The1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitivefootball in England.
1 July 1986 – After one season atEverton,Gary Lineker departs toBarcelona of Spain in a £2.75 million deal, where he will play alongside formerManchester United strikerMark Hughes in a side managed byTerry Venables.Ian Rush agrees a £3.2 million transfer toJuventus of Italy in a record fee for a British player, but will remain atLiverpool onloan for a season.
2 July 1986 –Rangers signNorwich City goalkeeperChris Woods for £600,000.
3 July 1986 –Coventry City sign strikerKeith Houchen fromScunthorpe United for £60,000.
7 July 1986 – Two big First Division clubs buy young players from smaller clubs as they prepare to build for the future. Everton sign 20-year-old wingerNeil Adams fromStoke City for £150,000, whileTottenham Hotspur sign 21-year-old defenderMitchell Thomas fromLuton Town for £233,000.
18 July 1986 –Sir Stanley Rous, chairman ofThe Football Association from 1934 to 1961, dies aged 91.
25 July 1986 –Ipswich Town, relegated to the Second Division at the end of last season, sellEngland international defenderTerry Butcher to Rangers, managed by former Liverpool midfielderGraeme Souness, in a £700,000 deal – a record for a Scottish club.
29 July 1986 –Middlesbrough are wound up in theHigh Court due to debts in excess of £1million, but have yet to be expelled from theFootball League and may yet be included in the first round draw for theFootball League Cup.
30 July 1986 –Wolverhampton Wanderers win a High Court appeal against their winding-up order, enabling them to compete in the Fourth Division campaign – the first time they have played at this level. Meanwhile, Middlesbrough are also reprieved, but the bailiffs have locked them out ofAyresome Park and they are expected to play at least one home game atHartlepool United's ground.
31 July 1986 – Liverpool pay £200,000 forSunderland defenderBarry Venison.
1 August 1986 –Aston Villa sign midfielderNeale Cooper fromAberdeen for £350,000.
5 August 1986 – Wolverhampton Wanderers are saved from bankruptcy afterWolverhampton Council and theAsda supermarket chain agree to pay off the club's £3million debts.
7 August 1986 –David Seaman, goalkeeper at relegatedBirmingham City, opts to remain in the First Division and signs forQueens Park Rangers for £225,000.
8 August 1986 – Rival gangs of Manchester United andWest Ham United hooligans are involved in violence on aSealink ferry bound forAmsterdam, resulting in dozens of arrests, sparking fears that the ongoing ban on English football clubs in European competition could be extended to friendlies between English and foreign clubs.
11 August 1986 –Sheffield Wednesday pay £200,000 for 18-year-oldBarnsley strikerDavid Hirst.
16 August 1986 – The firstMerseyside derby of the season finishes honours even, in the1986 FA Charity Shield atWembley Stadium.[1]
20 August 1986 – Tottenham Hotspur signDundee United andScotland defenderRichard Gough for £700,000.
21 August 1986 – Everton pay a club record £1million to sign the 24-year-oldNorwich City defenderDave Watson.
23 August 1986 – On the first day of the First Division season,Wimbledon's first match in the top division ends in a 3–1 defeat to Manchester City.Southampton record the biggest win of the day, 5–1 against Queens Park Rangers. Champions Liverpool beatNewcastle United 2–0, and Arsenal beat Manchester United 1–0.[2]Colin Clarke scores a hat-trick for Southampton on his debut in a 5–1 home win over QPR.[3]
25 August 1986 – West Ham United win 3–2 at Manchester United, withFrank McAvennie scoring twice.[4]
27 August 1986 – Luton Town ban away fans from the club'sKenilworth Road ground.[citation needed]
30 August 1986 – Tottenham Hotspur go top of the First Division on goal difference with a 1–0 home win over Manchester City. They are level on points with Liverpool, who beat Arsenal 2–1 atAnfield, and West Ham United, who are held to a goalless draw at Oxford United. Manchester United are still looking for their first point of the season after losing 1–0 at home to Charlton Athletic.[5]
31 August 1986 – Tottenham Hotspur finish August as First Division leaders under new managerDavid Pleat, level on points with Liverpool and West Ham United, while the bottom two places in the league are occupied by Manchester United and Aston Villa, who have yet to gain a point this season.[2] Birmingham City andHull City occupy the top two places in the Second Division, while the next three places are occupied byOldham Athletic,Crystal Palace andBlackburn Rovers.[6]
2 September 1986 – Wimbledon, Football League members for just 10 seasons, go top of the league with a 1–0 away win overCharlton Athletic.[2] Oldham Athletic go top of the Second Division with a 1–0 win over Ipswich Town atPortman Road.[7]
4 September 1986 – Watford sign Everton midfielderKevin Richardson for £225,000.
6 September 1986 – Manchester United, bottom of the table, claim their first point of the First Division campaign with a 1–1 draw at Leicester City. Liverpool beat West Ham United 5–2 atUpton Park. Wimbledon stay on top with a 1–0 win at Watford. In the Second Division, Blackburn Rovers climb into second place with a 6–1 win over Sunderland atEwood Park.[8]
9 September 1986 –England under-21s draw 1–1 withSweden, with Arsenal defenderTony Adams scoring their goal.[9]
13 September 1986 –Bryan Robson makes his first league appearance since April when he returns from a shoulder injury[citation needed] to help Manchester United record their first league win of the season at the fifth attempt as they beat Southampton 5–1 atOld Trafford and climb off the bottom of the First Division. Nottingham Forest go top with a 6–0 home win over Aston Villa.
14 September 1986 – Aston Villa sack managerGraham Turner after just over two years at the helm.
16 September 1986 –Gordon Hill, the 32-year-old former Manchester United andEngland winger, becomes a high-profile new signing forConference sideNorthwich Victoria, managed by former United strikerStuart Pearson.
20 September 1986 –Leeds United hooligans overturn and immolate a fish and chip van atOdsal Stadium, the temporary home ofBradford City.[10]Nottingham Forest score six for the second League match in succession when they thrashChelsea 6–2 atStamford Bridge.Nigel Clough andGarry Birtles both scores hat-trick.[2] Newly promoted Norwich City go second with a 4–1 win at Aston Villa. A nine-goal thriller atLeeds Road sees Huddersfield Town beat Oldham Athletic 5–4 in the Second Division.[11]
21 September 1986 – The pressure mounts on Manchester United managerRon Atkinson after a 3–1 defeat to Everton atGoodison Park, with his side still second from bottom with one win and four points from their first seven league games.[12]
22 September 1986 – Luton Town are banned from this season's League Cup for refusing to lift their ban on away fans. Meanwhile, Aston Villa appointBilly McNeill as manager fromManchester City, who replace him withJimmy Frizzell.
23 September 1986 – Liverpool defeatFulham 10–0 in the first leg of their second round tie in the League Cup.[13]
24 September 1986 – When Nottingham Forest playBrighton & Hove Albion in a second roundLeague Cup match, Forest defenderStuart Pearce's brother Ray was one of thelinesmen. Pearce had no idea that his brother was officiating until he saw him at the start of the match.[14]
27 September 1986 – Aston Villa's first league match under Billy McNeill ends in a 3–3 draw with Liverpool atAnfield after the hosts come from behind twice to equalise. Nottingham Forest remain top with a 1–0 win over Arsenal at theCity Ground.[15]
28 September 1986 – Manchester United's dismal start to the season continues as they lose 1–0 at home to Chelsea in the league atOld Trafford – their sixth defeat from their opening eight games. AfterKerry Dixon gives Chelsea an early lead, the home side have two penalties saved by goalkeeperTony Godden.[16]
30 September 1986 – Nottingham Forest are First Division leaders at the end of September, two points ahead of surprise contenders Norwich City and four ahead of Liverpool andCoventry City. Aston Villa still occupy bottom place and Manchester United are second from bottom with just four points so far this campaign.[2] In the Second Division,Oldham Athletic andPortsmouth lead the way, followed by Crystal Palace, Leeds United andSheffield United.[17]
