1996–97 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United
1996–97 season
Chairman Gordon Parker[1]
Manager Steve Wignall
Division Three 8th
FA Cup 1st Round
Coca-Cola Cup 2nd Round
Auto Windscreens Shield Runners-up
Top goalscorer League:
Tony Adcock (11)
All:
Tony Adcock (14)
Highest home attendance 5,956 (Northampton Town)
Lowest home attendance 1,842 (Scunthorpe United)
Average home league attendance 3,254
Home colours

The 1996–97 season was Colchester United's fifth consecutive season in the fourth tier of English football. They finished as runners-up in the Auto Windscreens Shield after losing 4-3 on penalties to Carlisle United.

Season Review

A fresh looking Layer Road welcomed in the 1996/7 season with the Clock End all-seated and covered.

Mark Kinsella finally got the move his talents deserved. A bargain £150,000 took him to Charlton and there was early League Cup cheer when U's turned a 3-2 deficit with a 3-1 victory at First Division West Bromwich Albion. It was all the more noteworthy as striker Steve Whitton played the entire second half in goal.

Paul Buckle scored Colchester's first ever Golden Goal against Millwall in the Auto Windscreen Shield on 9 January 1997 and wins over Brentford and Northampton set up a Southern Final with Peterborough. All looked lost with a 2-0 first leg defeat but Paul Abrahams' glorious Golden Goal sent United to Wembley.

Unfortunately six defeats in eight League games had seen United slip to 13th. Manager Steve Wignall declared: "I won't be happy until I have guided this club to promotion. All I ask of the fans is trust me with your club."

The Wembley 1997 Football League Trophy Final against Carlisle, played on 20 April in front of 45,077, ended in a 0-0 draw after extra time. Peter Cawley and a young Karl Duguid missed from the spot leaving the Cumbrians to hoist the trophy in the cruellest of manners. Three wins and a draw after Wembley meant that United missed out on the play-offs by just one point. A season of so much promise ended in just memories.[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
–– United States GK Garrett Caldwell
–– England GK Carl Emberson
–– England DF Simon Betts
–– England DF Peter Cawley
–– Republic of Ireland DF Joe Dunne
–– England DF Paul Gibbs
–– Republic of Ireland DF David Greene
–– England DF Ben Lewis
–– England DF Adam Locke
–– Republic of Ireland DF Tony McCarthy
–– England DF Geoff Pitcher
–– England DF Scott Stamps
–– England MF Paul Buckle
No. Position Player
–– England MF Karl Duguid
–– England MF Steve Forbes
–– Wales MF Chris Fry
–– England MF David Gregory
–– England MF Nicky Haydon
–– England MF Dave Rainford
–– England MF Richard Wilkins
–– England FW Paul Abrahams
–– England FW Tony Adcock
–– England FW Tony Lock
–– England FW Mark Sale
–– England FW Steve Whitton

Player Info

Pos. Name Place of Birth Date of Birth Previous Club Date Joined Fee
GK United States Garrett Caldwell United States Princeton 6 November 1973 United States Princeton University 24 September 1995 Free
GK England Carl Emberson England Epsom 13 July 1973 England Millwall 6 July 1994 £25,000
DF England Simon Betts England Middlesbrough 3 March 1973 England Ipswich Town 11 December 1992 Free
DF England Peter Cawley England Walton-on-Thames 15 September 1965 England Barnet 9 October 1992 Free
DF Republic of Ireland Joe Dunne Republic of Ireland Dublin 25 May 1973 England Gillingham 27 March 1996 Free
DF England Paul Gibbs England Gorleston 26 October 1972 England Diss Town 6 March 1995 Undisclosed
DF Republic of Ireland David Greene England Luton 26 October 1973 England Luton Town 21 June 1996 £30,000
DF England Ben Lewis England Chelmsford 22 June 1977 England Youth Team 1 August 1994 Free
DF England Adam Locke England Croydon 20 August 1970 England Southend United 23 September 1994 Free
DF Republic of Ireland Tony McCarthy Republic of Ireland Dublin 9 November 1969 England Millwall 17 March 1995 Free
DF England Geoff Pitcher England Sutton 15 August 1975 England Watford 17 February 1997 Free
DF England Scott Stamps England Edgbaston 20 March 1975 England Torquay United 26 March 1997 £10,000
MF England Paul Buckle England Welwyn Garden City 16 December 1970 England Wycombe Wanderers 28 November 1996 Free
MF England Karl Duguid England Hitchin 21 March 1978 England Youth Team 16 July 1995 Free
MF England Steve Forbes England Stoke Newington 24 December 1975 England Millwall 14 March 1997 Undisclosed
MF Wales Chris Fry Wales Cardiff 23 October 1969 England Hereford United 24 October 1993 Undisclosed
MF England David Gregory England Polstead 23 January 1970 England Peterborough United 7 December 1995 Free
MF England Nicky Haydon England Barking 10 August 1978 England Youth Team 1 August 1995 Free
MF England Dave Rainford England Stepney 21 April 1979 England Youth Team 1 August 1996 Free
MF England Richard Wilkins England Lambeth 28 May 1965 England Hereford United 3 July 1996 £30,000
FW England Paul Abrahams England Colchester 31 October 1973 England Brentford 23 October 1996 £20,000
FW England Tony Adcock England Bethnal Green 27 February 1963 England Luton Town 3 August 1995 Free
FW England Tony Lock England Harlow 3 September 1976 England Youth Team 1 August 1994 Free
FW England Mark Sale England Burton upon Trent 27 February 1972 England Mansfield Town 10 March 1997 £23,500
FW England Steve Whitton England London 4 December 1960 England Ipswich Town 24 March 1994 £10,000

