League Record
| Season | Position Finished | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Points | League & Division |
| 1937/38 | 6th | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 90 | 58 | 38 | Southern League |
| 1938/39 | 1st | 44 | 31 | 5 | 8 | 110 | 37 | 67 | Southern League |
| World War 2 Suspended Play | |||||||||
| 1945/46 | 8th | 20 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 29 | 47 | 17 | Southern League |
| 1946/47 | 8th | 31 | 15 | 4 | 12 | 65 | 60 | 35* | Southern League |
| 1947/48 | 4th | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 88 | 41 | 44 | Southern League |
| 1948/49 | 4th | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 94 | 61 | 52 | Southern League |
| 1949/50 | 2nd | 46 | 31 | 9 | 6 | 109 | 51 | 71 | Southern League |
| ▲Colchester United were Elected to the Football League | |||||||||
| 1950/51 | 16th | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 63 | 76 | 40 | Football League Third Division South |
| 1951/52 | 10th | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 56 | 77 | 46 | Football League Third Division South |
| 1952/53 | 22nd | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 59 | 76 | 38 | Football League Third Division South |
| 1953/54 | ►23rd | 46 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 50 | 78 | 30 | Football League Third Division South |
| 1954/55 | ►24th | 46 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 53 | 91 | 31 | Football League Third Division South |
| 1955/56 | 12th | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 76 | 81 | 47 | Football League Third Division South |
| 1956/57 | 3rd | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 84 | 56 | 58 | Football League Third Division South |
| 1957/58 | 12th | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 77 | 79 | 47 | Football League Third Division South |
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The Football League ended its Regionalised Third Division and split into 2 National Divisions, Colchester Untied were placed in the new Third Division |
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| 1958/59 | 5th | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 71 | 67 | 52 | Football League Third Division |
| 1959/60 | 9th | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 83 | 74 | 47 | Football League Third Division |
| 1960/61 | ▼23rd | 46 | 11 | 11 | 24 | 68 | 101 | 33 | Football League Third Division |
| 1961/62 | ▲2nd | 44 | 23 | 9 | 12 | 104 | 71 | 55 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1962/63 | 12th | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 73 | 93 | 47 | Football League Third Division |
| 1963/64 | 17th | 46 | 12 | 19 | 15 | 70 | 68 | 43 | Football League Third Division |
| 1964/65 | ▼23rd | 46 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 50 | 89 | 30 | Football League Third Division |
| 1965/66 | ▲4th | 46 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 70 | 47 | 56 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1966/67 | 13th | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 76 | 73 | 44 | Football League Third Division |
| 1967/68 | ▼22nd | 46 | 9 | 15 | 22 | 50 | 87 | 33 | Football League Third Division |
| 1968/69 | 6th | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 57 | 53 | 52 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1969/70 | 10th | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 64 | 63 | 48 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1970/71 | 6th | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 70 | 54 | 54 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1971/72 | 11th | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 70 | 69 | 48 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1972/73 | ►22nd | 46 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 48 | 76 | 31 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1973/74 | ▲3rd | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 73 | 36 | 60 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1974/75 | 11th | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 70 | 63 | 47 | Football League Third Division |
| 1975/76 | ▼22nd | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 41 | 65 | 38 | Football League Third Division |
| 1976/77 | ▲3rd | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 77 | 43 | 59 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1977/78 | 8th | 46 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 55 | 44 | 48 | Football League Third Division |
| 1978/79 | 7th | 46 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 60 | 55 | 51 | Football League Third Division |
| 1979/80 | 5th | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 64 | 56 | 52 | Football League Third Division |
| 1980/81 | ▼22nd | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 45 | 65 | 39 | Football League Third Division |
