Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester, Essex. Formed in 1937, the club competed in the Southern Football League from their foundation until 1950, when they were elected to the Football League. The club spent eleven years in the Third Division South and Third Division following the league's reorganisation in 1958, with a best finish of third place in 1957, one point behind rivals Ipswich Town and Torquay United. Colchester suffered their first relegation in 1961 as they finished 23rd in the Third Division, but spent just one season in the Fourth Division as they were promoted in second position, behind Millwall by just one point. This trend of relegation followed by promotion continued over the next few decades, before the club were eventually relegated from the Football League to the Conference in 1990.

Player-manager Roy McDonough guided the club back to the Football League in 1992, winning the non-league double of the Conference title and the FA Trophy. The club then won promotion to the Second Division in 1998 with a 1–0 Third Division play-off final win at Wembley against Torquay United. The club were again promoted in the 2005–06 season under the stewardship of Phil Parkinson, gaining the opportunity to play second tier football for the first time in their history. After two seasons in the Championship, Colchester were relegated back to League One. Colchester were relegated to the fourth tier for the first time in 18-years at the end of the 2015–16 season.

Colchester United's first team have competed in a number of professional competitions, and all players who have played fewer than 25 of these matches, either as a member of the starting line-up or as a substitute, are listed below. Each player's details include the duration of his Colchester United career, his usual playing position while employed by the club, the number of matches started, the number of substitute appearances and total number of appearances, their total goals scored and total numbers of yellow and red cards collected. The players are sorted by total number of appearances, then by number of starts, then by player name in alphabetical order.

Introduction Over 400 players made between one and 25 appearances in all competitions during their Colchester United careers. Three players finished their time with the club on exactly 24 appearances, including Warren Aspinall, Elliott Hewitt, Garry Richards and Medy Elito Four of the players featured on this list would either go on to manage the club or were player-manager. These include Alf Miller, Jim Smith, Bobby Roberts and George Burley.

Key Player Players highlighted in yellow are registered Colchester United players for the 2016–17 season. Players marked in italics were on loan from another club for the duration of their Colchester United career. The loaning club(s) are noted in the reference column.

+ Positions keyPre-1960s1960s–GKGoalkeeperFBFull backDFDefenderHBHalf-backMFMidfielderFWForwardUUtility player Position Playing positions are listed according to the tactical formations that were employed at the time. The change in the names of defensive and midfield positions reflects the tactical evolution that occurred from the 1960s onwards.

Club career Club career is defined as the first and last calendar years in which the player appeared for the club in any of the competitions listed below.

Total starts, Total subs, Total apps, Total goals, Total yellow cards and Total red cards Total starts, total subs and total goals are matches a player has started, been brought on as a substitute and the combined total of these figures, the total number of goals scored, and the total number of yellow and red cards received in the following competitions; Southern League, Southern League Mid-Week Section, Southern League Cup, English Football League (including play-offs), Conference, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Associate Members' Cup/Football League Trophy/EFL Trophy, FA Trophy, Bob Lord Trophy and the Watney Cup.

