1997–98_Colchester_United_F.C._season
1997–98 Colchester United F.C. season
Colchester United 1997–98 football season
The 1997–98 season was Colchester United's 56th season in their history and their sixth consecutive season in the fourth tier of English football, the Third Division. Alongside competing in the Third Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Football League Trophy.
Quick Facts Chairman, Manager ...
| 1997–98 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Gordon Parker[1] | |
| Manager | Steve Wignall | |
| Stadium | Layer Road | |
| Third Division | 4th (promoted) | |
| Play-offs | Winners | |
| FA Cup | 2nd round (eliminated by Hereford United) | |
| League Cup | 1st round (eliminated by Luton Town) | |
| Football League Trophy | 1st round (southern section) (eliminated by Leyton Orient) | |
| Top goalscorer | League: Paul Abrahams Neil Gregory Mark Sale Aaron Skelton (7) All: David Gregory (10) | |
| Highest home attendance | 6,220 v Leyton Orient, 25 April 1998[2] | |
| Lowest home attendance | 1,867 v Chester City, 19 December 1997[3] | |
| Average home league attendance | 3,267[4] | |
| Biggest win | 5–1 v Macclesfield Town, 14 March 1998 | |
| Biggest defeat | 1–4 v Cambridge United, 2 September 1997 | |
|
| ||
Close
Colchester ended the season with a strong finish, one point shy of automatic promotion in fourth place. This meant another attempt at promotion via the play-offs. Colchester faced Barnet in the semi-final first leg, and they lost 1–0 at Underhill Stadium. In the return leg at Layer Road, Colchester won 3–1 to defeat Barnet 3–2 on aggregate thus achieving a place in the final and a second trip to Wembley in a year. In the final, the U's faced Torquay United. A David Gregory penalty was enough to separate the sides and promote Colchester to the third tier of English football for the first time in 17 years.
Despite reaching the final of the Football League Trophy the season prior, Colchester were knocked out at the first round stage by Leyton Orient this term. They suffered a same fate at the hands of Luton Town in the League Cup and saw a second round exit in the FA Cup to Hereford United.
Colchester were eliminated at the first round stage of the League Cup, and also the first round of the Football League Trophy after reaching the 1997 Final. They once again lost to a non-League side in Hereford United in the FA Cup second round following a replay.
The club were awarded a settlement of £300,000 from Ipswich Town owing to the saga over George Burley's acrimonious exit from Colchester to their Suffolk neighbours in late 1994. Meanwhile, Alfred McAlpine were named as the consultants commissioned for the process of building a new stadium for Colchester United, with the club's lease on Layer Road due to expire in 2002.
Manager Steve Wignall broke the club's transfer record by spending £50,000 on Neil Gregory, who joined from Ipswich Town to reunite with his brother David.
Colchester's had a late season upturn in form, winning ten of their final 15 games as they missed automatic promotion by just one point. This meant that they had qualified for the play-offs, where they would face seventh-placed Barnet, who themselves earned a place in the play-offs by just one point ahead of Scunthorpe United.
Barnet won the first-leg at Underhill Stadium 1–0, but both sides were reduced to ten men in the game after Guy Branston was sent off for the U's and Sean Devine saw red for Barnet. Colchester won the Layer Road leg 3–1 after extra time with goals from David Gregory and David Greene. Barnet also had Lee Howarth sent off on 60 minutes while Barnet were leading 2–1 on aggregate.
The win took Colchester to Wembley for the second time in a year and a third trip in six years. The fixture was moved to Friday night to accommodate an England versus Saudi Arabia friendly, and as such attracted a relatively low crowd of 19,486. The game was also broadcast on Sky Sports. David Gregory converted from the penalty spot on 22 minutes to win the match 1–0 for Colchester and earn promotion back to the third tier of English football for the first time in 17 years.[5]
- As of match played 22 May 1998.[6]
More information Name, Position ...
