The club struggled in the league for the second successive season, eventually finishing 23rd of 24 teams under new manager Jack Butler.

[5] Following Jimmy Allen's resignation at the end of the previous season, the Colchester United board shortlisted three names for the vacant managerial position, and in-line with their cost reduction policy, appointed Ron Meades as player-manager.

Meades had claimed to have been with Cardiff City, and more recently manager of Western League side Wadebridge Town.

More recently, he had managed Torquay United and Crystal Palace, but Butler had little time to prepare his side ahead of the new season, and a 13-game winless run in late 1953 saw Colchester slump to 23rd position in the league.

With the crowd average falling season-on-season to 7,797, the club were required to apply for re-election after finishing the campaign ten points adrift of safety.