1985–86 Football League Trophy

The 1985–86 Football League Trophy, known as the 1985–86 Freight Rover Trophy, was the third staging of the Football League Trophy, a knock-out competition for English football clubs in the Third Division and the Fourth Division. The winners were Bristol City and the runners-up were Bolton Wanderers.

The competition began on 14 January 1986 and ended with the final on 24 May 1986 at Wembley Stadium.

In the first round, there were two sections split into eight groups: North and South. In the following rounds each section gradually eliminates teams in knock-out fashion until each has a winning finalist. At this point, the two winning finalists face each other in the combined final for the honour of the trophy.

Preliminary round

Northern Section

Group 1 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Bolton Wanderers 4 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 Crewe Alexandra 3 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 Stockport County 1 2 0 1 1 2 6 -3 014 Jan0000Crewe Alexandra 4–1 Stockport County 020 Jan0000Stockport County 2–2 Bolton Wanderers 028 Jan0000Bolton Wanderers 1–0 Crewe Alexandra Group 4 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Rotherham United 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 +3 Hartlepool United 3 2 1 0 1 3 5 -2 York City 1 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 014 Jan0000York City 0–0 Rotherham United 021 Jan0000Rotherham United 3–0 Hartlepool United 028 Jan0000Hartlepool United 3–2 York City Group 7 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Port Vale 4 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 Wrexham 2 2 0 2 0 3 3 0 Blackpool 1 2 0 1 1 3 5 -2 021 Jan0000Wrexham 1–1 Port Vale 023 Jan0000Blackpool 2–2 Wrexham 010 Feb0000Port Vale 3–1 Blackpool

Group 2 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Darlington 4 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 Burnley 4 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 Chesterfield 0 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3 014 Jan0000Darlington 2–0 Chesterfield 021 Jan0000Chesterfield 1–2 Burnley 013 Mar0000Burnley 1–1 Darlington Group 5 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Tranmere Rovers 6 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 Preston North End 3 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 Bury 0 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3 020 Jan0000Tranmere Rovers 2–0 Preston North End 029 Jan0000Preston North End 2–0 Bury 026 Feb0000Bury 1–2 Tranmere Rovers Group 8 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Doncaster Rovers 3 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 Mansfield Town 3 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 Notts County 3 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 016 Jan0000Notts County 1–0 Doncaster Rovers 021 Jan0000Doncaster Rovers 1–0 Mansfield Town 011 Mar0000Mansfield Town 1–0 Notts County

Group 3 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Scunthorpe United 6 2 2 0 0 6 3 +3 Halifax Town 1 2 0 1 1 3 4 -1 Lincoln City 1 2 0 1 1 2 4 -2 015 Jan0000Lincoln City 1–3 Scunthorpe United 021 Jan0000Scunthorpe United 3–2 Halifax Town 011 Feb0000Halifax Town 1–1 Lincoln City Group 6 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Wigan Athletic 6 2 2 0 0 8 0 +8 Rochdale 3 2 1 0 1 1 6 -5 Chester City 0 2 0 0 2 0 3 -3 020 Jan0000Rochdale 1–0 Chester City 022 Jan0000Chester City 0–2 Wigan Athletic 028 Jan0000Wigan Athletic 6–0 Rochdale Group 8 play-off Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Mansfield Town 6 2 2 0 0 5 2 +3 Notts County 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 Doncaster Rovers 0 1 0 0 1 2 4 -2 017 Mar0000Mansfield Town 4–2 Doncaster Rovers 020 Mar0000Notts County 0–1 Mansfield Town

Southern Section

Group 1 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Leyton Orient 6 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 Bournemouth 3 2 1 0 1 6 3 +3 Reading 0 2 0 0 2 0 8 -8 014 Jan0000Leyton Orient 3–1 Bournemouth 021 Jan0000Bournemouth 5–1 Reading 06 Mar0000Reading 0–3 Leyton Orient Group 4 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Hereford United 4 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 Bristol Rovers 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 Swindon Town 1 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 015 Jan0000Hereford United 2–0 Bristol Rovers 021 Jan0000Bristol Rovers 2–1 Swindon Town 011 Mar0000Swindon Town 1–1 Hereford United Group 7 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Swansea City 4 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 Newport County 4 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 Cardiff City 0 2 0 0 2 0 3 -3 020 Jan0000Swansea City 1–1 Newport County 021 Jan0000Newport County 1–0 Cardiff City 028 Jan0000Cardiff City 0–2 Swansea City

Group 2 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Northampton Town 6 2 2 0 0 5 2 +3 Colchester United 3 2 1 0 1 5 3 +2 Southend United 0 2 0 0 2 2 7 -5 014 Jan0000Colchester United 4–1 Southend United 021 Jan0000Northampton Town 2–1 Colchester United 013 Mar0000Southend United 1–3 Northampton Town Group 5 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Cambridge United 6 2 2 0 0 5 1 +4 Peterborough United 3 2 1 0 1 3 4 -1 Aldershot 0 2 0 0 2 0 3 -3 014 Jan0000Aldershot 0–1 Cambridge United 017 Jan0000Cambridge United 4–1 Peterborough United 017 Apr0000Peterborough United 2–0 Aldershot Group 8 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Torquay United 4 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 Exeter City 1 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 014 Jan0000Exeter City 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 022 Jan0000Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Torquay United 029 Jan0000Torquay United 1–0 Exeter City

Group 3 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Gillingham 4 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 Brentford 2 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 Derby County 1 2 0 1 1 0 2 -2 015 Jan0000Brentford 0–0 Derby County 022 Jan0000Derby County 0–2 Gillingham 029 Jan0000Gillingham 1–1 Brentford Group 6 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Bristol City 4 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 Walsall 3 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 Plymouth Argyle 1 2 0 1 1 0 1 -1 014 Jan0000Bristol City 0–0 Plymouth Argyle 021 Jan0000Plymouth Argyle 0–1 Walsall 028 Jan0000Walsall 1–2 Bristol City

Quarter-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 18 February Wigan Athletic 3 – 0 Rotherham United 10 March Scunthorpe United 1 – 1 Port Vale Port Vale won on penalties[1] 11 March Bolton Wanderers 2 – 1 Tranmere Rovers 27 March Darlington 3 – 0 Mansfield Town

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 19 February Swansea City 1 – 0 Torquay United 24 February Gillingham 2 – 0 Cambridge United 24 March Leyton Orient 1 – 2 Hereford United 27 March Bristol City 3 – 2 Northampton Town

Area semi-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 26 March Port Vale 1 – 2 Wigan Athletic 1 May Darlington 0 – 3 Bolton Wanderers

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 2 April Bristol City 3 – 0 Gillingham 2 April Hereford United 0 – 0 Swansea City Hereford United won on penalties[1]

Area finals

Northern Area final

Wigan Athletic v Bolton Wanderers

6 May 1986

Wigan Athletic	1 – 1	Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic

9 May 1986

Bolton Wanderers	(3) 2 – 1 (1)	Wigan Athletic

Southern Area final

Hereford United v Bristol City

6 May 1986

Hereford United	2 – 0	Bristol City

Bristol City v Hereford United

9 May 1986

Bristol City	(3) 3 – 0 (2)	Hereford United

Final

Bristol City v Bolton Wanderers

24 May 1986

Bristol City	3–0	Bolton Wanderers
Riley , Pritchard	Report

Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 54,502 Referee: G.Tyson (Sunderland)

Notes

General

• statto.com

Specific

1. After extra-time.