1984–85 Colchester United F.C. season
1984–85 season | |||
Chairman | Maurice Cadman[1] | ||
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Manager | Cyril Lea | ||
Fourth Division | 7th | ||
FA Cup | 2nd round | ||
Milk Cup | 1st round | ||
Freight Rover Trophy | 2nd round (southern section) | ||
Top goalscorer |
League: Tony Adcock (24) All: Tony Adcock (28) | ||
Highest home attendance | 2,525 (Hereford United) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 1,641 (Aldershot) | ||
Average home league attendance | 2,076 | ||
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The 1984–85 season was Colchester United's fourth consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division.
Season review
During the 1983–94 season, Chairman Maurice Cadman announced that win bonuses would be dropped for the 1984–85 season with an insurance-backed promotion bonus on offer and that the club was available for sale at £150,000. During the summer, only three of the eight players out of contract chose to move on despite the new bonus scheme. The biggest loss was Steve Wignall who joined Brentford.
Remarkably, United were paired with Gillingham in both major Cup competitions and the Freight Rover Trophy. The 5-0 FA Cup thrashing at Layer Road on 8 December 1984 became United's biggest ever home defeat.
Forward Tony Adcock continued to score at will and by January had 28 goals to his credit. It was rumoured that Liverpool were only a signature away from his capture, but a cruel knee injury virtually finished his season in which he surely would have smashed Bobby Hunt's 38 goal club record.
United also lost their shirt sponsors but Cadman finally got his buyer when Jonathan Crisp paid £150,000 for overall control of United. He promised Second Division football within five years but in the light of the horrific Bradford fire, the timber-constructed Layer Road stands and terracing meant that it was of utmost importance to accelerate United's move to a new stadium.
As was becoming the norm, United were just not quite good enough for promotion finishing seventh and ten points adrift of fourth place. The club equalled its record away win with a 5-1 return from the 23 March 1985 trip to Exeter but worryingly average crowds totalled just 2,076.[2]
Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Player info
Pos. | Name | Place of Birth | Date of Birth | Previous Club | Date Joined | Fee |
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GK | Alec Chamberlain | March | 20 June 1964 | Ipswich Town | 3 January 1983 | Free |
DF | Keith Day | Grays | 29 November 1962 | Aveley | 25 August 1984 | Free |
DF | Tony English | Luton | 19 October 1966 | Coventry City | 1 January 1985 | Free |
DF | Rudi Hedman | Lambeth | 16 November 1964 | Youth Team | 1 August 1983 | Free |
DF | Stewart Houston | Dunoon | 20 August 1949 | Sheffield United | 27 August 1983 | Free |
DF | Ian Phillips | Cumnock | 23 April 1959 | Northampton Town | 9 September 1983 | Free |
MF | Simon Burman | Ipswich | 26 November 1965 | Youth Team | 1 August 1984 | Free |
MF | Andy Farrell | Colchester | 7 October 1965 | Youth Team | 1 August 1983 | Free |
MF | Perry Groves | Bow | 19 April 1965 | Youth Team | 1 August 1981 | Free |
MF | Jeff Hull | Rochford | 25 August 1960 | Basildon United | 17 December 1982 | Free |
MF | Roger Osborne | Otley | 9 March 1950 | Ipswich Town | 14 February 1981 | £25,000 |
MF | Noel Parkinson | Hull | 16 November 1959 | Scunthorpe United | 28 August 1984 | Free |
FW | Tony Adcock | Bethnal Green | 27 March 1963 | Youth Team | 1 August 1980 | Free |
FW | Keith Bowen | Northampton | 26 February 1958 | Brentford | 25 March 1983 | Free |
FW | Russell Irving | Wallsend | 4 January 1964 | Ipswich Town | 25 August 1984 | Free |
Transfers
Transfers in
Date | Pos. | Player Name | Previous Club | Transfer Fee | Notes |
1 August 1984 | MF | Simon Burman | Youth Team | Free | |
1 August 1984 | MF | Stuart Youngman | Youth Team | Free | |
25 August 1984 | DF | Keith Day | Aveley | Free | |
25 August 1984 | DF | Daryl Godbold | Norwich City | Free | |
