Meetings between Sheffield United and Colchester United have only sprung into action since the 1979/80 Third Division season. They entered the Football League in 1950 and spent 11 years in the Third Division, at the time it was the lowest ranked Division within the structure, they were relegated to the old Fourth Division (which had been founded in 1958) but were quickly re-promoted at the first attempt.
For the next 29 years they yo-yoed between the bottoms two Divisions until, in 1990 they were relegated into the former GM Vauxhall Conference (now Blue Square Premier League). In between those times the Blades and the U’s met in three seasons, our first was during the terrible Third Division season of 1979-80 which all reminds us of that Boxing Day game at Hillsborough.
Games against Colchester can too be forgotten – they met one another twice in quick succession on 21 August at Layer Road where the U’s recorded a 1-0 victory and on 9 October where they completed the double in a 1-0 win at Bramall Lane.
They met for the following two seasons as united extracted revenge of their opponents, winning 3-0 at the Lane and drawing 1-1 away from home – however it wasn’t enough for either side from staying away from the dreaded drop zone and the pair were relegated into the old Fourth Division.
Sheffield United would bounce back at the first time of asking, but Colchester pulled off the biggest defeat on United that season. The Blades had won their home game 1-0 in September and when the teams met again February 1982 a 5-2 defeat ended United’s 17 match unbeaten run. United however ended the season as Champions whilst the U’s finished sixth.
With the demise of the Essex club and United powering up the Football League there would be no professional meetings in the Football League until the U’s descended into the Championship in 2007 – their highest level of football they have played to date and in both matches the pair drew 2-2 and was the last action played out at their former Layer Road Ground.
There had been domestic cup meetings between these barren years – mainly in the FA Cup. In January 1989 the Blades won 2-0 at Layer Road but only in a replay after drawing the initial match 3-3 at the Lane. We didn’t meet in the same competition until 2004 when United again won, this time 1-0 but two years later (with promotion on their minds) the Blades lost 2-1 at home.
During the 2000/01 season they did meet in the Football League Cup – winning 4-0 on aggregate after 3-0 home win in the first leg.
The 2012/13 season saw the Blades take four points off their opponents – drawing 1-1 at their Community Stadium on 25 August and winning 3-0 in S2 on 16 February. John Cofie putting the Blades into the lead before former Sheffield Wednesday forward Clinton Morrison levelled the scores. In S2, goals from Barry Robson (4 minutes), who scored from the penalty spot after he had been fouled in the box by Jake Robinson put the hosts ahead. Midfileder Kevin McDonald (73) doubled their lead and Dave Kitson (90) finished to score his nineth goal for United after Diego De Girolamo saw his shot saved.
Earlier in the season the two teams drew 1-1at Bramall Lane on 17 August - West Ham striker Freddy Sears fired home (30 minutes) after breaking away from a corner and on the stroke of half-time defender Harry Maguire unleashed a powerful shot which was spilled by the keeper and rolled into the net.
| At Sheff. Utd. (11) | At Colchester U. (8) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results | Total | % | Results | Total | % | |
| Sheff. Utd. | 6 | 54.55 | Colchester U. | 2 | 25.00 | |
| Colchester U. | 2 | 18.18 | Sheff. Utd. | 2 | 25.00 | |
| Draws | 3 | 27.27 | Draws | 4 | 50.00 | |
| Goals | Total | Av.pg | Goals | Total | Av.pg | |
| Sheff. Utd. | 22 | 2.00 | Colchester U. | 11 | 1.38 | |
| Colchester U. | 10 | 0.91 | Sheff. Utd. | 10 | 1.25 | |
| On Neutral Ground (0) | Overall (19 matches) | |||||
| Results | Total | % | Results | Total | % | |
| Sheff. Utd. | 0 | 0.00 | Sheff. Utd. | 8 | 42.11 | |
| Colchester U. | 0 | 0.00 | Colchester U. | 4 | 21.05 | |
| Draws | 0 | 0.00 | Draws | 7 | 36.84 | |
| Goals | Total | Av.pg | Goals | Total | Av.pg | |
| Sheff. Utd. | 0 | 0.00 | Sheff. Utd. | 32 | 1.68 | |
| Colchester U. | 0 | 0.00 | Colchester U. | 21 | 1.11 | |
| Records | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Aggregate | 7 | Colchester U. | 5 - 2 | Sheff. Utd. | 1981/1982 |
| Highest Sheff. Utd. score: | 3 | Sheff. Utd. | 3 - 0 | Colchester U. | 2012/2013 |
| Highest Colchester U. score: | 5 | Colchester U. | 5 - 2 | Sheff. Utd. | 1981/1982 |
| Season | Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013/2014 | Sat 17 Aug | Sheff. Utd. | 1 - 1 | Colchester U. | League One |
| 2012/2013 | Sat 16 Feb | Sheff. Utd. | 3 - 0 | Colchester U. | League One |
| Sat 25 Aug | Colchester U. | 1 - 1 | Sheff. Utd. | League One | |
| 2011/2012 | Tue 13 Mar | Colchester U. | 1 - 1 | Sheff. Utd. | League One |
| Sat 17 Sep | Sheff. Utd. | 3 - 0 | Colchester U. | League One | |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 02 Feb | Colchester U. | 2 - 2 | Sheff. Utd. | Championship |
| Sat 11 Aug | Sheff. Utd. | 2 - 2 | Colchester U. | Championship | |
| 2005/2006 | Sat 07 Jan | Sheff. Utd. | 1 - 2 | Colchester U. | F.A. Cup |
| 2003/2004 | Sun 15 Feb | Sheff. Utd. | 1 - 0 | Colchester U. | F.A. Cup |
| 2000/2001 | Wed 27 Sep | Colchester U. | 0 - 1 | Sheff. Utd. | League Cup |
| Tue 19 Sep | Sheff. Utd. | 3 - 0 | Colchester U. | League Cup | |
| 1988/1989 | Tue 31 Jan | Colchester U. | 0 - 2 | Sheff. Utd. | F.A. Cup |
| Sat 28 Jan | Sheff. Utd. | 3 - 3 | Colchester U. | F.A. Cup | |
| 1981/1982 | Sat 06 Feb | Colchester U. | 5 - 2 | Sheff. Utd. | Fourth Division |
| Sat 12 Sep | Sheff. Utd. | 1 - 0 | Colchester U. | Fourth Division | |
| 1980/1981 | Sat 04 Apr | Colchester U. | 1 - 1 | Sheff. Utd. | Third Division |
| Sat 01 Nov | Sheff. Utd. | 3 - 0 | Colchester U. | Third Division | |
| 1979/1980 | Tue 09 Oct | Sheff. Utd. | 1 - 2 | Colchester U. | Third Division |
| Tue 21 Aug | Colchester U. | 1 - 0 | Sheff. Utd. | Third Division |