| Name | Position | Nationality | Place of birth | Date of birth | Apps | Goals | Signed from | Date signed | Fee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||||||||||
| Carl Emberson | GK |  | Epsom | (1973-07-13)13 July 1973 (aged 23) | 129 | 0 | Millwall | 6 July 1994 | £25,000 | ||
| Tamer Fernandes | GK | | Paddington | (1974-12-07)7 December 1974 (aged 22) | 0 | 0 | Peterborough United | 28 January 1998 | Free transfer | ||
| Defenders | |||||||||||
| Simon Betts | FB | | Middlesbrough | (1973-03-03)3 March 1973 (aged 24) | 172 | 11 | Scarborough | 11 December 1992 | Free transfer | ||
| Peter Cawley | CB | | Walton-on-Thames | (1965-09-15)15 September 1965 (aged 31) | 184 | 9 | Barnet | 30 October 1992[lower-alpha 1] | Free transfer | ||
| Joe Dunne | FB |  | Dublin | (1973-05-25)25 May 1973 (aged 24) | 47 | 2 | Gillingham | 27 March 1996 | Free transfer | ||
| David Greene | CB | | Luton | (1973-10-26)26 October 1973 (aged 23) | 71 | 4 | Luton Town | 21 June 1996 | £30,000 | ||
| Nicky Haydon | DF/MF | | Barking | (1978-08-10)10 August 1978 (aged 18) | 1 | 1 | Youth team | 1 August 1995 | Free transfer | ||
| Scott Stamps | FB | | Edgbaston | (1975-03-20)20 March 1975 (aged 22) | 8 | 0 | Torquay United | 26 March 1997 | £15,000 | ||
| Midfielders | |||||||||||
| Paul Buckle | MF | | Hatfield | (1970-12-16)16 December 1970 (aged 26) | 29 | 3 | Wycombe Wanderers | 28 November 1996 | Free transfer | ||
| Karl Duguid | MF | | Letchworth | (1978-03-21)21 March 1978 (aged 19) | 42 | 4 | Youth team | 9 December 1995[lower-alpha 2] | Free transfer | ||
| Steve Forbes | MF | | Stoke Newington | (1975-12-24)24 December 1975 (aged 21) | 1 | 1 | Millwall | 14 March 1997 | Free transfer | ||
| Jeremy Goss | MF |  |  Dhekelia | (1965-05-11)11 May 1965 (aged 32) | 0 | 0 |  Heart of Midlothian | January 1998 | Free transfer | ||
| David Gregory | MF | | Sudbury | (1970-01-23)23 January 1970 (aged 27) | 58 | 1 | Peterborough United | 8 December 1995 | Free transfer | ||
| Dave Rainford | MF | | Stepney | (1979-04-21)21 April 1979 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | Youth team | July 1997 | Free transfer | ||
| Aaron Skelton | MF/DF | | Welwyn Garden City | (1974-11-22)22 November 1974 (aged 22) | 0 | 0 | Luton Town | 3 July 1997 | Free transfer | ||
| Richard Wilkins | MF/DF | | Lambeth | (1965-05-28)28 May 1965 (aged 32) | 230 | 34 | Hereford United | 3 July 1996 | £17,500 | ||
| Forwards | |||||||||||
| Paul Abrahams | FW/WG | | Colchester | (1973-10-31)31 October 1973 (aged 23) | 119 | 24 | Brentford | 23 October 1996 | £20,000 | ||
| Tony Adcock | FW | | Bethnal Green | (1963-03-27)27 March 1963 (aged 34) | 314 | 143 | Luton Town | 3 August 1995 | Free transfer | ||
| Neil Gregory | FW | |  Ndola | (1972-10-07)7 October 1972 (aged 24) | 10 | 5 | Ipswich Town | 26 March 1998 | £50,000 | ||
| Ian Hathaway | WG | | Wordsley | (1968-08-22)22 August 1968 (aged 28) | 0 | 0 | Torquay United | 1 August 1997 | Free transfer | ||
| Tony Lock | FW | | Harlow | (1976-09-03)3 September 1976 (aged 20) | 10 | 2 | Apprentice | 28 January 1995[lower-alpha 2] | Free transfer | ||
| Mark Sale | FW | | Burton upon Trent | (1972-02-27)27 February 1972 (aged 25) | 13 | 3 | Mansfield Town | 10 March 1997 | £23,500 | ||
Close
In
More information Date, Position ...
| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1997 | MF | |
Dave Rainford | Youth team | Free transfer | [7][8] |
| 3 July 1997 | MF/DF | |
Aaron Skelton | Luton Town |
Free transfer | [9][10] |
| 1 August 1997 | WG | |
Ian Hathaway | Torquay United |
Free transfer | [11][12] |
| 8 September 1997 | GK | |
Paul Newell | Sittingbourne |
Non-contract | [13] |
| January 1998 | MF | |
Jeremy Goss | Heart of Midlothian |
Free transfer | [14] |
| 28 January 1998 | GK | |
Tamer Fernandes | Peterborough United |
Free transfer | [15][16] |
| 26 March 1998 | FW | |
Neil Gregory | Ipswich Town |
£50,000 | [17][18] |
Close
- Total spending:
~ £50,000
Out
More information Date, Position ...
| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of season | MF | |
Ernie Cooksey | Heybridge Swifts |
Released | [19][20] |
| Summer 1997 | GK |  |
Garrett Caldwell | Toronto Supra |
Undisclosed | [21][22] |
| Summer 1997 | CB | |
Andy Partner | Heybridge Swifts |
Free transfer | [23] |
| 31 May 1997 | FB | |
Paul Gibbs | Torquay United |
Free transfer | [24][25] |
| 31 May 1997 | CB | |
Tony McCarthy | Shelbourne[lower-alpha 1] |
Released | [26][27] |
| July 1997 | MF/WG | |
Chris Fry | Exeter City |
Released | [28][29] |
| 1 August 1997 | MF/FB | |
Adam Locke | Bristol City |
Free transfer | [30][31] |
| 17 September 1997 | GK | |
Paul Newell | Northampton Town[lower-alpha 2] |
Released | [13] |
| 27 February 1998 | FW | |
Steve Whitton | Free agent[lower-alpha 3] | Retired | [32][33] |
Close
- Total incoming:
~ £0
- Following Tony McCarthy's release by Colchester United, he later signed for Shelbourne.
- Following Paul Newell's release by Colchester United, he later signed for Northampton Town.
- After retiring through injury, Steve Whitton remained at Colchester United as assistant manager.
Loans in
More information Date, Position ...
| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | From | End date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 September 1997 | FW | |
Isaiah Rankin | Arsenal |
26 December 1997 | [34][35] |
| 16 October 1997 | CB | |
Wayne Brown | Ipswich Town |
8 November 1997 | [36][37] |
| 1 January 1998 | FW | |
Neil Gregory | Ipswich Town |
2 March 1998 | [17][18] |
| 9 February 1998 | CB | |
Guy Branston | Leicester City |
10 May 1998 | [38][39][lower-alpha 1] |
Close
Loans out
More information Date, Position ...
| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | End date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 December 1997 | MF | |
Dave Rainford | Wivenhoe Town |
24 February 1998 | [7][8] |
Close
Third Division
Main article: 1997–98 Football League
Results round by round
More information Round, Ground ...
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | L | D | D | L | W | W | W | L | D | L | D | W | W | D | D | L | W | L | L | L | W | D | W | L | L | W | W | L | D | L | W | W | W | W | D | L | W | D | W | W | W | W | L | D | W |
| Position | 4 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Close
League table
More information Pos, Pld ...
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Macclesfield Town[lower-alpha 1] | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 63 | 44 | +19 | 82 | Promoted |
| 3 | Lincoln City | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 60 | 51 | +9 | 75 | |
| 4 | Colchester United | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 72 | 60 | +12 | 74 | Promoted through play-offs |
| 5 | Torquay United | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 68 | 59 | +9 | 74 | Participated in play-offs |
| 6 | Scarborough | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 67 | 58 | +9 | 72 |
Close
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Notes:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Notes:
Matches
Colchester United v Darlington
| 9 August 1997 (1997-08-09) 1 | Colchester United | 2–1 | Darlington | Colchester |
| 15:00 BST | Abrahams  32'Buckle 59' (pen.) |
Report | Oliver 75' (pen.) Brydon  81' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,958 Referee: Barry Knight |
Hartlepool United v Colchester United
| 16 August 1997 (1997-08-16) 2 | Hartlepool United | 3–2 | Colchester United | Hartlepool |
