1986–87 Leeds United A.F.C. season

The 1986–87 season was Leeds United's 60th season in the Football League, and their fifth consecutive season in the Football League Second Division, the second tier of English football, where they finished 4th, qualifying for the Football League Second Division play-offs, where they lost in the final to Charlton Athletic. Alongside the Second Division, the club competed in the FA Cup and the Football League Cup, being eliminated in the semi-finals of the former and the second round of the latter.

Leeds United
1986–87 season
ChairmanLeslie Silver
ManagerBilly Bremner
StadiumElland Road
Second Division4th
Play-offsFinal
FA CupSemi-final
League CupSecond round
Full Members' CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Ian Baird,
John Sheridan (15 each)
All: Ian Baird (19)
Highest home attendance31,395 vs Charlton Athletic
(29 May 1987, Play-offs)
Lowest home attendance3,960 vs Bradford City (1 October 1986, Full Members' Cup)
Average home league attendance31,178

Background

Leeds United had played in the second tier of English football since they were relegated in the 1981–82 season.[1] Billy Bremner had been appointed as their manager in October 1985, replacing Eddie Grey.[2] After leading the club to 14th position in the league that season, Bremner made a number of changes to playing staff, including bringing in at least ten players. Along with the fourth-place finish in the league, Bremner oversaw Leeds' run to the semi-final of the 1986–87 FA Cup where they lost to Sheffield Wednesday.[3]

Season summary

Competitions

Second Division
Main article: 1986–87 Football League § Second Division

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
2 Portsmouth (P) 42 23 9 10 53 28 +25 78 Promotion to the First Division
3 Oldham Athletic 42 22 9 11 65 44 +21 75 Qualification for the Second 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
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(P) Promoted

Matches
Win Draw Loss
Second Division match results
DateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
23 August 1986Blackburn RoversAway1–2Ritchie8,346
25 August 1986Stoke CityHome2–1Sheridan, Baird13,334
30 August 1986Sheffield UnitedHome0–118,294
2 September 1986BarnsleyAway1–0Baird6,839
6 September 1986Huddersfield TownAway1–1Sheridan9,306
13 September 1986ReadingHome3–2Edwards, Ritchie, Buckley12,248
20 September 1986Bradford CityAway0–213,525
27 September 1986Hull CityHome3–0Ritchie (pen.), Baird, Ormsby13,551
4 October 1986Plymouth ArgyleAway1–1Baird11,923
11 October 1986Crystal PalaceHome3–0Sheridan (pen.), Ormsby, Edwards14,316
18 October 1986PortsmouthHome3–1Sheridan (pen.), Ritchie, Baird21,361
25 October 1986Grimsby TownAway0–07,223
1 November 1986Shrewsbury TownHome1–0Aspin14,966
8 November 1986MillwallAway0–16,869
15 November 1986Oldham AthleticHome0–221,052
21 November 1986Birmingham CityAway1–2Sheridan7,836
29 November 1986Derby CountyHome2–0Sheridan, Edwards19,129
6 December 1986West Bromwich AlbionAway0–319,853
13 December 1986Brighton & Hove AlbionHome3–1Sheridan, Snodin, Baird12,014
21 December 1986Stoke CityAway2–7Baird, Sheridan (pen.)12,358
26 December 1986SunderlandHome1–1Bennett (o.g.)21,286
27 December 1986Oldham AthleticAway1–0Ritchie8,477
1 January 1987Ipswich TownAway0–214,125
3 January 1987Huddersfield TownHome1–1Baird17,983
24 January 1987Blackburn RoversHome0–014,452
7 February 1987Sheffield UnitedAway0–012,494
14 February 1987BarnsleyHome2–2Baird, Sheridan14,216
28 February 1987Bradford CityHome1–0Edwards21,802
7 March 1987Grimsby TownHome2–0Ritchie, Sheridan (pen.)14,270
10 March 1987PortsmouthAway1–1Adams13,745
21 March 1987Crystal PalaceAway0–18,781
28 March 1987Plymouth ArgyleHome4–0Sheridan, Baird (3)18,618
4 April 1987MillwallHome2–0Baird, Ritchie18,304
8 April 1987Hull CityAway0–09,531
14 April 1987Shrewsbury TownAway2–0Sheridan, Pearson4,186
18 April 1987Ipswich TownHome3–2McDonald, Sheridan, Ormsby24,839
20 April 1987SunderlandAway1–1Pearson14,725
22 April 1987ReadingAway1–2Pearson7,415
25 April 1987Birmingham CityHome4–0Sheridan, Baird (2), Edwards19,100
2 May 1987Derby CountyAway1–2Ashurst20,087
4 May 1987West Bromwich AlbionHome3–2Sheridan (pen.), Pearson, Ormsby24,688
9 May 1987Brighton & Hove AlbionAway1–0Edwards8,139

