1971–72 Colchester United F.C. season

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Colchester United
1971–72 season
Chairman Roy Chapman[1]
Manager England Dick Graham
Fourth Division 11th
FA Cup 1st Round
League Cup 3rd Round
Watney Cup Winners
Top goalscorer League:
Brian Lewis (15)
All:
Brian Lewis (23)
Highest home attendance 9,807 (Southend United)
Lowest home attendance 3,390 (Workington)
Average home league attendance 5,395
Football kit (blue jersey; blue shorts with white sides; and white socks).
Home colours
← 1970–71 1972–73 →

The 1971–72 season was Colchester United's fourth consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division. They won the Watney Cup and finished 11th in the league.

Season Review

The U's goalscoring prowess of the 1970–71 season did qualify them for the 1971–72 pre-season Watney Cup. The competition was open to the two highest scoring teams from each division that had not won promotion. U's saw off Luton and Carlisle at Layer Road to reach the final against West Bromwich Albion, at The Hawthorns. A thrilling encounter saw the tie level at 4-4 after extra time leading to Colchester's first-ever penalty shoot-out. Albion missed two and U's one leaving youngster Phil Bloss to slam hone the decisive winning spot-kick.

After the exploits of the previous season's cup run and now Watney Cup success, United were firm favourites for promotion. But with an ageing side and a club debt amounting to over £21,000 (£400,000 today based on average earnings index) and with the floodlighting requiring urgent maintenance work, manager Dick Graham turned full circle and introduced youth to United's side. Steve Leslie, Steve Foley, Lindsay Smith, Micky Cook and John McLaughlin were just some who came in during the rapid break up of Granddad's Army. All would become regulars in United's side but youth alone was not sufficient for United to maintain a serious promotion bid and they finished 1971–72 in eleventh place, nine points adrift of promotion.[2]

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
–– England GK Barry Smith
–– England DF Richard Bourne
–– England DF Eric Burgess
–– England DF Micky Cook
–– England DF Brian Hall
–– England DF John McLaughlin
–– England DF Dave Simmons
No. Position Player
–– England DF Lindsay Smith
–– England MF Phil Bloss
–– England MF Steve Foley
–– England MF Steve Leslie
–– England MF Mick Mahon
–– England MF Bobby Mills
–– England FW Brian Gibbs

Player Info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK England Barry Smith England Colchester 3 March 1953 England Youth Team 1 August 1971 Free
DF England Richard Bourne England Colchester 9 December 1954 England Youth Team 1 August 1971 Free
DF England Eric Burgess England Edgware 27 October 1944 England Plymouth Argyle 20 February 1971 Free
DF England Micky Cook England Enfield 9 April 1951 England Leyton Orient 6 October 1969 Free
DF England Brian Hall England Burbage 9 March 1939 England Mansfield Town 6 March 1965 Free
DF England John McLaughlin England Edmonton 29 October 1954 England Youth Team 1 August 1971 Free
DF England Dave Simmons England Ryde 24 October 1948 England Aston Villa 26 December 1970 £6,000
DF England Lindsay Smith England Enfield 18 September 1954 England Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF England Phil Bloss England Colchester 16 January 1953 England Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF England Steve Foley England Clacton-on-Sea 21 June 1953 England Youth Team 1 August 1971 Free
MF England Steve Leslie England Hornsey 4 September 1952 England Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF England Mick Mahon England Manchester 17 September 1944 England York City 15 August 1970 Free
MF England Bobby Mills England Edmonton 16 March 1955 England Youth Team 1 August 1971 Free
FW England Brian Gibbs England Gillingham 6 October 1936 England Gillingham 14 September 1968 £6,000

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 August 1971 GK England Barry Smith England Youth Team Free
1 August 1971 DF England Richard Bourne England Youth Team Free
1 August 1971 DF England John McLaughlin England Youth Team Free
1 August 1971 MF England Steve Foley England Youth Team Free
1 August 1971 MF England Bobby Mills England Youth Team Free
1 August 1971 MF England Tony Wingate England Youth Team Free

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
31 July 1971 FW England Ray Crawford South Africa Durban City Free
5 October 1971 MF England Brian Owen England Wolverhampton Wanderers Free Player-coach
13 November 1971 GK England Graham Smith England West Bromwich Albion Free
20 November 1971 DF Scotland John Kurila England Lincoln City Free
12 February 1972 DF Scotland John Gilchrist England Tonbridge Free Player-manager
26 February 1972 MF England Ken Jones England Margate Free
18 March 1972 MF England Tony Wingate England Barnet Free
31 March 1972 DF England Bobby Cram European Union Retired Free
3 April 1972 MF England Brian Lewis England Portsmouth £9,000
24 April 1972 DF England Brian Garvey England Bedford Town Free Player-manager

Loans In

Date Pos. Player Name Parent Club Date Returned Notes
26 November 1971 DF England Charlie Woods England Watford 18 December 1971
11 March 1972 MF England David Burnside England Bristol City 29 April 1972

Results

Fourth Division Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA Av Pts
10 Cambridge United 46 17 14 15 62 60 1.033 48
11 Colchester United 46 19 10 17 70 69 1.014 48
12 Doncaster Rovers 46 16 14 16 56 63 0.889 46

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GAv = Goal average; Pts = Points