| Baker 3' Allon 56', 63' |
Report | Buckle 38' (pen.) Abrahams 60' |
Stadium: Victoria Park Attendance: 2,174 Referee: P Robinson |
Colchester United v Barnet
| 22 August 1997 (1997-08-22) 3 | Colchester United | 1–1 | Barnet | Colchester |
| 19:45 BST | Wilkins 72' |
Report | Howarth 59' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,286 Referee: M Bailey |
Torquay United v Colchester United
| 30 August 1997 (1997-08-30) 4 | Torquay United | 1–1 | Colchester United | Torquay |
| Gittens 85' |
Report | Wilkins 65' |
Stadium: Plainmoor Attendance: 2,081 Referee: D Crick |
Cambridge United v Colchester United
| 2 September 1997 (1997-09-02) 5 | Cambridge United | 4–1 | Colchester United | Cambridge |
| 19:45 BST | Butler 6', 46' Taylor 61', 68' |
Report | D. Gregory 36' |
Stadium: Abbey Stadium Attendance: 3,264 Referee: Fraser Stretton |
Colchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion
| 8 September 1997 (1997-09-08) 6 | Colchester United | 3–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Colchester |
| 19:45 BST | Greene 4', 57' Abrahams 49' |
Report | Baird 47' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,081 Referee: J Kirkby |
Colchester United v Scarborough
| 12 September 1997 (1997-09-12) 7 | Colchester United | 1–0 | Scarborough | Colchester |
| 19:45 BST | Lock 87' |
Report | Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,756 Referee: Alan Wiley |
Swansea City v Colchester United
| 20 September 1997 (1997-09-20) 8 | Swansea City | 0–1 | Colchester United | Swansea |
| Report | Greene 49' |
Stadium: Vetch Field Attendance: 3,414 Referee: Scott Mathieson |
Colchester United v Exeter City
| 27 September 1997 (1997-09-27) 9 | Colchester United | 1–2 | Exeter City | Colchester |
| 15:00 BST | Abrahams 52' Greene 62' |
Report | Rowbotham 28' Flack 56' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,175 Referee: A Butler |
Mansfield Town v Colchester United
| 4 October 1997 (1997-10-04) 10 | Mansfield Town | 1–1 | Colchester United | Mansfield |
| Whitehall 6' |
Report | Greene 12' |
Stadium: Field Mill Attendance: 2,341 Referee: K Lynch |
Peterborough United v Colchester United
| 11 October 1997 (1997-10-11) 11 | Peterborough United | 3–2 | Colchester United | Peterborough |
| Carruthers 55' Houghton 58'Quinn 78' |
Report | Rankin 32' Adcock 82' |
Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 6,277 Referee: Paul Taylor |
Colchester United v Shrewsbury Town
| 18 October 1997 (1997-10-18) 12 | Colchester United | 1–1 | Shrewsbury Town | Colchester |
| 15:00 BST | Skelton 51' |
Report | Seabury 25' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,977 Referee: Rob Harris |
Colchester United v Doncaster Rovers
| 21 October 1997 (1997-10-21) 13 | Colchester United | 2–1 | Doncaster Rovers | Colchester |
| 19:45 BST | Sale 8' Skelton 8' |
Report | McDonald 31' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,588 Referee: Andy D'Urso |
Leyton Orient v Colchester United
| 25 October 1997 (1997-10-25) 14 | Leyton Orient | 0–2 | Colchester United | Leyton |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Adcock 4' Forbes 78' |
Stadium: Brisbane Road Attendance: 4,592 Referee: Anthony Bates |
Colchester United v Scunthorpe United
| 31 October 1997 (1997-10-31) 15 | Colchester United | 3–3 | Scunthorpe United | Colchester |
| 19:30 GMT | Rankin 2' Buckle 35'Sale 40' |
Report | Hope 52' D'Auria 61', 63' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,134 Referee: Roger Furnandiz |
Macclesfield Town v Colchester United
| 4 November 1997 (1997-11-04) 16 | Macclesfield Town | 0–0 | Colchester United | Macclesfield |
| Report | Stadium: Moss Rose Attendance: 1,577 Referee: Chris Foy |
Rochdale v Colchester United
| 8 November 1997 (1997-11-08) 17 | Rochdale | 2–1 | Colchester United | Rochdale |
| Stuart 44' Painter 65' (pen.) |
Report | Duguid 60' |
Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 1,702 Referee: Terry Heilbron |
Colchester United v Notts County
| 18 November 1997 (1997-11-18) 18 | Colchester United | 2–0 | Notts County | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | Sale 67' Rankin 86' |
Report | Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,643 Referee: Rob Styles |
