English League Tables
1985/86 Tables◄ 1986/87 Tables ►1987/88 Tables
Football League First Division 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Everton | 42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 76 | 31 | +45 | 86 | Champions |
| 2nd | Liverpool | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 72 | 42 | +30 | 77 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 68 | 43 | +25 | 71 | - |
| 4th | Arsenal | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 58 | 35 | +23 | 70 | - |
| 5th | Norwich City | 42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 53 | 51 | +2 | 68 | - |
| 6th | Wimbledon | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 66 | - |
| 7th | Luton Town | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 47 | 45 | +2 | 66 | - |
| 8th | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 64 | 51 | +13 | 65 | - |
| 9th | Watford | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 67 | 54 | +13 | 63 | - |
| 10th | Coventry City | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 63 | - |
| 11th | Manchester United | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 52 | 45 | +7 | 56 | - |
| 12th | Southampton | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 69 | 68 | +1 | 52 | - |
| 13th | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 58 | 59 | -1 | 52 | - |
| 14th | Chelsea | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 53 | 64 | -11 | 52 | - |
| 15th | West Ham United | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 52 | 67 | -15 | 52 | - |
| 16th | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 48 | 64 | -16 | 50 | - |
| 17th | Newcastle United | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 47 | 65 | -18 | 47 | - |
| 18th | Oxford United | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 44 | 69 | -25 | 46 | - |
| 19th | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 45 | 55 | -10 | 44 | ♦PO Winners |
| 20th | Leicester City | 42 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 54 | 76 | -22 | 42 | ▼Relegated |
| 21st | Manchester City | 42 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 36 | 57 | -21 | 39 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Aston Villa | 42 | 8 | 12 | 22 | 45 | 79 | -34 | 36 | ▼Relegated |
Football League Second Division 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Derby County | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 64 | 38 | +26 | 84 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Portsmouth | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 53 | 28 | +25 | 78 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Oldham Athletic | 42 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 65 | 44 | +21 | 75 | ♦Playoffs |
| 4th | Leeds United | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 58 | 44 | +14 | 68 | ♦Playoffs |
| 5th | Ipswich Town | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 59 | 43 | +16 | 64 | ♦Playoffs |
| 6th | Crystal Palace | 42 | 19 | 5 | 18 | 51 | 53 | -2 | 62 | - |
| 7th | Plymouth Argyle | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 62 | 57 | +5 | 61 | - |
| 8th | Stoke City | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 63 | 53 | +10 | 58 | - |
| 9th | Sheffield United | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 50 | 49 | +1 | 58 | - |
| 10th | Bradford City | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 62 | 62 | 0 | 55 | - |
| 11th | Barnsley | 42 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 49 | 52 | -3 | 55 | - |
| 12th | Blackburn Rovers | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 45 | 55 | -10 | 55 | - |
| 13th | Reading | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 52 | 59 | -7 | 53 | - |
| 14th | Hull City | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 41 | 55 | -14 | 53 | - |
| 15th | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 51 | 49 | +2 | 51 | - |
| 16th | Millwall | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 39 | 45 | -6 | 51 | - |
| 17th | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 54 | 61 | -7 | 51 | - |
| 18th | Shrewsbury Town | 42 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 41 | 53 | -12 | 51 | - |
| 19th | Birmingham City | 42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 47 | 59 | -12 | 50 | - |
| 20th | Sunderland | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 49 | 59 | -10 | 48 | ♦▼Relegated |
| 21st | Grimsby Town | 42 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 39 | 59 | -20 | 44 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Brighton & Hove Albion | 42 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 37 | 54 | -17 | 39 | ▼Relegated |
