The 1949–50 season was Colchester United's eighth season in their history and their eighth and final season in the Southern League. Alongside competing in the Southern League, the club also participated in the FA Cup and Southern League Cup. The club finished as runner-up to Merthyr Tydfil in the league, but despite this Colchester were elected to the Football League at the end of the campaign with the expansion of the League from 88 to 92 clubs. The club won the Southern League Cup 6–4 on aggregate, while they exited the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round stage following a 1–0 defeat by Wealdstone.
Season overview Layer Road suffered storm damage ahead of the 1949–50 season, and owing to a shortage of steel, re-construction work was not complete as the season commenced. Manager Jimmy Allen strengthened his defence with the signing of Reg Stewart from Sheffield Wednesday and Bill Layton from Bradford Park Avenue, and by Christmas 1949, Colchester had lost just three of their 28 games played, one of which was the 1–0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round defeat to Wealdstone. The game was one of the first FA Cup ties to be broadcast on television, but on this occasion it was the U's who were on the receiving end of a cup shock.
Colchester had topped the table all season until a fixture-congested April, which saw them held to home draws by Torquay United Reserves and Gravesend & Northfleet, while suffering 5–0 and 6–1 defeats at main title rivals Merthyr Tydfil and Gillingham in the space of three days. Between those defeats, the U's had recovered some pride with a 3–0 Southern League Cup final first-leg win over Bath City. Competing in their fourth match in just five days, a weary Colchester side allowed Bath to lead the second-leg 4–1, meaning the tie would go to extra time. Vic Keeble and Dennis Hillman scored in the added 30-minutes, helping Colchester lift the trophy for the second time with their third final appearance in 3 years.
With Gillingham having defeated Merthyr Tydfil during midweek, all Colchester needed to do in their final fixture was to win at Barry Town to secure the title. However, they were held to a goalless draw and Merthyr Tydfil took the title on goal average. Despite this, Vic Keeble had been the club's top scorer with 46 goals, a record which remains intact. Supplementing this were Fred Cutting's 24 goal haul and Bob Curry's 22, while fellow forward Arthur Turner had spent the majority of the season out injured with cartilage damage.
On 3 June 1950, only Everton and West Bromwich Albion opposed the expansion of the Football League from 88 to 92 clubs by expanding the Third Division North and South, instead preferring another regional league. Of the applications for Third Division South election, Gillingham polled 44 votes, Colchester 28, Worcester City 11, Chelmsford City 8, Peterborough United 5 and Merthyr Tydfil and Yeovil Town just one vote each. Colchester United were elected to the Football League with a Supporters Club membership of over 16,000 and an average gate of over 8,500.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersKen WhiteheadGK380 Clacton TownMay 1948Free transferGeorge WrightGKPlymouth20 Plymouth ArgyleMay 1949£1,000 DefendersDoug BeachFBWatford00 Southend United8 October 1949Free transferGeorge FrenchFBColchester00 West Ham UnitedFebruary 1949Free transferDigger KettleFBColchester1061 Arclight SportsSeptember 1946Free transferReg StewartCBSheffield00 Sheffield Wednesday20 August 1949£1,000 MidfieldersHarry BearrymanWHWandsworth945 Chelsea4 July 1947Free transferBill LaytonWHShirley00 Bradford Park AvenueAugust 1949£800John MooreWHChiswick00 Brentford8 September 1949£1,000 ForwardsBob AllenWGBromley-by-Bow723 Gainsborough Trinity13 June 1946Free transferBob CurryIFGateshead13068 Northampton Town13 June 1947Free transferFred CuttingIFNorth Walsham7331 Norwich City6 December 1947Free transferStan FoxallWGCrowle3511 West Ham UnitedJune 1948Free transferJosé GallegoWGSan Sebastián00 SouthamptonJuly 1949Free transferDennis HillmanWGSouthend-on-Sea9521 Brighton & Hove Albion21 September 1946Free transferVic KeebleCFColchester3017 King George Youth Club23 May 1947£10Denis MaffeyCFSunderland311 Ipswich TownMay 1948Free transferBob NevilleOLColchester72 RowhedgeOctober 1946Free transferArthur TurnerCFPoplar11183 Charlton AthleticSeptember 1946Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.July 1949WGJosé Gallego SouthamptonFree transferAugust 1949WHBill Layton Bradford Park Avenue£80020 August 1949CBReg Stewart Sheffield Wednesday£1,000 (paid on joining Football League in 1950)8 September 1949WHJohn Moore Brentford£1,0008 October 1949FBDoug Beach Southend UnitedFree transfer20 October 1949CBRonnie Sales Leyton OrientFree transfer22 October 1949CFJohn Sharpe SouthamptonTrial Total spending: ~ £2,800
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonGKHarry Wright Guildford CityCoachEnd of seasonWHWally Nunn Guildford CityFree transferEnd of seasonWH/IRFrank Stamper Hartlepools UnitedUndisclosedEnd of seasonWGNorman GeorgeFree agentReleasedEnd of seasonIFAndy Brown Kidderminster HarriersFree transferEnd of seasonIRRay Townrow Clacton TownFree transferMay 1949WHAlf Miller Colchester UnitedCoaching staff10 September 1949CFLen Cater Clacton TownFree transfer1 October 1949FBBill Bower Sudbury TownFree transfer20 October 1949CBRonnie Sales Hartlepools UnitedFree22 October 1949CFJohn SharpeFree agentEnd of trial
Match details Southern League
League table
Matches
Southern 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 Southern League Southern League Cup FA Cup Total1CFVic Keeble4240462IFFred Cutting2130243IFBob Curry2020224WHBill Layton70075WGDennis Hillman42066WGStan Foxall50057WHHarry Bearryman31048WGBob Allen30039WGJosé Gallego1001Own goals3003TOTALS109120121
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Southern League Southern League Cup FA Cup Total1George Wright182020TOTALS182020
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesWHBill Layton20 August 1949WeymouthLayer RoadCBReg Stewart20 August 1949WeymouthLayer RoadWGJosé Gallego20 August 1949WeymouthLayer RoadWHJohn Moore8 September 1949Chingford TownNewgate StreetFBDoug Beach8 October 1949Chelmsford CityLayer RoadCBRonnie Sales20 October 1949Lovell's AthleticRexvilleCFJohn Sharpe22 October 1949Yeovil TownLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General
Specific