1974–75 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1974–75 season
Chairman Robert Jackson
(until November 1974)
Jack Rippingale
(from November 1974)[1]
Manager Jim Smith
(Until 20 June 1975)
Third Division 11th
FA Cup 2nd Round
League Cup Quarter-final
Top goalscorer League:
Bobby Svarc (24)
All:
Bobby Svarc (25)
Highest home attendance 7,790 (Peterborough United)
Lowest home attendance 3,202 (Bury)
Average home league attendance 4,967
Football kit (white jersey with blue, vertical stripes; blue shorts; and white socks).
Home colours

The 1974–75 season was Colchester United's first season back in the Football League Third Division after a seven-year absence.

Season Review

United were back in the Third Division but the board warned that a break-even gate of 9,200 was required and that players would be sold if gates didn't reach 7,500.

Manager Jim Smith returned to his old club Boston and signed Bobby Svarc's old strike partner John Froggatt. The pair rekindled their partnership with Svarc netting 24 in the League with 16 coming from Froggatt. Crowds fell way short of the board's ambitions with an average of 4,941 clicking the Layer Road turnstiles as United finished in a steady eleventh position.

Having reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup only four seasons previously, United emulated that achievement in the League Cup. Beating Oxford and Southend, the U's hosted First Division Carlisle beating the Cumbrians 2-0 to earn a home tie with Southampton. A 0-0 draw at Layer Road led to an amazing 1-0 replay win at The Dell, courtesy of a Barry Dominey goal, setting up a Quarter Final tie with Aston Villa. The Midlanders proved just a shade too strong for United winning 2-1 before an expectant 11,812 crowd. Whilst United's focus had been on the League Cup they were knocked out of the FA Cup by non-League minnows Leatherhead.

Out of the cups, fifth placed U's could concentrate on achieving Second Division football. Just one win in seven from New Year's Day onwards saw U's fall to mid-table and they never recovered.[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
–– Wales GK Mike Walker
–– England DF Micky Cook
–– England DF Barry Dominey
–– England DF Ray Harford
–– England DF Mick Packer
–– England DF Lindsay Smith
–– England MF Ian Allinson
–– England MF Ray Bunkell
No. Position Player
–– England MF Steve Foley
–– England MF Steve Leslie
–– Scotland MF Jimmy Lindsay
–– Scotland MF Bobby Roberts
–– England MF Colwyn Rowe
–– England MF Phil Thomas
–– England FW John Froggatt
–– England FW Bobby Svarc

Player Info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK Wales Mike Walker Wales Colwyn Bay 28 November 1945 England Watford 25 August 1973 £4,000
DF England Micky Cook England Enfield 9 April 1951 England Leyton Orient 6 October 1969 Free
DF England Barry Dominey England Edmonton 21 October 1955 England Enfield 16 April 1974 Free
DF England Ray Harford England Halifax 1 June 1945 England Port Vale 3 February 1973 Free
DF England Mick Packer England Willesden 20 April 1950 England Watford 25 August 1973 Free
DF England Lindsay Smith England Enfield 18 September 1954 England Youth Team 1 August 1970 Free
MF England Ian Allinson England Hitchin 1 October 1957 England Youth Team 1 August 1974 Free
MF England Ray Bunkell England Edmonton 18 September 1949 England Swindon Town 8 December 1973 £5,000
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 Scotland Jimmy Lindsay Scotland Hamilton 12 July 1949 England Watford 17 August 1974 Free
MF Scotland Bobby Roberts Scotland Edinburgh 2 September 1940 England Coventry City 16 March 1973 Free
MF England Colwyn Rowe England Ipswich 22 March 1956 England Youth Team 1 August 1973 Free
MF England Phil Thomas England Sherborne 14 December 1952 England Bournemouth 19 August 1972 Free
FW England John Froggatt England Stanton Hill 13 December 1945 England Boston United 17 August 1974 £6,000
FW England Bobby Svarc England Leicester 8 February 1946 England Boston United 29 December 1972 £6,000

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club Transfer Fee Notes
1 August 1974 MF England Ian Allinson England Youth Team Free
17 August 1974 MF Scotland Jimmy Lindsay England Watford Free
17 August 1974 FW England John Froggatt England Boston United £6,000