3 October 1986 – Tottenham Hotspur signBelgian strikerNico Claesen fromStandard Liège for £600,000.
4 October 1986 – Sheffield Wednesday go fourth in the First Division with a 6–1 home win over Oxford United. An all-London clash atSelhurst Park sees Crystal Palace go top of the Second Division with a 2–1 win over Millwall.[18]
6 October 1986 – Luton Town lose an appeal against their expulsion from the League Cup.
11 October 1986 – Newly promoted Norwich City top the league after a 0–0 away draw with Luton Town.[2] Nottingham Forest fall into second after a 3–1 defeat toEast Midlands rivals Leicester atFilbert Street. West Ham go fourth with a 5–3 home win over Chelsea. Portsmouth go top of the Second Division with a 2–0 win over Birmingham atFratton Park.[19]
14 October 1986 – Manchester United sign 18-year-old Irish midfielderLiam O'Brien fromShamrock Rovers for £60,000.
15 October 1986 – England open their1988 European Championship qualifying campaign with a 3–0 win overNorthern Ireland atWembley.[20]
16 October 1986 – Queens Park Rangers put defenderTerry Fenwick on thetransfer list at hisown request. The former Everton goalkeeperTed Sagar dies aged 76.[21]
18 October 1986 – Nottingham Forest return to the top of the First Division with a 1–0 home win over Queens Park Rangers. Norwich City surrender top position with a 1–1 draw at home to West Ham United. Liverpool keep up the pressure on the leading pair with a 4–0 home win over Oxford United.[22]
21 October 1986 – Out of favour Manchester United defenderJohn Gidman joins neighbours City on a free transfer.
23 October 1986 – Norwich City sign 22-year-old goalkeeperBryan Gunn for £150,000 fromAberdeen.
25 October 1986 –Mike Newell, a former Liverpool trainee, scores a hat-trick in Luton Town's 4–1 league win over the double winners at Kenilworth Road.[23] Colin Clarke scores his second hat-trick for Southampton in a 3–2 away win over Leicester City. Nottingham Forest remain top despite losing 2–1 to Oxford United at theManor Ground as both Norwich City and Liverpool lose, while Everton go third with a 3–2 home win over Watford.[24]
26 October 1986 – The only competitive action of the day is theManchester derby atMaine Road, which ends in a 1–1 draw. City climb off the bottom of the table on goal difference at the expense of Newcastle United.[25]
29 October 1986 – In the third round of the League Cup, Fourth Division clubCardiff City upset First Division Chelsea while Second Division Ipswich Town are knocked out by Fourth Division teamCambridge United.[26]
31 October 1986 – October ends with Nottingham Forest back on top of the First Division, one point ahead of Norwich City and two ahead of Everton and Arsenal. Manchester United and Aston Villa have both climbed out of the bottom two, ahead of Newcastle United, Manchester City and Chelsea.[2] Portsmouth are now leaders of the Second Division, a point ahead of Oldham Athletic. Leeds United,Plymouth Argyle and Sunderland occupy the playoff places.[27]
1 November 1986 –Paul Walsh scores a hat-trick for Liverpool in their 6–2 home league win over Norwich City.[28] Nottingham Forest remain top of the table with a 3–2 home win over Sheffield Wednesday. Arsenal go second with a 2–0 away win over Charlton Athletic. Manchester United draw 1–1 at home to Coventry City and remain fourth from bottom. Wimbledon's return to form continues with a 2–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur atWhite Hart Lane.[29]
4 November 1986 – Southampton beat Manchester United 4–1 in a League Cup third round replay atThe Dell, with the 18-year-old strikerMatt Le Tissier scoring his first two goals for the club. The result increases speculation that United manager Ron Atkinson's dismissal is imminent.
6 November 1986 –Ron Atkinson is sacked after five years as manager of Manchester United, and Aberdeen'sAlex Ferguson is appointed as his replacement. Out of favour West Ham United strikerPaul Goddard joins Newcastle United for £450,000.
8 November 1986 – Manchester United lose 2–0 toOxford United in their first game under the management of Alex Ferguson.[30] Liverpool move to the top of the First Division after a 3–1 win at Queens Park Rangers, leading on goals scored after Nottingham Forest lose 1–0 at Coventry City.[31]
11 November 1986 – England under-21s begin their European Championship qualifying campaign with a 1–1 draw withYugoslavia atLondon Road,Peterborough. Their only goal comes from Brighton & Hove Albion strikerTerry Connor on his debut at this level.[9]
12 November 1986 – England beatYugoslavia 2–0 at Wembley in their second World Cup qualifier.[20]
13 November 1986 – Crystal Palace signLeicester City strikerMark Bright for £75,000.
15 November 1986 – TheFA Cup first round sees non-league sidesCaernarfon Town andTelford United both beatFootball League opposition, while several ties between non-league and Football League opposition end in draws. Non-league Fareham Town lose 7–2 to Third Division promotion contendersAFC Bournemouth atDean Court. Arsenal go top of the First Division with a 4–0 win at Southampton. Luton Town climb into fourth place and are just two points off the top of the table after beating Nottingham Forest 4–2 atKenilworth Road. West Ham United keep up their title challenge with a 1–0 win over Wimbledon atPlough Lane. A Second Division promotion crunch game atElland Road sees Oldham Athletic go top of the table with a 2–0 win over Leeds United.[32]
16 November 1986 – Liverpool blow their chance to return to the top of the First Division after being held to a 1–1 draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday.[33]
20 November 1986 – Wimbledon sign the 21-year-old midfielderVinnie Jones from Conference sideWealdstone for £10,000.
21 November 1986 – Wolverhampton Wanderers continue their rebuilding process and bid for promotion from the Fourth Division by signing midfielderAndy Thompson and strikerSteve Bull from neighboursWest Bromwich Albion for £35,000 each.
22 November 1986 – Arsenal remain top of the First Division with a 3–0 home win over Manchester City. Nottingham Forest keep up the pressure in second place with a 3–2 home win over Wimbledon. Chelsea, title contenders last season, fall into second from bottom place with a 3–1 home defeat to bottom club Newcastle United. Leicester City's relegation fears deepen with a 5–1 defeat to Watford atVicarage Road. AJohn Sivebaek goal givesAlex Ferguson his first win as Manchester United manager as they beat Queens Park Rangers 1–0 atOld Trafford and climb out of the bottom four. Tottenham Hotspur get back on track with a 4–2 away win over Oxford United.[34]
23 November 1986 – TheMerseyside derby atGoodison Park ends in a goalless draw.[35]
26 November 1986 –Jan Molby scores a hat-trick of penalties in Liverpool's 3–1 League Cup quarter-final win over Coventry City at Anfield.[36]
29 November 1986 – Vinnie Jones scores his first goal for Wimbledon in a 1–0 victory over Manchester United atPlough Lane. Arsenal remain top with a 4–0 away win over Aston Villa. Nottingham Forest keep up the pressure with a 3–2 away win over Tottenham Hotspur. Everton keep up the pace with the leaders by beating Manchester City 3–1 atMaine Road.[37]
30 November 1986 – Arsenal finish November as First Division leaders, while fifth placed Luton Town are putting up an unlikely title challenge. Nottingham Forest, Everton, Liverpool and Norwich City are also all within five points of the leaders. Newcastle United are bottom, with Chelsea also struggling in the relegation zone.[2] Oldham Athletic and Portsmouth continue to lead the way in the Second Division, with Plymouth Argyle and Leeds United still occupying the play-off zone, joined byDerby County.[38] The only action of the day sees Newcastle beat West Ham 4–0 onTyneside to climb from 22nd to 18th in the First Division.[39]
3 December 1986 – The former Southampton andRepublic of Ireland wingerAustin Hayes dies of lung cancer at the age of 28, three weeks after the illness was diagnosed. He had recently returned from a short spell playing in Sweden, and since leaving Southampton in 1981 had also played forMillwall andNorthampton Town.
