1985–86 in English football
The 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.
Overview
First Division
The championship went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history, with neighbours Everton finishing second. Manchester United won their opening 10 matches but then won only 12 of their remaining 32, slipping to fourth behind West Ham United.
Relegated to the Second Division were Ipswich Town, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion.
The first half of the season was witnessed only in the flesh, as a dispute over the television rights meant that no Football League action was broadcast until January 1986.[1]
Second Division
League Cup holders Norwich City won the Second Division, thus returning to the First Division after one season away. Also promoted were Charlton Athletic and Wimbledon.
Carlisle United, Fulham and Middlesbrough were relegated to the Third Division.
Third Division
The Third Division was won by Reading, with Plymouth Argyle and Derby County occupying the other promotion places.
Lincoln City, Cardiff City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Swansea City were relegated to the Fourth Division.
Fourth Division
Swindon Town won the Fourth Division, with the other promotion places occupied by Chester City, Mansfield Town and Port Vale.
The four bottom-placed teams – Exeter City, Cambridge United, Preston North End and Torquay United – were all re-elected to the Football League for the following season. 1985–86 was the last season of re-election, before the introduction of automatic relegation from the Fourth Division to the newly-named Football Conference.
FA Cup
Liverpool beat neighbours Everton 3–1 in the final, with Ian Rush scoring twice, to complete only the third league championship and FA Cup double of the 20th century.
League Cup
Following their promotion to the First Division the season before, Oxford United won the League Cup, beating QPR 3–0 in the final.[2]
National team
England reached the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, where they lost 2–1 to eventual champions Argentina. Diego Maradona scored both Argentine goals; the first, scored with his hand, became known as the "Hand of God".
Honours
Notes: Number in parentheses is the number of times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition
Famous debutants
31 August 1985 – Ian Wright, 21-year-old striker, makes his debut for Crystal Palace in 3–2 defeat by Huddersfield Town at Selhurst Park in the Second Division soon after joining the club from non-league Greenwich Borough.[3]
28 September 1985 – David Rocastle, 18-year-old midfielder, makes his debut for Arsenal in 1–1 draw with Newcastle United in the First Division at Highbury.[4]
23 November 1985 – Martin Keown, 19-year-old defender, makes his debut for Arsenal in a goalless draw with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.[5]
Top goalscorers
First Division
- Gary Lineker (Everton) – 30 goals
Second Division
- Kevin Drinkell (Norwich City) – 22 goals
Third Division
- Trevor Senior (Reading) – 27 goals
Fourth Division
- Richard Cadette (Southend United) – 25 goals[6]
Diary of the season
12 August 1985 – Sheffield Wednesday sign striker Garry Thompson from West Bromwich Albion for £450,000.[7]
31 August 1985 – The first month of the season ends with Manchester United as leaders after five straight wins. Sheffield Wednesday's renaissance continues as they occupy second place, while Chelsea and Newcastle United fill the next two places, under their respective new managers John Hollins and Willie McFaul. After a poor start, Everton climb to fifth as Gary Lineker scores a hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Birmingham City at Goodison Park.[8] In the Second Division, Portsmouth head the promotion race, joined in the top three by Blackburn Rovers and Oldham Athletic. Pre-season promotion favourites Sunderland prop up the table after losing their first five matches of the season without scoring, while Leeds United occupy 20th place with two draws and three defeats so far.[9]
13 September 1985 – Sheffield Wednesday sign midfielder Mark Chamberlain from Stoke City for £300,000.[7]
28 September 1985 – Charlton Athletic depart from their Valley stadium following a damning inspection report by safety officials, and begin a groundshare with Crystal Palace.[10]
30 September 1985 – The month ends with Manchester United already nine points clear of second-placed Liverpool.[11] Chelsea and Newcastle United are a further three points adrift.[12] In the Second Division, Portsmouth lead the way with 23 points from their opening 10 games, with Oldham Athletic and Blackburn Rovers once again completing the top three. Sunderland improve to 20th in the division, with eight points.[13]
5 October 1985 – Manchester United's 100% start to the season ends as they draw 1–1 at Luton Town, leaving them one game short of the record 11-match winning start set by Tottenham Hotspur 25 years ago. However, they extend their lead at the top of the table to ten points as Liverpool lose 2-1 at Queens Park Rangers.[14]
17 October 1985 – Southampton sign midfielder Glenn Cockerill from Sheffield United for £225,000.[7]
