The 1948–49 season was Colchester United's seventh season in their history and their seventh in the Southern League. Alongside competing in the Southern League, the club also participated in the FA Cup and Southern League Cup. The club finished as runners–up in the Southern League Cup to Yeovil Town just ten days after losing the delayed 1947–48 season final to Merthyr Tydfil. The club exited the FA Cup in the first round to Reading, although the first encounter between the clubs was abandoned due to heavy fog. The match gathered a record Layer Road and Colchester United crowd of 19,072, before being abandoned with the scores at 1–1.

Quick Facts Chairman, Manager ...

Colchester United

1948–49 season
Chairman	Bill Allen[1]
Manager	Jimmy Allen (from July 1948)
Stadium	Layer Road
Southern League	4th
FA Cup	1st round (eliminated by Reading)
Southern League Cup	Runners-up
Top goalscorer	League: Arthur Turner (28) All: Arthur Turner (31)
Highest home attendance	19,072 v Reading, 27 November 1948[2]
Lowest home attendance	4,131 v Bedford Town, 21 October 1948[3]
Average home league attendance	8,476[4]
Biggest win	6–0 v Bedford Town, 21 October 1948
Biggest defeat	0–5 v Merthyr Tydfil, 22 April 1949; 1–6 v Gloucester City, 30 April 1949
Home colours
← 1947–48 1949–50 →

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Former Aston Villa and Portsmouth defender Jimmy Allen was tasked with taking Colchester United into the Football League when he stepped into the void left following Ted Fenton's departure for West Ham United during the simmer.

The ex-England international oversaw his side reach the final of the Southern League Cup for the second successive season. With the 1947–48 final held over from the previous season, Colchester first lost that final against Merthyr Tydfil 5–0, before losing the 1948–49 season final 3–0 to Yeovil Town ten days later. During these ten days, the club also played four league fixtures.

On the back of a successful FA Cup run across the 1947–48 season, much was expected of Colchester for their 1948–49 campaign. They drew Reading at home for their first–round fixture, but the game which drew a record Layer Road and Colchester United crowd of 19,072 was abandoned with the scores tied at 1–1 due to heavy fog. The rearranged match saw the U's crash out with a 4–2 defeat.

In the Southern League, Colchester once again finished in fourth position while Chelmsford City and Gillingham battled for the title, with the Kent side winning their second title in three years.^[5]

As of match played 7 May 1949.^[6]

More information Name, Position ...

Name	Position	Nationality	Place of birth	Date of birth	Apps	Goals	Signed from	Date signed	Fee
Goalkeepers
Ken Whitehead	GK				0	0	Clacton Town	May 1948	Free transfer
George Wright	GK		Plymouth	(1919-10-10)10 October 1919 (aged 28)	0	0	Plymouth Argyle	May 1949	£1,000
Harry Wright	GK		Tottenham	(1909-06-03)3 June 1909 (aged 38)	64	0	Chelmsford City	11 July 1946	Free transfer
Defenders
Bill Bower	FB		Wrexham	(1911-11-17)17 November 1911 (aged 36)	73	1	Millwall	28 November 1945	Free transfer
George French	FB		Colchester	(1926-11-10)10 November 1926 (aged 21)	0	0	West Ham United	February 1949	Free transfer
Digger Kettle	FB		Colchester	(1922-06-03)3 June 1922 (aged 25)	60	1	Arclight Sports	September 1946	Free transfer
Midfielders
Harry Bearryman	WH		Wandsworth	(1924-09-26)26 September 1924 (aged 23)	46	5	Chelsea	4 July 1947	Free transfer
Alf Miller	WH		Portsmouth	(1917-03-25)25 March 1917 (aged 31)	0	0	Plymouth Argyle	August 1948	Free transfer
Wally Nunn	WH		Deptford	(1920-01-16)16 January 1920 (aged 28)	0	0	Swindon Town	June 1948	Free transfer
Frank Stamper	WH/IR		Hartlepool	(1926-02-22)22 February 1926 (aged 22)	8	0	Colchester Garrison Army Fire Fighting Centre	3 March 1947	Free transfer
Forwards
Bob Allen	WG		Bromley-by-Bow	(1916-10-11)11 October 1916 (aged 31)	44	0	Gainsborough Trinity	13 June 1946	Free transfer
Andy Brown	IF		Coatbridge	(1915-02-20)20 February 1915 (aged 33)	42	3	Torquay United	17 June 1947	Free transfer
Len Cater	CF		Colchester		76	26	Free agent	6 June 1946	Free transfer
Bob Curry	IF		Gateshead	(1918-11-02)2 November 1918 (aged 29)	83	49	Northampton Town	13 June 1947	Free transfer
Fred Cutting	IF		North Walsham	(1921-12-04)4 December 1921 (aged 26)	31	15	Norwich City	6 December 1947[lower-alpha 1]	Free transfer
Stan Foxall	WG		Crowle	(1914-09-08)8 September 1914 (aged 33)	0	0	West Ham United	June 1948	Free transfer
Norman George	WG				0	0		4 September 1948	Free transfer
Dennis Hillman	WG		Southend-on-Sea	(1918-11-27)27 November 1918 (aged 29)	72	13	Brighton & Hove Albion	21 September 1946	Free transfer
Vic Keeble	CF		Colchester	(1930-06-25)25 June 1930 (aged 17)	15	9	King George Youth Club	23 May 1947	£10
Denis Maffey	CF		Sunderland	(1922-02-22)22 February 1922 (aged 26)	0	0	Ipswich Town	May 1948	Free transfer
Bob Neville	OL				7	2	Rowhedge	October 1946	Free transfer
Ray Townrow	IR		West Ham		11	5	Wolverhampton Wanderers	2 January 1948	Free transfer
Arthur Turner	CF		Poplar	(1921-01-22)22 January 1921 (aged 27)	75	51	Charlton Athletic	September 1946	Free transfer

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• List of Colchester United F.C. seasons