1939–40_Colchester_United_F.C._season

1939–40 Colchester United F.C. season

1939–40 Colchester United F.C. season

Colchester United 1939–40 football season

The 1939–40 season was Colchester United's third season in their history and their third in the Southern League. Alongside competing in the Southern League, the club were also due to participate in the Southern League Mid-Week Section, FA Cup and Southern League Cup. They were also due to play the Southern League Cup matches remaining from the previous season during the campaign, but only played the outstanding semi-final fixture against Norwich City Reserves. The season was to end prematurely, with competitive football abandoned with the outbreak of World War II. Colchester United played regular season fixtures until 2 September 1939, with the 0–0 draw at Layer Road with Ipswich Town Reserves the final competitive fixture to be played by the club for almost six years.

Quick Facts Chairman, Manager ...

Season overview

War loomed over Europe during the beginning of the 1939–40 campaign. After kicking the season off with a win against Plymouth Argyle Reserves on 26 August 1939, Colchester played Norwich City Reserves in the first-leg of the delayed Southern League Cup semi-final, beating their opponents 5–1. After only three Southern League games, World War II was declared, and as with predecessors Colchester Town during World War I, the club closed down, denying the club a chance to earn League football after gaining considerable momentum over the previous two seasons.

Colchester United continued to play friendlies against local opposition until December 1939, when the Army Fire Fighting Corp took over Layer Road for drill practice. The ground itself did continued to host matches during hostilities, as a number of high-profile military encounters took place at the stadium. The influx of military personnel through Colchester Garrison ensured that Layer Road played host to a number of star players through the war years.[4]

Players

As of match played 2 September 1939.[5]
More information Name, Position ...
  1. Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

Transfers

In

More information Date, Position ...
  • Total spending: Decrease ~ £1,100

Out

More information Date, Position ...
  1. Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club

Match details

Friendlies

16 August 1939 (1939-08-16) Friendly Southend United 2–2 Colchester United Southend-on-Sea
Martin 25'
Ormandy 		Report Pritchard Stadium: Southend Stadium
Attendance: 1,753
30 September 1939 (1939-09-30) Friendly Crittall Athletic 1–1 Colchester United Braintree
Unknown goalscorer Report Law Attendance: 800
7 October 1939 (1939-10-07) Friendly Colchester United 4–1 17th/21st Lancers Colchester
15:00 Leslie 25'
Morris 70'
Bidewell 71'
Law 72'		 Report Simpson 32' Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 500
14 October 1939 (1939-10-14) Friendly Colchester United 1–2 Crittall Athletic Colchester
15:00 Cheyne 30' Report Edwards 37'
Rees 75'		 Stadium: Layer Road
21 October 1939 (1939-10-21) Friendly Chelmsford City 4–0 Colchester United Chelmsford
Wright 30'
Shaw 37'
Burley 		Report Stadium: New Writtle Street
Attendance: 3,417
28 October 1939 (1939-10-28) Friendly Colchester United 3–3 Norwich City Reserves Colchester
Cheyne 47', 75'
Birch 60' (pen.)		 Report Coleman 30'
Rose 35'
Houseago 62'		 Stadium: Layer Road
7 November 1939 (1939-11-07) Friendly Colchester United 7–0 Officers' Cadet Training Unit Colchester
15:00 Edwards
Fieldus
Perrett
Rees 		Report Stadium: Layer Road
11 November 1939 (1939-11-11) Friendly Southend United 3–2 Colchester United Southend-on-Sea
Shalcross
Oswald
Lewis 		Report Mullane 15', 18' Stadium: Southend Stadium
25 November 1939 (1939-11-25) Friendly Colchester United 2–1 Fulham Reserves Colchester
14:40 Fieldus
Birch (pen.)		 Report Cranfield Stadium: Layer Road
2 December 1939 (1939-12-02) Friendly Colchester United 4–0 Southend United Colchester
14:30 Birch 30' (pen.)
Rees 45'
Cheyne 		Report Stadium: Layer Road
9 December 1939 (1939-12-09) Friendly Colchester United 4–3 17th/21st Lancers Colchester
14:30 Little 10'
Perrett
Pendergast 		Report Elder 65'
McCormack 		Stadium: Layer Road
16 December 1939 (1939-12-16) Friendly Colchester United 1–1 Chelmsford City Colchester
Cheyne 25' Report Jones 20' Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 500
23 December 1939 (1939-12-23) Friendly Chelmsford City 6–1 Colchester United Chelmsford
Beauchamp
Burley
Jones
McCormick
Sliman (pen.)		 Report Cheyne Stadium: New Writtle Street
Attendance: 1,300
25 December 1939 (1939-12-25) Friendly Norwich City Reserves 1–2 Colchester United Norwich
Unknown goalscorer Report Little
Rees 		Stadium: Carrow Road
26 December 1939 (1939-12-26) Friendly Colchester United 3–4 Norwich City Reserves Colchester
14:15 Potts
Simpson 		Report Unknown goalscorer Stadium: Layer Road
30 December 1939 (1939-12-30) Friendly Colchester United 3–2 Dartford Colchester
Morris 60'
Fieldus 		Report Rozier Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 200