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Pos. Player Name Previous Club League Transfer Fee Notes
21 June 1996 MF Republic of Ireland David Greene England Luton Town Football League Division Two £30,000
3 July 1996 MF England Richard Wilkins England Hereford United Football League Division Three £30,000
1 August 1996 MF England Dave Rainford England Youth Team N/A Free
5 August 1996 DF England David Barnes England Watford Football League Division Two Free
23 October 1996 FW England Paul Abrahams England Brentford Football League Division Two £20,000
28 November 1996 MF England Paul Buckle England Wycombe Wanderers Football League Division Two Free
17 February 1997 DF England Geoff Pitcher England Watford Football League Division Two Free
10 March 1997 FW England Mark Sale England Mansfield Town Football League Division Three £23,500
14 March 1997 MF England Steve Forbes England Millwall Football League Division Two Undisclosed
26 March 1997 DF England Scott Stamps England Torquay United Football League Division Three £10,000

Transfers Out

Date Pos. Player Name New Club League Transfer Fee Notes
31 May 1996 DF England Gus Caesar Hong Kong Eastern AA Hong Kong Second Division League Free
31 May 1996 DF England Jean Dalli England Dover Athletic Football Conference Free
31 May 1996 DF England Tony English European Union Retired N/A Free
31 May 1996 MF England Steve Ball England Sudbury Town Southern Football League Premier Division Free
31 May 1996 MF England Robert Boyce England Enfield Town Isthmian League Premier Division Free
31 May 1996 MF England Michael Cheetham England Sudbury Town Southern Football League Premier Division Free
30 July 1996 MF England Tony Dennis England Lincoln City Football League Division Three Free
20 September 1996 MF Republic of Ireland Mark Kinsella England Charlton Athletic Football League Division One £150,000
13 February 1997 FW England Robbie Reinelt England Brighton & Hove Albion Football League Division Three £15,000
1 March 1997 DF England David Barnes European Union Retired N/A Free

Loans In

Date Pos. Player Name Parent Club League Date Returned Notes
11 October 1996 MF England Nyrere Kelly England Leyton Orient Football League Division Three 19 October 1996
8 November 1996 FW England John Taylor England Luton Town Football League Division Two 26 December 1996
3 February 1997 GK England John Vaughan England Lincoln City Football League Division Three 28 February 1997

Results

Division Three Results Summary

Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
7Cardiff City (PO) 46209175654+269
8Colchester United 461717126251+1168
9Lincoln City 461812167069+166

