1986–87 Associate Members' Cup

The 1986–87 Associate Members' Cup, known as the 1986–87 Freight Rover Trophy, was the sixth staging of a secondary football league tournament, and the fourth staging of the Associate Members' Cup, a knock-out competition for English football clubs in the Third Division and the Fourth Division. The winners were Mansfield Town and the runners-up were Bristol City.

1986–87 Associate Members Cup

Freight Rover Trophy
Tournament details
Country	England Wales
← 1985–86 1987–88 →

The competition began on 24 November 1986 and ended with the final on 24 May 1987 at Wembley Stadium.^[1]

In the first round, there were two sections split into eight groups: North and South. In the following rounds each section gradually eliminates teams in knock-out fashion until each has a winning finalist. At this point, the two winning finalists faced each other in the combined final for the honour of the trophy.

Preliminary round

Northern Section

Group 1 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Chesterfield 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4 Middlesbrough 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 3 Doncaster Rovers 2 0 1 1 0 3 −3 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 24 Nov Middlesbrough 3–0 Doncaster Rovers 2 Dec Chesterfield 2–1 Middlesbrough 9 Dec Doncaster Rovers 0–0 Chesterfield

Group 2 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Chester City 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 4 Preston North End 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4 Crewe Alexandra 2 0 0 2 1 3 −2 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 2 Dec Crewe Alexandra 1–2 Chester City 16 Dec Chester City 1–1 Preston North End 5 Jan Preston North End 1–0 Crewe Alexandra

Group 3 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Mansfield Town 2 0 2 0 3 3 0 2 Halifax Town 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2 Rotherham United 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 2 Dec Mansfield Town 2–2 Halifax Town 5 Dec Halifax Town 0–0 Rotherham United 9 Dec Rotherham United 1–1 Mansfield Town

Group 4 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Lincoln City 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 4 Scunthorpe United 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 Hartlepool United 2 0 1 1 0 1 −1 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 25 Nov Lincoln City 1–0 Scunthorpe United 2 Dec Scunthorpe United 1–0 Hartlepool United 6 Dec Hartlepool United 0–0 Lincoln City

Group 5 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Wrexham 2 1 1 0 8 3 +5 4 Wigan Athletic 2 1 1 0 5 4 +1 4 Tranmere Rovers 2 0 0 2 3 9 −6 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 25 Nov Wrexham 6–1 Tranmere Rovers 16 Dec Wigan Athletic 2–2 Wrexham 3 Feb Tranmere Rovers 2–3 Wigan Athletic

Group 6 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts York City 2 1 1 0 5 2 +3 4 Rochdale 2 0 2 0 3 3 0 2 Darlington 2 0 1 1 3 6 −3 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 25 Nov York City 4–1 Darlington 2 Dec Darlington 2–2 Rochdale 6 Jan Rochdale 1–1 York City

Group 7 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Carlisle United 2 2 0 0 4 2 +2 6 Bury 2 1 0 1 5 4 +1 3 Stockport County 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 6 Dec Bury 3–1 Stockport County 8 Dec Stockport County 0–1 Carlisle United 16 Dec Carlisle United 3–2 Bury

Group 8 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Bolton Wanderers 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3 6 Burnley 2 1 0 1 3 4 −1 3 Blackpool 2 0 0 2 2 4 −2 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 2 Dec Bolton Wanderers 1–0 Blackpool 9 Dec Blackpool 2–3 Burnley 16 Dec Burnley 0–2 Bolton Wanderers

Southern Section

Group 1 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Aldershot 2 1 1 0 7 5 +2 4 Colchester United 2 1 0 1 4 5 −1 3 Peterborough United 2 0 1 1 4 5 −1 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 25 Nov Colchester United 2–1 Peterborough United 3 Dec Peterborough United 3–3 Aldershot 9 Dec Aldershot 4–2 Colchester United

Group 2 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Gillingham 2 2 0 0 6 0 +6 6 Northampton Town 2 1 0 1 3 1 +2 3 Notts County 2 0 0 2 0 8 −8 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 25 Nov Notts County 0–5 Gillingham 16 Dec Gillingham 1–0 Northampton Town 5 Jan Northampton Town 3–0 Notts County

Group 3 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Southend United 2 2 0 0 7 5 +2 6 Fulham 2 1 0 1 5 2 +3 3 Cambridge United 2 0 0 2 4 9 −5 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 2 Dec Cambridge United 0–4 Fulham 16 Dec Southend United 5–4 Cambridge United 6 Jan Fulham 1–2 Southend United