6 December 1986 – The top three clubs in the First Division – Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Everton – all record victories. Liverpool's hopes of retaining the title are hit by a 2–0 defeat at Watford. The pressure mounts on Chelsea managerJohn Hollins after watching his side lose 4–0 at home to Wimbledon.[40]
7 December 1986 – A six-goal thriller atOld Trafford sees Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur draw 3–3.[41]
9 December 1986 – Liverpool playCeltic in an unofficial 'British Championship' match in theUnited Arab Emirates. After the match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes, Liverpool win 4–2 on penalties to win the firstDubai Super Cup.[42]
13 December 1986 – Aston Villa come from 3–1 down in the final minutes to draw 3–3 with Manchester United in a First Division clash atVilla Park. Leaders Arsenal draw 1–1 with Norwich City atCarrow Road. Everton's title hopes are hit by a 1–0 away defeat to Luton Town, who climb into fourth place. Manchester City's survival hopes are given a boost with a 3–1 home win over West Ham United.[43]
14 December 1986 – 18 months after thestadium fire that killed 56 spectators, Bradford City return to a revampedValley Parade.[citation needed] In the First Division, Leicester City climb out of the bottom four with a 2–0 home win over Oxford United. Chelsea are now bottom after losing 3–0 at Liverpool.[44]
20 December 1986 – Arsenal go five points clear at the top with a 3–0 home win over Luton Town. Manchester United's revival continues with a 2–0 home win over Leicester City. Nottingham Forest's drop two points in a goalless draw at home to Southampton. Portsmouth go top of the Second Division by beating Barnsley 2–1 at home, although OldhamA thletic are two points behind them with two games in hand.[45]
21 December 1986 – Tottenham Hotspur sell defenderGraham Roberts to Rangers for £450,000.[46] Oldham Athletic return to the top of the Second Division with a 2–1 home win over Bradford City. Promotion contenders Leeds United suffer a 7–2 defeat to Stoke City at theVictoria Ground. Derby County go third and boost their hopes of a second successive promotion by beating Grimsby Town 4–0 at theBaseball Ground.[47]
22 December 1986 – Graeme Souness continues to buy English-based players for Rangers by making a £120,000 move forDoncaster Rovers strikerNeil Woods.
23 December 1986 – Tottenham Hotspur sign midfielderSteve Hodge from Aston Villa for £650,000.
26 December 1986 – Manchester United beat Liverpool 1–0 at Anfield. It is United's first away win of the season.[2] Leaders Arsenal drop points in a 1–1 draw at Leicester City, but Nottingham Forest fail to take advantage as they lose 2–1 at Norwich City. Everton win 4–0 at Newcastle United. Tottenham Hotspur climb into fifth place with a 4–0 home win over West Ham United. In the Second Division, Bradford City's first game back at Valley Parade ends in a 1–0 home defeat to Derby County. Portsmouth return to the top of the Second Division with a 3–2 win over Plymouth Argyle atHome Park, as Oldham Athletic surrender their lead of the table after being held to a 2–2 draw by Grimsby Town atBlundell Park.[48]
27 December 1986 – Norwich City win 1–0 away to Manchester United. Arsenal remain in pole position with a 1–0 home win over Southampton. Tottenham Hotspur's erratic league form continues as they lose 4–3 at Coventry City. West Ham United fall into the bottom half of the table with a 3–2 home defeat to Wimbledon. Chelsea halt their dismal form with a 4–1 home win over Aston Villa. In the Second Division, Stoke City keep up the pressure on the pace-setters with a 5–2 win over Sheffield United. A relegation crunch game sees Huddersfield Town beat Bradford City by the same scoreline at Leeds Road. Derby County go top of the table with a 3–2 home win over Barnsley.[49]
28 December 1986 – Charlton Athletic climb off the top of the First Division and jump up five places to 17th with a 5–0 home win over Manchester City. Everton cut Arsenal's lead at the top to four points by beating Leicester City 5–1 at Goodison Park. Nottingham Forest drop more points in the title race with a 2–2 draw at home to Luton Town.[50]
31 December 1986 – The year draws to a close with Arsenal leading the league by four points from Everton. Leicester City are bottom of the table, but are within three points of six other teams.[2] The race for First Division football next season is headed by Portsmouth, while Derby County have moved into second.[51]
1 January 1987 – Arsenal remain four points ahead at the top of the First Division with a 3–1 home win over Wimbledon, as Everton keep up the pressure with a 3–0 home win over Aston Villa. Manchester United's upswing continues with a 4–1 home win over Newcastle United. West Ham United climb back into the top half of the table by beating Leicester City 4–1 at Upton Park. Chelsea continue their recent revival with a 3–1 win over Queens Park Rangers in aWest London derby clash atStamford Bridge.[52]
3 January 1987 –Steve Moran scores a hat-trick in Leicester City's 6–1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, which lifts theEast Midlands side off the bottom of the First Division. Newcastle United, who lose 2–1 at home to Coventry City, now prop up the table. Everton keep up the pressure on Arsenal with a 1–0 win over Queens Park Rangers atLoftus Road.[53]
4 January 1987 – Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 atWhite Hart Lane in theNorth London derby to go four points ahead at the top of the league.[2]
6 January 1987 –Ian Snodin joins Everton for £840,000 from Leeds United.
10 January 1987 – Manchester United beat Manchester City 1–0 in the FA Cup third round atOld Trafford.[54]
11 January 1987 – Nottingham Forest are surprisingly beaten 2–1 by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third round.[54]
13 January 1987 – WingerPeter Barnes becomes the second Manchester United player to transfer to neighbours City this season when he completes his £30,000 return to the club where he started his career more than a decade ago.
17 January 1987 – Everton and Liverpool both keep up the pressure on leaders Arsenal.Howard Kendall's men beat Sheffield Wednesday 2–0 at Goodison Park, whileKenny Dalglish's defending champions beat Manchester City 1–0 at Maine Road. In the Second Division, Bradford City boost their survival bid with a 4–0 home win over Millwall, whose promotion hopes take a major blow as a result.[55]
18 January 1987 – Chelsea sign 23-year-old defenderSteve Clarke fromSt Mirren for £400,000. The gap at the top of the First Division remains at two points when Arsenal draw 0–0 at home to Coventry City.[56]
19 January 1987 – Portsmouth strikerMicky Quinn is found guilty on a double charge of driving while disqualified and receives a 21-day prison sentence.[citation needed]
20 January 1987 – The country's biggest anti-hooliganism police operation sees 26 suspected football hooligans arrested in raids in theWest Midlands andSouthern England.[citation needed]
23 January 1987 – Liverpool's £250,000 move for West Bromwich Albion defenderDerek Statham falls through after the player fails a fitness test.
24 January 1987 – Arsenal lose 2–0 away to Manchester United, their first League defeat since September.[2] Other key games include West Ham United's 3–1 win over Coventry City atHighfield Road, Watford winning by the same scoreline at Oxford United, and Tottenham Hotspur's 3–0 home win over Aston Villa.[57]
25 January 1987 – Everton miss the chance to go top of the First Division by losing 1–0 at Nottingham Forest.[58]
27 January 1987 – Liverpool sign Oxford United strikerJohn Aldridge, 28, for a fee of £750,000 as player-managerKenny Dalglish ends his search for a new striker ready to take over fromIan Rush, who will leave for Juventus at the end of the season.[59]
28 January 1987 – Luton Town knock holders Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a comprehensive 3–0 victory in the third round secondreplay at Kenilworth Road.[54]
30 January 1987 – Out-of-favour Arsenal defenderTommy Caton leaves the club after three years and signs for Oxford United in a £100,000 deal.