Southern League

Main article: 1939–40 Southern Football League
26 August 1939 (1939-08-26) 1 Colchester United 3–1 Plymouth Argyle Reserves Colchester
15:15 Law 14'
Cheyne 51'
Birch 85' (pen.)		 Report Olver 88' Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 4,200
31 August 1939 (1939-08-31) 2 Colchester United 1–2 Chelmsford City Colchester
Cheyne 83'
Wallis Red card		 Report Burley 10'
Phillips 35'		 Stadium: Layer Road
2 September 1939 (1939-09-02) 3 Colchester United 0–0 Ipswich Town Reserves Colchester
Report Stadium: Layer Road

Southern League Cup

28 August 1939 (1939-08-28) 1938–39 Semi-final 1st leg Norwich City Reserves 1–5 Colchester United Norwich
Coleman Report Law 57'
Astill 60'
Pritchard
Birch (pen.)		 Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 1,480

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

[5][30]

More information No., Pos ...

Goalscorers

[30]

More information Place, Nationality ...

Disciplinary record

[31]

More information Nationality, Position ...

Captains

Number of games played as team captain.[32]

More information Place, Nationality ...

Clean sheets

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[33]

More information Place, Nationality ...

Player debuts

Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[34]

More information Position, Nationality ...

See also

References

General

Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.

Specific

  1. [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. [2]
    "Colchester Utd 3–1 Plymouth Argyle Reserves". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  3. [3]
    "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  4. [4]
    Hudson, Matt (11 August 2013). "The 1930s and 1940s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  5. [5]
    "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  6. [6]
    "Ken Burditt". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  7. [7]
    "George Law". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  8. [8]
    "Bill Main". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  9. [9]
    "George Ritchie". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  10. [10]
    "George Smith". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  11. [11]
    "George Merritt". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  12. [12]
    "Ian Haley". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  13. [13]
    "Ronnie Dunn". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  14. [14]
    "Cecil Allan". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  15. [15]
    "Jack Hodge". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  16. [16]
    "Ernie Matthews". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  17. [17]
    "George Williams". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  18. [18]
    "Don Youngs". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  19. [19]
    "George Crisp". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  20. [20]
    "Bob Murray". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  21. [21]
    "Joe Birch". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  22. [22]
    "George Leslie". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  23. [23]
    "Robert Morris". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  24. [24]
    "Alf Worton". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  25. [25]
    "Len Astill". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  26. [26]
    "Geo Wallis". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  27. [27]
    "James Baker". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  28. [28]
    "Arthur Pritchard". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  29. [29]
    "Alec Cheyne". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  30. [30]
    "Goals". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  31. [31]
    "Discipline". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  32. [32]
    "All matches". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  33. [33]
    "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  34. [34]
    "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
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