Football League Third Division 1986/87

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Football League Third Division 1986/87
Football League logo until 1988
master Bournemouth AFC
Climbers AFC Bournemouth
FC Middlesbrough
Swindon Town (as play-off winner)
Relegation ↓ Bolton Wanderers
Relegated Bolton Wanderers
Carlisle United
FC Darlington
Newport County
Teams 24
Games 552
Gates 1,471  (ø 2.66 per game)
Top scorer Andy Jones ( Port Vale )
← Football League Third Division 1985/86
^ Football League Second Division 1986/87

The Football League Third Division 1986/87 was the 60th season of the Football League Third Division as the third highest English football league . Third division champions became the AFC Bournemouth and next rose the second-placed Middlesbrough FC and after play-off successes against Wigan Athletic and Gillingham FC also the third-placed Swindon Town in the Football League Second Division . For the three promoted teams in the following third division season 1987/88, the second division clubs AFC Sunderland (as a play-off loser against Gillingham FC), Grimsby Town and Brighton & Hove Albion, ranked in the table below, took their places. Carlisle United , Darlington FC and Newport County had to relegate directly from the Third Division to the Football League Fourth Division . In addition, the Bolton Wanderers failed in the play-off round against the fourth division clubs FC Aldershot , Wolverhampton Wanderers and Colchester United in the semi-finals at Aldershot. Aldershot as the later winner took in the following season 1987/88 as well as the fourth division winner Northampton Town as well as the Preston North End and Southend United ranked behind the free positions.

Closing table

Pl. society Sp. S. U N Gates Diff. Points
 1. Bournemouth AFC  46  29  10  7th 076:400 +36 97
 2. Middlesbrough FC (A)  46  28  10  8th 067:300 +37 94
 3. Swindon Town (N)  46  25th  12  9 077:470 +30 87
 4th Wigan Athletic  46  25th  10  11 083:600 +23 85
 5. Gillingham FC  46  23  9  14th 065:480 +17 78
 6th Bristol City  46  21st  14th  11 063:360 +27 77
 7th Notts County  46  21st  13  12 077:560 +21 76
 8th. Walsall FC  46  22nd  9  15th 080:670 +13 75
 9. Blackpool FC  46  16  16  14th 074:590 +15 64
10. Mansfield Town (N)  46  15th  16  15th 052:550  −3 61
11. Brentford FC  46  15th  15th  16 064:660  −2 60
12. Port Vale (N)  46  15th  12  19th 076:700  +6 57
13. Doncaster Rovers  46  14th  15th  17th 056:620  −6 57
14th Rotherham United  46  15th  12  19th 048:570  −9 57
15th Chester City (N)  46  13  17th  16 061:590  +2 56
16. Bury FC  46  14th  13  19th 054:600  −6 55
17th Chesterfield FC  46  13  15th  18th 056:690 −13 54
18th Fulham FC (A)  46  12  17th  17th 059:770 −18 53
19th Bristol Rovers  46  13  12  21st 049:750 −26 51
20th York city  46  12  13  21st 055:790 −24 49
21st Bolton Wanderers  46  10  15th  21st 046:580 −12 45
22nd Carlisle United (A)  46  10  8th  28 039:780 −39 38
23. Darlington FC  46  7th  16  23 045:770 −32 37
24. WalesFlag of Wales (1959 – present) .svg Newport County  46  8th  13  25th 049:860 −37 37

Placement criteria: 1st points - 2nd goal difference - 3rd goals scored

  • Third division champion and promoted to the Football League Second Division 1987/88
  • Promoted to the Football League Second Division 1987/88
  • Play-off round winner and promoted to Football League Second Division 1987/88
  • defeated participants of the play-off round to participate in the Football League Second Division 1987/88
  • inferior participant of the play-off round to participate in the Football League Third Division 1987/88
  • Relegation to the Football League Fourth Division 1987/88
    • (A) Relegated from the Football League Second Division 1985/86
    (N) Newcomers from the Football League Fourth Division 1985/86

    Play-off games

    Play-off round to participate in the Second Division

      Semi-finals (first leg / second leg / total) final
                             
    SD 20  Sunderland AFC 2 4th 6th      
    5  Gillingham FC 3 3 6th  
    5  Gillingham FC 1 1 2
      3  Swindon Town 0 2 2
    3  Swindon Town 3 0 3
     
    4th  Wigan Athletic 2 0 2  

    Play-off round to participate in the Third Division

      Semi-finals (first leg / second leg / total) final
                             
    21st  Bolton Wanderers 0 2 2      
    FD 6  FC Aldershot 1 2 3  
    FD 6  FC Aldershot 2 1 3
      FD 4  Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 0 0
    FD 4  Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 0 2
     
    FD 5  Colchester United 0 0 0  

    List of goalscorers

    player society Gates
    1 WalesFlag of Wales (1959 – present) .svg Andy Jones Port Vale 29
    2 ScotlandScotland Ian McParland Notts County 24
    3 IrelandIreland David Kelly Walsall FC 23
    4th EnglandEngland Robbie Cooke Brentford FC 20th
    5 Saint Kitts NevisSt. Kitts and Nevis Keith Walwyn York city 18th

    Web links

    References and footnotes

    1. ↑ English League Leading Goalscorers (RSSSF)
    2. ↑ Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987-88, p. 429
    3. ↑ Swindon Town won 2-0 goals in a play-off held in London's Selhurst Park .