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

Division Three Results

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17/08/1996 Hartlepool United H 0-2 2,942
24/08/1996 Rochdale A 0-0 1,816
27/08/1996 Darlington A 1-1 2,906 Locke
31/08/1996 Hereford United H 1-1 2,723 Reinelt
07/09/1996 Fulham A 1-3 5,189 Whitton
10/09/1996 Brighton & Hove Albion H 2-0 2,540 Kinsella, Reinelt
14/09/1996 Hull City H 1-1 3,073 Kinsella
21/09/1996 Leyton Orient A 1-1 5,254 Fry
28/09/1996 Doncaster Rovers H 2-2 2,672 Cawley, Adcock
01/10/1996 Carlisle United A 0-3 4,089
04/10/1996 Swansea City A 1-1 2,531 Greene
12/10/1996 Wigan Athletic H 3-1 2,700 Adcock, Gregory, Duguid
15/10/1996 Barnet H 1-0 2,732 Fry
19/10/1996 Northampton Town A 1-2 4,119 Fry
26/10/1996 Lincoln City A 2-3 2,768 Betts (pen.), Duguid (pen.)
29/10/1996 Exeter City H 1-0 2,384 Myers (o.g.)
02/11/1996 Cardiff City H 1-1 3,226 Duguid
09/11/1996 Torquay United A 2-0 2,251 Reinelt, Abrahams
19/11/1996 Scunthorpe United H 1-1 1,842 Sertori (o.g.)
22/11/1996 Chester City A 2-1 2,028 Taylor (2)
30/11/1996 Lincoln City H 7-1 2,738 Abrahams, Taylor (pen.) (2), Whitton, Adcock, Fry (2)
03/12/1996 Scarborough A 1-1 1,605 Locke
14/12/1996 Mansfield Town A 1-1 1,653 Abrahams
20/12/1996 Cambridge United H 2-2 3,707 Taylor, Adcock
26/12/1996 Brighton & Hove Albion A 1-1 4,830 Whitton
11/01/1997 Doncaster Rovers A 0-0 1,458
14/01/1997 Fulham H 2-1 3,820 Abrahams, Fry
18/01/1997 Carlisle United H 1-1 3,588 Adcock (pen.)
25/01/1997 Exeter City A 3-0 2,666 Abrahams, Locke (2)
31/01/1997 Torquay United H 2-0 3,895 Adcock (2)
04/02/1997 Leyton Orient H 2-1 3,689 Wilkins (2)
08/02/1997 Cardiff City A 2-1 3,912 Adcock, Whitton
14/02/1997 Chester City H 0-0 3,855
22/02/1997 Scunthorpe United A 1-2 2,738 Whitton
28/02/1997 Scarborough H 1-3 3,719 Adcock
07/03/1997 Cambridge United A 0-1 3,485
14/03/1997 Mansfield Town H 2-1 3,064 Greene, Adcock
21/03/1997 Rochdale H 1-0 3,211 Abrahams
29/03/1997 Hartlepool United A 0-1 2,725
31/03/1997 Darlington H 0-3 3,604
05/04/1997 Hereford United A 0-1 2,535
08/04/1997 Wigan Athletic A 0-1 4,571
11/04/1997 Swansea City H 3-1 3,162 Whitton, Sale, Abrahams
15/04/1997 Hull City A 2-1 2,035 Adcock, Sale
26/04/1997 Northampton Town H 0-0 5,956
03/05/1997 Barnet A 4-2 1,909 Lock, Sale, Forbes, Haydon

Source: 1996-97 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
20/08/1996 R1 (L1) West Bromwich Albion H 2-3 3,521 Kinsella, Fry
03/09/1996 R1 (L2) West Bromwich Albion A 3-1 9,809 Robbie Reinelt (2), Dunne
17/09/1996 R2 (L1) Huddersfield Town A 1-1 5,112 Adcock
24/09/1996 R2 (L2) Huddersfield Town H 0-2 4,095

Source: 1996-97 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

FA Cup

Main article: 1996–97 FA Cup
DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
16/11/1996 R1 Wycombe Wanderers H 1-2 4,378 Wilkins

Source: 1996-97 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

League Trophy

Southern Section

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
10/12/1996 R1 (S) Cambridge United A 1-0 1,108 Whitton
07/01/1997 R2 (S) Millwall A 3-2 2,795 Adcock (2), Buckle (Golden goal)
28/01/1997 Area QF Brentford A 1-0 2,253 Abrahams
18/02/1997 Area SF Northampton Town H 2-1 3,978 Greene, Buckle
11/03/1997 Area Final (L1) Peterborough United A 0-2 4,556
18/03/1997 Area Final (L2) Peterborough United H 3-0 5,000 Fry, Buckle, Abrahams (Golden goal)
20/04/1997 Final Carlisle United N 0-0
3-4 on Pens
45,077

Source: 1996-97 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk

Squad statistics

[3]