25 August 1984 | FW | Russell Irving | Ipswich Town | Free | |
28 August 1984 | MF | Noel Parkinson | Scunthorpe United | Free | |
1 January 1985 | DF | Tony English | Coventry City | Free | |
5 February 1985 | FW | Tommy English | Plymouth Argyle | Free | |
Transfers out
Date | Pos. | Player Name | New Club | Transfer Fee | Notes |
5 May 1984 | DF | Phil Coleman | Exeter City | Free | |
11 May 1984 | DF | Tony Hadley | Southend United | Free | |
11 May 1984 | DF | Steve Wignall | Brentford | Free | |
11 May 1984 | FW | Les Mutrie | Hartlepool United | Free | |
21 December 1984 | DF | Daryl Godbold | Wroxham | Free | |
5 February 1985 | FW | Tommy English | Canberra City | Free | |
23 April 1985 | MF | Stuart Youngman | Wroxham | Free | |
23 April 1985 | FW | Dave Hubbick | Sudbury Town | Free | |
Loans in
Date | Pos. | Player Name | Parent Club | Date Returned | Notes |
16 April 1985 | FW | Paul Shinners | Gillingham | 10 May 1985 | |
Results
Fourth Division results summary
Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 24 | 3 | 19 | 83 | 66 | +17 | 75 |
7 | Colchester United | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 87 | 65 | +22 | 74 |
7 | Swindon Town | 46 | 21 | 9 | 16 | 62 | 58 | +4 | 72 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Fourth Division results
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
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25/08/1984 | Southend United | H | 3-3 | 2,378 | Adcock (3) |
31/08/1984 | Scunthorpe United | A | 2-2 | 1,818 | Bowen, Adcock |
08/09/1984 | Blackpool | H | 1-1 | 1,772 | Adcock |
15/09/1984 | Bury | A | 3-4 | 2,145 | Adcock, Houston, Hull |
19/09/1984 | Mansfield Town | A | 1-0 | 2,084 | Bowen |
22/09/1984 | Aldershot | H | 2-0 | 1,641 | Adcock (2) |
29/09/1984 | Northampton Town | A | 3-1 | 1,595 | Parkinson, Adcock, Bowen |
02/10/1984 | Torquay United | H | 2-1 | 1,813 | Bowen, Hull |
13/10/1984 | Darlington | A | 0-4 | 2,021 | |
16/10/1984 | Exeter City | H | 3-4 | 1,846 | Adcock, Hull, Groves |
20/10/1984 | Chester City | A | 2-1 | 1,400 | Adcock (2) |
23/10/1984 | Stockport County | H | 3-0 | 2,153 | Hull (2), Groves |
26/10/1984 | Halifax Town | H | 1-3 | 2,295 | Adcock |
03/11/1984 | Chesterfield | A | 1-1 | 3,614 | Adcock |
06/11/1984 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1-3 | 1,587 | Godbold |
09/11/1984 | Hartlepool United | H | 1-0 | 2,136 | Adcock |
24/11/1984 | Rochdale | A | 1-1 | 1,012 | Groves |
01/12/1984 | Peterborough United | H | 3-1 | 2,070 | Irving, Groves, Adcock |
15/12/1984 | Swindon Town | A | 1-2 | 2,263 | Adcock |
21/12/1984 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 4-1 | 1,529 | Adcock, Groves, Bowen (2) |
26/12/1984 | Hereford United | H | 2-2 | 2,525 | Adcock, Bowen |
28/12/1984 | Port Vale | H | 3-2 | 2,014 | Groves, Bowen (pen.) (2) |
01/01/1985 | Wrexham | A | 2-2 | 1,376 | Phillips, Irving |
26/01/1985 | Bury | H | 1-0 | 2,028 | Osborne |
29/01/1985 | Southend United | A | 5-2 | 2,401 | Adcock, Groves (2), Bowen (2) |
01/02/1985 | Northampton Town | H | 4-1 | 2,314 | Hedman, Adcock, Day, Parkinson (pen.) |
22/02/1985 | Chesterfield | H | 3-1 | 2,303 | Adcock (3) |
26/02/1985 | Mansfield Town | H | 2-1 | 2,267 | Day, Groves |
01/03/1985 | Halifax Town | A | 0-0 | 1,022 | |
04/03/1985 | Stockport County | A | 0-1 | 1,561 | |
08/03/1985 | Chester City | H | 1-1 | 2,224 | Irving |
15/03/1985 | Darlington | H | 1-2 | 1,739 | Irving |
23/03/1985 | Exeter City | A | 5-1 | 1,828 | Bowen (2), Parkinson, Irving (2) |
26/03/1985 | Blackpool | A | 1-1 | 4,057 | Tony English |
29/03/1985 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2-1 | 2,044 | Day, Tony English |
02/04/1985 | Scunthorpe United | H | 1-1 | 2,409 | Day |
06/04/1985 | Hereford United | A | 1-2 | 3,485 | Bowen (pen.) |
08/04/1985 | Wrexham | H | 4-1 | 2,204 | Bowen, Irving (2), Hubbick |
13/04/1985 | Hartlepool United | A | 1-2 | 1,512 | Parkinson |
16/04/1985 | Torquay United | A | 1-1 | 1,191 | Bowen |
19/04/1985 | Rochdale | H | 1-1 | 1,853 | Parkinson |
23/04/1985 | Aldershot | A | 0-1 | 1,624 | |
