Football League Second Division 1985/86
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Norwich City | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 84 | 37 | +47 | 84 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 78 | 45 | +33 | 77 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Wimbledon | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 58 | 37 | +21 | 76 | ▲Promoted |
| 4th | Portsmouth | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 69 | 41 | +28 | 73 | - |
| 5th | Crystal Palace | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 57 | 52 | +5 | 66 | - |
| 6th | Hull City | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 65 | 55 | +10 | 64 | - |
| 7th | Sheffield United | 42 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 64 | 63 | +1 | 62 | - |
| 8th | Oldham Athletic | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 62 | 61 | +1 | 60 | - |
| 9th | Millwall | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 64 | 65 | -1 | 59 | - |
| 10th | Stoke City | 42 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 48 | 50 | -2 | 57 | - |
| 11th | Brighton & Hove Albion | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 64 | 64 | 0 | 56 | - |
| 12th | Barnsley | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 47 | 50 | -3 | 56 | - |
| 13th | Bradford City | 42 | 16 | 6 | 20 | 51 | 63 | -12 | 54 | - |
| 14th | Leeds United | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 56 | 72 | -16 | 53 | - |
| 15th | Grimsby Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 58 | 62 | -4 | 52 | - |
| 16th | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 51 | 67 | -16 | 52 | - |
| 17th | Shrewsbury Town | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 52 | 64 | -12 | 51 | - |
| 18th | Sunderland | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 47 | 61 | -14 | 50 | - |
| 19th | Blackburn Rovers | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 53 | 62 | -9 | 49 | - |
| 20th | Carlisle United | 42 | 13 | 7 | 22 | 47 | 71 | -24 | 46 | ▼Relegated |
| 21st | Middlesbrough | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 44 | 53 | -9 | 45 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Fulham | 42 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 45 | 69 | -24 | 36 | ▼Relegated |
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Ipswich Town were Relegated from the First Division |
| ▼Birmingham City were Relegated from the First Division |
| ▼West Bromwich Albion were Relegated from the First Division |
| ▲Norwich City were Promoted to the First Division |
| ▲Charlton Athletic were Promoted to the First Division |
| ▲Wimbledon were Promoted to the First Division |
| ▼Carlisle United were Relegated to the Third Division |
| ▼Middlesbrough were Relegated to the Third Division |
| ▼Fulham were Relegated to the Third Division |
| ▲Reading were Promoted from the Third Division |
| ▲Plymouth Argyle were Promoted from the Third Division |
| ▲Derby County were Promoted from the Third Division |