1986–87 Football League Trophy

The 1986–87 Football League Trophy, known as the 1986–87 Freight Rover Trophy, was the fourth 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 Mansfield Town and the runners-up were Bristol City.

The competition began on 24 November 1986 and ended with the final on 24 May 1987 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 Chesterfield 4 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 Middlesbrough 3 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 Doncaster Rovers 1 2 0 1 1 0 3 -3 024 Nov0000Middlesbrough 3–0 Doncaster Rovers 02 Dec0000Chesterfield 2–1 Middlesbrough 09 Dec0000Doncaster Rovers 0–0 Chesterfield Group 4 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Lincoln City 4 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 Scunthorpe United 3 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 Hartlepool United 1 2 0 1 1 0 1 -1 025 Nov0000Lincoln City 1–0 Scunthorpe United 02 Dec0000Scunthorpe United 1–0 Hartlepool United 06 Dec0000Hartlepool United 0–0 Lincoln City Group 7 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Carlisle United 6 2 2 0 0 4 2 +2 Bury 3 2 1 0 1 5 4 +1 Stockport County 0 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3 06 Dec0000Bury 3–1 Stockport County 08 Dec0000Stockport County 0–1 Carlisle United 016 Dec0000Carlisle United 3–2 Bury

Group 2 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Chester City 4 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 Preston North End 4 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 Crewe Alexandra 0 2 0 0 2 1 3 -2 02 Dec0000Crewe Alexandra 1–2 Chester City 016 Dec0000Chester City 1–1 Preston North End 05 Jan0000Preston North End 1–0 Crewe Alexandra Group 5 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Wrexham 4 2 1 1 0 8 3 +5 Wigan Athletic 4 2 1 1 0 5 4 +1 Tranmere Rovers 0 2 0 0 2 3 9 -6 025 Nov0000Wrexham 6–1 Tranmere Rovers 016 Dec0000Wigan Athletic 2–2 Wrexham 03 Feb0000Tranmere Rovers 2–3 Wigan Athletic Group 8 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Bolton Wanderers 6 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3 Burnley 3 2 1 0 1 3 4 -1 Blackpool 0 2 0 0 2 2 4 -2 02 Dec0000Bolton Wanderers 1–0 Blackpool 09 Dec0000Blackpool 2–3 Burnley 016 Dec0000Burnley 0–2 Bolton Wanderers

Group 3 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Mansfield Town 2 2 0 2 0 3 3 0 Halifax Town 2 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 Rotherham United 2 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 02 Dec0000Mansfield Town 2–2 Halifax Town 05 Dec0000Halifax Town 0–0 Rotherham United 09 Dec0000Rotherham United 1–1 Mansfield Town Group 6 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD York City 4 2 1 1 0 5 2 +3 Rochdale 2 2 0 2 0 3 3 0 Darlington 1 2 0 1 1 3 6 -3 025 Nov0000York City 4–1 Darlington 02 Dec0000Darlington 2–2 Rochdale 06 Jan0000Rochdale 1–1 York City

Southern Section

Group 1 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Aldershot 4 2 1 1 0 7 5 +2 Colchester United 3 2 1 0 1 4 5 -1 Peterborough United 1 2 0 1 1 4 5 -1 025 Nov0000Colchester United 2–1 Peterborough United 03 Dec0000Peterborough United 3–3 Aldershot 09 Dec0000Aldershot 4–2 Colchester United Group 4 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Wolverhampton Wanderers 6 2 2 0 0 5 3 +2 Bournemouth 3 2 1 0 1 4 4 0 Cardiff City 0 2 0 0 2 0 2 -2 02 Dec0000Cardiff City 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 016 Dec0000Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–3 Bournemouth 06 Jan0000Bournemouth 1–0 Cardiff City Group 7 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Brentford 6 2 2 0 0 9 3 +6 Swindon Town 3 2 1 0 1 5 4 +1 Leyton Orient 0 2 0 0 2 1 8 -7 09 Dec0000Swindon Town 3–0 Leyton Orient 015 Dec0000Leyton Orient 1–5 Brentford 06 Jan0000Brentford 4–2 Swindon Town

