The 1990–91 season was Colchester United's 49th season in their history and their first season outside of the Football League for 40 years following relegation from the Fourth Division the season prior. Now competing in the Conference, the fifth tier of English football and the highest level on non-League football in England, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the FA Trophy and the Bob Lord Trophy.
Ian Atkins took over from Mick Mills as manager for Colchester's first season in the Conference. The club remained fully professional in their bid to return to the Football League at the first attempt. They fell agonisingly short, just two-points shy of champions and promoted Barnet.
Colchester were knocked out by Leyton Orient in the second round of the FA Cup. They reached the quarter-final of the FA Trophy, losing to Witton Albion, while they also suffered defeat to Sutton United in the Bob Lord Trophy.
Season overview Ian Atkins was appointed as the manager charged with returning Colchester United to the Football League at the first attempt, like Lincoln City and Darlington had prior to them. Atkins registered as a player, while the club reinstated its historic navy and white striped kits. To help clear club debts, Layer Road was sold back to the Council for £1.2m with the club leasing it back for a maximum of three seasons.
Colchester started the season with a 100 per cent record from their opening six home games, but it took the U's until April to reach top spot in the Conference table. Both Barnet and Kettering Town were Colchester's main title challengers throughout the season.
In the FA Cup, United were dispatched by League opposition Leyton Orient following a 0–0 draw at Layer Road. The O's beat the U's 4–1 at Brisbane Road. Colchester reached the quarter-final of the FA Trophy in their first time playing in the competition, beaten by Witton Albion. In the Bob Lord Trophy, Sutton United saw off Colchester in the third round of the competition.
In the closing weeks of the Conference season, Layer Road attracted a season record 7,221 crowd for the visit of late promotion pushers Altrincham. The U's could only manage a 1–1 draw, and with Barnet improving on Colchester's results until the close of the season pipped United to the Conference title by two points.
Chairman Jonathan Crisp was left fuming:
During the summer he left the club, handing over to new chairman James Bowdidge, while Atkins also left the club to rejoin Birmingham City as player-assistant manager.
Players
Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersScott BarrettGKIlkeston130 Stoke CitySummer 1990£25,000 DefendersIan AtkinsCBBirmingham00 Birmingham City1 June 1990Free transferMarcelle BruceFBDetroit311ApprenticeSummer 1989Free transferShaun ElliottCBHaltwhistle00 Blackpool15 December 1990£7,000Tony EnglishDF/MFLuton26033 Coventry City24 December 1984Free transferMartin GraingerFBEnfield Town82Apprentice16 December 1989Free transferNeale MarmonCBBournemouth224 Hannover 9620 January 1990NominalGary OsbourneFBWolverhampton00 StourbridgeMarch 1991Undisclosed MidfieldersEamonn CollinsMFDublin453 PortsmouthMay 1989Free transferWarren DonaldMF/FBHillingdon00 Northampton Town27 August 1990Free transferWayne HanniganMF00 Home Farm26 February 1991UndisclosedMark KinsellaMFDublin90 Home Farm18 August 1989Free transferNicky SmithLMBerkeley00 Southend United18 August 1990Free transfer ForwardsGary BennettWGEnfield Town517 Tottenham Hotpsur21 October 1988Free transferRoy McDonoughFWSolihull11126 Southend United13 October 1990Part exchangeSteve McGavinFWNorth Walsham00 Sudbury Town1 April 1991£10,000Steve RestarickFWBarking10 West Ham UnitedEarly 1988–89 seasonFree transferMario WalshFWPaddington5117 Southend United1 September 1990£25,000