Football League Third Division 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | AFC Bournemouth | 46 | 29 | 10 | 7 | 76 | 40 | +36 | 97 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Middlesbrough | 46 | 28 | 10 | 8 | 67 | 30 | +37 | 94 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Swindon Town | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 77 | 47 | +30 | 87 | ♦▲PO Winners |
| 4th | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 83 | 60 | +23 | 85 | ♦Playoffs |
| 5th | Gillingham | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 65 | 48 | +17 | 78 | ♦Playoffs |
| 6th | Bristol City | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 63 | 36 | +27 | 77 | - |
| 7th | Notts County | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 77 | 56 | +21 | 76 | - |
| 8th | Walsall | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 80 | 67 | +13 | 75 | - |
| 9th | Blackpool | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 74 | 59 | +15 | 64 | - |
| 10th | Mansfield Town | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 52 | 55 | -3 | 61 | - |
| 11th | Brentford | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 64 | 66 | -2 | 60 | - |
| 12th | Port Vale | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 76 | 70 | +6 | 57 | - |
| 13th | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 56 | 62 | -6 | 57 | - |
| 14th | Rotherham United | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 48 | 57 | -9 | 57 | - |
| 15th | Chester City | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 61 | 59 | +2 | 56 | - |
| 16th | Bury | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 54 | 60 | -6 | 55 | - |
| 17th | Chesterfield | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 56 | 69 | -13 | 54 | - |
| 18th | Fulham | 46 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 59 | 77 | -18 | 53 | - |
| 19th | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 49 | 75 | -26 | 51 | - |
| 20th | York City | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 55 | 79 | -24 | 49 | - |
| 21st | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 46 | 58 | -12 | 45 | ♦▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Carlisle United | 46 | 10 | 8 | 28 | 39 | 78 | -39 | 38 | ▼Relegated |
| 23rd | Darlington | 46 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 45 | 77 | -32 | 37 | ▼Relegated |
| 24th | Newport County | 46 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 49 | 86 | -37 | 37 | ▼Relegated |
Football League Fourth Division 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Northampton Town | 46 | 30 | 9 | 7 | 103 | 53 | +50 | 99 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Preston North End | 46 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 72 | 47 | +25 | 90 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Southend United | 46 | 25 | 5 | 16 | 68 | 55 | +13 | 80 | ▲Promoted |
| 4th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 24 | 7 | 15 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 79 | ♦Playoffs |
| 5th | Colchester United | 46 | 21 | 7 | 18 | 64 | 56 | +8 | 70 | ♦Playoffs |
| 6th | Aldershot | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 64 | 57 | +7 | 70 | ♦▲PO Winners |
| 7th | Orient | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 64 | 61 | +3 | 69 | - |
| 8th | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 73 | 57 | +16 | 66 | - |
| 9th | Wrexham | 46 | 15 | 20 | 11 | 70 | 51 | +19 | 65 | - |
| 10th | Peterborough United | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 65 | - |
| 11th | Cambridge United | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 60 | 62 | -2 | 62 | - |
| 12th | Swansea City | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 56 | 61 | -5 | 62 | - |
| 13th | Cardiff City | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 48 | 50 | -2 | 61 | - |
| 14th | Exeter City | 46 | 11 | 23 | 12 | 53 | 49 | +4 | 56 | - |
| 15th | Halifax Town | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 59 | 74 | -15 | 55 | - |
| 16th | Hereford United | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 60 | 61 | -1 | 53 | - |
| 17th | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 70 | 72 | -2 | 53 | - |
| 18th | Hartlepool United | 46 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 44 | 65 | -21 | 51 | - |
| 19th | Stockport County | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 40 | 69 | -29 | 51 | - |
| 20th | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 54 | 72 | -18 | 50 | - |
| 21st | Rochdale | 46 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 54 | 73 | -19 | 50 | - |
| 22nd | Burnley | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 53 | 74 | -21 | 49 | - |
| 23rd | Torquay United | 46 | 10 | 18 | 18 | 56 | 72 | -16 | 48 | - |
| 24th | Lincoln City | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 45 | 65 | -20 | 48 | ▼Relegated |
- Orient reverted back to its previous name Leyton Orient for the start of the 1987/88 Season