23 October 1985 – After starting the season with a record 13 successive league wins, Third Division leaders Reading finally drop points with a 2–2 home draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are struggling in the Third Division after two consecutive relegations.[15]
31 October 1985 – Manchester United are still top of the First Division as October ends, with twelve wins and two draws from their opening fourteen games, and a ten-point lead over Liverpool. West Bromwich Albion, Ipswich Town and Manchester City lie in the relegation zone.[16] Portsmouth now lead the Second Division with a seven-point advantage over second placed Blackburn Rovers, while Charlton Athletic have crept into third place, forcing Oldham Athletic out of the top three on goal difference. If the current top three clubs are promoted this season, it will mark the end of their First Division absences which have lasted for between 20 and 30 years. Wimbledon, in only their ninth season as a Football League team and their second in this division, are emerging as surprise contenders for promotion.[17]
30 November 1985 – Manchester United are two points ahead of Liverpool, with West Ham United and Sheffield Wednesday following. The Second Division promotion race is wide open, with the top six clubs – Portsmouth, Sheffield United, Charlton Athletic, Norwich City, Wimbledon and Crystal Palace – separated by a margin of just four points.[18]
14 December 1985 – Manchester United move five points ahead at the top of the First Division with a 3–1 win at struggling Aston Villa, who are in danger of relegation four seasons after winning the European Cup and five years after being league champions. Liverpool's title hopes are hit by a 2–0 away defeat against Arsenal, whose 19-year-old Irish striker Niall Quinn scores on his debut. West Ham United are level on points with second-placed Liverpool, after a 2–0 win over relegation-threatened Birmingham City.[19]
22 December 1985 – Division One strugglers West Bromwich Albion pick up a rare victory, winning 3–1 against Watford. In the Second Division, a 1–0 win for Portsmouth (over Carlisle United) is enough for them to go level on points with Norwich at the top of the table, while victories for Derby and Blackpool put them into second and third respectively in Division Three. In the bottom tier, Halifax score three inside 37 minutes against Scunthorpe United, only for Iron forward John Hawley to bag a hat-trick and win his side a point.[20]
31 December 1985 – Manchester United finish the year still top of the league, two points ahead of Chelsea and three clear of Everton and Liverpool. With just two wins so far, West Bromwich Albion remain bottom, and Ipswich Town and Birmingham City also remain in the relegation zone.[21] Norwich City are the Second Division leaders, with Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic completing the top three.[22]
2 January 1986 – Second Division strugglers Middlesbrough are reported to be £1million in debt. Peterborough United fan Barry Fox, 22, is jailed for three years for punching a policeman unconscious[23] in the game against Northampton Town at London Road on 12 October.[24]
4 January 1986 – In the FA Cup third round, Leicester City are beaten 3–1 by Third Division Bristol Rovers.[25]
18 January 1986 – Manchester United are still top of the First Division, but now hold just a two-point margin over Everton, Liverpool and Chelsea. Gary Lineker reaches the 20-goal mark in the First Division by scoring twice for Everton in their 2–0 away win over struggling Birmingham City.[26]
4 February 1986 – Everton sign striker Warren Aspinall from Wigan Athletic for £150,000.[7]
28 February 1986 – Leaders Everton are three points ahead of Manchester United, who have a game in hand, at the end of the month. Liverpool are now eight points behind, level with Chelsea, but the London club have played three matches fewer. Aston Villa, just five years after being league champions, have slipped into the relegation zone alongside West Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City.[27] Norwich City, Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic head the Second Division promotion race.[28]
4 March 1986 – Everton become the only team not to require a replay to reach the FA Cup sixth round when they win 2–1 away to Tottenham Hotspur.[29]
8 March 1986 – Everton come from two goals down to draw 2–2 with Luton Town in the FA Cup sixth round.[30] In the First Division, the beleaguered bottom two from the West Midlands, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion, both concede five away from home, to Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham respectively.[31]
12 March 1986 – Oxford United reach the League Cup final for the first time after beating Aston Villa 4–3 on aggregate. Manchester United sign striker Peter Davenport from Nottingham Forest for £750,000.[7] The England U-21 national side defeats Denmark 1–0 in the European Championship quarter-final first leg in Copenhagen, with the only goal of the game coming from Coventry City midfielder Nick Pickering.[32]
21 March 1986 – Manchester United announce that striker Mark Hughes is to join Barcelona, managed by former QPR and Crystal Palace boss Terry Venables, for a fee of £2million at the end of the season.
