1985–86 Football League

The Football League
Season 1985–86
Champions Liverpool

The 19851986 season was the 87th completed season of The Football League.

Final league tables and results

The tables and results below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website,[1] with home and away statistics separated.

During the first five seasons of the league, that is, until the season 1893–94, re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league. From the 1894–95 season and until the 1920–21 season the re-election process was required of the clubs which finished in the bottom three of the league. From the 1922–23 season on it was required of the bottom two teams of both Third Division North and Third Division South. Since the Fourth Division was established in the 1958–59 season, the re-election process has concerned the bottom four clubs in that division.[2]

First Division

In a close three horse race, Liverpool F.C. pipped Everton F.C. and West Ham United to the First Division title, while also defeating Everton F.C. in the F.A. Cup Final, thereby completing an historic double.

Football League, First Division
Season 1985–86
Champions Liverpool (16th English title)
Relegated Birmingham City
Ipswich Town
West Bromwich Albion
FA Cup winners Liverpool (3rd FA Cup title)
European Cup 1986–87 No qualifications [notes 1][3]
European Cup Winners' Cup 1986–87 No qualifications[notes 1]
UEFA Cup 1986–87 No qualifications[notes 1]
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1288 (2.79 per match)
Top goalscorer Gary Lineker (Everton), 30 [4]
Biggest home win West Ham UnitedNewcastle United 8–1 (21 Apr 1986);
Luton TownSouthampton 7–0 (19 Oct 1985)
Biggest away win Sheffield WednesdayEverton 1–5 (3 Sep 1985);
West BromManchester United 1–5 (21 Sep 1985);
ChelseaWatford 1–5 (5 May 1986);
ChelseaWest Ham 0–4 (29 Mar 1986)
Highest scoring West Ham UnitedNewcastle United 8–1 (21 Apr 1986)
Longest winning run Manchester United (10 games)
Longest unbeaten run West Ham United (18 games)
Longest losing run West Bromwich Albion (9 games)
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Liverpool 4216415814106531238937+5288Excluded from the European Cup 1986–87[3] [notes 1] [notes 2]
2 Everton 4216325418105633238741+4686Excluded from the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup[notes 1] [notes 3]
3 West Ham United 421722481694826247440+3484Excluded from the UEFA Cup 1986–87[notes 1]
4 Manchester United 4212543512105635247036+3476Excluded from the UEFA Cup 1986–87[notes 1]
5 Sheffield Wednesday 421362362384927316354+973Excluded from the UEFA Cup 1986–87[notes 1]
6 Chelsea 421245322787625295756+171
7 Arsenal 4213532915741020324947+269
8 Nottingham Forest 421155382586731286953+1668
9 Luton Town 421263371566924296144+1766
10 Tottenham Hotspur 421227472576827277452+2265
11 Newcastle United 421254463157921416772–563
12 Watford 4211644022551129406962+759
13 Queens Park Rangers 4212363320341420445364–1152
14 Southampton 4210653218241519445162–1146
15 Manchester City 427772526451218314357–1445
16 Aston Villa 427682728381024395167–1644
17 Coventry City 4265103135551117364871–2343
18 Oxford United 427773427351328536280–1842Excluded from the UEFA Cup 1986–87[notes 1] [notes 4]
19 Leicester City 427863535341419415476–2242
20 Ipswich Town 428582024331512313255–2341
21 Birmingham City 4252141325331517483073–4329
22 West Bromwich Albion 4238102136141614533589–5424
  1. English teams were banned by UEFA from its competitions from the season 1985–86 on until the season 1990–91 because of the Heysel Disaster in 1985, involving Liverpool fans.
  2. Liverpool won the 1986 FA Cup as well.
  3. Everton were the runners-up in the FA Cup, and Liverpool having won the Double, they should have claimed a place in the European Cup Winners' Cup.
  4. Oxford United were the 1986 League Cup winners and claimed what should have been a UEFA Cup 1984–85 spot.
Key
League Champions, excluded from the European Cup
FA Cup runners-up, but excluded from the Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup spot, but excluded
League Cup winners, excluded from UEFA Cup
Relegated

