COLCHESTER United are in danger of marking their last ever season at Layer Road with the worst home record in the club's history.The U's have only won three of their 17 league games at Layer Road, and they have just six remaining, starting with tonight's visit of Sheffield Wednesday.
Carl Marston
COLCHESTER United are in danger of marking their last ever season at Layer Road with the worst home record in the club's history.
The U's have only won three of their 17 league games at Layer Road, and they have just six remaining, starting with tonight's visit of Sheffield Wednesday.
Looking back through the archives, the least number of home victories in a season was recorded more than 50 years ago, when the U's were in Division Three South.
United mustered just seven home wins during the 1953-54 and 1954-55 campaigns. For the bulk of this unsuccessful period, Jack Butler was the manager. They finished second-from bottom in 1953-54 and rock bottom the following season.
In the intervening 53 years, the U's have more often than not relied on a good home record. They have never chalked up less then eight wins at Layer Road, and they still managed nine home victories during their infamous relegation out of the Football League in 1989-90.
It is rather ironic, then, that in the U's final season before they move to their new Community Stadium at Cuckoo Farm, they could well sign off with their poorest ever Layer Road statistics.
To avoid this fate outright, they must win four of their last six home fixtures to equal the lean days of the mid-1950s. They need to win five of the last six to eclipse them.
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