The 1970–71 season was Colchester United's 29th season in their history and their third successive season in the fourth tier of English football, the Fourth Division. Alongside competing in the Fourth Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the League Cup.

Quick Facts Chairman, Manager ...

Colchester United

1970–71 season
Chairman	Bill Graver (until March) Roy Chapman (from March)[1]
Manager	Dick Graham
Stadium	Layer Road
Fourth Division	6th
FA Cup	6th round (eliminated by Everton)
League Cup	2nd round (eliminated by Birmingham City)
Top goalscorer	League: Ray Crawford (24) All: Ray Crawford (31)
Highest home attendance	16,000 v Leeds United, 13 February 1971[2]
Lowest home attendance	3,502 v Barrow, 26 April 1971[3]
Average home league attendance	6,362[4]
Biggest win	5–0 v Cambridge United, 19 August 1970 v Rochdale, 25 January 1971
Biggest defeat	0–5 v Everton, 6 March 1971
Home colours
← 1969–70 1971–72 →

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Colchester reached the FA Cup quarter-final, famously beating First Division Leeds United 3–2 at Layer Road in the fifth round. They had already defeated Ringmer, Cambridge United, Barnet and Rochdale along the way, before being defeated 5–0 by Everton at Goodison Park. Owing to their cup run, Colchester's league form stuttered, ending the campaign in sixth place, while they suffered a second round exit in the League Cup after being beaten by Birmingham City following a replay.

During the summer of 1970, manager Dick Graham increased the average age of his Colchester squad by signing a number of ageing players, including ex-England international Ray Crawford, Brian Garvey, John Kurila, Mick Mahon and Brian Owen. During the season, both Owen and Roy Massey suffered serious or career ending injuries, forcing Graham into signing Brian Lewis and Dave Simmons.

The 1970–71 season is most notable for Colchester's famous FA Cup run. In the first round, the U's disposed of non-League Ringmer courtesy of a Ray Crawford hat-trick. They then completed a cup double over Cambridge United, beating them 5–0 in the first round of the League Cup and then 3–0 in the second round of the FA Cup. Colchester defeated further non-League opposition in the third round, winning against Barnet at Underhill Stadium. The U's trailed 3–1 with five minutes remaining of their fourth round tie with Rochdale before staging a late comeback to earn a 3–3 draw and a Layer Road replay, where they thrashed Rochdale 5–0. This earned them a home tie against First Division side Leeds United, a side top of the League and who boasted ten internationals in their side.^[5]

Leeds United were at the time one of the best teams in the country. However, Dick Graham's side set out to frustrate Leeds by suppressing their usual wing play and playing direct football instead. Chairs and other obstacles were placed by the sidelines to produce an illusion of a narrow playing surface. Colchester found themselves 3–0 ahead after two goals from Ray Crawford and one from Dave Simmons. However, Leeds began to fight back, pulling back two goals with 17-minutes remaining, before Colchester goalkeeper Graham Smith produced a phenomenal save to deny Mick Jones with the score at 3–2. Colchester held on to record a famous victory and one of the most notable FA Cup giant-killings.^[6]

With the U's in the quarter-finals, they were drawn against Everton at Goodison Park. Dick Graham's Grandad's Army finally succumbed to defeated by a 5–0 scoreline in front of a crowd of 53,028.

Colchester's cup run had a negative impact on their league form. With fixtures backing up, a run of 17 league games following their cup exit until the end of the season proved too much as they finished the campaign in sixth position, two points shy of promotion.^[5]

As of match played 7 May 1971.^[7]

More information Name, Position ...