23 March 1986 – The first final of the Full Members Cup is played at Wembley Stadium, with Chelsea defeating Manchester City 5–4 with a hat-trick from David Speedie and two goals from Colin Lee. They had been 5–1 up after 85 minutes before three City goals saw their lead cut to a single goal.[33]
25 March 1986 – Steve Perryman, 34, ends his 17-year spell at Tottenham Hotspur and signs for Oxford United on a free transfer.[7]
26 March 1986 – The return leg of the under-21 European Championship quarter-final sees England reach the next stage by drawing 1–1 with Denmark at Maine Road, with Aston Villa defender Paul Elliott equalising after the Danes took a 1–0 lead in the first half.[32]
31 March 1986 – After five wins and a draw in March, Liverpool lead the table on goal difference over an Everton side who have a game in hand, while Manchester United are five points off the top in third place. Norwich City are looking all set for an immediate return to the First Division as runaway leaders of the Second Division, joined in the top three by Portsmouth and Wimbledon.[34]
5 April 1986 – Liverpool beat Southampton 2–0 in the FA Cup semi-final at White Hart Lane to keep their double hopes alive, and end Southampton's hopes of gaining silverware in the first season under Chris Nicholl's management. Everton keep their own double bid on track with a 2–1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the other semi-final at Villa Park.
9 April 1986 – England's hopes of European Championship glory at under-21 level are dealt with a huge blow when they lose 2–0 to Italy in Pisa in the semi-final first leg.[32]
12 April 1986 – West Bromwich Albion are relegated from the First Division after losing 1–0 at Queens Park Rangers.[35]
14 April 1986 – Tottenham Hotspur agree a £50,000 fee with Millwall for 18-year-old defender Neil Ruddock.[7]
19 April 1986 – Birmingham City lose 2–0 at home to Southampton and are relegated from the First Division just one season after promotion.[36]
20 April 1986 – Oxford United beat QPR 3–0 in the League Cup final at Wembley, to win the first major piece of silverware in their history.[2]
21 April 1986 – West Ham United beat Newcastle United 8–1 in the league at Upton Park, with defender Alvin Martin scoring a hat-trick.[37]
23 April 1986 – England's under-21 European dream is over as they can only manage a 1–1 draw with Italy at the County Ground in Swindon, with Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson scoring their only goal.[32]
26 April 1986 – Wolverhampton Wanderers become the third West Midlands club to be relegated this season, and become only the second English league club ever to suffer three successive relegations, after their descent into the Fourth Division is confirmed. Their slump echoes that of Bristol City four years earlier. Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie of Liverpool scores a hat-trick in a 5–0 league win over relegated Birmingham City at Anfield, while Everton are held 0-0 by Nottingham Forest.[38]
30 April 1986 – Everton suffer a shock 1–0 defeat to Oxford United, and control of the title race passes to Liverpool, who beat Leicester City 2–0. Liverpool, with one match remaining, are four points ahead of West Ham United and five ahead of Everton, who both have two games left. After three home wins in April, Aston Villa have improved to 16th position, but Ipswich Town, Coventry City, Leicester City and Oxford United remain in the relegation battle.[39] Norwich City's return to the First Division as Second Division champions.
1 May 1986 – Chelsea agree a fee of £400,000 for Hibernian striker Gordon Durie.[7]
3 May 1986 – Player-manager Kenny Dalglish scores the only goal as Liverpool beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to win the First Division title. Everton win Southampton 6-1, which was 4-0 after 20 minutes. Ipswich Town lose their last match 1–0 to Sheffield Wednesday, and are two points ahead of 20th-place Oxford United, who still have one match remaining. Coventry City and Leicester City secure survival with home wins. Charlton Athletic seal promotion from the Second Division with a 3–2 win at relegation-threatened Carlisle United, and Wimbledon seal promotion to the First Division just nine years after being elected to the Football League.
