User:DarthJoeyJoJo/ColU fans

Supporter Culture

• Attendance
  • Average attendance
    • Compare to other L1 teams/local teams
    • Use 2007/8 figures (full season) but prepare this season for comparison
  • Record attendances - Layer Road & Weston
• Supporter Clubs & Fanzines - KEY SECTION
  • Colchester United Supporters Association (C.U.S.A.)
    • Re-formed in 1995
    • Objectives:
      • To support Colchester United Football Club.
      • To promote the interests of and provide facilities for the supporters of Colchester United Football Club.
      • To develop the Association.
      • To lay down and encourage the acceptance of standards of conduct to be observed by members of the Association.
      • To organise supporter's travel to football matches wherever possible.
      • To organise social events, competitions and fund-raising activities to further the objectives of the Association.
      • To encourage friendly relations with supporters of other football clubs.
      • To do all such things as may be deemed necessary to facilitate and further the objectives of the Association.
  • Main fan base in Colchester
  • Small worldwide fanbase (mainly fans who have moved from Col area)
  • inc the relativley large Swedish fan club
• Type of Supporter - KEY SECTION
  • Need help with this section!!! I've been trying to place Colchester United within the context of social status. What kind of fans go to matches? Are they from a wide range of social backgrounds (Upper, middle, lower class / skilled - professional workers / labourers and working class vocations / students esp from Uni of Essex)? What kind of area is the ground at Layer Road located in? Has there been a shift in social class following the move to Cuckoo Farm? If anyone can help with these questions, please let me know and if possible quote sources or surveys that I can reference. Thank-you.

Colchester also has a long standing history with the army which can be traced back to Roman times when a garrison was estabalished in 43AD. Football in the region has strong links with the army and most regiments developed their own football team. Layer Road was originally the home ground of the 4th Kings Rifle Regiment. They played their first match in 1907 against the then holders of the Essex Senior Cup, South Weald. Colchester Town (and later Colchester United) used the Layer Road ground for their home fixtures. Both teams have been strongly supported by army servicemen. When Colchester Town hosted Luton in 1911, members of the senior military XI's were invited to the match free of charge.

During the conflicts of the 20th century, Layer Road was used by the military for training and for drill practice, firstly during World War I by the Athletes Volunteer Corp (later the 6th V.B. Essex Regiment) with the Area Anti-Gas Authority loaning the facilities for training purposes. Then during World War II, the grounds was utilised by the Fire Fighting Corp. Members of Colchester Town and Colchester United have served in the military. During World War I, 7 members of the team were killed in action. Their names were inscribed on a tablet in the changing rooms on Layer Road. Another serviceman gave rise to a Colchester United tradition that stayed with the club through its Layer road years.. When Colchester United formed in 1937, goalkeeper Ronnie Dunn played the Post Horn Gallop on his bugle to welcome the players onto the pitch having become proficent on the instrument in his Army unit. The Gallop is a tune regularly played in the army although it has an older association with the Postal Service.

Today the garrison is home to the 16th Air Assault Brigade. The club has in the past provided concession rates to members of the amred forces and at a recent fans forum, annouced it will re-introduce these rates for the 2009/10 season.

• • Community Stadium - schemes include Football in the Community & centre of Excellence. Invite to local schools/under priviliged groups to matches. Introduced fan forums (11th March,2009) involving the manager, chairman and chief exec as a change for fans to air views and question staff on issues affected ColU. Forums will be held at beginning of season, Christmas and end of season. Also see the ColU Community Sports Trust (www.cucst.org.uk)
  • Notable fans
• Mascots
• Songs and Chants
• Rivalries & Affiliated Clubs
  • Local derbies and the Pride of Anglia
  • Leeds & Wycombe
  • Association with West Ham

Rejects pile

I have had a rethink and will ditch these two paragraphs. They're based on circumstancal evidence and personal opinion

• • English - High percentage of residents born in UK. Very few minority / non-UK residents. Reflected by team which is mostly UK born. Very little reports of racism (last reported during Southend match - poss only as amany as 5 people)

In general, most Colchester United fans are local to the club (or were local and have since moved out of the Colchester area) and therefore reflect the demographs of the county of Essex itself. The majority of residents in Essex are British by birth. The 2001 census recorded that 95.01% of Essex residents are UK nationals compared to UK-wide average of 91.66%. This is reflected by the Colchester United team which currently consists of 25 regular first team players, of which five are foreign nationals (two from the Republic of Ireland). In addition, most locals are of a white ethnicity (97.11% of locals compared to the UK average of 92.12%). However, there is very little trouble with regards to racism at matches and any incidents are strongly condemned by the fans and dealt with by the club.

• • University town - The University of Essex attracts approx 8,000 students. Essex University is the most culturally diverse uni in the UK attracting people from over 130 countries - quoted from Uni of essex webpage.

Colchester is the original home of the University of Essex which attracts over 8,000 students across its three campuses. The university was founded in 1964 on the outskirts of Colchester at Wivenhoe Park. Today the university is the UK's most culturally diverse university with students from around 130 different countries. Colchester United has recently extended its concession ticket prices to under 21's in a bid to appeal to the student population.

