Wikipedia

1939–40 Colchester United F.C. 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.

Colchester United
1939–40 season
ChairmanWalter Clark[1]
ManagerTed Davis
(until September 1939)
StadiumLayer Road
Southern LeagueLeague abandoned
Top goalscorerLeague:
Alec Cheyne (2)
All:
Len Astill
Joe Birch
Alec Cheyne
George Law (2)
Highest home attendance4,200
v Plymouth Argyle Reserves, 26 August 1939[2]
Lowest home attendance4,200
v Plymouth Argyle Reserves, 26 August 1939[2]
Average home league attendance4,200[3]
Biggest win5–1
v Norwich City Reserves, 28 August 1939
Biggest defeat1–2
v Chelmsford City, 31 August 1939

Season overview edit

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 edit

As of match played 2 September 1939.[5]
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Billy Light GK   Woolston (1913-06-11)11 June 1913 (aged 25) 42 0   West Bromwich Albion 17 June 1938 £1,500
Defenders
Jimmy Baker CB/RH   Trethomas (1904-05-05)5 May 1904 (aged 35) 52 3   Bristol City 9 July 1937 Free transfer
Joe Birch LB/RB   Hednesford (1904-07-06)6 July 1904 (aged 34) 62 1   Fulham 24 June 1938 £750
Syd Fieldus DF   Romford (1909-05-27)27 May 1909 (aged 30) 22 3   Brentford 3 July 1937 Free transfer
George Leslie CB   Slough (1907-07-09)9 July 1907 (aged 31) 101 1   Guildford City 9 July 1937 Free transfer
Alf Worton LB   Wolverhampton (1914-04-04)4 April 1914 (aged 25) 64 0   Norwich City 3 June 1938 Free transfer
Midfielders
Bill Main WH   St Monans 0 0   Cardiff City 19 August 1939 Free transfer
Robert Morris LH/RH   Hatton (1913-03-11)11 March 1913 (aged 26) 65 5   Norwich City 22 July 1938 £500
Forwards
Len Astill IL/OL   Wolverhampton (1916-12-30)30 December 1916 (aged 22) 41 21   Ipswich Town 20 May 1938 Free transfer
Ken Burditt IF   Ibstock (1906-11-12)12 November 1906 (aged 32) 0 0   Notts County 25 May 1939 £1,000
Alec Cheyne IH   Glasgow (1907-04-28)28 April 1907 (aged 32) 94 56   Chelsea 13 August 1937 £3,000
George Law CF   Wellingborough (1912-05-12)12 May 1912 (aged 27) 0 0   Norwich City 18 June 1939 £100
Arthur Pritchard CF   Newport (1917-10-22)22 October 1917 (aged 21) 96 72   Yeovil & Petters United 28 August 1937[a] Free transfer
Ivan Thacker CF   Lowestoft 5 2   Lowestoft Town 18 February 1938 Free transfer
George Wallis IF   Sawley 79 31   Bath City 28 February 1938 Free transfer
  1. ^ Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

Transfers edit

In edit

Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
25 May 1939 IF   Ken Burditt   Notts County £1,000 [6]
18 June 1939 CF   George Law   Norwich City £100 [7]
19 August 1939 WH   Bill Main   Cardiff City Free transfer [8]
  • Total spending:   ~ £1,100

Out edit

Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
End of season LH   George Ritchie   Ipswich Town Reserves assistant coach Free transfer [9]
End of season RH   George Smith Free agent Released [10]
End of season IF   George Merritt Free agent Released [11]
4 May 1939 RB   Ian Haley Free agent Released [12][a]
31 May 1939 GK   Ronnie Dunn Free agent Released [13]
31 May 1939 LB   Cecil Allan   Colchester Casuals Free transfer [14]
31 May 1939 OR   Jack Hodge   Hereford United Free transfer [15]
31 May 1939 CF   Ernie Matthews   Ashington Free transfer [16]
31 May 1939 IR/CF George Williams Free agent Released [17]
1 July 1939 GK   Don Youngs Free agent Released [18]
21 July 1939 WG   George Crisp   Nottingham Forest Undisclosed [19]
31 August 1939 IF   Robert Murray Free agent Released [20][a]
2 September 1939 LB/RB   Joe Birch Free agent Released [21][a]
2 September 1939 CB   George Leslie Free agent Released [22][a]
2 September 1939 WH   Bill Main Free agent Released [8][a]
2 September 1939 LH/RH   Robert Morris Free agent Released [23][a]
2 September 1939 LB   Alf Worton Free agent Released [24][a]
2 September 1939 IL   Len Astill Free agent Released [25][a]
2 September 1939 IF   Ken Burditt Free agent Released [6][a]
2 September 1939 CF   George Law Free agent Released [7][a]
2 September 1939 IF   George Wallis Free agent Released [26][a]
7 September 1939 CB/RH   Jimmy Baker Retired Retired [27]
7 September 1939 CF   Arthur Pritchard Free agent Released [28]
5 January 1940 IH   Alec Cheyne   Chelmsford City Released [29]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club

Match details edit

Friendlies edit

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 edit

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  		 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 edit

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 edit

Appearances and goals edit

[5][30]

No. Pos Nat Player Total Southern League Southern League
Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   ENG Billy Light 4 0 3 0 1 0
DF   ENG Joe Birch 4 2 3 1 1 1
DF   ENG Syd Fieldus 1 0 1 0 0 0
DF   ENG George Leslie 1 0 1 0 0 0
DF   ENG Alf Worton 4 0 3 0 1 0
MF   SCO Bill Main 3 0 2 0 1 0
MF   ENG Robert Morris 4 0 3 0 1 0
FW   ENG Len Astill 4 2 3 0 1 2
FW   ENG Ken Burditt 3 0 2 0 1 0
FW   SCO Alec Cheyne 3 2 3 2 0 0
FW   ENG George Law 4 2 3 1 1 1
FW   WAL Arthur Pritchard 2 1 1 0 1 1
FW   ENG George Wallis 4 0 3 0 1 0
Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
FW   SCO Robert Murray 3 0 2 0 1 0

Goalscorers edit

[30]

Place Nationality Position Name Southern League Southern League Cup Total
1   IL Len Astill 0 2 2
  LB/RB Joe Birch 1 1 2
  IH Alec Cheyne 2 0 2
  CF George Law 1 1 2
5   CF Arthur Pritchard 0 1 1
Own goals 0 0 0
TOTALS 4 5 9

Disciplinary record edit

[31]

Nationality Position Name Southern League Southern League Cup Total
           
  IF George Wallis 0 1 0 0 0 1
TOTALS 0 1 0 0 0 1

Captains edit

Number of games played as team captain.[32]

Place Nationality Position Player Southern League Southern League Cup Total
1   IH Alec Cheyne 1 0 1
  CB George Leslie 1 0 1
Not recorded
 1 1 2
TOTALS 3 1 4

Clean sheets edit

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

Place Nationality Player Southern League Southern League Cup Total
1   Billy Light 1 0 1
TOTALS 1 0 1

Player debuts edit

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

Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground Notes
WH   Bill Main 26 August 1939 Plymouth Argyle Reserves Layer Road
IF   Ken Burditt 26 August 1939 Plymouth Argyle Reserves Layer Road
CF   George Law 26 August 1939 Plymouth Argyle Reserves Layer Road

See also edit

References edit

General edit

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 edit

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