5 May 1986 – Oxford United beat Arsenal 3–0 in their final game to avoid relegation, and send Ipswich Town down to the Second Division. Everton clinch the runners-up spot in the First Division after a 3–1 home win over third-placed West Ham United, with two goals from Gary Lineker meaning that he finishes as the First Division's leading scorer on 30 goals. Chelsea end the season with their fourth consecutive defeat, losing 5–1 at home to Watford.[40]
6 May 1986 – Everton manager Howard Kendall dismisses speculation that top scorer Gary Lineker will sign for Barcelona.[41]
10 May 1986 – Ian Rush scores twice as Liverpool come from behind to beat Everton 3–1 in the first-ever all-Merseyside FA Cup final. Liverpool become the fifth club in history to win the league championship and FA Cup double. Rush, however, could soon be on his way to Italy to sign for Juventus, according to media reports.[42]
22 May 1986 – 20-year-old defender Denis Irwin joins Oldham Athletic on a free transfer from Leeds United.[7]
3 June 1986 – England lose 1–0 to Portugal in their opening World Cup game.
5 June 1986 – Coventry City sign winger David Phillips from Manchester City for £150,000.[7]
6 June 1986 – A goalless draw with Morocco leaves England needing to win their final group game in order to qualify for the second round of the World Cup.
8 June 1986 – Ian Rush agrees to sign for Juventus for a fee of £3million, but could be loaned back to Liverpool for the 1986-87 season.[43]
11 June 1986 – Gary Lineker scores a hat-trick in England's 3–0 victory over Poland which sends them through to the second round of the World Cup.
13 June 1986 – Southampton sign 19-year-old goalkeeper Tim Flowers from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £70,000, while 23-year-old midfielder Ian Crook joins Norwich City from Tottenham Hotspur for £80,000.[7]
18 June 1986 – England beat Paraguay 3–0 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1970.
22 June 1986 – England's World Cup challenge is ended in the quarter-finals when they lose 2–1 to Argentina. Diego Maradona scores both goals for Argentina, his first goal being the controversial "Hand of God" goal which was allowed despite being an obvious handball.
League tables
First Division
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 42 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 89 | 37 | +52 | 88 |
| 2 | Everton | 42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 87 | 41 | +46 | 86 |
| 3 | West Ham United | 42 | 26 | 6 | 10 | 74 | 40 | +34 | 84 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 70 | 36 | +34 | 76 |
| 5 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 73 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 57 | 56 | +1 | 71 |
| 7 | Arsenal | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 49 | 47 | +2 | 69 |
| 8 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 69 | 53 | +16 | 68 |
| 9 | Luton Town | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 61 | 44 | +17 | 66 |
| 10 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 74 | 52 | +22 | 65 |
| 11 | Newcastle United | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 67 | 72 | −5 | 63 |
| 12 | Watford | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 69 | 62 | +7 | 59 |
| 13 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 53 | 64 | −11 | 52 |
| 14 | Southampton | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 51 | 62 | −11 | 46 |
| 15 | Manchester City | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 43 | 57 | −14 | 45 |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 42 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 51 | 67 | −16 | 44 |
| 17 | Coventry City | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 48 | 71 | −23 | 43 |
| 18 | Oxford United | 42 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 62 | 80 | −18 | 42 |
| 19 | Leicester City | 42 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 54 | 76 | −22 | 42 |
| 20 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 11 | 8 | 23 | 32 | 55 | −23 | 41 |
| 21 | Birmingham City | 42 | 8 | 5 | 29 | 30 | 73 | −43 | 29 |
| 22 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 4 | 12 | 26 | 35 | 89 | −54 | 24 |
| Key |
|---|
| Champions |
| Relegated to Division Two |
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Second Division
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwich City | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 84 | 37 | +47 | 84 |
| 2 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 78 | 45 | +33 | 77 |
| 3 | Wimbledon | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 58 | 37 | +21 | 76 |
| 4 | Portsmouth | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 69 | 41 | +28 | 73 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 57 | 52 | +5 | 66 |
| 6 | Hull City | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 65 | 55 | +10 | 64 |
| 7 | Sheffield United | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 64 | 63 | +1 | 62 |
| 8 | Oldham Athletic | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 62 | 61 | +1 | 60 |
| 9 | Millwall | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 64 | 65 | −1 | 59 |
| 10 | Stoke City | 42 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 57 |
| 11 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 64 | 64 | 0 | 56 |
| 12 | Barnsley | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 47 | 50 | −3 | 56 |
| 13 | Bradford City | 42 | 16 | 6 | 20 | 51 | 63 | −12 | 54 |
| 14 | Leeds United | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 56 | 72 | −16 | 53 |
| 15 | Grimsby Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 58 | 62 | −4 | 52 |
| 16 | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 51 | 67 | −16 | 52 |
| 17 | Shrewsbury Town | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 52 | 64 | −12 | 51 |
| 18 | Sunderland | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 47 | 61 | −14 | 50 |
| 19 | Blackburn Rovers | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 53 | 62 | −9 | 49 |
| 20 | Carlisle United | 42 | 13 | 7 | 22 | 47 | 71 | −24 | 46 |
| 21 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 44 | 53 | −9 | 45 |