Football Conference 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Scarborough | 42 | 27 | 10 | 5 | 64 | 33 | +31 | 91 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Barnet | 42 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 86 | 39 | +47 | 85 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Maidstone United | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 71 | 48 | +23 | 73 | - |
| 4th | Enfield | 42 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 66 | 47 | +19 | 70 | - |
| 5th | Altrincham | 42 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 66 | 53 | +13 | 69 | - |
| 6th | Boston United | 42 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 82 | 74 | +18 | 69 | - |
| 7th | Sutton United | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 81 | 51 | +30 | 68 | - |
| 8th | Runcorn | 42 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 71 | 58 | +13 | 67 | - |
| 9th | Telford United | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 69 | 59 | +10 | 64 | - |
| 10th | Bath City | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 63 | 62 | +1 | 63 | - |
| 11th | Cheltenham Town | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 64 | 50 | +14 | 61 | - |
| 12th | Kidderminster Harriers | 42 | 17 | 4 | 21 | 77 | 81 | -4 | 55 | - |
| 13th | Stafford Rangers | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 58 | 60 | -2 | 53 | - |
| 14th | Weymouth | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 68 | 77 | -9 | 51 | - |
| 15th | Dagenham | 42 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 56 | 72 | -16 | 49 | - |
| 16th | Kettering Town | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 54 | 66 | -12 | 47 | - |
| 17th | Northwich Victoria | 42 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 53 | 69 | -16 | 44 | - |
| 18th | Nuneaton Borough | 42 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 48 | 73 | -25 | 44 | ▼Demoted to SFL |
| 19th | Wealdstone | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 50 | 70 | -20 | 43 | - |
| 20th | Welling United | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 61 | 84 | -33 | 40 | - |
| 21st | Frickley Athletic | 42 | 7 | 11 | 24 | 47 | 82 | -35 | 32 | ▼Relegated to NPL |
| 22nd | Gateshead | 42 | 6 | 13 | 23 | 48 | 95 | -47 | 31 | ▼Relegated to NPL |
▼ Nuneaton Borough were Demoted due to financial irregularities
Northern Premier League 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Macclesfield Town | 42 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 80 | 47 | +33 | 88 | ▲Promoted to Conf |
| 2nd | Bangor City | 42 | 25 | 12 | 5 | 74 | 35 | +39 | 87 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Caernarfon Town | 42 | 20 | 16 | 6 | 67 | 40 | +27 | 76 | - |
| 4th | Marine | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 70 | 43 | +27 | 73 | - |
| 5th | South Liverpool | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 58 | 40 | +18 | 73 | - |
| 6th | Morecambe | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 66 | 49 | +17 | 72 | - |
| 7th | Matlock Town | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 81 | 67 | +14 | 70 | - |
| 8th | Southport | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 67 | 49 | +18 | 68 | - |
| 9th | Chorley | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 58 | 59 | -1 | 60 | - |
| 10th | Mossley | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 57 | 52 | +5 | 57 | - |
| 11th | Hyde United | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 81 | 70 | +11 | 55 | - |
| 12th | Burton Albion | 42 | 16 | 6 | 20 | 56 | 68 | -12 | 54 | Transferred |
| 13th | Buxton | 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 71 | 68 | +3 | 53 | - |
| 14th | Witton Albion | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 68 | 79 | -11 | 53 | - |
| 15th | Barrow | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 42 | 57 | -15 | 52 | - |
| 16th | Goole Town | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 58 | 62 | -4 | 51 | - |
| 17th | Oswestry Town | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 55 | 83 | -28 | 50 | - |
| 18th | Rhyl | 42 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 56 | 74 | -18 | 45 | - |
| 19th | Worksop Town | 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 56 | 74 | -18 | 40 | - |
| 20th | Gainsborough Trinity | 42 | 9 | 10 | 23 | 53 | 77 | -24 | 37 | - |
| 21st | Workington | 42 | 5 | 14 | 23 | 38 | 70 | -22 | 28* | - |
| 22nd | Horwich RMI | 42 | 3 | 12 | 27 | 36 | 85 | -49 | 20* | - |
* Workington and Horwich RMI were Deducted 1 Point
| - Burton Albion Transferred to the Southern Football League Premier Division |
Southern Football League Premier Division 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Fisher Athletic | 42 | 25 | 11 | 6 | 72 | 29 | +43 | 86 | ▲Promoted to Conf |
| 2nd | Bromsgrove Rovers | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 82 | 41 | +41 | 83 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Aylesbury United | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 72 | 40 | +32 | 83 | - |
