1950–51 season | |||
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Chairman | Bill Allen | ||
Manager | Jimmy Allen | ||
Stadium | Layer Road | ||
Third Division South | 16th | ||
FA Cup | 1st round (eliminated by Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic) |
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Top goalscorer |
League: Arthur Turner (13) All: Arthur Turner (15) |
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Highest home attendance | 14,199 v Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, 7 September 1950 |
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Lowest home attendance | 6,941 v Gillingham, 16 December 1950 |
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Average home league attendance | 10,571 | ||
Biggest win | 7–1 v Woodford Town, 11 November 1950 |
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Biggest defeat | 1–7 v Plymouth Argyle, 28 October 1950 |
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The 1950–51 season was Colchester United's ninth season in their history and their first ever season in the Football League, competing in the Third Division South, the third tier of English football. Alongside competing in the Third Division South, the club also participated in the FA Cup. The club ended the league season in 16th-position, while they exited the FA Cup in the first round following a defeat to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.
Colchester's first-ever game in the Football League was against their old Southern League rivals Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium on 19 August 1950. A crowd of 19,542 witnessed the 0–0 draw between the sides. Five days later, Bob Curry scored the U's first-ever Football League goal during a 1–1 draw at Swindon Town, but it was not until 31 August that the Layer Road crowd were able to enjoy its first Football League goal for the home side. Arthur Turner, the season's top-scorer with 15 goals, struck five minutes into a 4–1 win in the return game with Swindon. Colchester remained unbeaten in their first seven games, a run that equalled a record for new clubs entering the Football League set by Aberdare Athletic in 1921–22.
After occupying second position in the Third Division South table, the U's suffered a slump in form, losing nine of the next ten games. They finished the season in 16th-position, averaging 10,571 through the Layer Road turnstiles. It would be the only season that Layer Road would host a five-figure season average.