First Division results

Home ╲ Away ARS AST BIRCHECOVEVEIPSLEILIVLUTMCIMUNNEWNOTOXFQPRSHWSOUTOTWATWBAWHU
Arsenal 32 00 20 30 01 10 10 20 21 10 12 00 11 21 31 10 32 00 02 22 10
Aston Villa 14 03 31 11 00 10 10 22 31 01 13 12 12 20 12 11 00 12 41 11 21
Birmingham City 01 00 12 01 02 01 21 02 02 10 11 01 01 31 20 02 02 12 12 01 10
Chelsea 21 21 20 10 21 11 22 01 10 10 12 11 42 14 11 21 20 20 15 30 04
Coventry City 02 33 44 11 13 01 30 03 10 11 13 12 00 52 21 01 32 23 02 30 01
Everton 61 20 41 11 11 10 12 23 20 40 31 10 11 20 43 31 61 10 41 20 31
Ipswich Town 12 03 01 02 10 34 02 21 11 00 01 22 10 32 10 21 11 10 00 10 01
Leicester City 22 31 42 00 21 31 10 02 00 11 30 20 03 44 14 23 22 14 22 22 01
Liverpool 20 30 50 11 50 02 50 10 32 20 11 11 20 60 41 22 10 41 31 41 31
Luton Town 22 20 20 11 01 21 10 31 01 21 11 20 11 12 20 10 70 11 32 30 00
Manchester City 01 22 11 01 51 11 11 11 10 11 03 10 12 03 20 13 10 21 01 21 22
Manchester United 01 40 10 12 20 00 10 40 11 20 22 30 23 30 20 02 10 00 11 30 20
Newcastle United 10 22 41 13 32 22 31 21 10 22 31 24 03 30 31 41 21 22 11 41 12
Nottingham Forest 32 11 30 00 52 00 31 43 11 20 02 13 12 11 40 01 21 01 32 21 21
Oxford United 30 11 01 21 01 10 43 50 22 11 10 13 12 12 33 01 30 11 11 22 12
Queens Park Rangers 01 01 31 60 02 30 10 20 21 11 00 10 31 21 31 11 02 25 21 10 01
Sheffield Wednesday 20 20 51 11 22 15 10 10 00 32 32 10 22 21 21 00 21 12 21 10 22
Southampton 30 00 10 01 11 23 10 00 12 12 30 10 11 31 11 30 23 10 31 31 11
Tottenham Hotspur 10 42 20 41 01 01 20 13 12 13 02 00 51 03 51 11 51 53 40 50 10
Watford 30 11 30 31 30 02 00 21 23 12 32 11 41 11 22 20 21 11 10 51 02
West Bromwich Albion 00 03 21 03 00 03 12 22 12 12 23 15 11 11 11 01 11 10 11 31 23
West Ham United 00 41 20 12 10 21 21 30 22 01 10 21 81 42 31 31 10 10 21 21 40

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

First Division maps

Locations of the Football League First Division London teams 1985–1986

Second Division

Football League, Second Division
Season 1985–86
Champions Norwich City (2nd title)
Promoted Charlton Athletic,
Wimbledon
Relegated Carlisle United,
Fulham,
Middlesbrough
Matches played 462
Goals scored 1264 (2.74 per match)
Top goalscorer Kevin Drinkell (Norwich City), 22 [4]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts
1 Norwich City 421641511595733228437+4784
2 Charlton Athletic 421452441586734307845+3377
3 Wimbledon 421362381687620215837+2176
4 Portsmouth 421344431793926246941+2873
5 Crystal Palace 421236292276828305752+566
6 Hull City 421173391966926366555+1064
7 Sheffield United 4210743624741028396463+162
8 Oldham Athletic 4213444028451222336261+160
9 Millwall 4212363924551125416465–159
10 Stoke City 4281122916641119344850–257
11 Brighton & Hove Albion 4210564230631222346464+056
12 Barnsley 42966292658818244750–356
13 Bradford City 4214163624251415395163–1254
14 Leeds United 429753022611426505672–1653
15 Grimsby Town 4211463524361223385862–452
16 Huddersfield Town 4210653023441321445167–1652
17 Shrewsbury Town 4211552920341423445264–1251
18 Sunderland 4210563329361214324761–1450
19 Blackburn Rovers 4210473020291023425362–949
20 Carlisle United 4210293028351317434771–2446
21 Middlesbrough 428672623431418304453–945
22 Fulham 4283102932231616374569–2436
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Relegated

