The 1951–52 season was Colchester United's tenth season in their history and their second season in the Third Division South, the third tier of English football. Alongside competing in the Third Division South, the club also participated in the FA Cup. Colchester reached the third round of the FA Cup before being knocked out by Second Division side Barnsley. In the league, they bettered the previous season's 16th-placed finish by finishing 10th.

Quick Facts Chairman, Manager ...

Colchester United

1951–52 season
Chairman	Bill Allen[1]
Manager	Jimmy Allen
Stadium	Layer Road
Third Division South	10th
FA Cup	3rd round (eliminated by Barnsley)
Top goalscorer	League: Vic Keeble (16) All: Vic Keeble (17)
Highest home attendance	15,175 v Ipswich Town, 1 March 1952[2]
Lowest home attendance	6,128 v Watford, 3 May 1952[3]
Average home league attendance	9,429[4]
Biggest win	4–1 v Bristol City, 20 October 1951; 4–1 v Reading, 3 April 1952
Biggest defeat	0–7 v Leyton Orient, 5 January 1952
Home colours
← 1950–51 1952–53 →

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Colchester's 1951–52 season began poorly, with six defeats in the opening seven games due to an injury-ravaged squad. Rooted to the foot of the table, a mid-season revival including a double over local rivals Ipswich Town eventually saw the U's finish the season 10th in the final standings.

Vic Keeble became Colchester's first export that commanded a high transfer fee when he moved to First Division Newcastle United for a £15,000 fee in January 1952. Despite his mid-season sale, Keeble remained the top scorer for the U's with 17 goals. Manager Jimmy Allen signed Kevin McCurley from Liverpool for £750 as a replacement for Keeble in March 1952. He scored six times in eleven games during the final two months of the campaign.^[5]

As of match played 3 May 1952.^[6]

More information Name, Position ...

Name	Position	Nationality	Place of birth	Date of birth	Apps	Goals	Signed from	Date signed	Fee
Goalkeepers
Frank Coombs	GK		East Ham	(1925-04-24)24 April 1925 (aged 26)	0	0	Southend United	8 March 1952[lower-alpha 1]	£450
George Wright	GK		Plymouth	(1919-10-10)10 October 1919 (aged 31)	95	0	Plymouth Argyle	May 1949	£1,000
Defenders
George French	FB		Colchester	(1926-11-10)10 November 1926 (aged 24)	0	0	West Ham United	February 1949	Free transfer
John Harrison	FB		Leicester	(1927-09-27)27 September 1927 (aged 23)	33	0	Aston Villa	30 September 1950[lower-alpha 1]	Nominal
Digger Kettle	FB		Colchester	(1922-06-03)3 June 1922 (aged 28)	165	1	Arclight Sports	September 1946	Free transfer
Phil Rookes	FB		Dulverton	(1919-04-23)23 April 1919 (aged 32)	0	0	Portsmouth	July 1951	£1,000
Trevor Rowlands	FB		Wattstown	(1922-02-02)2 February 1922 (aged 29)	15	1	Norwich City	20 July 1950	£1,000
Reg Stewart	CB		Sheffield	(1925-10-30)30 October 1925 (aged 25)	99	0	Sheffield Wednesday	20 August 1949[lower-alpha 1]	£1,000
Midfielders
Harry Bearryman	WH		Wandsworth	(1924-09-26)26 September 1924 (aged 26)	194	9	Chelsea	4 July 1947	Free transfer
Jimmy Elder	WH		Scone	(1928-03-05)5 March 1928 (aged 23)	46	4	Portsmouth	19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]	£1,000
Trevor Harris	WH		Colchester	(1936-02-06)6 February 1936 (aged 15)	0	0	Amateur	July 1951	Free transfer
Ron Hunt	WH		Colchester	(1933-09-26)26 September 1933 (aged 17)	0	0	Amateur	October 1951	Free transfer
Len Jones	WH		Barnsley	(1913-06-09)9 June 1913 (aged 37)	43	3	Southend United	19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]	Undisclosed
John Moore	WH		Chiswick	(1923-09-25)25 September 1923 (aged 27)	13	0	Brentford	8 September 1949[lower-alpha 1]	£1,000
Harry Wilkinson	WH		Sunderland	(1926-03-20)20 March 1926 (aged 25)	0	0	Exeter City	1951	Free transfer
Forwards
Peter Aitchison	WG		Harlow	(1931-09-19)19 September 1931 (aged 19)	0	0	Amateur	August 1950	Free transfer
John Church	WG		Lowestoft	(1919-09-17)17 September 1919 (aged 31)	42	10	Norwich City	19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]	£1,000
Dick Cullum	FW		Colchester	(1931-01-28)28 January 1931 (aged 20)	0	0	Colchester Colts	28 March 1951[lower-alpha 1]	Free transfer
Adam Davidson	WG		Invergowrie	(1929-11-18)18 November 1929 (aged 21)	0	0	Sheffield Wednesday	August 1951	Free transfer
Jack McClelland	FW		Colchester	(1930-08-11)11 August 1930 (aged 20)	0	0	Amateur	Summer 1951	Free transfer
Kevin McCurley	CF		Consett	(1926-04-02)2 April 1926 (aged 25)	0	0	Liverpool	June 1951	£750
Johnny McKim	IF		Greenock	(1926-01-22)22 January 1926 (aged 25)	24	8	Chelsea	19 August 1950[lower-alpha 1]	£1,000
Augie Scott	IF		Sunderland	(1921-02-19)19 February 1921 (aged 30)	0	0	Southampton	18 August 1951[lower-alpha 1]	£2,000
Arthur Turner	CF		Poplar	(1921-01-22)22 January 1921 (aged 30)	155	98	Charlton Athletic	September 1946	Free transfer
Peter Wright	WG		Colchester	(1934-01-26)26 January 1934 (aged 17)	0	0	Amateur	November 1951	Free transfer

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• List of Colchester United F.C. seasons