| 1981/82 | 6th | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 82 | 57 | 72 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1982/83 | 6th | 46 | 24 | 9 | 13 | 75 | 55 | 81 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1983/84 | 8th | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 69 | 53 | 67 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1984/85 | 7th | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 87 | 65 | 74 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1985/86 | 6th | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 88 | 63 | 70 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1986/87 | ♦►5th | 46 | 21 | 7 | 18 | 64 | 56 | 70 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1987/88 | 9th | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 47 | 51 | 67 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1988/89 | 22nd | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 60 | 78 | 50 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1989/90 | ▼24th | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 48 | 75 | 43 | Football League Fourth Division |
| 1990/91 | 2nd | 42 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 68 | 35 | 85 | Football Conference |
| 1991/92 | ▲1st | 42 | 28 | 10 | 4 | 98 | 40 | 94 | Football Conference |
| Following the formation of the Premier League, the Fourth Division was renamed to Division 3 | |||||||||
| 1992/93 | 10th | 42 | 18 | 5 | 19 | 67 | 76 | 59 | Football League Division 3 |
| 1993/94 | 17th | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 56 | 71 | 49 | Football League Division 3 |
| 1994/95 | 10th | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 56 | 64 | 58 | Football League Division 3 |
| 1995/96 | ♦►7th | 46 | 18 | 18 | 10 | 61 | 51 | 72 | Football League Division 3 |
| 1996/97 | 8th | 46 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 62 | 51 | 68 | Football League Division 3 |
| 1997/98 | ♦▲4th | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 72 | 60 | 74 | Football League Division 3 |
| 1998/99 | 18th | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 52 | 70 | 52 | Football League Division 2 |
| 1999/00 | 18th | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 59 | 82 | 52 | Football League Division 2 |
| 2000/01 | 17th | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 55 | 59 | 57 | Football League Division 2 |
| 2001/02 | 15th | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 65 | 76 | 57 | Football League Division 2 |
| 2002/03 | 12th | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 52 | 56 | 58 | Football League Division 2 |
| 2003/04 | 11th | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 52 | 56 | 64 | Football League Division 2 |
| The Football League renamed its Divisions, Division 2 became League One | |||||||||
| 2004/05 | 15th | 46 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 60 | 50 | 59 | Football League One |
| 2005/06 | ▲2nd | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 58 | 40 | 79 | Football League One |
| 2006/07 | 10th | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 70 | 56 | 69 | Football League Championship |
| 2007/08 | ▼24th | 46 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 62 | 86 | 38 | Football League Championship |
| 2008/09 | 12th | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 58 | 58 | 63 | Football League One |
| 2009/10 | 8th | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 64 | 52 | 72 | Football League One |
| 2010/11 | 10th | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 57 | 63 | 62 | Football League One |
| 2011/12 | 10th | 46 | 13 | 20 | 13 | 61 | 66 | 59 | Football League One |
| 2012/13 | 20th | 46 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 47 | 68 | 51 | Football League One |
| 2013/14 | 16th | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 53 | 61 | 53 | Football League One |
| 2014/15 | 19th | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 58 | 77 | 52 | Football League One |
| 2015/16 | ▼23rd | 46 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 57 | 99 | 40 | Football League One |
| 2016/17 | 8th | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 67 | 57 | 69 | English Football League Two |
| 2017/18 | 13th | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 53 | 52 | 62 | English Football League Two |
| 2018/19 | 8th | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 65 | 53 | 70 | English Football League Two |
| 2019/20 | ♦►6th | 37 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 52 | 37 | 58 | English Football League Two |
| 2020/21 | 20th | 46 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 44 | 61 | 51 | English Football League Two |
| 2021/22 | 15th | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 48 | 60 | 55 | English Football League Two |
| 2022/23 | 20th | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 44 | 51 | 49 | English Football League Two |
| 2023/24 | 22nd | 46 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 59 | 80 | 45 | English Football League Two |
| 2024/25 | 10th | 46 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 52 | 47 | 67 | English Football League Two |
| 2025/26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | English Football League Two |
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Footnotes |
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1946/47 - Awarded 1 Point- |