Third Division. Two teams directly promoted to Second Division, the next three teams going to promotion/relegation play-offs; the bottom 3 teams – directly relegated, and the 21st going to promotion/relegation play-offs against three Forth Division teams. Both top and bottom were decided early, so real battle occurred only for the remaining places giving a chance for going or down.
Newport County – last with 37 points. Last on worse goal-difference, but no matter – relegation was sure thing for a long time.
Darlington – 23rd with 37 points and out.
Carlisle United – 22nd with 38 points and relegated. Played top league football once upon a time? Hard to imagine.
Bolton Wanderers – nothing to laugh about… 21st with 45 points and going to promotion/relegation play-offs. Which they lost and were relegated.
York City survived – 20th with 49 points.
Bristol Rovers – 19th with 51 points.
Fulham – 18th with 53 points. The club knew better days, but now it was bad time. The season had just started when Fulham was defeated 0-10 by Liverpool in second round of the League Cup.
Chesterfield – 17th with 54 points.
Bury – 16th with 55 points.
Chester City – 15th with 56 points.
Rotherham United – 14th with 57 points.
Doncaster Rovers – 13th with 57 points.
Port Vale – 12th with 57 points.
Brentford – 11th with 60 points.
Mansfield Town – 10th with 61 points.
Blackpool – 9th with 64 points.
Walsall – 8th with 75 points.
Notts County – 7th with 76 points. Back row: Davis, Benjamin, Leonard, Hunt, Barnes
Middle: Jones(Physio), Sims, Waitt, Yates, Bate(Coach)
Front: Smalley, Clarke, Edge, Sirrel(Manager), Kevan, Harbottle, McParland
Bristol City – 6th with 77 points. Missed promotion/relegation play-oofs by a point.
Gillingham – 5th with 78 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs.
Wigan Athletic – 4th with 85 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs.
Swindon Town – 3rd with 87 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs.
Middlesbrough – 2nd with 94 points and directly promoted. In July 1986 they were in court because of debts in excess 1 million pounds. Bankruptcy and expulsion from professional football was coming… but they were eventually saved and finished successfully.
Bournemouth won the championship with 97 points: 29 wins, 10 ties, 7 losses, 76-40 goal-difference.
This was fantastic success: Bournemouth never played Second Division football before – this was their biggest achievement so far. A former West Ham United player, one Harry Redknapp, was coaching them. What a thrill.
In the promotion/relegation play-offs Swindon Town, Wigan Athletic and Gillingham were joined by Sunderland, 20th in Second Division. If Bournemouth never played in the Second Division, Sunderland never played in the Third Division… so, another ‘first’ was going to happen, because they lost the play-offs and were relegated.
Swindon Town won the play-offs and with that – a promotion to Second Division.
Another great success, worth wild celebration: it was second consecutive promotion for Swindon Town and in two years they climbed from Forth to Second Division.
Thus, promoted to Second Division were: Bournemouth, Middlesbrough, and Swindon Town. Cinderella story…