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club Transfer Fee Notes
10 January 1975 FW England Barry Dyson England Chelmsford City Free
25 January 1975 DF Wales Stuart Morgan England Bournemouth £4,000
1 February 1975 DF England Alex Smith England Halifax Town Free

Loans In

Date Pos. Player Name Parent Club Date Returned Notes
4 January 1975 FW England John Sims England Derby County 10 January 1975
8 February 1975 DF Scotland Danny Cameron England Sheffield Wednesday 4 March 1975
8 February 1975 MF England Ian McDonald England Liverpool 4 March 1975

Results

Third Division Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA Av Pts
10Gillingham 4617141565601.08348
11Colchester United 4617131670631.11147
12Hereford United 4616141664660.97046

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

Third Division Results

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17/08/1974 Watford H 1-1 5,715 Leslie
24/08/1974 Blackburn Rovers A 2-3 8,390 Cook, Froggatt
31/08/1974 Bournemouth H 1-0 4,930 Cook
07/09/1974 Chesterfield A 1-1 3,474 Svarc
14/09/1974 Charlton Athletic H 3-0 5,527 Leslie (pen.), Thomas, Svarc
17/09/1974 Plymouth Argyle H 1-0 5,389 Packer
21/09/1974 Aldershot A 1-0 3,539 Svarc
24/09/1974 Bury A 0-0 5,223
28/09/1974 Walsall H 1-2 4,877 Svarc
30/09/1974 Port Vale A 2-2 3,722 Froggatt, Lindsay
05/10/1974 Gillingham H 4-2 4,684 Froggatt (2), Svarc (2)
12/10/1974 Preston North End A 2-0 10,259 Harford (2)
15/10/1974 Port Vale H 2-0 5,184 Svarc (2)
23/10/1974 Hereford United A 1-3 6,390 Thomas
26/10/1974 Halifax Town A 1-1 1,935 Svarc
29/10/1974 Southend United H 1-1 6,547 Lindsay (pen.)
02/11/1974 Wrexham H 1-1 4,432 Svarc
06/11/1974 Hereford United H 1-2 5,131 Svarc
09/11/1974 Huddersfield Town A 2-3 5,233 Froggatt, Svarc
15/11/1974 Grimsby Town H 5-0 4,489 Froggatt (3), Svarc (2)
30/11/1974 Swinon Town A 1-4 10,072 Svarc
06/12/1974 Tranmere Rovers H 2-1 4,554 L.Smith, Froggatt
20/12/1974 Crystal Palace H 1-1 6,914 Leslie
28/12/1974 Peterborough United H 4-1 7,790 Froggatt, Dominey, Cook, Bradley (o.g.)
01/01/1975 Charlton Athletic A 1-4 15,246 Dyson
04/01/1975 Aldershot H 0-0 5,096
10/01/1975 Tranmere Rovers A 0-2 2,819
25/01/1975 Brighton & Hove Albion A 0-2 9,937
01/02/1975 Huddersfield Town H 3-2 3,921 Froggatt (2), Dominey
08/02/1975 Wrexham A 1-2 3,433 Lindsay
15/02/1975 Brighton & Hove Albion H 2-2 4,161 Svarc, McDonald
22/02/1975 Grimsby Town H 1-1 5,608 McDonald
01/03/1975 Bournemouth A 2-0 4,578 Froggatt, Foley
04/03/1975 Swindon Town H 2-0 4,041 Svarc (2)
15/03/1975 Walsall A 2-5 4,914 Foley, Lindsay
19/03/1975 Watford A 2-1 3,941 Froggatt, Svarc
22/03/1975 Chesterfield H 1-2 4,152 Lindsay
25/03/1975 Crystal Palace A 1-2 16,851 Froggatt
28/03/1975 Peterborough United A 0-1 7,559
04/04/1975 Halifax Town H 2-0 3,501 Svarc, Rowe
12/04/1975 Gillingham A 1-2 6,504 Rowe
15/04/1975 Plymouth Argyle A 0-1 23,551
19/04/1975 Preston North End H 2-2 5,228 Bunkell, Svarc
22/04/1975 Blackburn Rovers H 2-0 4,138 Lindsay, Svarc
25/04/1975 Southend United A 1-1 5,924 Foley
02/05/1975 Bury H 3-2 3,202 Froggatt, Svarc (2)

