First Division. What a great championship is the one where European cup winners could be relegated. One point of view. What a terrible state of affairs when European cup winners cannot keep strong sides. Another point of view and perhaps more in line with tough financial reality. By now top British players were quite eager to go abroad – something entirely new. Of course, English football was competitive, but right now the drama was set mostly at the bottom of the table. At the top – one team dominated.
Aston Villa – last with 36 points and relegated.
Manchester City – 21st with 39 points and relegated.
Leicester City – 20th with 42 points and relegated.
Charlton Athletic – 19th with 44 points. Under normal circumstances they would have been safe, but because of the reduction of the league and the new rules, they went to promotion/relegation play-offs. Luckily, they won the play-offs and kept place in the top division.
Oxford United – 18th with 46 points.
Newcastle United – 17th with 47 points.
Queen’s Park Rangers – 16th with 50 points.
West Ham United – 15th with 52 points.
Chelsea – 14th with 52 points.
Sheffield Wednesday – 13th with 52 points.
Southampton – 12th with 52 points.
Manchester United – 11th with 56 points. This photo is from the crucial November 1986: Manchester United was next to last, rapidly going to be relegated. Ron Atkinson was fired and Alex Ferguson was hired. A great era just started – well, not so great yet. Ferguson was not exactly to everybody’s taste – Gordon Strachan was not happy, for he had experienced Fergie already in both Aberdeen and the Scottish national team. However, the new manager delivered right away – the team climbed to 11th place. Higher was not possible after so weak a start and Ferguson started to build hos own team, which of course needed time. And money.
Coventry City – 10th with 63 points.
Watford – 9th with 63 points.
Nottingham Forest – 8th with 65 points. Brian Clough was genius, right? Well, if he was, then this squad should have been a title contender. Certainly had the players… but not the delivery.
Luton Town – 7th with 66 points.
Wimbledon – 6th with 66 points. Great!
Norwich City – 5th with 68 points. If English clubs were not banned by UEFA, Norwich would have played in the UEFA Cup. Tough luck… but also it was quite telling that modest clubs like Norwich, Wimbledon, Luton were at the top part of the final table and famous clubs were relegated and playing in the lower divisions: money was at the bottom of it – those of modest, but balanced budgets were seemingly doing better than big clubs running enormous debts and on the brink of bankruptcy.
Arsenal – 4th with 70 points. The good work of George Graham was felt and because his squad was young – great things were expected from the future. Near future.
Tottenham Hotspur – 3rd with 71 points. The Spurs were still running their good spell, but it was clear way before the start of this season that they reached their peak and could do no better. The title was not for them, they were not real contenders.
Liverpool – 2nd with 77 points. Not really competing with their city rivals for the title, but new hurdle was successfully overcome: the beginning of manager’s career for Kenny Dalglish – playing manager this season – and inevitable transfer pf Ian Rush to Italy. Let say second place was just the minor tremor felt from the transition.
Everton run supreme: 26 wins, 8 ties, 8 losses, 76-31 goal-difference and 86 points. Arch-enemy Liverpool was left 9 points behind.
Wonderful victory of wonderful team, whose members felt that if there was ban on English clubs to play in Europe, thanks to the villains from across town – Liverpool, Everton would have conquered the world in no time and build a true dynasty. Because of Liverpool, they were left relatively anonymous and even their development was cut short from the lack of European exposure. But they won the title.