No. Nat. Pos. Name Total Division Three FA Cup League Cup League Trophy
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
–– GK United States Garrett Caldwell 7 0 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
–– GK England Carl Emberson 45 0 36 0 1 0 2 0 6 0
–– GK England John Vaughan 6 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– DF England David Barnes 13 0 11 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
–– DF England Simon Betts 14 1 10 1 0 0 4 0 0 0
–– DF England Peter Cawley 37 1 28 1 1 0 4 0 4 0
–– DF England Jean Dalli 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF Republic of Ireland Joe Dunne 42 1 35 0 1 0 3 1 3 0
–– DF England Paul Gibbs 27 0 20 0 1 0 0 0 6 0
–– DF Republic of Ireland David Greene 55 3 44 2 1 0 4 0 6 1
–– DF England Ben Lewis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Adam Locke 44 4 32 4 1 0 4 0 7 0
–– DF Republic of Ireland Tony McCarthy 43 0 35 0 0 0 3 0 5 0
–– DF England Geoff Pitcher 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– DF England Scott Stamps 8 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Paul Buckle 29 3 24 0 0 0 0 0 5 3
–– MF England Karl Duguid 25 3 20 3 1 0 2 0 2 0
–– MF England Steve Forbes 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Wales Chris Fry 47 14 42 6 1 0 4 1 0 7
–– MF England David Gregory 48 1 38 1 1 0 2 0 7 0
–– MF England Nicky Haydon 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF England Nyrere Kelly 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
–– MF Republic of Ireland Mark Kinsella 10 3 7 2 0 0 3 1 0 0
–– MF England Richard Wilkins 50 3 40 2 1 1 3 0 6 0
–– FW England Paul Abrahams 36 9 29 7 1 0 0 0 6 2
–– FW England Tony Adcock 47 14 36 11 1 0 4 1 6 2
–– FW England Tony Lock 7 1 6 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– FW England Robbie Reinelt 26 5 21 3 1 0 4 2 0 0
–– FW England Mark Sale 13 3 10 3 0 0 0 0 3 0
–– FW England John Taylor 9 5 8 5 0 0 0 0 1 0
–– FW England Steve Whitton 47 7 39 6 0 0 3 0 5 1

Scorers

[4]

All

Scorer Goals
England Tony Adcock 14
England Paul Abrahams 9
Wales Chris Fry 8
England Steve Whitton 7
England Robbie Reinelt 5
England John Taylor
England Adam Locke 4
England Paul Buckle 3
England Karl Duguid
Republic of Ireland David Greene
Republic of Ireland Mark Kinsella
England Mark Sale
England Richard Wilkins
England Simon Betts 1
England Peter Cawley
Republic of Ireland Joe Dunne
England Steve Forbes
England David Gregory
England Nicky Haydon
England Tony Lock
Own goal 2

League

Scorer Goals
England Tony Adcock 11
England Paul Abrahams 7
Wales Chris Fry 6
England Steve Whitton
England John Taylor 5
England Adam Locke 4
England Karl Duguid 3
England Robbie Reinelt
England Mark Sale
Republic of Ireland David Greene 2
Republic of Ireland Mark Kinsella
England Richard Wilkins
England Simon Betts 1
England Peter Cawley
England Steve Forbes
England David Gregory
England Nicky Haydon
England Tony Lock
Own goal 2

FA Cup

Scorer Goals
England Richard Wilkins 1

League Cup

Scorer Goals
England Robbie Reinelt 2
England Tony Adcock 1
Republic of Ireland Joe Dunne
Wales Chris Fry
Republic of Ireland Mark Kinsella

League Trophy

Scorer Goals
England Paul Buckle 3
England Paul Abrahams 2
England Tony Adcock
Wales Chris Fry 1
Republic of Ireland David Greene
England Steve Whitton

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 England Carl Emberson 36 0
DF Republic of Ireland David Greene 44 2
DF Republic of Ireland Joe Dunne 23 0
DF England Peter Cawley 28 1
DF Republic of Ireland Tony McCarthy 34 0
MF England Richard Wilkins 40 2
MF England David Gregory 32 1
MF England Paul Buckle 24 0
MF Wales Chris Fry 31 6
FW England Tony Adcock 26 11
FW England Steve Whitton 35 6

References

  1. 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.
  2. "The U's History: The 90s". Colchester United F.C. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  3. "1996–97 Season Appearance Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  4. "1996–97 Season Goalscorers Data". coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, September 26, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.