COLCHESTER United enjoyed one of the most memorable cup runs in their history, earlier this season.

But more than seven decades ago, the U's embarked on a giant-killing sequence that took the football world by storm and led to them playing in front of a sell-out, 30,000 crowd.

In the 1947-48 season, the U's were a Southern League side with the club still in its relative infancy, having been only been formed in 1937.

But despite their non-league status, Ted Fenton led them to a memorable post-war FA Cup run that helped lay the foundations for potential election to the Football League.

Fenton's squad consisted of the likes of Bob Curry, Bob Allen, Arthur Turner, Harry Bearryman, Digger Kettle, Dennis Hillman and Len Cater.

Colchester's FA Cup run began at the fourth qualifying round stage with them securing a 3-2 win over Essex neighbours Chelmsford City, in front of a crowd of more than 10,000 at Layer Road.

And the U's followed that up with another win by a one-goal margin, seeing off Banbury Spencer in front of 8,574 fans.

There was another big crowd at Layer Road for Colchester's next game in the competition, where they saw off Wrexham 1-0.

Bob Curry's goal proved the winner for the U's in front of more than 10,000, in a game where both sides missed penalties.

Colchester's giant-killing side were given a tougher task in the next round, where they faced first division side Huddersfield Town.

The U's saw off the Terriers, with U's captain Bob Curry on target again in front of a crowd of 16,005.

It was the first time that a non-League side had beaten a first division club.

It set Colchester up for a game against Bradford Park Avenue at Layer Road and when Fenton's side fell behind, it looked as though their cup run might be coming to an end.

Curry scored twice to turn the tie on its head but Bradford hit back again to equalise, just before the break.

However, Fred Cutting popped up to score the U's all-important winner and Fenton was chaired off the pitch at the final whistle.

It set Colchester up for a memorable fifth-round trip to play Blackpool, with a crowd of 30,000 in attendance.

The U's fell to a 5-0 defeat to exit the competition but by then, they had made their mark as cup giantkillers.

Prior to Colchester United's emergence as a professional club in 1937, the town had an amateur side called Colchester Town.

The picture shows the Colchester Town side of 1911/12, when they were playing in the South Essex League.

The likes of Sheffield United, Derby, Millwall and Norwich visited Layer Road to play in exhibition matches.

Town went on to win the South Essex League title in the 1912/3 season.

They finished joint top with Harwich and Parkeston in their inaugural Eastern Counties League season before they ceased to exist in March 2, 1936 and the U's were formed, soon after.