 1957, Colchester lost three consecutive away games at Millwall, Walsall and Swindon Town, but won their final game of the season 2–0 against Watford to put them back at the top of the table, but both Ipswich and Torquay's final matches were 24 hours later. Both sides won their final games, with Colchester slipping to third position in the table and Ipswich were promoted as champions, level on points with Torquay but with a better goal average, while they finished one point ahead of Colchester. Colchester played the entire season unbeaten at Layer Road.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersPercy AmesGKPlymouth450 Tottenham Hotspur1 May 1955Free transferJohn WrightGKAldershot40 Colchester Casuals23 May 1952Free transfer DefendersBrian DobsonCBColchester60AmateurJanuary 1956Free transferGeorge FisherFBBermondsey431 Fulham1 September 1955£1,000John FowlerFBLeith162 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic20 August 1955Free transferChic MilliganCBArdrossan00 Ardrossan Winton Rovers18 August 1956£1,000Reg StewartCBSheffield3072 Sheffield Wednesday20 August 1949£1,000 MidfieldersBenny FentonWHWest Ham444 Charlton Athletic5 March 1955£500Trevor HarrisWHColchester30AmateurJuly 1951Free transferBert HillWHWest Ham602 ChelseaSeptember 1952£300Ron HuntWHColchester340AmateurOctober 1951Free transferDerek ParkerWHWivenhoe00 West Ham UnitedMarch 1957£2,500 ForwardsLes BarrellWGColchester00 Lexden WanderersSummer 1956Free transferRussell BlakeWGColchester50 Dedham Old Boys8 September 1955Free transferBobby HillIFEdinburgh41 Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare9 June 1955Free transferMartyn KingCFBirmingham00AmateurSummer 1955Free transferKevin McCurleyCFConsett15764 LiverpoolJune 1951£750Sammy McLeodIFGlasgow432 Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare20 August 1955Free transferKen PlantCFNuneaton9636 BuryJanuary 1954UndisclosedEddie SmithIFMarylebone00 Northampton TownJune 1956UndisclosedTommy WilliamsWGBattersea00 Carshalton AthleticSeptember 1956Free transferPeter WrightWGColchester11322AmateurNovember 1951Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1956WGLes Barrell Lexden WanderersFree transferJune 1956IFEddie Smith Northampton TownUndisclosed18 August 1956CBChic Milligan Ardrossan Winton Rovers£1,000September 1956WGTommy Williams Carshalton AthleticFree transferMarch 1957WHDerek Parker West Ham United£2,500 Total spending: ~ £3,500
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonGKGeorge Wright Sudbury TownFree transferEnd of seasonIFAlfred Noble LeytonstoneFree transferSummer 1956CBBilly Hunt Sudbury TownReleasedSeptember 1956FBJohn HarrisonFree agentRetired16 February 1957WHBob DaleFree agentRetiredMarch 1957FBGeorge FrenchRetiredRetired
Match details
Third Division South
Results round by round
League table
Matches
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 South FA Cup Total1CFKen Plant240242IFEddie Smith130133CFKevin McCurley91104WHBenny Fenton808WGPeter Wright8086IFBobby Hill7077WGTommy Williams3038WHBob Dale202FBGeorge Fisher202IFSammy McLeod20211FBJohn Fowler101WHBert Hill101CBChic Milligan101WGLes Barrell101CFMartyn King101Own goals101TOTALS83184
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Third Division South FA Cup Total1Percy Ames13013TOTALS13013
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesCBChic Milligan18 August 1956Southend UnitedLayer RoadWGLes Barrell18 August 1956Southend UnitedLayer RoadIFEddie Smith18 August 1956Southend UnitedLayer RoadCFMartyn King27 August 1956Crystal PalaceLayer RoadWGTommy Williams24 November 1956BrentfordLayer RoadWHDerek Parker13 April 1957AldershotLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References
General Books
Websites
Specific