Colchester United v Lincoln City
| 22 November 1997 (1997-11-22) 19 | Colchester United | 0–1 | Lincoln City | Colchester |
Cawley  61' 90' |
Report | Gordon 61' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,932 Referee: R Pearson |
Rotherham United v Colchester United
| 29 November 1997 (1997-11-29) 20 | Rotherham United | 3–2 | Colchester United | Rotherham |
| Glover 11', 62' Knill 73' |
Report | Skelton 47' Sale 61' |
Stadium: Millmoor Attendance: 3,259 Referee: William Burns |
Hull City v Colchester United
| 13 December 1997 (1997-12-13) 21 | Hull City | 3–1 | Colchester United | Kingston upon Hull |
| Dewhurst 54' Rioch 57' (pen.)Darby 82' |
Report | Adcock 88' |
Stadium: Boothferry Park Attendance: 3,896 Referee: Mike Jones |
Colchester United v Chester City
| 19 December 1997 (1997-12-19) 22 | Colchester United | 2–0 | Chester City | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | Adcock 13' Duguid 75' |
Report | Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 1,867 Referee: M Pierce |
Brighton & Hove Albion v Colchester United
| 26 December 1997 (1997-12-26) 23 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 4–4 | Colchester United | Gillingham |
| Emblen 47', 61', 67' Minton 86' (pen.) |
Report | Rankin 15', 29' Adcock 13'Stamps 75' |
Stadium: Priestfield Stadium Attendance: 2,647 Referee: Mark Halsey |
Colchester United v Cambridge United
| 29 December 1997 (1997-12-29) 24 | Colchester United | 3–2 | Cambridge United | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | Wilkins 45', 48' Skelton 67' |
Report | Barnwell-Edinboro 6', 69' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 4,518 Referee: Paul Rejer |
Colchester United v Hartlepool United
| 3 January 1998 (1998-01-03) 25 | Colchester United | 1–2 | Hartlepool United | Colchester |
| 15:00 GMT | Buckle 81' |
Report | Clark 13' Howard 74' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,885 Referee: Alan Wiley |
Darlington v Colchester United
| 10 January 1998 (1998-01-10) 26 | Darlington | 4–2 | Colchester United | Darlington |
| Gaughan 40' Roberts 59'Haydon 84' (o.g.)Dorner 86' |
Report | N. Gregory 69', 78' |
Stadium: Feethams Attendance: 2,170 Referee: Scott Mathieson |
Colchester United v Torquay United
| 16 January 1998 (1998-01-16) 27 | Colchester United | 1–0 | Torquay United | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | Lock 86' |
Report | Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,776 Referee: Fraser Stretton |
Colchester United v Cardiff City
| 20 January 1998 (1998-01-20) 28 | Colchester United | 2–1 | Cardiff City | Colchester |
| N. Gregory 69' Buckle 79' |
Report | Dale 85' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 1,929 Referee: M Bailey |
Barnet v Colchester United
| 24 January 1998 (1998-01-24) 29 | Barnet | 3–2 | Colchester United | Chipping Barnet |
| Devine 44', 65' McGleish 59' |
Report | Skelton 4' Wilkins 83' |
Stadium: Underhill Stadium Attendance: 2,471 Referee: Paul Danson |
Scarborough v Colchester United
| 31 January 1998 (1998-01-31) 30 | Scarborough | 1–1 | Colchester United | Scarborough |
| Campbell 83' |
Report | Whitton 46' |
Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,219 Referee: Graham Laws |
Colchester United v Swansea City
| 6 February 1998 (1998-02-06) 31 | Colchester United | 1–2 | Swansea City | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | N. Gregory 27' |
Report | Coates 52' Price 78' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,789 Referee: J Kirkby |
Colchester United v Mansfield Town
| 13 February 1998 (1998-02-13) 32 | Colchester United | 2–0 | Mansfield Town | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | Lock 30' D. Gregory 68' |
Report | Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,320 Referee: J Robinson |
Exeter City v Colchester United
| 21 February 1998 (1998-02-21) 33 | Exeter City | 0–1 | Colchester United | Exeter |
| Report | Lock 68' |
Stadium: St James Park Attendance: 3,346 Referee: Anthony Bates |
Shrewsbury Town v Colchester United
| 24 February 1998 (1998-02-24) 34 | Shrewsbury Town | 0–2 | Colchester United | Shrewsbury |
