1993–94 Colchester United F.C. season

Season overview

Following a campaign of goalkeeping uncertainty where the U's employed six different 'keepers over the course of the season, finding a regular starter between the sticks was key for manager Roy McDonough. With youth team product Nathan Munson on the books, McDonough brought in John Keeley from Oldham Athletic in the summer. However, his performances did not convince and he played his final game for the club in November 1993. This meant a string of mid-season transfers and loans of goalkeepers into the club, and the U's ended the season having once again used six different goalkeepers. McDonough even found himself in goal in October 1993 when facing Hereford United after Keeley and substitute Munson were both sent off for professional fouls. The U's went on to lose that game 5–0. Colchester were the first Football League club to have two goalkeepers sent off in the same fixture. Hereford striker Chris Pike scored a hat-trick in the game, with each of his goals coming against three different goalkeepers.

The fans frustration at the defensive performances came to a head in the FA Cup first round. The U's found themselves 2–0 down at home to non-League side Sutton United, before goals from Steve McGavin and Steve Brown levelled the score at 2–2 early in the second half. Sutton struck again in the 84th minute, before Tony English equalised two minutes later. Despite their best efforts, two-minutes from time, Ollie Morah scored the winner for Sutton to send them into the second round.

The financial situation was bleak. There were no funds to bring in a permanent goalkeeper, and striker Steve McGavin was sold to Birmingham City for £150,000 in January. Again, no funds were made available for a replacement. It took a consortium of local businessmen to raise £10,000 to buy Steve Whitton from Ipswich Town on deadline day to fill the gap. As such, the U's ended the season in a disappointing 17th-position in Division Three.

There was an early exit from the League Cup as Fulham beat Colchester over two legs in the first round, while in the Football League Trophy, the U's progressed from the first round group stage, then beat Wrexham in the second round, before falling to defeat in the southern section quarter-final at home to Wycombe Wanderers, who won 1–0.

Roy McDonough was handed a silver salver by chairman Gordon Parker on the last day of the season in recognition of McDonough's 500th career appearance. Three days later it was Parker, McDonough's father-in-law, that sacked him.

Players

Transfers

In

• Total spending: ~ £20,000

Out

• Total incoming: ~ £0

Loans in

Match details

Third Division

Main article: 1993–94 Football League

Results round by round

League table

Matches

English Mark Kinsella Gilzean S. Brown Summerfield Spink McGavin Curran S. Brown Butler Reeves Whitehall Langford Cousins McGavin McDonough Grainger S. Brown McGavin S. Brown Fry Hall Munson Kinsella Forster Reinelt Painter Chapman Himsworth McGavin Kinsella Page S. Brown Gardiner Whalley McGavin Spink Forster Hyslop Hodges Titterton Matthews Young Chapman Kinsella S. Brown Conway

League Cup

Main article: 1993–94 Football League Cup

Farrell Farrell

Football League Trophy

Main article: 1993–94 Football League Trophy

S. Brown Heathcote

FA Cup

Main article: 1993–94 FA Cup

S. Brown English Smart Newman Morah

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

|- !colspan="14"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season |}

Goalscorers

Disciplinary record

Clean sheets

Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet.

Player debuts

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

References

General

Books

Websites

Specific

References

1. (2008). "The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years". Breedon Books.
2. "Colchester Utd 0–0 Mansfield Town". Coludata.co.uk.
3. "Colchester Utd 2–2 Cambridge United". Coludata.co.uk.
4. "Average Attendance Figures Per Season". Coludaybyday.co.uk.
5. "Hereford United 5–0 Colchester United". Coludata.co.uk.
6. Hudson, Matt. (11 August 2013). "The 1990s and 2000s". Colchester United FC.
7. "Appearances". Coludata.co.uk.
8. "Sean Campbell". Coludata.co.uk.
9. (2008). "The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years". Breedon Books.
10. "John Keeley (Goalkeeper)". Coludata.co.uk.
11. "Grant Morrow". Coludata.co.uk.
12. "Tim Allpress". Coludata.co.uk.
13. {{Soccerbase. 128. Tim Allpress
14. "Steve Brown". Coludata.co.uk.
15. "Alan Dickens". Coludata.co.uk.
16. "John Richardson". Coludata.co.uk.
17. "Chris Fry". Coludata.co.uk.
18. {{Soccerbase. 2684. Chris Fry
19. "Justin Booty". Coludata.co.uk.
20. "John Cheesewright (Goalkeeper)". Coludata.co.uk.
21. "Tony Cook". Coludata.co.uk.
22. "Christian Hyslop". Coludata.co.uk.
23. "Taylor Barada (Goalkeeper)". Coludata.co.uk.
24. "Steve Whitton (Midfielder / Forward)". Coludata.co.uk.
25. "Justin Gentle". Coludata.co.uk.
26. "Robert Hopkins". Coludata.co.uk.
27. "Jason Cook". Coludata.co.uk.
28. "Julian Hazel". Coludata.co.uk.
29. "Gary Bennett". Coludata.co.uk.
30. "Martin Grainger". Coludata.co.uk.
31. {{Soccerbase. 3015. Martin Grainger
32. "Nathan Munson (Goalkeeper)". Coludata.co.uk.
33. "Paul Roberts". Coludata.co.uk.
34. "Steve McGavin". Coludata.co.uk.
35. {{Soccerbase. 5094. Steve McGavin
36. "Nicky Smith". Coludata.co.uk.
37. "Adam Locke". Coludata.co.uk.
38. {{Soccerbase. 4576. Adam Locke
39. "Mike Desborough (Goalkeeper)". Coludata.co.uk.
40. "Mike Basham". Coludata.co.uk.
41. {{Soccerbase. 475. Mike Basham
42. "Jon Sheffield (Goalkeeper)". Coludata.co.uk.
43. {{Soccerbase. 7225. Jon Sheffield
44. "Grant Watts". Coludata.co.uk.
45. "Ian Brown". Coludata.co.uk.
46. {{Soccerbase. 1048. Ian Brown
47. "Goals". Coludata.co.uk.
48. "Discipline". Coludata.co.uk.
49. "Clean sheets (1st team)". Coludata.co.uk.
50. "Alltime- List of Debuts". Coludaybyday.co.uk.