Players with one to 24 appearances

PlayerPositionClubcareerTotalstartsTotalsubsTotalappsTotalgoalsTotalTotalRef MF1999199924024570 DF20142014–201524024121 DF2005–200719524121 FW2008–201081624111 MF1972–197323023000 FW1966–196820323500 DF2012201316723161 FW2014–2015201581523410 FW1970–197119322410 FW19741975–197618422000 MF2016–201814822060 FW2003200491322210 FW1951–195221021100 GK198921021000 DF2002–200321021052 FB1982–198319221000 DF199216521400 DF1968–196915621000 FW2006–200751621140 FW1999–200031821000 CB2021–20020031 FB2013–201420020350 FW1946–194720020800 GK199320020001 MF1988–198920020200 DF194720020000 FW2001–200219120410 DF2014–201518220020 RB2020–16420041 FB2007–200815520010 FW2007–200812820401 FW2017–201811920200 GK198719019000 FW1952–195319019700 DF2017–201819019010 FB1945–194619019100 DM2021–19019030 MF2010201018119371 FW1972–197317219300 FW2013201615419320 FW2017–201815419311 FW201313619151 DF1967–196813619000 FW2021–12719320 FW198812719000 MF2021–11819020 FW1983–198571219100 FW2008–200951419210 FW1951–195418018200 DF201118018030 MF201318018120 FW194618018700 GK201518018000 FW1988–198918018600 DF2009–201017118140 DF1969–197011718010 FW1964–196517017300 FB1965–196715217000 DF2007–200810717020 DF2021–10717020 FW1989–19908917300 MF19991999–200061117010 FW19901990–199161117300 FB196116016100 FB199016016100 GK199216016000 GK2008–200916016000 FW201115116410 DF2021–15116010 DF200713316210 FW198411516200 DF1999–200010616010 FW1997–19988816110 MF2007–20087916020 FW1937–1938150151500 FW1945–194615015400 FB1945–194615015200 HB1949–195215015000 DF199915015150 DF201614115010 FW196714115500 FW1990–199241115500 FW2020–202111415100 FW194714014500 FW1954–195514014400 GK1946–194714014000 FW1937140141000 DF1998199813114121 FW199313114100 DF2014–20152017–201811314010 FW19851985–19869514000 WG20198614200 MF2016–20198614010 FW19956814200 FW1994–19955914500 FW20065914010 FB199613013030 GK1945–194613013000 MF197213013000 FW1963–196413013200 DF1947–194813013100 FB1945–194613013100 FB201310313010 FW19948513200 ST20214913110 FB198812012000 FW1949–195112012100 FW1965–196612012100 FW200512012410 HB1954–195512012000 HB1948–194912012000 MF1987–198812012030 FW1948–194912012500 GK1997199912012001 MF199211112000 FW199711112520 FW19959312200 AM2021–9312100 FW20095712010 FW20174812010 FW1974–19754812200 FW2018–20203912100 DF1989–19913912100 DF199911011051 GK198811011000 DF194611011000 HB1950–195111011100 FW197411011700 FW201511011400 FW1937–193811011600 FW194611011300 FB1980–198110111001 WG/AM2021–8311220 FW201011011010 GK199310010000 DF197210010000 FB196110010000 FB1938–193910010000 FW196010010200 DF201510010000 GK199010010000 FW198319969110500 MF1987–19889110010 MF198919926410000 FW20185510100 FW20174610000 FW20172810100 FW19932810000 DF2014–2015909100 DF1945–1946909000 MF19991999909020 FW1991909400 GK1970–1971909000 FB2010909100 DF2007819020 FW20002001819100 MF1972–1973819000 FB1984729110 MF2012729210 DF2002729011 FW2013639100 MF1974639000 FB1994549000 FW1988–1989549000 FW1988459100 FW19991999279000 FW2005279110 FW2001–2002099000 GK1995–1997808000 GK1999808000 FB1954–1955808000 GK1992808000 FW1945808300 FB1994808001 FW1993808200 FW1946808000 FW1947808200 FW1938–1945808200 FW1945–1946808100 GK2019718010 MF1992718211 DF1975–1976628000 MF1978628000 MF2002358010 FW2013358100 LW2018–2019178010 HB1965–1966707000 FW1946707400 GK1951707000 DF2002707020 FW1946707500 FW1983707000 FB2008–2009707010 FW1938–1939707400 FW1946–1947707200 FB1988–1989707000 GK1968–1970707000 DF1982617000 RB/MF2020617000 DF1983–1984527100 FW1969527000 MF2021–347010 FW2020–257001 FW2002–2003167000 MF2013167010 FW2018167000 MF2017167010 MF2004077000 FW2009–2010077010 GK1946606000 FB1988606100 FW1948–1949606000 FW1945–1946606000 FW1947606200 FB2002606000 FW1980606200 HB1945606000 FB1969606000 GK1993–1994606000 FW1985606110 FW1945606100 FW1947–1948606000 DF2016516010 DF2000516010 FB1991516000 MF2019516010 