1968–69 Colchester United F.C. season
# 1968–69 Colchester United F.C. season

The 1968–69 season was Colchester United's 27th season in their history and their first season back in the fourth tier of English football, the Fourth Division following relegation the previous season. Alongside competing in the Fourth Division, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the League Cup.

In a transitional season under new manager Dick Graham, Colchester missed an instant return to the third tier by four points, finishing the season in sixth place. The U's were eliminated at the second round of both FA and League Cups.

## Season overview

Colchester appointed former Crystal Palace manager Dick Graham to replace Neil Franklin. Having guided Palace from the Fourth Division to the Second Division, Graham intended to emulate his work at Selhurst Park.

Seven games into the season, with his side earning just one point, Graham cleared out the squad, ousting six players and sold Duncan Forbes and Derek Trevis for a combined fee of £19,000. He brought in a number of players, including goalkeeper Tony Macedo and former Tottenham Hotspur double-winner Terry Dyson. Colchester's form drastically improved, earning 33 points from a possible 42 to propel up the table into fourth position and the promotion places. However, after a poor Easter period, earning just two points against promotion-rivals Bradford City, Halifax Town and Swansea Town saw the U's slip back into sixth place and four points short of promotion.

## Players

    As of match played 2 May 1969.

| Name | Position | Place of birth | Date of birth | Apps | Goals | Signed from | Date signed | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||
| Ernie Adams | GK | Hackney | (1948-01-17)17 January 1948 (aged 20) | 50 | 0 | Arsenal | 1 July 1967 | Free transfer |
| Tony Macedo | GK | Gibraltar | (1938-02-22)22 February 1938 (aged 30) | 0 | 0 | Fulham | 2 November 1968 | £6,000 |
| Ron Willis | GK | Romford | (1947-12-27)27 December 1947 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Charlton Athletic | October 1968 | £1,500 |
| Defenders ||||||||||
| Dave Bickles | CB | West Ham | (1944-04-06)6 April 1944 (aged 24) | 0 | 0 | Crystal Palace | 28 September 1968 | Free transfer |
| Micky Cook | FB | Enfield | (1951-04-09)9 April 1951 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | Orient | 1 March 1969 | Free transfer |
| Alan Dennis | CB | Colchester | (1951-02-22)22 February 1951 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | Apprentice | April 1967 | Free transfer |
| Brian Hall | LB | Burbage | (1939-03-09)9 March 1939 (aged 29) | 154 | 16 | Mansfield Town | March 1965 | Free transfer |
| Brian Honeywood | CB | Chelmsford | (1949-05-08)8 May 1949 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | Ipswich Town | August 1968 | Free transfer |
| Bobby Howlett | CB | West Ham | (1948-12-12)12 December 1948 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | Southend United | Summer 1968 | Free transfer |
| Dennis Mochan | FB | Falkirk | (1935-12-12)12 December 1935 (aged 32) | 81 | 2 | Nottingham Forest | 24 September 1966 | Free transfer |
| Owen Simpson | FB | Mickley | (1943-09-18)18 September 1943 (aged 24) | 0 | 0 | Orient | 10 August 1968 | £3,500 |
| Adrian Webster | DF | Colchester | (1951-11-06)6 November 1951 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | Apprentice | July 1968 | Free transfer |
| Brian Wood | CB | Hamworthy | (1940-12-08)8 December 1940 (aged 27) | 0 | 0 | Orient | 14 September 1968 | £4,000 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||
| Roger Joslyn | MF | Colchester | (1950-05-07)7 May 1950 (aged 18) | 12 | 0 | Apprentice | 23 December 1967 | Free transfer |
| Forwards ||||||||||
| Micky Brown | WG | Farnham Common | (1944-04-11)11 April 1944 (aged 24) | 0 | 0 | Luton Town | 26 October 1968 | £3,000 |
| Terry Dyson | WG | Malton | (1934-11-29)29 November 1934 (aged 33) | 0 | 0 | Fulham | 24 August 1968 | Free transfer |
| Brian Gibbs | FW | Gillingham | (1936-10-06)6 October 1936 (aged 31) | 0 | 0 | Gillingham | September 1968 | £8,000 |
| Danny Light | FW | Chiswick | (1948-07-10)10 July 1948 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | Crystal Palace | August 1968 | £4,000 |
| Johnny Martin | WG | Ashington | (1946-12-04)4 December 1946 (aged 21) | 80 | 11 | Aston Villa | 20 August 1966 | Free transfer |
| Jim Oliver | FW | Falkirk | (1941-12-03)3 December 1941 (aged 26) | 15 | 0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | January 1968 | £2,000 |
| Terry Price | WG | Colchester | (1945-10-11)11 October 1945 (aged 22) | 39 | 3 | Orient | 16 September 1967 | £2,000 |

* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

## Transfers

### In

| Date | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Summer 1968 | CB | Bobby Howlett | Southend United | Free transfer |
| Summer 1968 | FB | Gerry Perryman | Northampton Town | Free transfer |
| July 1968 | CB | Colin Moughton | Queens Park Rangers | Trial |
| July 1968 | DF | Adrian Webster | Apprentice | Free transfer |
| August 1968 | CB | Brian Honeywood | Ipswich Town | Free transfer |
| August 1968 | FW | Danny Light | Crystal Palace | £4,000 |
| 10 August 1968 | FB | Owen Simpson | Orient | £3,500 |
| 24 August 1968 | WG | Terry Dyson | Fulham | Free transfer |
| September 1968 | FW | Brian Gibbs | Gillingham | £8,000 |
| 14 September 1968 | CB | Brian Wood | Orient | £4,000 |
| 28 September 1968 | CB | Dave Bickles | Crystal Palace | Free transfer |
| October 1968 | GK | Ron Willis | Charlton Athletic | £1,500 |
| 26 October 1968 | WG | Micky Brown | Luton Town | £3,000 |
| 2 November 1968 | GK | Tony Macedo | Fulham | £6,000 |
| 16 November 1968 | FW | Ken O'Rourke | Arsenal | Trial |
| November 1968 | WG | Barry Rowan | Dallas Tornado | Free transfer |
| 1 March 1969 | FB | Micky Cook | Orient | Free transfer |

* Total spending: ~ £30,000
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Date of signing refers to the date of the player's first game for the club

### Out

| Date | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| End of season | CB | Bob Walker | Bedford Town | Free transfer |
| End of season | WG | Alan Shires | Chelmsford City | Released |
| Summer 1968 | WH | David Buck | Halstead Town | Released |
| Summer 1968 | CB | Mick Loughton | Brentwood Town | Released |
| Summer 1968 | MF | Bobby Blackwood | Hawick Royal Albert | Player-manager |
| Summer 1968 | FW | Peter Bullock | Exeter City | Free transfer |
| Summer 1968 | FW | Reg Stratton | Brentwood Town | Free transfer |
| 26 August 1968 | GK | Alan Buck | Poole Town | Released |
| 26 August 1968 | CB | Colin Moughton | Bedford Town | End of trial |
| September 1968 | CB | Duncan Forbes | Norwich City | £10,000 |
| 4 September 1968 | FB | Gerry Perryman | Corby Town | Free transfer |
| 4 September 1968 | MF | John Mansfield | Brentwood Town | Free transfer |
| 20 September 1968 | MF | Derek Trevis | Walsall | £11,000 |
| 23 November 1968 | FW | Ken O'Rourke | Bedford Town | End of trial |
| January 1969 | WG | Barry Rowan | Durban United | Released |
| February 1969 | FW | Peter Barlow | Workington | Free transfer |
| 28 February 1969 | FW | Ken Hodgson | Poole Town | Released |

* Total incoming: ~ £21,000
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Date of departure refers to the date of the player's final game for the club

### Loans in

| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | From | End date | Ref. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 31 August 1968 | CB | | Brian Wood | Orient | 7 September 1968 | |
| 7 September 1968 | GK | | Tony Macedo | Fulham | 26 October 1968 | |

* 1 2 Loan start and end dates refer to the date of the player's first and final games for the club

### Loans out

| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | End date | Ref. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Early 1969 | FW | | Ken Hodgson | Chelmsford City | February 1969 | |
| January 1969 | WG | | Johnny Martin | Chelmsford City | January 1969 | |

## Match details

### Fourth Division

**Results round by round**

| 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 | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | H | H | A | A |
| Result | L | D | L | L | L | W | D | W | W | D | W | W | L | D | W | W | W | L | L | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | L | D | W | L | L | W | D | L | D | L | W | W | W | D | D | D | D | L | D | L |
| Position | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 |

