Third Division 11th League Cup Quarter-final | FA Cup 2nd Round | |
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Chairman Robert Jackson
(until November 1974)
Jack Rippingale
(from November 1974) Manager Jim Smith
(Until 20 June 1975) Top goalscorer League:
Bobby Svarc (24)
All:
Bobby Svarc (25) | ||
The 1974–75 season was Colchester United's first season back in the Football League Third Division after a seven-year absence.
Contents
Season Review
United were back in the Third Division but the board warned that a break-even gate of 9,200 was required and that players would be sold if gates didn't reach 7,500.
Manager Jim Smith returned to his old club Boston and signed Bobby Svarc's old strike partner John Froggatt. The pair rekindled their partnership with Svarc netting 24 in the League with 16 coming from Froggatt. Crowds fell way short of the board's ambitions with an average of 4,941 clicking the Layer Road turnstiles as United finished in a steady eleventh position.
Having reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup only four seasons previously, United emulated that achievement in the League Cup. Beating Oxford and Southend, the U's hosted First Division Carlisle beating the Cumbrians 2-0 to earn a home tie with Southampton. A 0-0 draw at Layer Road led to an amazing 1-0 replay win at The Dell, courtesy of a Barry Dominey goal, setting up a Quarter Final tie with Aston Villa. The Midlanders proved just a shade too strong for United winning 2-1 before an expectant 11,812 crowd. Whilst United's focus had been on the League Cup they were knocked out of the FA Cup by non-League minnows Leatherhead.
Out of the cups, fifth placed U's could concentrate on achieving Second Division football. Just one win in seven from New Year's Day onwards saw U's fall to mid-table and they never recovered.
Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Third Division Results Summary
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GAv = Goal average; Pts = Points
Third Division Results
Source: 1974-75 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
League Cup
Source: 1974-75 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
FA Cup
Source: 1974-75 Season Colchester United Results - coludata.co.uk
Most Frequent Starting XI
This section shows players in a 4-4-2 formation with the most league starts during the season.