Name	Position	Nationality	Place of birth	Date of birth	Apps	Goals	Signed from	Date signed	Fee
Goalkeepers
Brian Sherratt	GK		Stoke-on-Trent	(1944-03-29)29 March 1944 (aged 26)	0	0	Gainsborough Trinity	August 1970	Free transfer
Graham Smith	GK		Liverpool	(1947-11-02)2 November 1947 (aged 22)	46	0	Notts County	Summer 1969	Free transfer
Defenders
Eric Burgess	FB		Edgware	(1944-10-27)27 October 1944 (aged 25)	0	0	Plymouth Argyle	December 1970	Free transfer
Micky Cook	FB		Enfield	(1951-04-09)9 April 1951 (aged 19)	21	0	Orient	1 March 1969	Free transfer
Bobby Cram	FB		Hetton-le-Hole	(1939-11-19)19 November 1939 (aged 30)	21	0	Vancouver Royals	17 January 1970[lower-alpha 1]	Free transfer
Alan Dennis	CB		Colchester	(1951-02-22)22 February 1951 (aged 19)	3	0	Apprentice	April 1967	Free transfer
Brian Garvey	CB		Kingston upon Hull	(1937-07-03)3 July 1937 (aged 32)	0	0	Watford	June 1970	Free transfer
John Gilchrist	FB		Wishaw	(1939-09-05)5 September 1939 (aged 30)	0	0	Fulham	15 August 1970[lower-alpha 1]	Free transfer
Brian Hall	LB		Burbage	(1939-03-09)9 March 1939 (aged 31)	253	26	Mansfield Town	March 1965	Free transfer
Bobby Howlett	CB		West Ham	(1948-12-12)12 December 1948 (aged 21)	18	0	Southend United	Summer 1968	Free transfer
John Kurila	CB		Glasgow	(1941-04-10)10 April 1941 (aged 29)	0	0	Southend United	Summer 1970	Free transfer
Trevor Painter	CB		Norwich	(1949-07-02)2 July 1949 (aged 20)	0	0	Norwich City	30 April 1970	Free transfer
Lindsay Smith	CB		Enfield	(1954-09-18)18 September 1954 (aged 15)	0	0	Apprentice	20 April 1971[lower-alpha 1]	Free transfer
Adrian Webster	DF		Colchester	(1951-11-06)6 November 1951 (aged 18)	0	0	Apprentice	July 1968	Free transfer
Midfielders
Phil Bloss	MF		Colchester	(1953-01-16)16 January 1953 (aged 17)	0	0	Apprentice	January 1971	Free transfer
Steve Foley	MF		Clacton-on-Sea	(1953-06-21)21 June 1953 (aged 16)	0	0	Apprentice	July 1969	Free transfer
Ken Jones	MF		Keighley	(1941-02-09)9 February 1941 (aged 29)	28	16	Millwall	November 1969	£5,000
Steve Leslie	MF		Hornsey	(1952-09-04)4 September 1952 (aged 17)	0	0	Apprentice	20 April 1971[lower-alpha 1]	Free transfer
Brian Lewis	MF		Woking	(1943-01-26)26 January 1943 (aged 27)	0	0	Oxford United	26 December 1970[lower-alpha 1]	£5,000
Forwards
Micky Brown	WG		Farnham Common	(1944-04-11)11 April 1944 (aged 26)	58	12	Luton Town	26 October 1968[lower-alpha 1]	£3,000
Ray Crawford	FW		Portsmouth	(1936-07-13)13 July 1936 (aged 33)	0	0	Kettering Town	15 August 1970[lower-alpha 1]	£3,000
Brian Gibbs	FW		Gillingham	(1936-10-06)6 October 1936 (aged 33)	83	25	Gillingham	September 1968	£8,000
Mick Mahon	WG		Manchester	(1944-09-17)17 September 1944 (aged 25)	0	0	York City	May 1970	Free transfer
Brian Owen	WG		Harefield	(1944-11-01)1 November 1944 (aged 25)	0	0	Watford	May 1970	Free transfer
Dave Simmons	FW		Ryde	(1948-10-24)24 October 1948 (aged 21)	0	0	Aston Villa	26 December 1970[lower-alpha 1]	£6,000
Ray Whittaker	WG		Bow	(1945-01-15)15 January 1945 (aged 25)	41	7	Luton Town	9 August 1969[lower-alpha 1]	Free transfer

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• List of Colchester United F.C. seasons