| 22 | Fulham | 42 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 45 | 69 | −24 | 36 |
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to Division One |
| Relegated to Division Three |
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Third Division
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reading | 46 | 29 | 7 | 10 | 67 | 51 | +16 | 94 |
| 2 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 88 | 53 | +35 | 87 |
| 3 | Derby County | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 80 | 41 | +39 | 84 |
| 4 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 82 | 48 | +34 | 83 |
| 5 | Gillingham | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 81 | 54 | +27 | 79 |
| 6 | Walsall | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 90 | 64 | +26 | 75 |
| 7 | York City | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 77 | 58 | +19 | 71 |
| 8 | Notts County | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 71 |
| 9 | Bristol City | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 69 | 60 | +9 | 68 |
| 10 | Brentford | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 58 | 61 | −3 | 66 |
| 11 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 45 | 52 | −7 | 64 |
| 12 | Blackpool | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 66 | 55 | +11 | 63 |
| 13 | Darlington | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 61 | 78 | −17 | 58 |
| 14 | Rotherham United | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 61 | 59 | +2 | 57 |
| 15 | Bournemouth | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 65 | 72 | −7 | 54 |
| 16 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 51 | 75 | −24 | 54 |
| 17 | Chesterfield | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 61 | 64 | −3 | 53 |
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 54 | 68 | −14 | 53 |
| 19 | Newport County | 46 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 52 | 65 | −13 | 51 |
| 20 | Bury | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 63 | 67 | −4 | 49 |
| 21 | Lincoln City | 46 | 10 | 16 | 20 | 55 | 77 | −22 | 46 |
| 22 | Cardiff City | 46 | 12 | 9 | 25 | 53 | 83 | −30 | 45 |
| 23 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 57 | 98 | −41 | 43 |
| 24 | Swansea City | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 43 | 87 | −44 | 43 |
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to Division Two |
| Relegated to Division Four |
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Fourth Division
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swindon Town | 46 | 32 | 6 | 8 | 82 | 43 | +39 | 102 |
| 2 | Chester City | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 83 | 50 | +33 | 84 |
| 3 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 74 | 47 | +27 | 81 |
| 4 | Port Vale | 46 | 21 | 16 | 9 | 67 | 37 | +30 | 79 |
| 5 | Orient | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 79 | 64 | +15 | 72 |
| 6 | Colchester United | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 88 | 63 | +25 | 70 |
| 7 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 68 | 67 | +1 | 70 |
| 8 | Northampton Town | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 79 | 58 | +21 | 64 |
| 9 | Southend United | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 69 | 67 | +2 | 64 |
| 10 | Hereford United | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 74 | 73 | +1 | 64 |
| 11 | Stockport County | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 63 | 71 | −8 | 64 |
| 12 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 54 | 61 | −7 | 63 |
| 13 | Wrexham | 46 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 68 | 80 | −12 | 60 |
| 14 | Burnley | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 60 | 65 | −5 | 59 |
| 15 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 50 | 55 | −5 | 59 |
| 16 | Aldershot | 46 | 17 | 7 | 22 | 66 | 74 | −8 | 58 |
| 17 | Peterborough United | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 52 | 64 | −12 | 56 |
| 18 | Rochdale | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 57 | 77 | −20 | 55 |
| 19 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 74 | 73 | +1 | 54 |
| 20 | Halifax Town | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 60 | 71 | −11 | 54 |
| 21 | Exeter City | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 47 | 59 | −12 | 54 |
| 22 | Cambridge United | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 65 | 80 | −15 | 54 |
| 23 | Preston North End | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 54 | 89 | −35 | 43 |
| 24 | Torquay United | 46 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 43 | 88 | −45 | 37 |
| Key |
|---|
| Promoted to Division Three |
| Re-elected to the Football League |
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
References
- ↑ Murray, Scott (27 November 2008). "The forgotten story of ... the 1985–86 First Division season". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
- 1 2 "Newcomers Oxford upset the odds for Wembley win". New Straits Times. Kuala Lumpur. 21 April 1986. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ↑ Ian Wright – Crystal Palace FC – Football-Heroes.net. Sportingheroes.net. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ David Rocastle – Arsenal FC – Football-Heroes.net. Sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Martin Keown – Arsenal FC – Football-Heroes.net. Sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ English League Leading Goalscorers Archived June 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.. Rsssf.com (2010-09-17). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Football Betting | Place Your Football Bet Today | Soccer Base
- ↑ Manchester United FC News – United Mad. Manchesterunited-mad.co.uk (1985-08-31). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Entertainment & Sports Agency Limited. "Charlton Athletic FC News – Charlton Mad". Archived from the original on 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- ↑ Bagchi, Rob (1 April 2016). "Liverpool, beware: do club ground-shares ever work?". The Daily Telegraph. U.K. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ↑ "Manchester United wins 10th straight". Montreal Gazette. The Canadian Press. 1985-09-30.