| 4th | Dartford | 42 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 76 | 43 | +33 | 69 | - |
| 5th | Chelmsford City | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 48 | 45 | +3 | 64 | - |
| 6th | Cambridge City | 42 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 68 | 52 | +16 | 62 | - |
| 7th | Redditch United | 42 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 59 | 54 | +5 | 62 | - |
| 8th | Alvechurch | 42 | 18 | 8 | 16 | 66 | 62 | +4 | 62 | - |
| 9th | Corby Town | 42 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 65 | 51 | +14 | 59 | - |
| 10th | Worcester City | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 62 | 55 | +7 | 59 | - |
| 11th | Shepshed Charterhouse | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 59 | 59 | 0 | 58 | - |
| 12th | Bedworth United | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 55 | 51 | +4 | 57 | - |
| 13th | Crawley Town | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 59 | 60 | -1 | 53 | - |
| 14th | Fareham Town | 42 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 58 | 49 | +9 | 50 | - |
| 15th | Willenhall Town | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 48 | 57 | -9 | 50 | - |
| 16th | Basingstoke Town | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 53 | 78 | -25 | 48 | Transferred |
| 17th | Witney Town | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 29 | 56 | -27 | 48 | - |
| 18th | Gosport Borough | 42 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 42 | 57 | -15 | 46 | - |
| 19th | Salisbury | 42 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 52 | 82 | -30 | 43 | ▼Relegated |
| 20th | King's Lynn | 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 48 | 72 | -24 | 40 | ▼Relegated |
| 21st | Dudley Town | 42 | 9 | 9 | 24 | 39 | 76 | -37 | 36 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Folkestone | 42 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 36 | 79 | -43 | 35 | ▼Relegated |
-
| - Basingstoke Town Transferred to the Isthmian League Premier Division |
| ▲VS Rugby were Promoted from the Southern League Midland Division |
| ▲Leicester United were Promoted from the Southern League Midland Division |
| ▲Dorchester Town were Promoted from the Southern League Southern Division |
| ▲Ashford Town were Promoted from the Southern League Southern Division |
Isthmian League Premier Division 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Wycombe Wanderers | 42 | 32 | 5 | 5 | 103 | 32 | +71 | 101 | ▲Promoted to Conf |
| 2nd | Yeovil Town | 42 | 28 | 8 | 6 | 71 | 27 | +44 | 92 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Slough Town | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 70 | 44 | +26 | 77 | - |
| 4th | Hendon | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 67 | 53 | +14 | 73 | - |
| 5th | Bognor Regis Town | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 85 | 61 | +24 | 70 | - |
| 6th | Harrow Borough | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 68 | 44 | +24 | 70 | - |
| 7th | Croydon | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 51 | 48 | +3 | 64 | - |
| 8th | Barking | 42 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 76 | 56 | +20 | 62 | - |
| 9th | Farnborough Town | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 66 | 72 | -6 | 62 | - |
| 10th | Bishop's Stortford | 42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 62 | 57 | +5 | 60 | - |
| 11th | Bromley | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 63 | 72 | -9 | 59 | - |
| 12th | Kingstonian | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 57 | - |
| 13th | Windsor & Eton | 42 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 47 | 52 | -5 | 54 | - |
| 14th | St Albans City | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 61 | 70 | -9 | 51 | - |
| 15th | Carshalton Athletic | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 55 | 68 | -13 | 48 | - |
| 16th | Hayes | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 45 | 68 | -23 | 48 | - |
| 17th | Wokingham Town | 42 | 14 | 6 | 22 | 47 | 61 | -14 | 48 | - |
| 18th | Dulwich Hamlet | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 62 | 71 | -9 | 46 | - |
| 19th | Tooting & Mitcham United | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 41 | 53 | -12 | 45 | - |
| 20th | Hitchin Town | 42 | 13 | 5 | 24 | 56 | 69 | -13 | 44 | - |
| 21st | Worthing | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 58 | 107 | -49 | 33 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Walthamstow Avenue | 42 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 36 | 113 | -77 | 18 | ▼Relegated |
-
| ▲Leytonstone/Ilford were Promoted from the Isthmian League Division 1 |
| ▲Leyton-Wingate were Promoted from the Isthmian League Division 1 |
1985/86 Tables◄ 1986/87 Tables ►1987/88 Tables