**League table**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | Bradford City (P) | 46 | 18 | 20 | 8 | 65 | 46 | 1.413 | 56 | Promotion to 1969–70 Third Division |
| 5 | Darlington | 46 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 62 | 45 | 1.378 | 52 | |
| 6 | Colchester United | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 57 | 53 | 1.075 | 52 | |
| 7 | Southend United | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 78 | 61 | 1.279 | 51 | |
| 8 | Lincoln City | 46 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 54 | 52 | 1.038 | 51 | |

## Squad statistics

### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Fourth Division | Fourth Division | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | GK | ENG | Ernie Adams | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | GK | GIB | Tony Macedo | 40 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Ron Willis | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Dave Bickles | 35 | 3 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Brian Hall | 50 | 6 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| | DF | ENG | Brian Honeywood | 21 | 0 | 12+6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Dennis Mochan | 43 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Owen Simpson | 45 | 4 | 41+2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Brian Wood | 30 | 1 | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Roger Joslyn | 41 | 3 | 37+1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Micky Brown | 22 | 3 | 17+3 | 3 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Terry Dyson | 43 | 3 | 40+1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Brian Gibbs | 38 | 11 | 37 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Danny Light | 45 | 14 | 42+1 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Johnny Martin | 9 | 0 | 6+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Jim Oliver | 43 | 10 | 34+7 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | FW | ENG | Terry Price | 24 | 3 | 19+2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season ||||||||||||
| | GK | ENG | Alan Buck | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Duncan Forbes | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Colin Moughton | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Gerry Perryman | 3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | John Mansfield | 5 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Derek Trevis | 10 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Peter Barlow | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Ken Hodgson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Ken O'Rourke | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Barry Rowan | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Goalscorers

| Place | Position | Name | Fourth Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | FW | Danny Light | 12 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| 2 | FW | Brian Gibbs | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 3 | FW | Jim Oliver | 9 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 4 | LB | Brian Hall | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 5 | FB | Owen Simpson | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | CB | Dave Bickles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | WG | Micky Brown | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | WG | Terry Dyson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | MF | Roger Joslyn | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | WG | Terry Price | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 11 | MF | Derek Trevis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | CB | Brian Wood | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | | Own goals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| | | TOTALS | 57 | 5 | 2 | 64 |

### Disciplinary record

| Position | Name | Fourth Division | Fourth Division | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| FB | Owen Simpson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| WG | Terry Dyson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| CB | Duncan Forbes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | Jim Oliver | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Derek Trevis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | TOTALS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |

### Clean sheets

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.

| Place | Player | Fourth Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Tony Macedo | 15 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| 2 | Ernie Adams | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | Ron Willis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | TOTALS | 17 | 1 | 1 | 19 |

### Player debuts

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

| Position | Player | Date | Opponent | Ground |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| CB | Brian Honeywood | 10 August 1968 | Brentford | Griffin Park |
| CB | Colin Moughton | 10 August 1968 | Brentford | Griffin Park |
| FB | Owen Simpson | 10 August 1968 | Brentford | Griffin Park |
| FB | Gerry Perryman | 24 August 1968 | Chester | Sealand Road |
| WG | Terry Dyson | 24 August 1968 | Chester | Sealand Road |
| FW | Danny Light | 24 August 1968 | Chester | Sealand Road |
| CB | Brian Wood | 31 August 1968 | Doncaster Rovers | Layer Road |
| GK | Tony Macedo | 7 September 1968 | York City | Layer Road |
| CB | Brian Wood | 14 September 1968 | Bradford City | Valley Parade |
| FW | Brian Gibbs | 14 September 1968 | Bradford City | Valley Parade |
| CB | Dave Bickles | 28 September 1968 | Exeter City | St James Park |
| WG | Micky Brown | 26 October 1968 | Lincoln City | Sincil Bank |
| GK | Tony Macedo | 2 November 1968 | Wrexham | Layer Road |
| FW | Ken O'Rourke | 16 November 1968 | Chesham United | Layer Road |
| GK | Ron Willis | 23 November 1958 | Swansea Town | Vetch Field |
| WG | Barry Rowan | 23 November 1958 | Swansea Town | Vetch Field |

* 1 2 Second debut for the club