Group 2 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Gillingham 6 2 2 0 0 6 0 +6 Northampton Town 3 2 1 0 1 3 1 +2 Notts County 0 2 0 0 2 0 8 -8 025 Nov0000Notts County 0–5 Gillingham 016 Dec0000Gillingham 1–0 Northampton Town 05 Jan0000Northampton Town 3–0 Notts County Group 5 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Swansea City 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 +3 Walsall 3 2 1 0 1 1 3 -2 Torquay United 1 2 0 1 1 0 1 -1 02 Dec0000Torquay United 0–0 Swansea City 09 Dec0000Swansea City 3–0 Walsall 016 Dec0000Walsall 1–0 Torquay United Group 8 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Hereford United 3 2 1 0 1 4 1 +3 Port Vale 3 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 Newport County 3 2 1 0 1 2 5 -3 010 Dec0000Hereford United 4–0 Newport County 022 Dec0000Port Vale 1–0 Hereford United 06 Jan0000Newport County 2–1 Port Vale

Group 3 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Southend United 6 2 2 0 0 7 5 +2 Fulham 3 2 1 0 1 5 2 +3 Cambridge United 0 2 0 0 2 4 9 -5 02 Dec0000Cambridge United 0–4 Fulham 016 Dec0000Southend United 5–4 Cambridge United 06 Jan0000Fulham 1–2 Southend United Group 6 Team Pts Pld W D L F A GD Bristol City 4 2 1 1 0 4 1 +3 Exeter City 2 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 Bristol Rovers 1 2 0 1 1 1 4 -3 026 Nov0000Exeter City 1–1 Bristol City 016 Dec0000Bristol City 3–0 Bristol Rovers 07 Jan0000Bristol Rovers 1–1 Exeter City

First Round

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 20 January Carlisle United 1 – 2 Preston North End 20 January Chester City 1 – 1 Lincoln City Chester City won on penalties[1] 20 January Halifax Town 1 – 2 Middlesbrough 27 January Bolton Wanderers 2 – 1 Burnley 27 January Rochdale 3 – 0 Chesterfield 27 January Scunthorpe United 1 – 2 Wrexham 27 January York City 0 – 1 Mansfield Town 10 February Bury 1 – 1 Wigan Athletic Bury won on penalties[1]

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 20 January Exeter City 0 – 1 Port Vale 26 January Aldershot 2 – 0 Swansea City 26 January Brentford 4 – 2 Walsall 26 January Fulham 3 – 2 Northampton Town 26 January Gillingham 2 – 0 Colchester United 26 January Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 – 1 Hereford United 27 January Bristol City 1 – 0 Southend United 29 January Swindon Town 2 – 2 Bournemouth Swindon Town won on penalties[1]

Quarter-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 10 February Bolton Wanderers 1 – 2 Chester City 17 February Rochdale 0 – 0 Middlesbrough Middlesbrough won on penalties[1] 17 February Wrexham 2 – 1 Preston North End 24 February Bury 1 – 2 Mansfield Town

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 10 February Aldershot 1 – 1 Fulham Aldershot won on penalties[1] 10 February Bristol City 3 – 0 Brentford 10 February Port Vale 3 – 3 Gillingham Gillingham won on penalties[1] 10 February Swindon Town 4 – 2 Hereford United

Area semi-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 10 March Middlesbrough 0 – 1 Mansfield Town 23 March Wrexham 1 – 3[1] Chester City

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 10 March Bristol City 2 – 0 Gillingham 10 March Swindon Town 2 – 3 Aldershot

Area finals

Northern Area final

Mansfield Town v Chester City

8 April 1987

Mansfield Town	2 – 0	Chester City

Chester City v Mansfield Town

15 April 1987

Chester City	(1) 1 – 0 (2)	Mansfield Town

Southern Area final

Aldershot v Bristol City

8 April 1987

Aldershot	1 – 2	Bristol City

Bristol City v Aldershot

14 April 1987

Bristol City	(4) 2 – 0 (1)	Aldershot

Final

Bristol City v Mansfield Town

24 May 1987

Bristol City	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Mansfield Town
Riley  88'		Kent  57'
	Penalties
Williams Newman MacPhail Curle Owen Moyes	4–5	Kearney Cassells Stringfellow Pollard Kent Kenworthy

Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 58,586 Referee: A.Gunn (Burgess Hill)

Notes

General

• statto.com

Specific

1. After extra-time.