List of Colchester United F.C. managers

Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester, Essex. Formed in 1937 from the remnants of the former Colchester Town football club, United competed in the Southern Football League from their foundation until 1950, when they were elected to the Football League. Ted Davis, a former Huddersfield Town goalkeeper and Bath City manager was appointed by Colchester United's board of directors to take charge of team affairs in 1937. Davis' Huddersfield contacts allowed the newly-formed club's players to be kitted in the same blue and white strip as his former team. In the 1939–40 season, after only three Southern League games, the Second World War was declared and the club closed down until 1945. Former Colchester Town player Syd Fieldus along with a couple of the directors kept Colchester United alive but dormant during the war years. Fieldus was appointed secretary-manager for 1945–46. He liaised with Major Dai Rees and forged a strong relationship with the Garrison. Since United had only four contracted players, the team was complemented by a number servicemen. Fieldus urged the board to appoint a full-time manager for the 1946–47 season and Ted Fenton, formerly of West Ham United was hired. Fenton had turned out for Colchester Town in the early 1930s as a teenager. Following a successful FA Cup run in 1947–48, he rejoined West Ham as assistant manager in the summer of 1948. Ex-England international centre-half Jimmy Allen took over in 1948 and led Colchester to Football League election in the summer of 1950. Allen resigned on 2 May 1953 and Jack Butler, a former Arsenal player, was appointed his replacement. Butler had been coaching in Belgium and had been in charge of the Belgium national team between 1935 and 1940, leading them to the 1938 FIFA World Cup Finals. He resigned in January 1955 and the board chose Benny Fenton to be player-manager. He spent eight years with the club, suffering relegation for the first time in the clubs history in 1961, only to return to the Third Division at the first attempt.