Colchester Town

Full name	Colchester Town Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Oysters
Founded	1867-1937
Ground	Layer Road (1909-1937)
Capacity	6,660
Chairman	n/a
Manager	n/a
League	n/a
1936/37	Essex County League, 11th
Home colours Away colours

Colchester Town Football Club were an amateur team formed in 1873 as The Oysters F.C. they soon changed their name to Colchester F.C. They played their home games at Cambridge Road in Colchester. During this time they played in blue shirts and white shorts. In 1879 the club was affiliated to The Football Association and in 1882 they were founder members of The Essex Football Association. The following season saw the inaugural season of the Essex Senior Cup which Colchester Town won 3-1 against Braintree. It was around this time that the club colours changed to pink and chocolate quarters. Colchester Town would appear twice more in the Essex Senior Cup Final, losing to Ilford in 1891/92 and Leyton in 1899/00. Local rivals Colchester Crown finished as runners-up to Leyton three seasons later. 1867 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... This is a list of major football (soccer) stadiums, grouped by country and ordered by capacity. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... body of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links Kit_shorts. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... body of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links Kit_shorts. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ... Colchester is a town and main settlement of the Colchester borough of Essex in the East of England. ... The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body of football in England (and the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man). ... 1882 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Essex is a county in the East of England. ... There are several places named Braintree, or a variant thereof:- Braintree, Essex - a town in the county of Essex, in the United Kingdom The town gives its name to the constituency of Braintree. ... 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Leyton F.C. is an English association football club based in Leyton, east London. ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Original colours

In 1890 they merged with another local side, Excelsior F.C., and the two became known as Colchester Town F.C. Early in 1902 Town left their Cambridge Road ground and moved to a new site in Reed Hall and then moving to a ground on the junction of Drury Road and Maldon Road, and then moved to Albert Road. The club used the Globe Hotel in North Station Road as it's base and for changing rooms. In 1894 they joined the Border League and were Champions in their first season. Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... body of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links Kit_shorts. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

The 1909/10 season saw Colchester Town move to what would prove to be their last home, Layer Road. In 1910 a new stand was built on the ground thanks to the generosity of local supporters. The opening was marked by the visit of Arsenal F.C. for a friendly match, which Arsenal won 3-2. The same season saw Colchester Town join the South Essex League. 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in north London. ...

Football was brought to a halt in 1914 due to the outbreak of World War One. Layer Road was handed over to the army for use as a drill ground. Seven Town players were killed in action during the great war, a tablet with their names inscribed on it was hung in the changing rooms.
Their names: Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

• Lieutenant Charles Carrington (Durham Light Infantry, 5th Btn)
• Private Will Chaplin (Suffolk Regiment, 4th Btn)
• Sgt T E Ellison
• Lance Corporal Albert Edward Pitchford (Royal Suffolk Regiment, 2nd Btn)
• Acting Bombardie Arthur Knox (Royal Horse Artillery, 1st/1st Essex Bde)
• AB W Boyle
• Sapper T W Bagley (Royal Engineers, "L" Signal Bn)

In 1909 the club rented land in Layer Road from the army and in 1921 the club applied for membership to the Athenian League but were rejected. They spent a season playing friendly matches and then joined the Middlesex League, which they won at the first attempt. In 1925 Town joined the Spartan League Division One. They spent eleven seasons in the Spartan League but never challenged for honours. Their best season was 1928/29 when they managed fourth place. It was around this time that changing rooms were finally added to the Layer Road site. 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... For the 5th century league of Greek city_states, see Delian League. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Spartan South Midlands Football League is an English football league covering north London and parts of the Home Counties. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The Eastern Counties League was formed in 1935/36 and Colchester Town were founder members along with local rivals Ipswich Town, amongst others. Though they beat Ipswich 4-1 at home that season, they were thrashed 7-3 away. For the next two seasons the club finished 11th out of 12 teams. After 6 games of the 1937/38 season the club resigned from the league and folded. Early in the year Colchester United were formed as a professional club. They had intended to run both teams, one professional and one amateur, under the same umbrella but the Essex County FA ruled that both teams could not be run under one set of rules. 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Ipswich Town F.C. are the professional football team of Ipswich, in East Anglia, England. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Colchester United F.C. are an English football team currently playing in Football League One. ...

Colchester United still play at Layer Road. It is still a common misconception that Colchester United and Colchester Town were the same team. Colchester United F.C. are an English football team currently playing in Football League One. ...

Honours

• 1883/84 - Essex Senior Cup Champions
• 1891/92 - Essex Senior Cup Runners-Up
• 1894/95 - Border League Champions
• 1899/00 - Essex Senior Cup Runners-Up
• 1912/13 - South Essex League Champions
• 1912/13 - Essex & Suffolk Border League Champions
• 1912/13 - East Anglian League Champions
• 1923/24 - Middlesex League Champions

1883 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1894 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Leagues

• 1894/95 - 1931/32 - Border League
• 1900/01 - North Essex League
• 1903/04 - 1913/14 - (South) East Anglian League
• 1908/09 - Colchester & District League
• 1910/11 - 1920/21 - South Essex League
• 1922/23 - 1923/24 - Middlesex League
• 1925/26 - 1934/35 - Spartan League
• 1935/36 - 1936/37 - Eastern Counties League
• 1937/38 - Essex County League (resigned December 1937)

Colchester Town often entered teams in to more than one league. 1894 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1900 (MCM) is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1913 (MCMXIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... -1... 1920 (MCMXX) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Grounds

• 1873-1902 Cambridge Road
• 1902-1903 Reed Hall
• 1903-1903 Drury Road
• 1903-1908 The Oval, Sheepen Road
• 1909-1937 Layer Road

1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1908 (MCMVIII) is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

External Links

• Colchester United Official Homepage
• Essex County FA
• Football History Database
• Ipswich Town v. Colchester Town
• Unofficial Colchester United/Town History

Acknowledgements

• Kevin Drury (Colchester United Youth Team Programme Editor and U's Oracle)
• Captain Yossarian (U's fan)
• Neil Waldock (Unofficial U's historian and has a bit about Town on his site)