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The 1956–57 season was Colchester United's seventh consecutive season in the Football League Third Division South. They finished the season in 3rd position, just one point shy of champions and rivals Ipswich Town who were promoted to the Football League Second Division. Until 2006, the 1956–57 season was the best in Colchester's history. ==Season Review== 1956-57 proved to be Colchester's best finish in their history, a position that was not bettered until 2006. For most of the season United were certainties for promotion. They played with flair and went 20 League games undefeated between December 1956 and Easter 1957. During this spell United hosted third-placed rivals Ipswich at Layer Road. Colchester had a seven-point advantage, although Town had a game in hand. A record crowd for a Layer Road League game - 18,559 - witnessed a 0-0 draw. Over 4,000 were turned away and 120 fans watched from the Popular Side (more recently Barside) roof. The game went down in United folklore when Benny Fenton missed a 21st-minute penalty. The notion survived well into the next century that Fenton deliberately missed the penalty because United could not afford to compete at Second Division level. In fact, Town keeper Roy Bailey magnificently turned the spot kick around the post. A 2-1 win over second-placed Torquay, who trailed by four points as a result, put United in pole position in front of yet another bumper Layer Road crowd of 12,555. But then the loss of Bob Dale and Chic Milligan dented United's run-in. Three consecutive draws allowed Torquay to close the gap to one point with Ipswich five points adrift. Over Easter 1957, United lost three away games at Millwall, Walsall and Swindon. Colchester won their final game of the season 2-0 against Watford to go top, but both Ipswich and Torquay's final games were 24 hours later. Both won, United slipped to third and Ipswich went up as champions level with Torquay and a point ahead of The U's. The next 50 years of professional football either side of the Essex/Suffolk border was determined from that point on.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The U's History: The 50s )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「1956–57 Colchester United F.C. season」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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