The 1948–49 season was Colchester United's seventh season in their history and their seventh 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 runners–up in the Southern League Cup to Yeovil Town just ten days after losing the delayed 1947–48 season final to Merthyr Tydfil. The club exited the FA Cup in the first round to Reading, although the first encounter between the clubs was abandoned due to heavy fog. The match gathered a record Layer Road and Colchester United crowd of 19,072, before being abandoned with the scores at 1–1.
Season overview Former Aston Villa and Portsmouth defender Jimmy Allen was tasked with taking Colchester United into the Football League when he stepped into the void left following Ted Fenton's departure for West Ham United during the simmer.
The ex-England international oversaw his side reach the final of the Southern League Cup for the second successive season. With the 1947–48 final held over from the previous season, Colchester first lost that final against Merthyr Tydfil 5–0, before losing the 1948–49 season final 3–0 to Yeovil Town ten days later. During these ten days, the club also played four league fixtures.
On the back of a successful FA Cup run across the 1947–48 season, much was expected of Colchester for their 1948–49 campaign. They drew Reading at home for their first–round fixture, but the game which drew a record Layer Road and Colchester United crowd of 19,072 was abandoned with the scores tied at 1–1 due to heavy fog. The rearranged match saw the U's crash out with a 4–2 defeat.
In the Southern League, Colchester once again finished in fourth position while Chelmsford City and Gillingham battled for the title, with the Kent side winning their second title in three years.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersKen WhiteheadGK00 Clacton TownMay 1948Free transferGeorge WrightGKPlymouth00 Plymouth ArgyleMay 1949£1,000Harry WrightGKTottenham640 Chelmsford City11 July 1946Free transfer DefendersBill BowerFBWrexham731 Millwall28 November 1945Free transferGeorge FrenchFBColchester00 West Ham UnitedFebruary 1949Free transferDigger KettleFBColchester601 Arclight SportsSeptember 1946Free transfer MidfieldersHarry BearrymanWHWandsworth465 Chelsea4 July 1947Free transferAlf MillerWHPortsmouth00 Plymouth ArgyleAugust 1948Free transferWally NunnWHDeptford00 Swindon TownJune 1948Free transferFrank StamperWH/IRHartlepool80Colchester Garrison Army Fire Fighting Centre3 March 1947Free transfer ForwardsBob AllenWGBromley-by-Bow440 Gainsborough Trinity13 June 1946Free transferAndy BrownIFCoatbridge423 Torquay United17 June 1947Free transferLen CaterCFColchester7626Free agent6 June 1946Free transferBob CurryIFGateshead8349 Northampton Town13 June 1947Free transferFred CuttingIFNorth Walsham3115 Norwich City6 December 1947Free transferStan FoxallWGCrowle00 West Ham UnitedJune 1948Free transferNorman GeorgeWG004 September 1948Free transferDennis HillmanWGSouthend-on-Sea7213 Brighton & Hove Albion21 September 1946Free transferVic KeebleCFColchester159 King George Youth Club23 May 1947£10Denis MaffeyCFSunderland00 Ipswich TownMay 1948Free transferBob NevilleOL72 RowhedgeOctober 1946Free transferRay TownrowIRWest Ham115 Wolverhampton Wanderers2 January 1948Free transferArthur TurnerCFPoplar7551 Charlton AthleticSeptember 1946Free transfer
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.May 1948GKKen Whitehead Clacton TownFree transferMay 1948CFDenis Maffey Ipswich TownFree transferJune 1948WHWally Nunn Swindon TownFree transferJune 1948WGStan Foxall West Ham UnitedFree transferAugust 1948WHAlf Miller Plymouth ArgyleFree transfer21 August 1948WGHarry Cranfield Bristol RoversFree transfer4 September 1948WGNorman GeorgeUnknownFree transferFebruary 1949FBGeorge French West Ham UnitedFree transfer23 April 1949GKGraham Davies WatfordTrialMay 1949GKGeorge Wright Plymouth Argyle£1,0005 May 1949CHPeter Hildyard Leyton OrientTrial Total spending: ~ £1,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonFBAlbert WalkerFree agentRetiredSummer 1948CBAlbert Page Chingford TownFree transferSummer 1948IFIan Gillespie LeistonPlayer-manager1 May 1948GKErnest SetchellFree agentReleasedJuly 1948WHTed Fenton West Ham UnitedAssistant managerNovember 1948FBAubrey Darmody Great Yarmouth TownFree transferNovember 1948WHArthur Biggs Vauxhall MotorsFree transferJanuary 1949GKJohn Le Mare West Ham UnitedFree transfer2 April 1949WGHarry Cranfield King's LynnFree transfer2 May 1949GKGraham Davies WatfordEnd of trial5 May 1949CHPeter Hildyard Leyton OrientEnd of trial
Match details
Southern League
League table
Matches
Southern League Cup
1947–48 season fixture
1948–49 season fixtures
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 Total1CFArthur Turner2930322IFBob Curry1720193IFFred Cutting1330164WGStan Foxall740115CFLen Cater5128WGDennis Hillman6208CFVic Keeble80088WGBob Allen30039WGNorman George1001CFDenis Maffey1001Unknown goalscorer3104Own goals1001TOTALS94162112
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Southern League Southern League Cup FA Cup Total1Ken Whitehead910102Graham Davies1001George Wright1001TOTALS111012
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesWHWally Nunn21 August 1948Cheltenham TownWhaddon RoadWGHarry Cranfield21 August 1948Cheltenham TownWhaddon RoadWGStan Foxall21 August 1948Cheltenham TownWhaddon RoadWHAlf Miller1 September 1948Chelmsford CityNew Writtle StreetGKKen Whitehead4 September 1948Barry TownJenner Park StadiumCFDenis Maffey11 December 1948Chelmsford CityNew Writtle StreetWGNorman George15 April 1949Guildford CityLayer RoadGKGraham Davies28 April 1949Worcester CityLayer RoadGKGeorge Wright5 May 1949Hereford UnitedLayer RoadCHPeter Hildyard5 May 1949Hereford UnitedLayer Road
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References
General
Specific