31 January 1987 – In the FA Cup fourth round, Coventry City win 1–0 away to Manchester United, while Arsenal put six goals past Plymouth Argyle atHighbury.[54] The Gunners remain top of the First Division as the month ends, with Everton and Liverpool their nearest contenders and Nottingham Forest occupying fourth place. Aston Villa have slipped back into the relegation zone, joining Leicester City and Newcastle United.[2] Portsmouth are still top of the Second Division with Derby County in second place. The play-off places are occupied by Oldham Athletic, Ipswich Town and Plymouth Argyle.
5 February 1987 – Watford wingerNigel Callaghan moves to Derby County in a £140,000 deal.
6 February 1987 –UEFA confirms that the ban on English clubs in European competition that arose from theHeysel disaster will continue for at least another season.[citation needed]
7 February 1987 – Everton go top of the First Division with a 3–1 home win over Coventry City. Leicester City climb out of the bottom four with a 3–1 home win over Wimbledon.[60]
14 February 1987 – In a thrilling game between one side challenging for the title and the other battling to avoid relegation, Liverpool beat Leicester City 4–3 at Anfield, with Ian Rush scoring a hat-trick.[61]
18 February 1987 –Gary Lineker scores all four goals as England beatSpain 4–2 in afriendly inMadrid.[62] England under-21s beat Spain 2–1 in a friendly inBurgos, with goals from 19-year-old Arsenal midfielderDavid Rocastle and 21-year-old West Ham United strikerTony Cottee.[9]
19 February 1987 – Billy McNeill boosts Aston Villa's battle against relegation by paying Everton £300,000 for their strikerWarren Aspinall.
21 February 1987 – Third DivisionWigan Athletic, in only their ninth season as Football League members, reach the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history by beating Hull City 3–0 in the fifth round atSpringfield Park.[54] Liverpool miss the chance to go level on points at the top of the First Division when they are held to a 2–2 draw at Aston Villa.[63]
22 February 1987 – Title-chasing Everton are knocked out of the FA Cup 3–1 in the fifth round by Wimbledon.[54]
24 February 1987 – Liverpool sign midfielderNigel Spackman from Chelsea for £400,000.
28 February 1987 – Everton finish February as First Division leaders, but only lead on goal difference over second-placed Liverpool. Arsenal are a point behind with a game in hand.[2] Portsmouth, Derby County, Oldham Athletic, Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town continue to lead the way in the Second Division.[64]
1 March 1987 – Plans for a merger betweenWest London rivals Fulham and Queens Park Rangers are scrapped after the Football League vetoed the proposal.[65] Former Arsenal wingerLiam Brady returns to England in a £150,000 move to West Ham United fromAscoli of Italy. TheFootball League Cup semi-final tie between Tottenham and Arsenal goes to a replay after Arsenal win 2–1 atWhite Hart Lane, following a 1–0 defeat atHighbury in the first leg.[66]
3 March 1987 – England wingerJohn Barnes is put on the transfer list by Watford. Liverpool and Manchester United are among the teams expected to make a bid for the 23-year-old, who first signed for Watford in 1981.
4 March 1987 – Arsenal reach the League Cup Final after a 2–1 replay victory over Tottenham Hotspur.[67] In the league, Aston Villa miss the chance to climb out of the bottom four after Wimbledon hold them to a goalless draw at Villa Park. A clash between the top two clubs in the Second Division at theBaseball Ground sees Derby County draw 0–0 with Portsmouth.[68]
6 March 1987 – Everton sign strikerWayne Clarke from Birmingham City for £300,000. Oldham go second in the Second Division with a 4–0 home win over Reading.[69]
7 March 1987 – Charlton Athletic boost their First Division survival hopes and climb out of the bottom four with a 2–1 home win over London rivals West Ham, who drop to 14th. Chelsea continue their climb to mid-table security with a 1–0 home win over Arsenal, denting the title hopes ofGeorge Graham's side. A relegation crunch match atThe Dell sees Southampton beat Leicester City 4–0.Bryan Robson scores once andNicky Reid scores an own goal as Manchester United win theManchester derby 2–0 atOld Trafford. Liverpool go top of the table with a 2–0 home win over Luton Town. Tottenham Hotspur close in on the top three with a 1–0 home win over Queens Park Rangers. Newcastle United stay bottom of the table but boost their survival hopes with a 2–1 home win over an Aston Villa side who are now second from bottom.[70]
8 March 1987 – Everton squander the chance to return to the top of the table with a 2–1 defeat at Watford.[71]
11 March 1987 – Blackburn Rovers payDundee £30,000 for defenderColin Hendry. Leaders Liverpool beat Arsenal 1–0 at Highbury.[72]
12 March 1987 – Oxford United pay a club record £600,000 for Brighton & Hove Albion strikerDean Saunders in a bid to avoid relegation.
14 March 1987 – Coventry City progress to theFA Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history thanks to a 3–0 away win overSheffield Wednesday in the quarter-finals. Arsenal's hopes of a domestic treble are ended with a 3–1 defeat at home to Watford.[54] In the First Division, Liverpool win 3–1 at Oxford United and Luton Town climb back up to fourth win a 2–1 home win over Manchester United. A Second Division rampage atSelhurst Park sees Crystal Palace beat Birmingham City 6–0.[73]
15 March 1987 – Tottenham Hotspur move closer to a record eighth FA Cup triumph as they eliminate Wimbledon 2–0 at Plough Lane. Wigan Athletic's dreams end with a 2–0 home defeat by Leeds United. For the first time in the history of the FA Cup, all four quarter-final ties have been won by the away team.[54]
17 March 1987 – Crystal Palace, chasing promotion in the Second Division, sign midfielderAlan Pardew for £7,000 from Conference sideYeovil Town.
19 March 1987 – 22-year-old strikerPaul Stewart leaves Third Division strugglersBlackpool to sign for Manchester City in a £200,000 deal.
21 March 1987 – Everton keep their title hopes alive with a 2–1 home win over Charlton Athletic. The latest relegation crunch thriller sees Southampton beat Aston Villa 5–0 atThe Dell. In the Second Division, Plymouth Argyle boost their hopes of reaching the First Division for the first time by beating Grimsby Town 5–0 atHome Park.[74]
22 March 1987 – A First Division clash atWhite Hart Lane adds heat to the title race as Tottenham Hotspur beat Liverpool 1–0. Liverpool are still six points ahead of their nearest rivals Everton, who have two games in hand and a superior goal difference, while Tottenham are 14 points off the top but have five games in hand.[75]
24 March 1987 – Charlton Athletic and Oxford United share the points in a goalless draw atSelhurst Park and stay clear of the bottom four. Southampton move closer to safety with a 3–0 home win over Luton Town. West Ham United's downturn continues with a 2–0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. Wimbledon move closer to securing a top-half finish to their first season in the First Division by beating Coventry City 2–1.[76]
25 March 1987 – Aston Villa drop two more points in their survival battle as they draw 1–1 at home to Watford. Leicester City climb out of the bottom four with a 4–1 home win over Queens Park Rangers. Newcastle United remain bottom after drawing 1–1 at home to Tottenham Hotspur.[77]
26 March 1987 – Arsenal pay Leicester City £850,000 for 24-year-old strikerAlan Smith, and then loan him back to Leicester until the end of the season.