Source: 1974-75 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
20/08/1974 R1 Oxford United H 1-0 4,609 Lindsay (pen.)
11/09/1974 R2 Southend United A 2-0 7,856 Leslie (pen.) (2)
09/10/1974 R3 Carlisle United H 2-0 7,842 Svarc, Leslie (pen.)
13/11/1974 R4 Southampton H 0-0 9,515
25/11/1974 R4 (R) Southampton A 1-0 11,492 Dominey
03/12/1974 QF Aston Villa H 1-2 11,812 Froggatt

Source: 1974-75 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

Main article: 1974–75 FA Cup
DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
23/11/1974 R1 Watford A 1-0 8,228 Froggatt
14/12/1974 R2 Leatherhead A 0-1 3,500

Source: 1974-75 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[3]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Division Three FA Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK Wales Mike Walker 54 0 46 0 2 0 6 0
–– DF Scotland Danny Cameron 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Micky Cook 54 3 46 3 2 0 6 0
–– DF England Barry Dominey 32 3 27 2 2 0 3 1
–– DF England Ray Harford 49 2 41 2 2 0 6 0
–– DF Wales Stuart Morgan 13 0 11 0 0 0 2 0
–– DF England Mick Packer 37 1 30 1 2 0 5 0
–– DF England Alex Smith 26 0 22 0 0 0 4 0
–– DF England Lindsay Smith 49 1 43 1 1 0 5 0
–– MF England Ian Allinson 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Ray Bunkell 34 1 29 1 2 0 3 0
–– MF England Steve Foley 18 3 18 3 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Steve Leslie 42 6 34 3 2 0 6 3
–– MF Scotland Jimmy Lindsay 52 7 45 6 2 0 5 1
–– MF England Ian McDonald 5 2 5 2 0 0 0 0
–– MF Scotland Bobby Roberts 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Colwyn Rowe 11 2 11 2 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Phil Thomas 35 2 27 2 2 0 6 0
–– FW England Barry Dyson 7 1 6 1 0 0 1 0
–– FW England John Froggatt 54 18 46 16 2 1 6 1
–– FW England John Sims 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
–– FW England Bobby Svarc 50 25 42 24 2 0 6 1

Scorers

[4]

All

Scorer Goals
England Bobby Svarc 25
England John Froggatt 18
Scotland Jimmy Lindsay 7
England Steve Leslie 6
England Micky Cook 3
England Barry Dominey
England Steve Foley
England Ray Harford 2
England Ian McDonald
England Colwyn Rowe
England Phil Thomas
England Ray Bunkell 1
England Barry Dyson
England Mick Packer
England Lindsay Smith
Own goal 1

League

Scorer Goals
England Bobby Svarc 24
England John Froggatt 16
Scotland Jimmy Lindsay 6
England Micky Cook 3
England Steve Foley
England Steve Leslie
England Barry Dominey 2
England Ray Harford
England Ian McDonald
England Colwyn Rowe
England Phil Thomas
England Ray Bunkell 1
England Barry Dyson
England Mick Packer
England Lindsay Smith
Own goal 1

FA Cup

Scorer Goals
England John Froggatt 1

League Cup

Scorer Goals
England Steve Leslie 3
England Barry Dominey 1
England John Froggatt
Scotland Jimmy Lindsay
England Bobby Svarc

Most Frequent Starting XI

This section shows players in a 4-4-2 formation with the most league starts during the season.

Pos. Name Apps. Goals
GK Wales Mike Walker 46 0
DF England Ray Harford 40 2
DF England Mick Packer 30 1
DF England Lindsay Smith 38 1
DF England Micky Cook 46 3
MF Scotland Jimmy Lindsay 37 2
MF England Steve Leslie 32 3
MF England Phil Thomas 26 2
MF England Ray Bunkell 23 1
FW England John Froggatt 46 16
FW England Bobby Svarc 42 24

References

  1. Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 278. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
  2. "The U's History: The 70s". Colchester United F.C. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  3. "1974–75 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  4. "1974–75 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
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