1985–86 Associate Members' Cup

The 1985–86 Associate Members' Cup, known as the 1985–86 Freight Rover Trophy, was the fifth staging of a secondary football league tournament, and the third 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 Bristol City and the runners-up were Bolton Wanderers.

1985–86 Associate Members Cup

Freight Rover Trophy
Tournament details
Country	England Wales
← 1984–85 1986–87 →

The competition began on 14 January 1986 and ended with the final on 24 May 1986 at Wembley Stadium.

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 Bolton Wanderers 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 4 Crewe Alexandra 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 3 Stockport County 2 0 1 1 2 6 −4 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 14 Jan Crewe Alexandra 4–1 Stockport County 20 Jan Stockport County 2–2 Bolton Wanderers 28 Jan Bolton Wanderers 1–0 Crewe Alexandra

Group 2 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Darlington 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4 Burnley 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 4 Chesterfield 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 14 Jan Darlington 2–0 Chesterfield 21 Jan Chesterfield 1–2 Burnley 13 Mar Burnley 1–1 Darlington

Group 3 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Scunthorpe United 2 2 0 0 6 3 +3 6 Halifax Town 2 0 1 1 3 4 −1 1 Lincoln City 2 0 1 1 2 4 −2 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 15 Jan Lincoln City 1–3 Scunthorpe United 21 Jan Scunthorpe United 3–2 Halifax Town 11 Feb Halifax Town 1–1 Lincoln City

Group 4 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Rotherham United 2 1 1 0 3 0 +3 4 Hartlepool United 2 1 0 1 3 5 −2 3 York City 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 14 Jan York City 0–0 Rotherham United 21 Jan Rotherham United 3–0 Hartlepool United 28 Jan Hartlepool United 3–2 York City

Group 5 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Tranmere Rovers 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 6 Preston North End 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3 Bury 2 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 20 Jan Tranmere Rovers 2–0 Preston North End 29 Jan Preston North End 2–0 Bury 26 Feb Bury 1–2 Tranmere Rovers

Group 6 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Wigan Athletic 2 2 0 0 8 0 +8 6 Rochdale 2 1 0 1 1 6 −5 3 Chester City 2 0 0 2 0 3 −3 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 20 Jan Rochdale 1–0 Chester City 22 Jan Chester City 0–2 Wigan Athletic 28 Jan Wigan Athletic 6–0 Rochdale

Group 7 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Port Vale 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 4 Wrexham 2 0 2 0 3 3 0 2 Blackpool 2 0 1 1 3 5 −2 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 21 Jan Wrexham 1–1 Port Vale 23 Jan Blackpool 2–2 Wrexham 10 Feb Port Vale 3–1 Blackpool

Group 8 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Doncaster Rovers 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 Mansfield Town 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 Notts County 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 16 Jan Notts County 1–0 Doncaster Rovers 21 Jan Doncaster Rovers 1–0 Mansfield Town 11 Mar Mansfield Town 1–0 Notts County Group 8 play-off Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Mansfield Town 2 2 0 0 5 2 +3 6 Notts County 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0 Doncaster Rovers 1 0 0 1 2 4 −2 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 17 Mar Mansfield Town 4–2 Doncaster Rovers 20 Mar Notts County 0–1 Mansfield Town

Southern Section

Group 1 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Leyton Orient 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 6 Bournemouth 2 1 0 1 6 3 +3 3 Reading 2 0 0 2 0 8 −8 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 14 Jan Leyton Orient 3–1 Bournemouth 21 Jan Bournemouth 5–1 Reading 6 Mar Reading 0–3 Leyton Orient

Group 2 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Northampton Town 2 2 0 0 5 2 +3 6 Colchester United 2 1 0 1 5 3 +2 3 Southend United 2 0 0 2 2 7 −5 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 14 Jan Colchester United 4–1 Southend United 21 Jan Northampton Town 2–1 Colchester United 13 Mar Southend United 1–3 Northampton Town

Group 3 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Gillingham 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4 Brentford 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2 Derby County 2 0 1 1 0 2 −2 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 15 Jan Brentford 0–0 Derby County 22 Jan Derby County 0–2 Gillingham 29 Jan Gillingham 1–1 Brentford

Group 4 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Hereford United 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4 Bristol Rovers 2 1 0 1 2 3 −1 3 Swindon Town 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 15 Jan Hereford United 2–0 Bristol Rovers 21 Jan Bristol Rovers 2–1 Swindon Town 11 Mar Swindon Town 1–1 Hereford United

Group 5 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Cambridge United 2 2 0 0 5 1 +4 6 Peterborough United 2 1 0 1 3 4 −1 3 Aldershot 2 0 0 2 0 3 −3 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 14 Jan Aldershot 0–1 Cambridge United 17 Jan Cambridge United 4–1 Peterborough United 17 Apr Peterborough United 2–0 Aldershot

Group 6 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Bristol City 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4 Walsall 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3 Plymouth Argyle 2 0 1 1 0 1 −1 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 14 Jan Bristol City 0–0 Plymouth Argyle 21 Jan Plymouth Argyle 0–1 Walsall 28 Jan Walsall 1–2 Bristol City

Group 7 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Swansea City 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4 Newport County 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4 Cardiff City 2 0 0 2 0 3 −3 0 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 20 Jan Swansea City 1–1 Newport County 21 Jan Newport County 1–0 Cardiff City 28 Jan Cardiff City 0–2 Swansea City

Group 8 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Torquay United 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2 Exeter City 2 0 1 1 1 2 −1 1 Source: [citation needed] Date Team 1  Score  Team 2 14 Jan Exeter City 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 22 Jan Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Torquay United 29 Jan Torquay United 1–0 Exeter City

Quarter-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 18 February Wigan Athletic 3–0 Rotherham United 10 March Scunthorpe United 1–1 Port Vale Port Vale won 4–3 on penalties[1] 11 March Bolton Wanderers 2–1 Tranmere Rovers 27 March Darlington 3–0 Mansfield Town

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 19 February Swansea City 1–0 Torquay United 24 February Gillingham 2–0 Cambridge United 24 March Leyton Orient 1–2 Hereford United 27 March Bristol City 3–2 Northampton Town

Area semi-finals

Northern Section Date Home team Score Away team 26 March Port Vale 1–2 Wigan Athletic 1 May Darlington 0–3 Bolton Wanderers

Southern Section Date Home team Score Away team 2 April Bristol City 3–0 Gillingham 2 April Hereford United 0–0 Swansea City Hereford United won 5–4 on penalties[1]

Area finals

Northern Area final

Wigan Athletic	0–1	Bolton Wanderers
	Report

6 May 1986

Springfield Park, Wigan

Attendance: 6,976

Bolton Wanderers	(3) 2 – 1 (1)	Wigan Athletic
	Report

9 May 1986

Burnden Park, Bolton

Attendance: 12,120

Southern Area final

Hereford United	2–0	Bristol City

6 May 1986

Edgar Street, Hereford

Attendance: 7,608

Bristol City	(3) 3 – 0 (2)	Hereford United
	Report

9 May 1986

Ashton Gate, Bristol

Attendance: 11,558

Final

Bristol City	3–0	Bolton Wanderers
Riley , Pritchard	Report

24 May 1986

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 54,502

Referee: G.Tyson (Sunderland)

Notes

General

• statto.com

Specific

1. After extra-time.