28 March 1987 – Liverpool's title bid is hit with a shock 2–1 home defeat against Wimbledon. Everton gain a crucial 1–0 victory over Arsenal atHighbury, boosting their title hopes and leaving the home side's title hopes looking slim.[2] Manchester City crash to the bottom of the table with a 4–0 defeat against Leicester City atFilbert Street, which is a major boost for the home side's survival hopes. Aston Villa boost their own survival bid with a 1–0 home win over Coventry City. Luton Town go third with a 3–1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur. Newcastle United climb off the bottom of the table with a 2–0 home win over Southampton. Portsmouth go top of the Second Division with a 3–1 home win over Sunderland.[78]
29 March 1987 – Second Division Blackburn Rovers lift theFull Members' Cup by beating First Division Charlton Athletic 1–0 at Wembley with a goal fromColin Hendry in their first Wembley final for 27 years.[79]
31 March 1987 – Liverpool end March as First Division leaders, but only by a three-point margin over an Everton side who have two games in hand. Arsenal's challenge has faded after a run of six League matches without scoring, but Luton Town continue to defy the odds by occupying third place. Manchester City, Newcastle United and Charlton Athletic are tied on points at the bottom of the table.[2] Portsmouth and Derby County remain at the top of the Second Division, while Oldham Athletic, Ipswich Town and Plymouth Argyle are still in the play-off zone.[80]
1 April 1987 – England keep up their 100% record in the European Championship qualifiers with a 2–0 win over Northern Ireland atWindsor Park in their third qualifying game.[62]
2 April 1987 – The former Aston Villa andWales midfielderTrevor Hockey dies of a heart attack at the age of 43 after collapsing during a charity football match inWest Yorkshire.
4 April 1987 – First Division strugglers Aston Villa and Manchester City draw 0–0 at Villa Park. Newcastl United beat Leicester City 2–0 at home. A seven-goal thriller at Selhurst Park sees Charlton Athletic beat Watford 4–3 to boost their survival bid. Tottenham Hotspur keep their title hopes alive with a 3–0 home win over Norwich City. Everton go top of the league with a 2–1 win at Chelsea.Peter Davenport scores twice in a 3–2 home win for Manchester United over Oxford United. Derby County return to the top of the Second Division with a 2–0 win over Ipswich Town atPortman Road, while Portsmouth drop down to second with a 1–0 defeat at Bradford City.[81]
5 April 1987 – Arsenal win the League Cup, beating Liverpool 2–1 in thefinal at Wembley.Charlie Nicholas scores both of Arsenal's goals, which gives them their first League Cup triumph ever and their first major trophy for eight years.Ian Rush scores on the losing side for the first time in his Liverpool career.[67]
6 April 1987 – In the only league action of the day, Queens Park Rangers beat Watford 3–0 at Vicarage Road.[82]
7 April 1987 – A midweek London derby sees Charlton Athletic and Chelsea draw 0–0 at Selhurst Park. Tottenham Hotspur remain in the hunt for the title with a 1–0 away win over Sheffield Wednesday. Southampton and Wimbledon draw 2–2 at The Dell.[83]
8 April 1987 – Newcastle United climb out of the bottom four with a 4–1 home win over Norwich City. Arsenal's title hopes are virtually ended when they are beaten 3–1 by West Ham United at Upton Park. Second Division leaders Derby County moved closer to ending their seven-year exile from the First Division by beating Huddersfield Town 2–0 at theBaseball Ground.[84]
9 April 1987 – Fourth Division sideHalifax Town become the first Football League members to be run by their local council as part of a rescue package to save the club from bankruptcy.
11 April 1987 – Tottenham Hotspur reach their eighth FA Cup final by beating Watford 4–1 in theVilla Park semi-final. Charlton Athletic's survival chances are hit by a 2–1 defeat to Arsenal at Highbury. Everton remain in pole position in the title race by beating West Ham United 4–0 atGoodison Park. Manchester City's survival hopes are hit hard when they lose 4–2 at home to Southampton. A similar blow befalls Liverpool's title hopes as they lose 2–1 to Norwich City atCarrow Road. Derby County remain top of the Second Division despite drawing 0–0 at home to local rivals Stoke City, although Portsmouth are a point behind with a game in hand.[85]
12 April 1987 – Coventry City reach their first cup final by beating Leeds United 3–2 at Hillsborough in the semi-final of the FA Cup. In the Second Division, a Midlands derby at St Andrew's sees West Bromwich Albion beat Birmingham City 1–0.[86]
14 April 1987 – Newcastle United take another step towards First Division survival with a 1–0 win over Arsenal at Highbury. Nottingham Forest go sixth with a 3–2 away win over Sheffield Wednesday. Watford climb into the top half of the table by beating Chelsea 3–1 atVicarage Road. West Ham's clash with Manchester United at Upton Park ends in a goalless draw.[87]
15 April 1987 – Tottenham Hotspur's title hopes are left hanging by a thread after they are held to a 1–1 draw by Manchester City at Maine Road, while the lost two points are a major blow to the hosts in their battle for survival.[88]
16 April 1987 –Lawrie McMenemy resigns as manager of Second Division strugglers Sunderland, and is succeeded byBob Stokoe,[89] who was manager at Sunderland when they won the FA Cup in 1973.
18 April 1987 – Everton move closer to winning the First Division title with a 1–0 away win over Aston Villa, who are six points adrift of the relegation playoff place and seven points adrift of automatic survival with five games remaining. Liverpool keep up their title bid with a 3–0 home win over Nottingham Forest, as do Tottenham Hotspur with a 1–0 home win over Charlton Athletic. Luton Town's excellent season continues with a 2–0 home win over Coventry City keeping them in fourth place. Newcastle United move closer to survival with a 2–1 home win over Manchester United. Leicester City keep clear of the bottom four with a 1–0 home win over West Ham United. Portsmouth go top of the Second Division on goal difference ahead of Derby County, who have a game in hand, by drawing 2–2 with Reading atElm Park.[90]
20 April 1987 – Without kicking a ball, Everton take a huge step towards the league title as their last realistic title rivals Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are both beaten. Tottenham lose 2–1 to London rivals West Ham United at Upton Park, and Liverpool go down 1–0 to aPeter Davenport goal for Manchester United at Old Trafford. A relegation crunch game at Selhurst Park sees Charlton Athletic boost their survival hopes by winning 3–0 against Aston Villa, whose survival hopes are left hanging by a thread. Things are looking even more grim for Manchester City, who lose 3–2 at Sheffield Wednesday and now need at least eight points from their last four games to stand any chance of survival.[91]
25 April 1987 – A major twist occurs at both ends of the First Division, with victories for Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur keeping their title hopes alive, while comprehensive victories for the bottom two of Aston Villa and Manchester City keeps the survival hopes of both clubs alive. Derby County beat Sheffield United 1–0 atBramall Lane and now need just one point to secure automatic promotion, as do Portsmouth after a 2–0 win over Grimsby Town atBlundell Park.[92]
28 April 1987 – England under-21s suffer a major blow to their European Championship qualification hopes when they draw 0–0 withTurkey inİzmir.