Fourth Division Results

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
14/08/1971 Lincoln City A 0-2 6,607
20/08/1971 Hartlepool United H 1-0 5,634 Ashurst (o.g.)
28/08/1971 Bury A 0-3 2,557
31/08/1971 Newport County A 1-2 4,168 Lewis
02/09/1971 Southport H 1-0 5,439 Mahon
11/09/1971 Darlington A 0-2 2,683
17/09/1971 Crewe Alexandra H 4-2 6,133 Burgess, Lewis, Mahon, Leslie
25/09/1971 Northampton Town A 1-1 5,800 Hall
28/09/1971 Scunthorpe United A 0-2 5,111
01/10/1971 Chester City H 1-0 6,048 Leslie
09/10/1971 Aldershot A 2-0 5,285 Lewis, Leslie
15/10/1971 Lincoln City H 5-2 5,834 Lewis (3), Bloss, Hall
18/10/1971 Southend United H 1-0 9,807 Leslie
23/10/1971 Cambridge United A 2-4 7,230 Jones, Thompson (o.g.)
29/10/1971 Gillingham H 2-2 6,622 Lewis, Kurila
06/11/1971 Barrow A 2-2 1,954 Gibbs, Kurila
13/11/1971 Brentford H 1-1 6,698 Jones
26/11/1971 Exeter City H 3-0 5,116 Foley (2), Lewis
03/12/1971 Stockport County A 2-2 2,043 Mahon (2)
18/12/1971 Southport A 0-3 2,657
27/12/1971 Peterborough United H 1-1 7,750 Leslie
01/01/1972 Crewe Alexandra A 4-2 1,992 Leslie, Hall, Lewis (pen.), Cook
08/01/1972 Bury H 0-0 4,924
15/01/1972 Doncaster Rovers A 0-2 3,247
21/01/1972 Scunthorpe United H 1-1 4,867 Gibbs
28/01/1972 Southend United A 4-1 8,871 Foley, Mahon, Leslie (2)
05/02/1972 Workington A 0-1 2,170
12/02/1972 Cambridge United H 1-1 5,663 Lewis
19/02/1972 Gillingham A 2-0 5,313 Leslie (2)
26/02/1972 Barrow H 0-1 4,618
04/03/1972 Brentford A 2-0 9,210 Mahon, Lewis
11/03/1972 Aldershot H 1-0 3,776 Lewis
13/03/1972 Doncaster Rovers H 1-2 5,004 L.Smith
18/03/1972 Hartlepool United A 2-3 2,621 Mahon, Garvey
21/03/1972 Grimsby Town A 0-3 13,288
24/03/1972 Darlington H 4-3 3,865 Burgess, Leslie, Lewis, Simmons
31/03/1972 Northampton Town H 2-0 5,375 Simmons, Lewis (pen.)
01/04/1972 Peterborough United A 0-4 4,367
03/04/1972 Chester City A 1-2 3,317 Lewis (pen.)
07/04/1972 Workington H 1-0 3,390 Foley
10/04/1972 Reading H 2-1 4,110 Gibbs, Leslie
15/04/1972 Exeter City A 3-3 4,052 Gibbs (pen.), Burgess, Mahon
17/04/1972 Grimsby Town H 0-1 5,086
21/04/1972 Stockport County H 3-2 4,010 Burgess (2), Simmons
24/04/1972 Newport County H 2-3 4,311 Burgess
29/04/1972 Reading A 4-2 3,202 Leslie, L.Smith (2), Burgess

Source: 1971-72 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Watney Cup

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Main article: Watney Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
31/07/1971 R1 Luton Town H 1-0 8,186 Lewis (pen.)
04/08/1971 SF Carlisle United H 2-0 7,871 Gibbs, Lewis
07/08/1971 Final West Bromwich Albion A 4-4
4-2 on Pens		 18,487 Mahon (2), Simmons, Lewis (pen.)

Source: 1971-72 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Cup

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Main article: 1971–72 Football League Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
18/08/1971 R1 Brentford H 3-1 6,125 Mahon, Lewis (2) (pen.)
08/09/1971 R2 Swindon Town H 4-1 7,437 Lewis (3) (pen.), Mahon
05/10/1971 R3 Blackpool A 0-4 11,042

Source: 1971-72 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

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Main article: 1971–72 FA Cup
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
20/11/1971 R1 Shrewsbury Town H 1-4 5,773 Hall

Source: 1971-72 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[3]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Division Four FA Cup League Cup Watney Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK England Barry Smith 31 0 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– GK England Graham Smith 22 0 15 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
–– DF England Richard Bourne 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Eric Burgess 47 8 41 8 0 0 3 0 3 0
–– DF England Micky Cook 40 1 38 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
–– DF England Bobby Cram 42 0 36 0 1 0 2 0 3 0
–– DF England Brian Garvey 40 1 33 1 1 0 3 0 3 0
–– DF Scotland John Gilchrist 19 0 13 0 1 0 2 0 3 0
–– DF England Brian Hall 41 4 38 3 1 1 2 0 0 0
–– DF Scotland John Kurila 11 2 9 2 1 0 1 0 0 0
–– DF England John McLaughlin 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Dave Simmons 28 4 23 3 0 0 2 0 3 1
–– DF England Lindsay Smith 18 3 18 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Charlie Woods 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Phil Bloss 22 1 19 1 0 0 2 0 1 0
–– MF England David Burnside 13 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Steve Foley 17 4 17 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Ken Jones 21 2 17 2 1 0 1 0 2 0
–– MF England Steve Leslie 45 13 41 13 1 0 2 0 1 0
–– MF England Brian Lewis 37 23 30 15 1 0 3 5 3 3
–– MF England Mick Mahon 49 12 42 8 1 0 3 2 3 2
–– MF England Bobby Mills 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Brian Owen 13 0 7 0 0 0 3 0 3 0
–– MF England Tony Wingate 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW England Ray Crawford 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– FW England Brian Gibbs 40 5 33 4 1 0 3 0 3 1

Scorers

[4]

Most Frequent Starting XI

This section shows players in a 5-4-1 formation with the most league starts during the season.

References

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