Second Division results

Home ╲ Away BAR BLB BRABHACRLCHACRYFULGRIHUDHULLEEMIDMILNOROLDPORSHUSHRSTKSUNWDN
Barnsley 11 22 32 12 21 24 20 10 13 14 30 00 21 22 10 01 21 20 00 11 01
Blackburn Rovers 03 30 14 20 00 12 10 31 01 22 20 01 12 21 00 10 61 11 01 20 20
Bradford City 20 32 32 10 12 10 31 01 30 42 01 21 02 02 10 21 14 31 31 20 11
Brighton & Hove Albion 01 31 21 61 35 20 23 22 43 31 01 33 10 11 11 23 00 02 20 31 20
Carlisle United 11 21 12 20 23 22 21 12 20 21 12 10 10 04 31 01 10 02 30 12 23
Charlton Athletic 21 30 11 22 30 31 20 20 30 12 40 20 33 10 11 12 20 41 20 21 00
Crystal Palace 10 20 21 10 11 21 00 21 23 02 30 21 21 12 32 21 11 01 01 10 13
Fulham 20 33 41 10 01 03 23 21 21 11 31 03 12 01 22 01 23 21 10 12 02
Grimsby Town 12 52 20 02 10 22 30 10 11 01 10 32 51 10 14 10 01 31 33 11 01
Huddersfield Town 11 00 20 10 33 02 00 13 22 21 31 03 43 00 20 12 31 10 20 20 01
Hull City 01 22 10 20 40 11 12 50 20 31 21 00 30 10 42 22 00 43 02 11 11
Leeds United 02 11 21 23 20 12 13 10 11 20 11 10 31 02 31 21 11 11 40 11 00
Middlesbrough 00 00 11 01 13 13 02 10 31 01 12 22 30 11 32 10 12 31 11 20 10
Millwall 22 01 21 01 31 22 32 11 10 21 50 31 30 42 01 04 30 20 23 10 01
Norwich City 11 30 00 30 21 31 43 21 32 41 20 40 20 61 10 20 40 31 11 00 12
Oldham Athletic 11 31 01 40 21 21 20 21 21 11 31 31 10 00 13 20 15 43 24 22 21
Portsmouth 11 30 40 12 40 10 10 11 31 41 11 23 10 21 20 12 03 40 30 30 11
Sheffield United 31 33 31 30 10 11 00 21 11 11 31 32 01 13 25 20 00 11 12 10 40
Shrewsbury Town 30 20 20 21 00 21 02 21 02 30 00 13 21 11 03 20 11 31 10 12 11
Stoke City 00 22 31 11 00 00 00 10 11 30 01 62 32 00 11 20 20 13 22 10 00
Sunderland 20 02 11 21 22 12 11 42 33 10 11 42 10 12 02 03 13 21 20 20 21
Wimbledon 10 11 10 00 41 31 11 10 30 22 31 03 30 11 21 00 13 50 21 10 30

Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second Division maps

Locations of the Football League Second Division London teams 1985–1986

Third Division

Football League, Third Division
Season 1985–86
Champions Reading (1st title)
Promoted Derby County,
Plymouth Argyle
Relegated Cardiff City,
Lincoln City,
Wolverhampton Wanderers,
Swansea City
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1550 (2.81 per match)
Top goalscorer Trevor Senior (Reading), 27 [4]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts
1 Reading 4616343922134628296751+1694
2 Plymouth Argyle 461733562096832338853+3587
3 Derby County 4613734520108535218041+3984
4 Wigan Athletic 4617425417610728318248+3483
5 Gillingham 461454481788733378154+2779
6 Walsall 4615715923721431419064+2675
7 York City 4616434917471228417758+1971
8 Notts County 461265422678829347160+1171
9 Bristol City 4614544319491026416960+968
10 Brentford 468872929104929325861–366
11 Doncaster Rovers 467106202196825314552–764
12 Blackpool 4611663819661128366655+1163
13 Darlington 4610763933561222456178–1758
14 Rotherham United 4613554418271417416159+257
15 Bournemouth 469684131631424416572–754
16 Bristol Rovers 469862721541424545175–2454
17 Chesterfield 4610674130381220346164–353
18 Bolton Wanderers 4610493530541419385468–1453
19 Newport County 467883533410917325265–1351
20 Bury 4611754626161617416367–449
21 Lincoln City 467973334371322435577–2246
22 Cardiff City 4675112229541431545383–3045
23 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4666112947541428515798–4143
24 Swansea City 469682727241716604387–4443
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Relegated

Third Division maps

Locations of the Football League Third Division London teams 1985–1986

Fourth Division

Football League, Fourth Division
Season 1985–86
Champions Swindon Town (1st title)
Promoted Chester City,
Mansfield Town,
Port Vale
Failed re-election None
Matches played 552
Goals scored 1576 (2.86 per match)
Top goalscorer Steve Taylor (Rochdale), 25
Richard Cadette (Southend United), 25 [4]
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts Notes
1 Swindon Town 4620215219124730248243+39102
2 Chester City 4615534416810539348350+3384
3 Mansfield Town 4613824317104931307447+2781
4 Port Vale 461391421187825266737+3079
5 Orient 461166392196840437964+1572
6 Colchester United 461265512277937418863+2570
7 Hartlepool United 4615624120541427476867+170
8 Northampton Town 469774429931135297958+2164
9 Southend United 4613464327561226406967+264
10 Hereford United 4615625530341619437473+164
11 Stockport County 469953528841128436371–864
12 Crewe Alexandra 4610673526831219355461–763
13 Wrexham 4611573424641334566880–1260 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1986–87
First round
[notes2 1]
14 Burnley 4611393530581025356065–559
15 Scunthorpe United 4611753323471217325055–559
16 Aldershot 4612564525521621496674–858
17 Peterborough United 4691133119461321455264–1256
18 Rochdale 4612744129261516485777–2055
19 Tranmere Rovers 469113464168928327473+154
20 Halifax Town 4610853527441525446071–1154
21 Exeter City 4610492625311921344759–1254
22 Cambridge United 4612294538371320426580–1554
23 Preston North End 4674123241461322485489–3543
24 Torquay United 4685102932151714564388–4537
  1. Wrexham were Welsh Cup winners and thus qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup and also participated in the competition, unlike the English sides.
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Welsh Cup winners, qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
New club in the league (none)
Re-elected
Failed re-election (none)

Election/Re-election to the Football League

As winners of the Alliance Premier League, Enfield won the right to apply for election to the Football League to replace one of the four bottom sides in the 1985–86 Football League Fourth Division. The vote went as follows:

Club Final Position Votes
Exeter City 21st (Fourth Division) 64
Preston North End 23rd (Fourth Division) 62.5
Cambridge United 22nd (Fourth Division) 61
Torquay United 24th (Fourth Division) 61
Enfield 1st (Alliance Premier League) 7.5

As a result of this, all four Football League teams were re-elected, and Enfield were denied membership of the Football League. This was the last season where teams who won the Conference National had to apply for election to the Football League; from the 1986–87 season the winning team was automatically promoted, provided that they met the criteria set by the Football League.

See also

References

  1. "England 1985–86". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  3. 1 2 English teams were banned by UEFA from its competitions from the season 1985–86 on until the season 1990–91 because of the Heysel Disaster in 1985, involving
    Liverpool fans.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.

External links

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