Famous Fans (full version)

Arguably the most famous fan of Colchester United is BBC Radio DJ Steve Lamacq. A fan for almost 30 years, he is a current season ticket owner and still regularly attends matches. He's also given interviews and written articles for newspaper expressing his personal views and admiration for Colchester United. One interview was for the documentary about former Colchester United stadium, Layer Road. Poet Ray Hollingsworth, the man behind the documentary 'Made in Colchester' is himself a life-long fan. His passionate and thorough tribute to United's home for 70 years also contains one of his poems which charts the history of the club and is read by local children piece by piece throughout the duration of the documentary. The documentary also contains a soundtrack performed by Absent Kid. Formed in Colchester, the band consists of brothers Martin & Richard Williams, Mark Butters, Dominic Harrison & Craig Jeal. Currently on hiatus, the band did make a memorable appearance at Colchester's last Layer Road match . They appeared as part of the pre-match entertainment before the Colchester United - Stoke City match. Members of the band are supporters of the club and performed their set in replica shirts .

Special Duties are a Colchester based punk band who have release two singles supporting their local football team. In 1997 when Colchester United reached the final of Auto Windscreens Shield at Wembley Stadium they released "Wembley Wembley! (Wembley here we come)" to commemorate the occasion. The B-side contained a version of Colchester United anthem "Up the U's!" as well as brief interviews with several of the players including Garrett Caldwell, Joe Dunne and former club captain Karl Duguid. In 2007, the band re-recorded "Up the U's!" and also took a song wrote by another Colchester based band, Koopa. Originally written for the England national football team, Special Duties recorded their own version, "Stand Up For Col U" which featured the vocals of Colchester United players Jamie Cureton, Chris Iwelumo, Wayne Brown, Karl Duguid, Kevin Watson, Pat Baldwin, Kevin McLeod and Dean Gerken. The single was released to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Another famous fan is MP for the Colchester area, Bob Russell. He has been a supporter for more than 50 years and watched his first game in February 1957, a league match at Layer Road against Newport County which Colchester won 1-0 . He has been both an ardent fan and critic of the team and often campaigns for causes that involve the club. Also on the border line between fan and critic, Les Oakes achieved his notoriety as a supporter of Colchester United. Although not famous, he was renowned amongst the fans for voicing his opinions to the managers during matches, and could be harshly critical of an under achieving member of the team . Mr Oakes passed away in October 2000 aged 67 and was honoured by Ray Hollingsworth when Les's image was chosen for the cover of the 'Made in Colchester' DVD.

Famous Fans (edit)

• BBC Radio DJ Steve Lamacq - A fan for almost 30 years, he has given interviews and written articles for newspaper expressing his personal views and admiration for the club.

• Poet and filmmaker Ray Hollingsworth - A life-long fan who produced the documentary 'Made in Colchester', a passionate and thorough tribute to Layer Road, United's home for 70 years. The documentary contains a reading one of his poems read by local children piece by piece throughout the duration of the documentary.

• Absent Kid - Formed in Colchester, the band consists of brothers Martin & Richard Williams, Mark Butters, Dominic Harrison & Craig Jeal. They appeared at Colchester's last Layer Road match between Colchester United and Stoke City . Members of the band are supporters of the club and performed their set in replica shirts .

• Special Duties - Formed in Colchester by school friends Steve Green, Steve Norris and Nigel Baker. In 1997 when Colchester United reached the a cup final at Wembley Stadium they released "Wembley Wembley! (Wembley here we come)" and in 2007, the band released "Up the U's!" / "Stand Up For Col U" to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

• MP Bob Russell - MP for the Colchester area, he has been a supporter for more than 50 years and watched his first game in February 1957, a league match at Layer Road against Newport County which Colchester won 1-0 . He has been both an ardent fan and critic of the team and often campaigns for causes that involve the club.

• Les Oakes - He achieved his notoriety as a supporter of Colchester United and was renowned amongst the fans for voicing his opinions to the managers during matches. Mr Oakes passed away in October 2000 aged 67 but is still remembered by current fans for his harshly critical comments of underperforming members of the team. .

Already added to main ColU page

- BBC Radio DJ Steve Lamacq - fan for almost 30 years
- Poet and filmmaker Ray Hollingsworth - filmed documentary 'Made in Colchester'
- Absent Kid - band, formed in Colchester
- Special Duties - Colchester based punk band
- MP Bob Russell - supporter for more than 50 years
- Les Oakes - famous fan and vocal mouthpiece at matches

Other famous fans

I need more information about any of the following

- Whiskey the dog became an icon for Colchester United in the 50's appearing along side manager ? dressed in blue and white stripes
- Denim Phil (need more info)
- Michael Twiddle (need more info)
- Ronald Aitken aka Flicka - died 1984 and requested that his ashes were spread on the pitch at Layer Road

Also...

Please help if you have any info or saw Soccer AM on the 21st February, 2009. Apparently a link was made between US Rapper Flo Rida and Colchester United. I sincerely doubt that he has become a fan but I would like to know more about this out of curiousity.

Thanks DarthJoeyJoJo (talk) 12:38, 20 March 2009 (UTC)