Group 4 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 2 0 0 5 3 +2 6 Bournemouth 2 1 0 1 4 4 0 3 Cardiff City 2 0 0 2 0 2 −2 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 2 Dec Cardiff City 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 16 Dec Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–3 Bournemouth 6 Jan Bournemouth 1–0 Cardiff City

Group 5 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Swansea City 2 1 1 0 3 0 +3 4 Walsall 2 1 0 1 1 3 −2 3 Torquay United 2 0 1 1 0 1 −1 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 2 Dec Torquay United 0–0 Swansea City 9 Dec Swansea City 3–0 Walsall 16 Dec Walsall 1–0 Torquay United

Group 6 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Bristol City 2 1 1 0 4 1 +3 4 Exeter City 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2 Bristol Rovers 2 0 1 1 1 4 −3 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 26 Nov Exeter City 1–1 Bristol City 16 Dec Bristol City 3–0 Bristol Rovers 7 Jan Bristol Rovers 1–1 Exeter City

Group 7 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Brentford 2 2 0 0 9 3 +6 6 Swindon Town 2 1 0 1 5 4 +1 3 Leyton Orient 2 0 0 2 1 8 −7 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 9 Dec Swindon Town 3–0 Leyton Orient 15 Dec Leyton Orient 1–5 Brentford 6 Jan Brentford 4–2 Swindon Town

Group 8 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Hereford United 2 1 0 1 4 1 +3 3 Port Vale 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3 Newport County 2 1 0 1 2 5 −3 3 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 10 Dec Hereford United 4–0 Newport County 22 Dec Port Vale 1–0 Hereford United 6 Jan Newport County 2–1 Port Vale

First round

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 20 January Carlisle United 1–2 Preston North End 20 January Chester City 1–1 Lincoln City Chester City won on 5-4 penalties[2] 20 January Halifax Town 1–2 Middlesbrough 27 January Bolton Wanderers 2–1 Burnley 27 January Rochdale 3–0 Chesterfield 27 January Scunthorpe United 1–2 Wrexham 27 January York City 0–1 Mansfield Town 10 February Bury 1–1 Wigan Athletic Bury won on 5-4 penalties[2]

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 20 January Exeter City 0–1 Port Vale 26 January Aldershot 2–0 Swansea City 26 January Brentford 4–2 Walsall 26 January Fulham 3–2 Northampton Town 26 January Gillingham 2–0 Colchester United 26 January Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–1 Hereford United 27 January Bristol City 1–0 Southend United 29 January Swindon Town 2–2 Bournemouth Swindon Town won 4–2 on penalties[2]

Quarter-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 10 February Bolton Wanderers 1–2 Chester City 17 February Rochdale 0–0 Middlesbrough Middlesbrough won 4–3 on penalties[2] 17 February Wrexham 2–1 Preston North End 24 February Bury 1–2 Mansfield Town

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 10 February Aldershot 1–1 Fulham Aldershot won 11–10 on penalties[2] 10 February Bristol City 3–0 Brentford 10 February Port Vale 3–3 Gillingham Gillingham won 5–4 on penalties[2] 10 February Swindon Town 4–2 Hereford United

Area semi-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 10 March Middlesbrough 0–1 Mansfield Town 23 March Wrexham 1 – 3[2] Chester City

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 10 March Bristol City 2–0 Gillingham 10 March Swindon Town 2–3 Aldershot

Area finals

Northern Area final

Mansfield Town	2–0	Chester City
	Report

8 April 1987

Field Mill, Mansfield

Attendance: 7,679

Chester City	(1) 1 – 0 (2)	Mansfield Town
	Report

15 April 1987

Sealand Road, Chester

Attendance: 8,187

Southern Area final

Aldershot	1–2	Bristol City
	Report

8 April 1987

Recreation Ground, Aldershot

Attendance: 5,000

Bristol City	(4) 2 – 0 (1)	Aldershot
	Report

14 April 1987

Ashton Gate, Bristol

Attendance: 16,371

Final

Bristol City	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Mansfield Town
Riley 88'		Kent 57'
Penalties
Williams Newman MacPhail Curle Owen Moyes	4–5	Kearney Cassells Stringfellow Pollard Kent Kenworthy

24 May 1987

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 58,586

Referee: A.Gunn (Burgess Hill)

References

1. Dunk, Peter (20 August 1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. Queen Anne Press. pp. 461–65. ISBN 978-0-3561435-4-5. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
2. After extra-time.