Colchester Town F.C.
| Full name | Colchester Town Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Oysters |
| Founded | October 1873 |
| Dissolved | December 1937 |
| Ground | Layer Road, Colchester |
| 1937–38 | Essex County League, resigned |
Colchester Town F.C. was an English amateur football club based in Colchester, Essex. Established in 1873, the club folded in 1937 after the formation of Colchester United.
Colchester Football Club was established in October 1873 and were founder members of the Essex FA in 1882. They were the first winners of the Essex Senior Cup, defeating Braintree 3–1 in the final. In 1890 Colchester Excelsior merged into the club. The club played in the Colchester Borough League, which they won in 1894–95 but then withdrew at the end of the season. In 1899 the club was renamed Colchester Town and entered the North Essex League, in which they played for two seasons, winning it in both. They returned to the Borough League in 1901.
Despite almost folding after losing their ground in 1902, they finished as runners-up in 1902–03, by which time the league had been renamed the Colchester & District League. At the end of the season they also joined the South East Anglian League, which they played in until 1910, winning it in 1906–07. The following season they won the Colchester & District League. In 1910 they joined the South Essex League, continuing to play in the Essex & Suffolk Border League (as the Colchester & District League had been renamed in 1911), and also rejoined the East Anglian League (formerly the South East Anglian League) in 1912. In 1912–13 they were champions of all three leagues, and retained the East Anglian League title the following season.
After World War I the club left the East Anglian League, but continued to play in the South Essex and Essex & Suffolk Border leagues. In 1921 they left the South Essex League, but the following year they joined the Middlesex League, winning it in their only season. In 1923–24 the club won the Border League, and a year later joined the Spartan League. In 1935 they were founder members of the Eastern Counties League. Two years later they left to establish the Essex County League. However, Town's poor performances in the ECL had convinced supporters that the club should turn professional like nearby Ipswich Town. Officials at the club were against the idea, resulting in a new professional club, Colchester United, being formed in March 1937, which would also play at Layer Road. United joined the Southern League and crowds at Town matches quickly dwindled. In December United formed a reserve team, signing many Town players. As a result of this and financial problems (the club were £300 in debt), they folded in the same month.
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