1995–96 Colchester United F.C. season

Updated on Nov 11, 2023

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Chairman Gordon Parker Division Three 7th Coca-Cola Cup 1st Round		Manager Steve Wignall FA Cup 1st Round Auto Windscreens Shield 3rd Round

The 1995–96 season was Colchester United's fourth consecutive season in the fourth tier of English football. Colchester missed out on a chance to gain promotion after losing 3-2 on aggregate to Plymouth Argyle in the playoff semi-finals.

Season Review

Mark Kinsella, like Tony Adcock before him, harboured ambitions of and deserved the big time. Wignall allowed him to play on a week to week contract and re-signed the now much travelled Adcock.

Colchester's proud mantle as Cup fighters took another dent when humiliated 2-1 at non-League Gravesend & Northfleet preceding eight winless games. However, the loan signing of Scott McGleish rejuvenated United's season and a Joe Dunne injury time winner at Mansfield left U's needing to beat Doncaster in their last fixture to reach the play-offs. Paul Gibbs' cross-cum-shot sealed a narrow win to send the 5,083 crowd into delirium.

Neil Warnock's Plymouth stood in United's way of a second trip to Wembley. Mark Kinsella's long ranger sealed a 1-0 first leg lead and rammed Warnock's words down his throat. He taunted: "Little teams like Colchester shouldn't even be on the same pitch as big clubs like Plymouth." His side, assembled for over £1m, quickly moved in front at Home Park against a U's side costing £2,000, but Kinsella pulled the score back level and more with a vital away goal, but five minutes from time, U's hearts were broken when Plymouth added a third.

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Division Three Results Summary

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points