27/04/1985 | Peterborough United | A | 1-0 | 1,624 | Hedman |
04/05/1985 | Swindon Town | H | 1-1 | 1,867 | Tony English |
06/05/1985 | Port Vale | A | 2-3 | 2,526 | Shinners, Groves |
10/05/1985 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 4-1 | 1,864 | Osborne, Bowen, Parkinson, Irving |
Source: 1984-85 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
League Cup
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
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28/08/1984 | R1 (L1) | Gillingham | A | 2-3 | 2,689 | Bowen, Houston |
02/09/1985 | R1 (L2) | Gillingham | H | 0-2 | 2,162 |
Source: 1984-85 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
FA Cup
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
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17/11/1984 | R1 | Southend United | A | 2-2 | 2,935 | Irving, Houston |
21/11/1984 | R1 (R) | Southend United | H | 3-2 (AET) | 3,907 | Adcock, Pennyfather (o.g.), Groves |
08/12/1984 | R2 | Gillingham | H | 0-5 | 4,487 |
Source: 1984-85 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
League Trophy
Southern section
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
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23/01/1985 | R1 (L1) | Gillingham | A | 2-2 | –– | Groves, Adcock |
05/02/1985 | R1 (L2) | Gillingham | H | 2-0 | 1,762 | Adcock (2) |
12/03/1985 | R2 | Walsall | A | 0-1 | 4,108 |
Source: 1984-85 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
Squad statistics
No. | Nat. | Pos. | Name | Total | Division Four | FA Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | |||||
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Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
–– | GK | Alec Chamberlain | 54 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Keith Day | 52 | 4 | 45 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Tony English | 25 | 3 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Daryl Godbold | 9 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Rudi Hedman | 36 | 2 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Stewart Houston | 35 | 3 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | DF | Ian Phillips | 45 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Simon Burman | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Andy Farrell | 46 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Perry Groves | 52 | 12 | 44 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
–– | MF | Jeff Hull | 24 | 5 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Roger Osborne | 47 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Noel Parkinson | 51 | 6 | 44 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
–– | MF | Stuart Youngman | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Tony Adcock | 35 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
–– | FW | Keith Bowen | 47 | 18 | 42 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Tommy English | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Dave Hubbick | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Russell Irving | 48 | 10 | 41 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
–– | FW | Paul Shinners | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scorers
All
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League
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FA Cup
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League Cup
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League Trophy
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Most frequent starting XI
This section shows players in a 4-4-2 formation with the most league starts during the season.
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References
- ↑ Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 279. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
- ↑ "The U's History: The 80s". Colchester United F.C. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
- ↑ "1984–85 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
- ↑ "1984–85 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2011.