- ↑ Manchester United FC News – United Mad. Manchesterunited-mad.co.uk (1985-09-28). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Charlton Athletic FC News – Charlton Mad. Charltonathletic-mad.co.uk (1985-09-28). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Fixtures/Results – Manchester United FC – United Mad. Manchesterunited-mad.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Results 2009/10 – Reading FC – Royals Mad. Reading-mad.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Manchester United FC News – United Mad. Manchesterunited-mad.co.uk (1985-10-26). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Charlton Athletic FC News – Charlton Mad. Charltonathletic-mad.co.uk (1985-10-19). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Charlton Athletic FC News – Charlton Mad. Charltonathletic-mad.co.uk (1985-11-30). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ "Liverpool loses ground in soccer chase". Montreal Gazette. The Canadian Press. 1985-12-16.
- ↑ "Watford gift the points to Albion". The Herald. Glasgow. 1985-12-23. p. 8. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
- ↑ Manchester United FC News – United Mad. Manchesterunited-mad.co.uk (1985-12-26). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Charlton Athletic FC News – Charlton Mad. Charltonathletic-mad.co.uk (1985-12-26). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ The Times and The Sunday Times Archive. Newsint-archive.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ 1985/86 Matches – UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database. Uptheposh.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ "Everton, West Ham struggle to win". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 1986-01-06. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
- ↑ Manchester United FC News – United Mad. Manchesterunited-mad.co.uk (1986-01-18). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Manchester United FC News – United Mad. Manchesterunited-mad.co.uk (1986-02-22). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Charlton Athletic FC News – Charlton Mad. Charltonathletic-mad.co.uk (1986-02-22). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ "Everton in last eight". New Straits Times. 1986-03-06. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
- ↑ "Everton strike back to force home replay". New Straits Times. 1986-03-09. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
- ↑ "Futbol europeo: Inglaterra" [European football: England]. La Nación (in Spanish). Buenos Aires. Agencia EFE. 1986-03-08. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
- 1 2 3 4 England – U-21 International Results 1986–1995 – Details Archived January 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.. Rsssf.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ "THE LIST: The greatest Wembley finals in history". Daily Mail. London. 2009-05-26.
- ↑ Charlton Athletic FC News – Charlton Mad. Charltonathletic-mad.co.uk (1986-03-29). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ "Merseyside giants continue their roll". Vancouver Sun. Associated Press. 1986-04-14. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
- ↑ "Liverpool, Everton shut door on rivals". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1986-04-21. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
- ↑ "Martin treble in Newcastle rout". whufc.com. 2007-10-18. Archived from the original on 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Ex-Red: Gary Gillespie – This Is Anfield (Liverpool FC) Archived 2011-05-29 at the Wayback Machine.. Thisisanfield.com (1986-04-26). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Manchester United FC News – United Mad. Manchesterunited-mad.co.uk (1986-04-26). Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ Everton Results
- ↑ The Times and The Sunday Times Archive. Newsint-archive.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
- ↑ "Rush money in the bank". The Vancouver Sun. Reuters. 1986-05-12.
- ↑ "£3m Rush could be back soon on loan to Liverpool". The Herald. Glasgow. 1986-06-09.