| Report | N. Gregory 7' D. Gregory 68' |
Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 1,972 Referee: Clive Wilkes |
Colchester United v Peterborough United
| 27 February 1998 (1998-02-27) 35 | Colchester United | 1–0 | Peterborough United | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | Branston 61' |
Report | Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 4,117 Referee: D Crick |
Colchester United v Rochdale
| 3 March 1998 (1998-03-03) 36 | Colchester United | 0–0 | Rochdale | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | Report | Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,112 Referee: Steve Baines |
Scunthorpe United v Colchester United
| 7 March 1998 (1998-03-07) 37 | Scunthorpe United | 1–0 | Colchester United | Scunthorpe |
| McAuley 17' |
Report | Stadium: Glanford Park Attendance: 2,143 Referee: K Lynch |
Colchester United v Macclesfield Town
| 14 March 1998 (1998-03-14) 38 | Colchester United | 5–1 | Macclesfield Town | Colchester |
| 15:00 GMT | Sale 36', 57' Skelton 76'Abrahams 79'Lock 88' |
Report | Whittaker 38' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,760 Referee: Steve Bennett |
Notts County v Colchester United
| 21 March 1998 (1998-03-21) 39 | Notts County | 0–0 | Colchester United | Nottingham |
| Report | Stadium: Meadow Lane Attendance: 6,284 Referee: E Lomas |
Lincoln City v Colchester United
| 28 March 1998 (1998-03-28) 40 | Lincoln City | 0–1 | Colchester United | Lincoln |
| Report | Dunne 28' |
Stadium: Sincil Bank Attendance: 4,040 Referee: J Brandwood |
Colchester United v Rotherham United
| 3 April 1998 (1998-04-03) 41 | Colchester United | 2–1 | Rotherham United | Colchester |
| 19:30 BST | Skelton 11' Sale 55' |
Report | Martindale 12' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,824 Referee: Rob Styles |
Cardiff City v Colchester United
| 11 April 1998 (1998-04-11) 42 | Cardiff City | 0–2 | Colchester United | Cardiff |
| Report | Abrahams 48' D. Gregory 60' |
Stadium: Ninian Park Attendance: 2,809 Referee: M Fletcher |
Colchester United v Hull City
| 13 April 1998 (1998-04-13) 43 | Colchester United | 4–3 | Hull City | Colchester |
| 15:00 BST | D. Gregory 6' Lock 13'Dunne 79'Duguid 90' |
Report | Boyack 24' McGinty 48'Darby 70' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 4,700 Referee: Paul Taylor |
Chester City v Colchester United
| 18 April 1998 (1998-04-18) 44 | Chester City | 3–1 | Colchester United | Chester |
| Whelan 19' Fisher 35'Rimmer 36' |
Report | Abrahams 75' |
Stadium: Deva Stadium Attendance: 1,780 Referee: P Richards |
Colchester United v Leyton Orient
| 25 April 1998 (1998-04-25) 45 | Colchester United | 1–1 | Leyton Orient | Colchester |
| 15:00 BST | N. Gregory 45' |
Report | Inglethorpe 44' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 6,220 Referee: Andy Hall |
Doncaster Rovers v Colchester United
| 2 May 1998 (1998-05-02) 46 | Doncaster Rovers | 0–1 | Colchester United | Doncaster |
| 15:00 BST | Report | N. Gregory 56' |
Stadium: Belle Vue Attendance: 3,572 Referee: Terry Heilbron |
Football League play-offs
Main article: 1998 Football League play-offs § Third Division
Barnet v Colchester United
| 10 May 1998 (1998-05-10) Semi-final 1st leg | Barnet | 1–0 | Colchester United | Chipping Barnet |
| 13:30 BST | Heald 48' Devine 82' |
Report | Branston 82' |
Stadium: Underhill Stadium Attendance: 3,858 Referee: Eddie Wolstenholme |
Colchester United v Barnet
| 13 May 1998 (1998-05-13) Semi-final 2nd leg | Colchester United | 3–1 (a.e.t.) | Barnet | Colchester |
| 19:45 BST | D. Gregory 12' (pen.), 95' Greene 65' |
Report | Goodhind 41' Howarth 60' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 5,863 Referee: Terry Heilbron |
| Note: Colchester win 3–2 on aggregate. | ||||
Colchester United v Torquay United
| 22 May 1998 (1998-05-22) Final | Colchester United | 1–0 | Torquay United | Wembley |
| 19:45 BST | D. Gregory 22' (pen.) |
Report | Stadium: Wembley Stadium Attendance: 19,486 Referee: M Fletcher |
Football League Cup
Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup
Colchester United v Luton Town
| 12 August 1997 (1997-08-12) 1st round 1st leg | Colchester United | 0–1 | Luton Town | Colchester |