DF2009516010 FW1992426000 DF2018–2020426000 MF2016336000 FW2006246010 FW2005246000 WG2018246010 MF2000246010 MF2006066010 FW2012–2013066000 FB2008505000 FB1975505000 GK1988505000 FB1994505000 FW2008505220 FW1949505100 GK2016505000 DF1988505020 GK1947–1948505000 MF1975505200 DF1968505000 GK1996505000 DF2012–2013505010 FW1945505100 DF2013505100 GK1955–1961505000 FW1973–1974415200 LB2021415000 FW2005415100 GK1993415001 GK2021–415000 GK1999–2000415000 DF2003325010 FW1993–1994235000 DF1970–1971235000 DF1991235000 MF2005–2006235000 DF1991–1994235000 MF2016145000 DF20142015–2016145000 MF2005145010 FW2014055000 FW2015055100 MF2020–055010 LB2020–055000 FB1938–1945404000 FW1999404110 FW1961–1962404000 FW1945404100 FW1956404100 DF1989404100 DF2013404020 FW1994404100 GK1989404000 FW1945–1946404100 FW2009404000 FW1946404000 DF1983404000 GK1946404000 FW1939404200 FW1945–1946404000 FW1989404000 FW1938–1939404000 FB1945404000 DF2015404010 DF1945404000 FW1973404000 FW1969404010 DF1972404000 GK2012404000 FB2004404010 FW1938404000 FB1972404000 DF1972–1973314000 FW2000314000 FW2013314100 MF2002–2003224000 FW2002224100 FW2006134010 FW2016–2017134000 FW1990134000 FW2021–044100 FW1983–1984044000 GK1976303000 HB1962303000 FW1939303000 FW1961–1962303100 HB1937–1938303000 FB1994303000 FB1948303000 GK1949303000 GK1945303000 FW1946303000 FB1952–1953303000 FW1945303000 FW1945303100 DF1989303000 FW1964303000 HB1939303000 HB1945–1946303000 FB2010303000 FW1946–1947303000 FW1968303000 DF2000303000 DF1994–1995303100 DF1946303000 FW1995303000 FW2008303100 DF1971303000 DF2016–2017213010 DF1993213000 FW1996213000 DF1995213000 MF2009213010 FB1968213000 DF2014213010 FW2016123000 MF1994123000 MF2021–123000 MF1973–1975123000 FW2011123000 FW2002033010 WG2019033000 FW2014033000 FW2011033000 FW1946202000 DF2000202020 GK2016202000 HB1945202000 FW1951–1954202100 FW1945–1946202000 DF1998202010 GK1977202000 FW1946202000 FW1945202000 FW1953202000 GK1946–1947202000 FW1959202000 FB1945–1946202000 GK1972202000 FW1945202000 HB1946–1947202000 GK2014–2015202000 FW1957202100 HB1948202000 FW1959–1964202000 GK1992202000 DF1937202000 FW1968202000 FB2011202000 FB2010202000 FW1946202100 FW1945202300 FB1951202000 FB1959202000 FW2013202000 GK1948202000 FW1975202000 FW1945202100 FW1946202000 FW1985202000 FW1945202000 FW1994112000 DF1991112000 FB2008112000 MF2020112010 MF1994112000 FW1976112100 FW1994022000 DF2009–2010022000 MF1995022000 FW1994022000 MF2003022000 MF1991022000 MF2019–022000 FW2008022000 FW2016022000 DF2013022001 MF2011–2014022000 DF1999022000 FW1945101000 DF1987101100 HB1946101100 GK1994101000 FB2018101000 DF1993101000 DF2021–101000 FW1937101000 FW1946101000 FW1945101000 HB1945101000 MF1991101000 FW1945101000 FW1945101000 FW1945101000 DF1946101000 FB1980101000 FB1994101000 GK1945101000 GK1993101000 FW1946101200 FW1991101000 HB1955101000 FW1946101000 HB1946101000 FumaçaMF1999101000 FW1947101000 FW1946101000 HB1945101000 DF1949101000 FW1946101000 HB1945101000 FW1946101000 DF1955101000 FW1945101000 GK1946101000 FW1947101000 FW1945101000 GK2002101000 GK1987101000 FW1962101000 DF2020101000 FB1946101000 FW1946101000 FW1955101000 FB1975101000 DF2014101000 DF1945101000 DF2014101001 DF1970101000 DF2018101000 DF1949101000 FW1949101000 FW1938101000 FW1946101000 FW1945101000 FW1946101000 FW1946101100 FW1946101300 FW1945101000 FW1946101300 DF2013101000 DF1945101000 FW1946101100 GK1945101000 HB1953101000 FW2003011100 HB1965011000 FW2002011000 MF2009011000 DF2021–011000 MF2015011000 FW2017011000 FW1986011000 FB2001011000 DF2012011000 FW2013011000 MF2013011000 MF2003011000 FB1965011000 MF1967011000 MF2014011000 MF2015011000 FW2017011100 WG2019011000 FW1993011000 MF1999011000 DF2016011000 MF1997011000 MF1998011000 DF1988011000 FW1990011000 FW2014011000 FB2013011000 FW2021–011000 CF2020011000 FW2007011000 DF1998011000 MF1972011000 FB1986011000 MF1985011000

Players with 25 or more appearances

References General

Specific