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.Summer 1990GKScott Barrett Stoke City£25,0001 June 1990CBIan Atkins Birmingham CityFree transfer27 August 1990MF/FBWarren Donald Northampton TownFree transfer1 September 1990FWMario Walsh Southend United£25,0003 September 1990WGMark Rees WalsallFree transfer18 September 1990FWMorrys Scott Cardiff CityUndisclosed18 September 1990LMNicky Smith Southend UnitedFree transfer13 October 1990FWRoy McDonough Southend UnitedPart exchange with Morrys ScottDecember 1990FWLaurie Ryan Cambridge UnitedFree transfer15 December 1990CBShaun Elliott Blackpool£7,00021 January 1991MFGarry Brooke BrentfordTrial26 February 1991MFWayne Hannigan Home FarmUndisclosedMarch 1991FBGary Osbourne StourbridgeUndisclosed1 April 1991FWSteve McGavin Sudbury Town£10,000 Total spending: ~ £67,000
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.End of seasonMFRobbie Devereux Sudbury TownReleasedSummer 1990CBBilly Gilbert Maidstone UnitedReleasedSummer 1990FWTrevor Morgan Happy ValleyReleased27 August 1990FWMorrys Scott Southend UnitedPart exchange with Roy McDonough22 September 1990WGMark Rees Unknown Luxembourg clubReleasedDecember 1990FBClive Stafford Bury TownFree transfer21 January 1991MFGarry Brooke BrentfordEnd of trial31 March 1991MFMark RadfordFree agentReleasedAfter March 1991CBJohn Pollard Bury TownReleasedApril 1991MFLes Taylor Oxford UnitedReleased26 April 1991CBScott Daniels Exeter City£50,0004 May 1991FWLaurie Ryan Cambridge CityReleased Total incoming: ~ £50,000
Loans in Date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.18 August 1990MFMark Yates Birmingham City2 February 1991September 1990FWLaurie Ryan Cambridge United29 September 199024 November 1990FWMike Masters San Francisco Bay Blackhawks25 March 199130 March 1991CBRudi Hedman Crystal Palace4 May 199130 March 1991FWDave Leworthy Reading30 April 1991
Loans out Date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.Autumn 1990FWSteve Restarick Bury TownAutumn 1990October 1990FBClive Stafford Bury TownOctober 1990March 1991CBJohn Pollard Fisher AthleticMarch 1991March 1991FWSteve Restarick Fisher AthleticMarch 1991
Match details
Pre-season friendly
Conference
League table
Results round by round
Matches
FA Cup
FA Trophy
Bob Lord Trophy
Squad statistics Appearances and goals
!colspan="14"|Players who appeared for Colchester who left during the season
Goalscorers
Place Nationality Position Name Conference FA Cup FA Trophy Bob Lord Trophy Total1FWMario Walsh17010182WGGary Bennett9030123FWRoy McDonough801094CBIan Atkins710085DF/MFTony English700076MFMark Yates600067CBNeale Marmon211158FWDave Leworthy400049FWLaurie Ryan3000310MFEamonn Collins20002FWMike Masters11002FWSteve Restarick0002213CBScott Daniels10001MF/FBWarren Donald10001Own goals00000TOTALS6836380
Disciplinary record
Nationality Position Name Conference FA Cup FA Trophy Bob Lord Trophy TotalFWRoy McDonough3100000031CBShaun Elliott0000110011FBMartin Grainger0001000001CBNeale Marmon2000000020CBIan Atkins0000010010MFEamonn Collins0010000010MF/FBWarren Donald1000000010TOTALS6111210093
Clean sheets Number of games goalkeepers kept a clean sheet. Place Nationality Player Conference FA Cup FA Trophy Bob Lord Trophy Total1Scott Barrett1613020TOTALS1613020
Player debuts Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match. Position Nationality Player Date Opponent Ground NotesCBIan Atkins18 August 1990Yeovil TownHuish ParkGKScott Barrett18 August 1990Yeovil TownHuish ParkFWMorrys Scott18 August 1990Yeovil TownHuish ParkLMNicky Smith18 August 1990Yeovil TownHuish ParkMFMark Yates18 August 1990Yeovil TownHuish ParkMF/FBWarren Donald27 August 1990Fisher AthleticSurrey Docks StadiumFWMario Walsh1 September 1990Northwich VictoriaLayer RoadFWLaurie Ryan19 September 1990Boston UnitedYork StreetWGMark Rees22 September 1990Cheltenham TownLayer RoadFWRoy McDonough13 October 1990Sutton UnitedLayer RoadFWMike Masters24 November 1990Wycombe WanderersLayer RoadCBShaun Elliott15 December 1990Merthyr TydfilPenydarren ParkFWLaurie Ryan15 December 1990Merthyr TydfilPenydarren ParkMFGarry Brooke21 January 1991Fisher AthleticSurrey Docks StadiumMFWayne Hannigan26 February 1991Sutton UnitedGander Green LaneCBRudi Hedman30 March 1991Yeovil TownLayer RoadFWDave Leworthy30 March 1991Yeovil TownLayer RoadFWSteve McGavin1 April 1991GatesheadGateshead International StadiumFBGary Osbourne1 April 1991GatesheadGateshead International Stadium
See also List of Colchester United F.C. seasons
References General Books
Specific