| 19:45 BST | Report | Thorpe 87' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 2,840 Referee: Steve Bennett |
Luton Town v Colchester United
| 26 August 1997 (1997-08-26) 1st round 2nd leg | Luton Town | 1–1 | Colchester United | Luton |
| Thorpe 34' |
Report | Hathaway 51' |
Stadium: Kenilworth Road Attendance: 2,816 | |
| Note: Luton win 2–1 on aggregate. | ||||
FA Cup
Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup
Brentford v Colchester United
| 15 November 1997 (1997-11-15) 1st round | Brentford | 2–2 | Colchester United | Brentford |
| 15:00 GMT | Taylor 9', 55' |
Report | Sale 38' D. Gregory 88' |
Stadium: Griffin Park Attendance: 2,899 Referee: Barry Knight |
Colchester United v Brentford
| 25 November 1997 (1997-11-25) 1st round replay | Colchester United | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) | Brentford | Colchester |
| 19:45 GMT | Report | Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,613 Referee: Barry Knight |
Colchester United v Hereford United
| 6 December 1997 (1997-12-06) 2nd round | Colchester United | 1–1 | Hereford United | Colchester |
| 15:00 GMT | D. Gregory 10' |
Report | Grayson 61' |
Stadium: Layer Road Attendance: 3,558 Referee: K Lynch |
Hereford United v Colchester United
| 16 December 1997 (1997-12-16) 2nd round replay | Hereford United | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p) | Colchester United | Hereford |
| Grayson 48' |
Report | Forbes 47' |
Stadium: Edgar Street Attendance: 3,725 Referee: K Lynch |
Football League Trophy
Main article: 1997–98 Football League Trophy
Leyton Orient v Colchester United
| 9 December 1997 (1997-12-09) 1st round (southern section) | Leyton Orient | 1–0 | Colchester United | Leyton |
| Inglethorpe 51' |
Report | Stadium: Brisbane Road Attendance: 933 Referee: Andy Hall |
Appearances and goals
More information No., Pos ...
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Third Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Football League Trophy | Football League play-offs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| GK | ENG |
Carl Emberson | 56 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG |
Simon Betts | 23 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG |
Peter Cawley | 33 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | IRL |
Joe Dunne | 33 | 2 | 22+3 | 2 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| DF | IRL |
David Greene | 47 | 5 | 38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| DF | ENG |
Nicky Haydon | 20 | 0 | 9+8 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG |
Scott Stamps | 32 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 2+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG |
Paul Buckle | 45 | 5 | 33+5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG |
Karl Duguid | 28 | 3 | 6+15 | 3 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG |
Steve Forbes | 43 | 2 | 25+10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG |
David Gregory | 54 | 10 | 42+2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| MF | ENG |
Aaron Skelton | 48 | 7 | 37+2 | 7 | 3+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG |
Richard Wilkins | 43 | 5 | 37 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG |
Paul Abrahams | 30 | 7 | 16+9 | 7 | 1+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG |
Tony Adcock | 32 | 5 | 19+6 | 5 | 3+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG |
Neil Gregory | 18 | 7 | 12+3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG |
Ian Hathaway | 16 | 1 | 5+7 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG |
Tony Lock | 41 | 6 | 14+18 | 6 | 0+3 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG |
Mark Sale | 48 | 8 | 38+1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season | |||||||||||||||
| DF | ENG |
Guy Branston | 13 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG |
Wayne Brown | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG |
Isaiah Rankin | 12 | 5 | 10+1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG |
Steve Whitton | 23 | 1 | 15+6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Close
Goalscorers
More information Place, Nationality ...