29 April 1987 – England's 100% record in the European Championship qualifiers ends in the fourth game when they can only manage a goalless draw withTurkey in İzmir.[93]
30 April 1987 –Scarborough seal the Conference title to become the first team to win automatic promotion to the Football League following last summer's abolition of the re-election system. In the First Division, Everton hold three-point lead over Liverpool with a game in hand, and are eight points clear of third-placed Tottenham Hotspur.[2] Derby County have overhauled Portsmouth at the top of the Second Division, while Oldham Athletic are the only other team still able to achieve automatic promotion.[94]
2 May 1987 – Aston Villa are left needing at least four points from their final two games after losing 2–1 to Arsenal at Highbury. Charlton Athletic's survival hopes take a hit when they lose 1–0 at home to Luton Town. Leicester City are still in danger of going down after losing 3–1 at Chelsea. Liverpool's title hopes are now fading fast after they are beaten 1–0 by the FA Cup finalists Coventry City atHighfield Road. Everton are forced to wait for the title after being held to a goalless draw at home by a Manchester City side whose survival challenge is still alive. A dead rubber match at Hillsborough sees Sheffield Wednesday beat Queens Park Rangers 7–1. Derby County seal promotion to the First Division by beating Leeds United 2–1 at the Baseball Ground. Portsmouth beat Millwall 2–0 at Fratton Park, leaving them needing just a point from their final two league games to secure automatic promotion.[95]
4 May 1987 – Everton secure the First Division title with a 1–0 win over Norwich City atCarrow Road, despite Liverpool beating Watford 1–0 atAnfield and Tottenham Hotspur beating Manchester United 4–0 atWhite Hart Lane. Aston Villa's relegation is confirmed as they lose 2–1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday, but Manchester City keep their survival hopes alive with a 1–0 home win over Nottingham Forest. Charlton Athletic move into the relegation playoff place by beating Newcastle 3–0 onTyneside, with Leicester City dropping into the bottom three after being held to a 1–1 draw at home by local rivals Coventry City. Portsmouth are forced to wait for promotion to the First Division after losing 1–0 away to a Crystal Palace side who keep their playoff hopes alive in the process. Brighton and Hove Albion's 2–0 defeat at Bradford City condemns them to relegation to the Third Division.[96]
5 May 1987 – Oxford United secure First Division survival with a 3–2 away win over Luton Town. Wimbledon are guaranteed a top 10 finish after beating Chelsea 2–1 atPlough Lane. Oldham Athletic's 2–0 defeat to Shrewsbury Town atGay Meadow sends Portsmouth back into the First Division after a 28-year exile.[97]
8 May 1987 – Relegated Aston Villa sack Billy McNeill after eight months as manager.[98]
9 May 1987 – Ian Rush completes his Liverpool career before signing for Juventus by scoring in a 3–3 draw at Chelsea. Norwich City achieve the highest final position in their history when a 2–1 away win over Arsenal sees them finish fifth. Luton Town also achieve their highest finish, securing seventh place in the final table despite a 3–1 defeat at Everton. Manchester City go down after a 2–0 defeat at West Ham United, as do a Leicester City side who could only manage a goalless draw at Oxford United. Charlton Athletic are thrown a First Division lifeline when a 2–1 home win over Queens Park Rangers ensures that they occupy the relegation play-off place in the final table. Derby County are crowned champions of the Second Division, while Grimsby Town are relegated and Sunderland finish in the relegation playoff place.[99]
11 May 1987 – Champions Everton finish their League campaign by beating third-placed Tottenham Hotspur 1–0.[2]
16 May 1987 – Coventry City win the first major trophy of their history with a 3–2 victory after extra time over Tottenham Hotspur in theFA Cup final. A thrilling game had seenClive Allen put Tottenham Hotspur ahead in the second minute with his 49th goal of the season, only forDave Bennett to equalise in the ninth minute.Gary Mabbutt restored Tottenham's lead after 40 minutes, butKeith Houchen's 64th-minute equaliser for Coventry City forced extra time. The winning goal came in the 96th minute, when Gary Mabbutt scored an own goal.[100]
17 May 1987 – Sunderland are relegated to the Third Division for the first time in their history after being defeated on away goals in the Second Division relegation/Third Division promotion play-off semi-final byGillingham, who will take onSwindon Town later this month to battle for a Second Division place. Bolton Wanderers go into the Fourth Division for the first time after suffering a similar humiliation at the hands ofAldershot. More than 16,300 fans watch Wolverhampton Wanderers go through to the final, where they will face Aldershot in a two-legged challenge for promotion to the Third Division.[101]
18 May 1987 – Graham Taylor resigns after 11 years as Watford manager to succeed Billy McNeill at relegated Aston Villa. During his time at Watford, Taylor took the club from the Fourth Division to the First, finishing league runners-up in their first top flight season and reaching the FA Cup final in their second. Southampton give a free transfer to their longest serving playerNick Holmes, the last remaining player from their1976 FA Cup winning side.
19 May 1987 –Mel Machin is named as the new manager of relegated Manchester City, with his predecessor Jimmy Frizzell remaining at the club as his assistant. Aston Villa begin rebuilding following relegation with the sale of defenderTony Dorigo to Chelsea for £450,000.
22 May 1987 – Gillingham take a further step towards reaching the Second Division for the first time in their history by beating Swindon Town 1–0 atPriestfield in the first leg of the Third Division play-off final. Aldershot gain a 2–0 advantage over Wolves at home in the Fourth Division contest.[102]
23 May 1987 – Charlton Athletic beat Leeds United 1–0 in the first leg of the play-off final for a place in the First Division next season.[103]
24 May 1987 –Mansfield Town lift theFreight Rover Trophy by beatingBristol City on penalties after a 1–1 draw at Wembley.[104]
25 May 1987 – More than 31,000 fans watch Leeds United beat Charlton Athletic 1–0 in the second leg of the contest for a place in next season's First Division, forcing a replay at a neutral venue. The same outcome materialises in the contest for a place in the Second Division, as Swindon Town are now level with Gillingham after winning the second leg of their contest 2–1 at theCounty Ground. Almost 20,000 fans pack theMolineux to watch Aldershot beat Wolverhampton Wanderers to win promotion to the Third Division.[105]
26 May 1987 – Arsenal sign Wimbledon defenderNigel Winterburn for £405,000.
29 May 1987 – Charlton Athletic stay in the First Division afterPeter Shirtliff scores twice in extra time to beat Leeds United 2–1 in the play-off final replay atSt Andrew's.[106] Swindon Town secure a second successive promotion by winning a replay of the Third Division final 2–0 against Gillingham at the neutral venue of Selhurst Park.[107]
3 June 1987 – Sheffield Wednesday sign midfielderSteve McCall from Ipswich Town for £300,000.
7 June 1987 – England's under-21s commence theToulon Tournament with a first round 2–0 win over Morocco, with goals from Newcastle United'sPaul Gascoigne and Manchester City'sPaul Simpson.[9]
9 June 1987 – Orient revert to their original name ofLeyton Orient.[citation needed] England under-21s draw 0–0 with theUSSR in their second Toulon Tournament group game.[9]
10 June 1987 – Liverpool sign John Barnes from Watford for £800,000.
11 June 1987 – England under-21s reach the next stage of the Toulon Tournament despite losing 2–0 toFrance.[9]
13 June 1987 – England under-21s progress from the second stage of the Toulon Tournament by being Turkey on penalties after a goalless draw.[9]
15 June 1987 – Despite guiding Luton Town to their best ever finish of seventh in the First Division in his only season as manager,John Moore resigns to be succeeded by his assistant, the former Fulham managerRay Harford.
18 June 1987 – Queens Park Rangers sign defenderPaul Parker from Fulham for £300,000.
19 June 1987 – Tottenham tie up two deals in one day: England U21Chris Fairclough signs from Nottingham Forest while Gary Mabbutt – a Manchester United transfer target – signs a "new long-term contract".[108]
21 June 1987 – Glenn Hoddle leaves Tottenham Hotspur in a £750,000 move toAS Monaco.
24 June 1987 – England goalkeeperPeter Shilton leaves Southampton for newly promoted Derby County in a deal reported to be worth up to £1million – the highest fee for a goalkeeper in British football.
25 June 1987 – Chelsea boost their attack with a £335,000 move for Ipswich Town and Northern Ireland strikerKevin Wilson.
30 June 1987 – Liverpool break the British transfer fee record by paying £1.9 million for Newcastle United and England forwardPeter Beardsley.
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Coventry City and Tottenham Hotspur contested thefinal. Coventry were in the final for the first time, whereas Tottenham had won all seven of their previous appearances and were looking to set a new record of eight FA Cup victories, having equalled Aston Villa's record of seven FA Cup victories in 1982. But a 3–2 win after extra time gave Coventry the first major trophy in their history. Spurs had opened the scoring throughGary Mabbutt, who later scored anown goal, and their other goal came from top scorerClive Allen, who found the net 49 times all competitions during a season where Spurs challenged to win all three domestic trophies but in the end failed to win any of them.
The ban on English clubs in Europe prevented them from qualifying for theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup of1987–88.
George Graham's return to Arsenal as manager was a success as he guided theNorth Londoners to glory in the League Cup after an eight-year trophy drought. Arsenal's run included a semi-final tussle with theirarch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur which they eventually won with a 2–1 replay victory atWhite Hart Lane. Thefinal against Liverpool was the first time theMerseysiders had lost a game in whichIan Rush had scored. The Welshman gave the Merseysiders a first half lead only forCharlie Nicholas to bag two goals, the first a scrambled effort from a free-kick, and in the second half a low deflected shot pastBruce Grobbelaar after a cross byPerry Groves.
