DIVISION 3    1986/87
 

Leading goalscorer:
Andy Jones (Port Vale)
 29  goals

Middlesbrough play their first home and away competitive games of the season on the same ground. Story.

Fulham suffered their record defeat on Tuesday September 23rd 1986 when they lost 10-0 against Liverpool at Anfield in a League Cup Second Round first leg match.

   P W D L F A Pts
    1 Bournemouth 46 29 10 7 76 40 97 Promoted
    2 Middlesbrough 46 28 10 8 67 30 94 Promoted
    3 Swindon Town 46 25 12 9 77 47 87 Promoted
    4 Wigan Athletic 46 25 10 11 83 60 85 Play Off
    5 Gillingham 46 23 9 14 65 48 78 Play Off
    6 Bristol City 46 21 14 11 63 36 77
    7 Notts County 46 21 13 12 77 56 76
    8 Walsall 46 22 9 15 80 67 75
    9 Blackpool 46 16 16 14 74 59 64
    10 Mansfield Town 46 15 16 15 52 55 61
    11 Brentford 46 15 15 16 64 66 60
    12 Port Vale 46 15 12 19 76 70 57
    13 Doncaster Rovers 46 14 15 17 56 62 57
    14 Rotherham United 46 15 12 19 48 57 57
    15 Chester City 46 13 17 16 61 59 56
    16 Bury 46 14 13 19 54 60 55
    17 Chesterfield 46 13 15 18 56 69 54
    18 Fulham 46 12 17 17 59 77 53
      19 Bristol Rovers 46 13 12 21 49 75 51
      20 York City 46 12 13 21 55 79 49
      21 Bolton Wanderers 46 10 15 21 46 58 45 Relegated
      22 Carlisle United 46 10 8 28 39 78 38 Relegated
      23 Darlington 46 7 16 23 45 77 37 Relegated
      24 Newport County 46 8 13 25 49 86 37 Relegated
     
Play Off Unlike current play-offs, in seasons 1986/87 and 1987/88 the four teams in each divisional play-off comprised 3 clubs from the lower division who were competing for promotion plus one from the higher division who were aiming to avoid relegation.
Divisions 2 & 3 Play Off Semi-Finals  
Competing clubs - Sunderland from Division 2 plus Gillingham, Swindon & Wigan from Division 3
1st Leg
Thu  May 14 Gillingham 3 - 2 Sunderland
Thu May 14 Wigan Athletic 2 - 3 Swindon Town
2nd Leg
Sun May 17 Sunderland 4 - 3 Gillingham
Sun May 17 Swindon Town 0 - 0 Wigan Athletic
Aggregate scores
Gillingham 6 - 6 Sunderland
    (Gillingham won on away goals)
Swindon Town 3 - 2 Wigan Athletic
Play Off Final  
1st Leg
Fri May 22 Gillingham 1 - 0 Swindon Town
2nd Leg
Mon May 25 Swindon Town 2 - 1 Gillingham
Aggregate score
Swindon Town 2 - 2 Gillingham
Replay
Fri May 29 Swindon Town 2 - 0 Gillingham
   (match played at Crystal Palace F.C.)
Swindon Town were promoted to Division 2, Sunderland relegated to Division 3
Divisions 3 & 4 Play Off Semi-Finals
Competing clubs - Bolton from Division 3 plus Aldershot, Colchester & Wolves from Division 4
1st Leg
Thu  May 14 Aldershot 1 - 0 Bolton Wanderers
Thu May 14 Colchester United 0 - 2 Wolverhampton W.
2nd Leg
Sun May 17 Bolton Wanderers 2 - 2 Aldershot
Sun May 17 Wolverhampton W. 0 - 0 Colchester United
Aggregate scores
Aldershot 3 - 2 Bolton Wanderers
Wolverhampton W. 2 - 0 Colchester United
Play Off Final  
1st Leg
Fri May 22 Aldershot 2 - 0 Wolverhampton W.
Mon May 25 Wolverhampton W. 0 - 1 Aldershot
Aggregate score
Aldershot 3 - 0 Wolverhampton W.
Aldershot promoted to Division 3, Bolton relegated to Division 4