| Place | Nationality | Position | Name | Third Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Football League Trophy | Football League play-offs | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
MF | David Gregory | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 2 | |
FW | Mark Sale | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 3 | |
FW/WG | Paul Abrahams | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
|
FW | Neil Gregory | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
|
MF/DF | Aaron Skelton | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
| 6 | |
FW | Tony Lock | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 7 | |
FW | Tony Adcock | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
|
MF | Paul Buckle | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
|
CB | David Greene | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
|
FW | Isaiah Rankin | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
|
MF/DF | Richard Wilkins | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| 12 | |
MF | Karl Duguid | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 | |
FB | Joe Dunne | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
MF | Steve Forbes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 15 | |
CB | Guy Branston | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
WG | Ian Hathaway | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
|
FB | Scott Stamps | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
|
FW | Steve Whitton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Own goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| TOTALS | 72 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 81 | |||
Close
Disciplinary record
More information Nationality, Position ...
| Nationality | Position | Name | Third Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Football League Trophy | Football League play-offs | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||
|
CB | David Greene | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
|
CB | Peter Cawley | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
|
FW | Mark Sale | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
|
FB | Joe Dunne | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
|
FW | Steve Whitton | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
|
MF | Steve Forbes | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
|
MF | David Gregory | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
|
FB | Scott Stamps | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
|
FW/WG | Paul Abrahams | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
|
FB | Simon Betts | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
|
CB | Guy Branston | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
|
MF | Karl Duguid | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
|
DF/MF | Nicky Haydon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
|
FW | Tony Lock | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
|
MF | Richard Wilkins | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
|
FW | Tony Adcock | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|
MF | Paul Buckle | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|
FW | Neil Gregory | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
|
FW | Isaiah Rankin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
|
CB | Wayne Brown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
GK | Carl Emberson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
WG | Ian Hathaway | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
MF/DF | Aaron Skelton | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 74 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 100 | 3 | ||
Close
Clean sheets
Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.[42]
More information Place, Nationality ...
| Place | Nationality | Player | Third Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Football League Trophy | Football League play-offs | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
Carl Emberson | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| TOTALS | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | ||
Close
Player debuts
Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.[43]
More information Position, Nationality ...
| Position | Nationality | Player | Date | Opponent | Ground | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WG | |
Ian Hathaway | 9 August 1997 | Darlington | Layer Road | |
| MF/DF | |
Aaron Skelton | 9 August 1997 | Darlington | Layer Road | |
| FW | |
Isaiah Rankin | 27 September 1997 | Exeter City | Layer Road | |
| CB | |
Wayne Brown | 18 October 1997 | Shrewsbury Town | Layer Road | |
| FW | |
Neil Gregory | 3 January 1998 | Hartlepool United | Layer Road | |
| CB | |
Guy Branston | 13 February 1998 | Mansfield Town | Layer Road | |
| FW | |
Neil Gregory | 3 April 1998 | Rotherham United | Layer Road | [44][lower-alpha 1] |
Close
General
Books
- 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.
Websites
- "Colchester United football club match record: 1998". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
Specific
- 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.
- "Colchester Utd 1–1 Leyton Orient". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Colchester Utd 2–0 Chester City". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Hudson, Matt (11 August 2013). "The 1990s and 2000s". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "David Rainford". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
- David Rainford at Soccerbase
- "Aaron Skelton". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Aaron Skelton at Soccerbase
- "Ian Hathaway". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Ian Hathaway at Soccerbase
- Paul Newell at Soccerbase
- "Jeremy Goss". Flown From the Nest. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Tamer Fernandes". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
- Tamer Fernades at Soccerbase
- "Neil Gregory". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Neil Gregory at Soccerbase
- "Ernie Loses Battle With Cancer". Colchester United FC. 3 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Ernie Cooksey at Soccerbase
- "Garrett Caldwell (Goalkeeper)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Garrett Caldwell at Soccerbase
- "Andy Partner". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Paul Gibbs". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Paul Gibbs at Soccerbase
- "Tony McCarthy". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Tony McCarthy at Soccerbase
- "Chris Fry". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Adam Locke". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Adam Locke at Soccerbase
- "Steve Whitton (Midfielder / Forward)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Steve Whitton at Soccerbase
- "Isaiah Rankin". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Isaiah Rankin at Soccerbase
- "Wayne Brown". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Wayne Brown at Soccerbase
- "Guy Branston". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Guy Branston at Soccerbase
- "Discipline". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- "Colchester Utd 2–1 Rotherham United". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2018.