Despite the pre-season departure ofGary Lineker and the loss of several players for significant periods through injury (includingPaul Bracewell for the entire season), Everton won their second league title in three seasons with a nine-point lead overMerseyside rivals Liverpool, who were also on the losing side in the League Cup to Arsenal.
Tottenham Hotspur challenged for all three domestic honours, but ended the season with nothing: they finished third in the league, lost to Arsenal in the semi-finals of the League Cup, and suffered a shock defeat to Coventry City in the FA Cup final. Fourth placed Arsenal led the league for much of the winter but compensated for a subsequent collapse in league form by lifting the League Cup for the first time, ending their eight-year trophy drought. Fifth place went to newly promoted Norwich City, who performed well and along with Everton were the hardest team in the division to beat all season. Wimbledon's first season in the First Division and their tenth in the Football League was a great success, as they briefly topped the table early in the season and finished sixth. Luton Town achieved the best season of their history by finishing seventh.
The pressure was onRon Atkinson after Manchester United's failed title challenge the previous season, and after a heavy defeat at Southampton in a League Cup replay early in November, Atkinson was gone and his job was given toAlex Ferguson, who had achieved great success north of the border atAberdeen. Despite not buying any new players during the season, Ferguson was able to steer United to a secure 11th-place finish in the final table, six months after they had been in the relegation places.
A mere five years after lifting theEuropean Cup, Aston Villa finished bottom of the First Division and were relegated. They went down along with Manchester City and Leicester City, but Charlton Athletic kept their First Division status after triumphing over Second Division opposition in the new playoffs.
Chelsea and West Ham United struggled at the wrong end of the First Division a season after being title contenders, but managed to avoid relegation.
The end of the 1986–87 season saw extensive activity by First Division clubs in the transfer market. Liverpool were faced with a future withoutIan Rush following his move toJuventus, but used the windfall to signPeter Beardsley from Newcastle United for a national record fee of £1.9million, and pay nearly £1million for Watford and England wingerJohn Barnes. The Reds had also prepared for life without Rush with a mid-season move for Oxford United strikerJohn Aldridge. MidfielderGlenn Hoddle, 29, who had spent all of his career at Tottenham, became the latest player to leave the English First Division for another nation when he signed forAS Monaco. Arsenal strengthened their ranks by paying £850,000 for Leicester City strikerAlan Smith. Alex Ferguson paid Celtic £850,000 for prolific strikerBrian McClair, who was originally valued at £2million, and bolstered his defence with a £250,000 move for Arsenal and England defenderViv Anderson.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everton(C) | 42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 76 | 31 | +45 | 86 | Disqualified from theEuropean Cup |
| 2 | Liverpool | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 72 | 42 | +30 | 77 | Disqualified from theUEFA Cup |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 68 | 43 | +25 | 71 | |
| 4 | Arsenal[a] | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 58 | 35 | +23 | 70 | |
| 5 | Norwich City | 42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 53 | 51 | +2 | 68 | |
| 6 | Wimbledon | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 66 | |
| 7 | Luton Town | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 47 | 45 | +2 | 66 | |
| 8 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 64 | 51 | +13 | 65 | |
| 9 | Watford | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 67 | 54 | +13 | 63 | |
| 10 | Coventry City[b] | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 63 | Disqualified from theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup |
| 11 | Manchester United | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 52 | 45 | +7 | 56 | |
| 12 | Southampton | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 69 | 68 | +1 | 52 | |
| 13 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 58 | 59 | −1 | 52 | |
| 14 | Chelsea | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 53 | 64 | −11 | 52 | |
| 15 | West Ham United | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 52 | 67 | −15 | 52 | |
| 16 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 48 | 64 | −16 | 50 | |
| 17 | Newcastle United | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 47 | 65 | −18 | 47 | |
| 18 | Oxford United | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 44 | 69 | −25 | 46 | |
| 19 | Charlton Athletic(O) | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 45 | 55 | −10 | 44 | Qualification for theSecond Division play-offs |
| 20 | Leicester City(R) | 42 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 54 | 76 | −22 | 42 | Relegation to theSecond Division |
| 21 | Manchester City(R) | 42 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 36 | 57 | −21 | 39 | |
| 22 | Aston Villa(R) | 42 | 8 | 12 | 22 | 45 | 79 | −34 | 36 |
| Semi-finals 1st leg – 14 May; 2nd leg – 17 May 1987 | Finals 1st leg – 23 May; 2nd leg – 25 May 1987; replay – 29 May 1987 | ||||||||||||
| 19th | Charlton Athletic | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| 5th | Ipswich Town | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 19th | Charlton Athletic | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
| 4th | Leeds United | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 3rd | Oldham Athletic | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| 4th | Leeds United | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
Derby County's revival continued with a second successive promotion and the Second Division title. They were joined by a Portsmouth side whose last taste of First Division action was in the late 1950s.
The first team to miss out on automatic promotion from 3rd place under the new play-off system was Oldham Athletic, seeking top-flight football for the first time since 1923, who then lost to 4th-place Leeds United on a last-minute aggregate-equalizer and deciding away goal.Billy Bremner enjoyed a good first full season as manager of the Leeds United side he had once captained as a player, taking them to the FA Cup semi-finals as well as the playoffs, where only a defeat to Charlton Athletic in the final prevented them from reclaiming the First Division place they had last held in 1982. Charlton, 20th-place finishers in Division 1, had ended 5th-place Ipswich Town's hopes of an immediate return to the First Division in the semi-finals.
Financially troubled Grimsby Town were unsurprisingly relegated to the Third Division, but it was perhaps more surprising to see Brighton lose their Second Division status after the three secure finishes that had followed the loss of their First Division status in 1983 – the year where they had almost won the FA Cup. The final relegation place went to Sunderland, who fell into the Third Division for the first time in their history after failing in the playoffs.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Derby County(C, P) | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 64 | 38 | +26 | 84 | Promotion to theFirst Division |
| 2 | Portsmouth(P) | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 53 | 28 | +25 | 78 | |
| 3 | Oldham Athletic | 42 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 65 | 44 | +21 | 75 | Qualification for theSecond Division play-offs |
| 4 | Leeds United | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 58 | 44 | +14 | 68 | |
| 5 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 59 | 43 | +16 | 64 | |
| 6 | Crystal Palace | 42 | 19 | 5 | 18 | 51 | 53 | −2 | 62 | |
| 7 | Plymouth Argyle | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 62 | 57 | +5 | 61 | |
| 8 | Stoke City | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 63 | 53 | +10 | 58 | |
| 9 | Sheffield United | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 50 | 49 | +1 | 58 | |
| 10 | Bradford City | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 62 | 62 | 0 | 55 | |
| 11 | Barnsley | 42 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 55 | |
| 12 | Blackburn Rovers | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 45 | 55 | −10 | 55 | |
| 13 | Reading | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 52 | 59 | −7 | 53 | |
| 14 | Hull City | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 41 | 55 | −14 | 53 | |
| 15 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 51 | 49 | +2 | 51 | |
| 16 | Millwall | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 39 | 45 | −6 | 51 | |
| 17 | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 54 | 61 | −7 | 51 | |
| 18 | Shrewsbury Town | 42 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 51 | |
| 19 | Birmingham City | 42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 47 | 59 | −12 | 50 | |
| 20 | Sunderland(R) | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 49 | 59 | −10 | 48 | Qualification for theThird Division play-offs |
| 21 | Grimsby Town(R) | 42 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 39 | 59 | −20 | 44 | Relegation to theThird Division |
| 22 | Brighton & Hove Albion(R) | 42 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 37 | 54 | −17 | 39 |
| Semi-finals 1st leg – 14 May; 2nd leg – 17 May 1987 | Finals 1st leg – 22 May; 2nd leg – 25 May 1987; replay – 29 May 1987 | ||||||||||||
| 20th | Sunderland | 2 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||
| 5th | Gillingham | 3 | 3 | 6 | |||||||||
| 3rd | Swindon Town | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| 5th | Gillingham | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| 3rd | Swindon Town | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
| 4th | Wigan Athletic | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
Former West Ham United playerHarry Redknapp managedAFC Bournemouth to the Third Division title and secured them a place in the Second Division for the very first time, while Middlesbrough thrived under new ownership after almost going out of business and their impressive young team were promoted straight back to the Second Division as runners-up in the Third. The final promotion place went to Swindon Town, whose success in the playoffs gave them a second consecutive promotion.
