Manager Bobby Roberts kept faith with his squad, but with a second injury to Eddie Rowles, Colin Garwood's replacement, forced him into the transfer market. Cash-strapped United splashed out £15,000 on Millwall's Trevor Lee who became the first black player to represent Colchester's first team.

Once again, United fell short of promotion finishing seventh - nine points behind third-placed Swansea. In the final game of the season 9 May 1979 United recorded their biggest ever away win in the League with a 5-1 romp at Tranmere less than a month after they had stunned champions-elect Watford with a 3-0 Good Friday win at Vicarage Road.

Colchester's season wouldn't be complete without the obligatory cup run and after disposing of Oxford, with a Bobby Gough hat trick, laying the ghost of Leatherhead with a 4-0 replay win at Layer Road and overcoming tricky away ties at Darlington and Newport, the U's welcomed Manchester United to Layer Road. Called off from the original Saturday date, Colchester were so near to an Old Trafford replay only for Jimmy Greenhoff to break the hearts of most of the 13,171 crowd with an 86th-minute winner.

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

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Wikipedia