Source:[4]

Play-offs
Main articles: 1987 Football League play-offs and 1987 Football League Second Division play-off Final
Semi-final, first leg
Leeds United1–0Oldham Athletic
Edwards [5][6]
Attendance: 29,472
Referee: George Tyson
Semi-final, second leg
Oldham Athletic2–1 (a.e.t.)
Leeds United win on away goals		Leeds United
Williams, Cecere [5][7] Edwards
Attendance: 19,216
Final, first leg
Charlton Athletic1–0Leeds United
Melrose [5][8]
Attendance: 16,680
Referee: Roger Milford
Final, second leg
Leeds United1–0Charlton Athletic
Ormsby [5][9]
Attendance: 31,395
Referee: Brian Hill
Final replay
Leeds United1–2 (a.e.t.)Charlton Athletic
Sheridan [5][10] Shirtliff
Attendance: 15,841
Referee: Allan Gunn

FA Cup
Main article: 1986–87 FA Cup
FA Cup match details
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Third round11 January 1987Telford UnitedAway[lower-alpha 1]2–1Baird (2)6,460
Fourth round3 February 1987Swindon TownAway2–1Quinn (o.g.), Baird14,031
Fifth round21 February 1987Queens Park RangersHome2–1Baird, Ormsby31,324
Sixth round15 March 1987Wigan AthleticAway2–0Stiles, Adams12,479
Semi-final12 April 1987Coventry CityNeutral2–3 (a.e.t.)Rennie, Edwards51,372

Source:[11]

League Cup
Main article: 1986–87 Football League Cup
League Cup match details
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Second round, first leg23 September 1986Oldham AthleticAway2–3Aspin, Taylor5,569
Second round, second leg8 October 1986Oldham AthleticHome0–111,449

Source:[12]

Full Members' Cup
Main article: 1986–87 Full Members' Cup
Full Members' Cup match details
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
First round1 October 1986Bradford CityHome0–1 (a.e.t.)3,960

Source:[13]

Notes
  1. Match played at The Hawthorns instead of Telford's home stadium

References
  1. "Leeds United". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  2. Chapman, Daniel (2019). 100 Years of Leeds United. Icon Books Limited. pp. 285–86. ISBN 978-178578-430-9.
  3. Sobot, Lee (11 October 2020). "When Leeds United were eight minutes away from going back up under Billy Bremner". Yorkshire Evening Post. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  4. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook: 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 204–205. ISBN 9780356143545. OCLC 1036852697.
  5. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook: 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 409–410. ISBN 9780356143545. OCLC 1036852697.
  6. Hill, Tony. "Leeds United 1–0 Oldham Athletic – 14 May 1987". ozwhitelufc.net.au. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  7. Hill, Tony. "Oldham Athletic 2–1 Leeds United (a.e.t.) – 17 May 1987". ozwhitelufc.net.au. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  8. Hill, Tony. "Charlton Athletic 1–0 Leeds United – 23 March 1987". ozwhitelufc.net.au. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  9. Hill, Tony. "Leeds United 1–0 Charlton Athletic – 25 March 1987". ozwhitelufc.net.au. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  10. Hill, Tony. "Charlton Athletic 2–1 Leeds United (a.e.t.) – 29 May 1987". ozwhitelufc.net.au. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  11. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook: 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 486–489. ISBN 9780356143545. OCLC 1036852697.
  12. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook: 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 451–454. ISBN 9780356143545. OCLC 1036852697.
  13. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook: 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 458. ISBN 9780356143545. OCLC 1036852697.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.