Newport County's mounting debts and the gradual breakup of the team that had almost reached the Second Division in 1983 culminated in inevitable relegation to the Fourth Division, with Darlington and Carlisle United following them down. The fourth and final relegation place went to Bolton Wanderers, the second illustrious Football League side this season to reach its lowest ebb as victims of the new playoffs.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bournemouth(C, P) | 46 | 29 | 10 | 7 | 76 | 40 | +36 | 97 | Promotion to theSecond Division |
| 2 | Middlesbrough(P) | 46 | 28 | 10 | 8 | 67 | 30 | +37 | 94 | |
| 3 | Swindon Town(O, P) | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 77 | 47 | +30 | 87 | Qualification for theThird Division play-offs |
| 4 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 83 | 60 | +23 | 85 | |
| 5 | Gillingham | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 65 | 48 | +17 | 78 | |
| 6 | Bristol City | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 63 | 36 | +27 | 77 | |
| 7 | Notts County | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 77 | 56 | +21 | 76 | |
| 8 | Walsall | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 80 | 67 | +13 | 75 | |
| 9 | Blackpool | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 74 | 59 | +15 | 64 | |
| 10 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 52 | 55 | −3 | 61 | |
| 11 | Brentford | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 64 | 66 | −2 | 60 | |
| 12 | Port Vale | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 76 | 70 | +6 | 57 | |
| 13 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 56 | 62 | −6 | 57 | |
| 14 | Rotherham United | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 48 | 57 | −9 | 57 | |
| 15 | Chester City | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 61 | 59 | +2 | 56 | |
| 16 | Bury | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 54 | 60 | −6 | 55 | |
| 17 | Chesterfield | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 56 | 69 | −13 | 54 | |
| 18 | Fulham | 46 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 59 | 77 | −18 | 53 | |
| 19 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 49 | 75 | −26 | 51 | |
| 20 | York City | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 55 | 79 | −24 | 49 | |
| 21 | Bolton Wanderers(R) | 46 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 45 | Qualification for theFourth Division play-offs |
| 22 | Carlisle United(R) | 46 | 10 | 8 | 28 | 39 | 78 | −39 | 38 | Relegation to theFourth Division |
| 23 | Darlington(R) | 46 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 45 | 77 | −32 | 37 | |
| 24 | Newport County(R) | 46 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 49 | 86 | −37 | 37 |
| Semi-finals 1st leg – 14 May; 2nd leg – 17 May 1987 | Finals 1st leg – 23 May; 2nd leg – 25 May 1987 | ||||||||||||
| 21st | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| 6th | Aldershot | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| 6th | Aldershot | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
| 4th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 4th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
| 5th | Colchester United | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
Northampton Town's excellent season brought them 103 goals, 99 points, the Fourth Division title and a place in the Third Division. A season after having to apply to stay in the Football League, Preston North End enjoyed a fantastic turnaround in fortunes and won promotion from the Fourth Division as runners-up under new managerJohn McGrath. The last automatic promotion place went to Southend United, while Aldershot triumphed in the playoffs at the expense of their illustrious rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Lincoln City became the first team to suffer automatic relegation from the Football League, as a result of failing to win their final game of the season while Burnley (league champions as recently as 1960) won their last game and Torquay United drew their last game with an injury-time goal after an injured player was bitten by a police dog.[110]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northampton Town(C, P) | 46 | 30 | 9 | 7 | 103 | 53 | +50 | 99 | Promotion to theThird Division |
| 2 | Preston North End(P) | 46 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 72 | 47 | +25 | 90 | |
| 3 | Southend United(P) | 46 | 25 | 5 | 16 | 68 | 55 | +13 | 80 | |
| 4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 24 | 7 | 15 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 79 | Qualification for theFourth Division play-offs |
| 5 | Colchester United | 46 | 21 | 7 | 18 | 64 | 56 | +8 | 70 | |
| 6 | Aldershot(O, P) | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 64 | 57 | +7 | 70 | |
| 7 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 64 | 61 | +3 | 69 | |
| 8 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 73 | 57 | +16 | 66 | |
| 9 | Wrexham | 46 | 15 | 20 | 11 | 70 | 51 | +19 | 65 | |
| 10 | Peterborough United | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 65 | |
| 11 | Cambridge United | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 60 | 62 | −2 | 62 | |
| 12 | Swansea City | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 56 | 61 | −5 | 62 | |
| 13 | Cardiff City | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 61 | |
| 14 | Exeter City | 46 | 11 | 23 | 12 | 53 | 49 | +4 | 56 | |
| 15 | Halifax Town | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 59 | 74 | −15 | 55 | |
| 16 | Hereford United | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 60 | 61 | −1 | 53 | |
| 17 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 70 | 72 | −2 | 53 | |
| 18 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 44 | 65 | −21 | 51 | |
| 19 | Stockport County | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 40 | 69 | −29 | 51 | |
| 20 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 54 | 72 | −18 | 50 | |
| 21 | Rochdale | 46 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 54 | 73 | −19 | 50 | |
| 22 | Burnley | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 53 | 74 | −21 | 49 | |
| 23 | Torquay United | 46 | 10 | 18 | 18 | 56 | 72 | −16 | 48 | |
| 24 | Lincoln City(R) | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 45 | 65 | −20 | 48 | Relegation to theFootball Conference |
First Division
Second Division
Third Division
Fourth Division
The divisional champions of the major non-League competitions were:
| Competition | Winners |
|---|---|
| Football Conference | Scarborough |
| Isthmian League | Wycombe Wanderers |
| Northern Premier League | Macclesfield Town |
| Southern League | Fisher Athletic |
| FA Trophy | Kidderminster Harriers |
| FA Vase | St Helens Town |
| This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(December 2009) |
26 August 1986 –Steve Sedgley, 18-year-old midfielder, makes his debut forCoventry City in their 2-1 win overArsenal atHighfield Road in the First Division.
30 August 1986 –Matthew Le Tissier, 17-year-old attacking midfielder, makes his debut forSouthampton in their 4–3 defeat byNorwich City atCarrow Road in the First Division.[112]
27 September 1986 –David White, 18-year-old forward, makes his debut forManchester City in their 1-0 defeat atLuton Town atKenilworth Road in the First Division.
22 November 1986 –Paul Merson, 18-year-old forward, makes his debut forArsenal in their 3–0 win overManchester City atHighbury in the First Division.
29 November 1986 –Gavin Peacock, 19-year-old attacking midfielder, makes his debut forQ.P.R. in their 2-2 draw withSheffield Wednesday atLoftus Road in the First Division.
30 November 1986 –Paul Ince, 19-year-old midfielder, makes his debut forWest Ham United in their 4–0 defeat byNewcastle United atSt James' Park in the First Division.[113]
20 December 1986 –Gary Ablett, 21-year-old defender, makes his debut forLiverpool in a goalless away draw withCharlton Athletic in the First Division.[114]
14 February 1987 –Michael Thomas, 19-year-old midfielder, makes his debut forArsenal in their 1–1 draw withSheffield Wednesday atHillsborough in the First Division.[115]
2 May 1987 –Vinny Samways, 18-year-old midfielder, makes his debut forTottenham Hotspur in their 2-0 defeat atNottingham Forest at theCity Ground in the First Division.
