1985–86 Northampton Town F.C. season

The 1985–86 season was Northampton Town's 89th season in their history and the ninth successive season in the Fourth Division. Alongside competing in Division Four, the club also participated in the FA Cup, League Cup and Associate Members' Cup.

Northampton Town
1985–86 season
ChairmanDerek Banks
ManagerGraham Carr
StadiumCounty Ground
Division Four8th
FA CupFirst round
Milk CupSecond round
Freight Rover TrophyQuarter-final (s)
Top goalscorerLeague: Ian Benjamin (22)
All: Ian Benjamin (26)
Highest home attendance4,449 vs Swindon Town
Lowest home attendance1,167 vs Torquay United
Average home league attendance2,384

Players

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As of match played 3 May 1986.[1]
Name Position Nat. Place of Birth Date of Birth (Age) Apps Goals Previous club Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Peter Gleasure GK   Luton (1960-10-08)8 October 1960 (aged 25) 168 0 Millwall March 1983
Tim Garner GK   Hitchin (1961-03-30)30 March 1961 (aged 25) 2 0 Kidderminster Harriers Summer 1985
Defenders
Mark Bushell FB   Northampton (1968-06-05)5 June 1968 (aged 17) 1 0 Apprentice Summer 1985 N/A
Paul Curtis RB   London (1963-07-01)1 July 1963 (aged 22) 32 1 Charlton Athletic Summer 1985 Free
Paul Friar LB   Glasgow (1963-06-06)6 June 1963 (aged 22) 16 0 Charlton Athletic 6 March 1986 Loan
Russell Lewis CB   Blaengwynfi (1956-09-15)15 September 1956 (aged 29) 155 6 Swindon Town Summer 1983
Keith McPherson CB   Greenwich (1963-09-11)11 September 1963 (aged 22) 21 0 West Ham United 23 January 1986 £10,000[2]
Graham Reed RB   Doncaster (1961-06-24)24 June 1961 (aged 24) 43 1 Frickley Athletic Summer 1985 £6,000
Midfielders
Phil Chard U   Corby (1960-10-16)16 October 1960 (aged 25) 49 8 Peterborough United 19 August 1985
Warren Donald CM   Hillingdon (1964-10-07)7 October 1964 (aged 21) 48 5 West Ham United 4 October 1985 £11,000[3]
Stewart Hamill W   Glasgow (1960-01-22)22 January 1960 (aged 26) 4 2 Nuneaton Town April 1986
Richard Hill CM   Hinckley (1963-09-20)20 September 1963 (aged 22) 49 19 Nuneaton Town Summer 1985 £10,000
Aidy Mann W   Northampton (1967-07-12)12 July 1967 (aged 18) 82 5 Apprentice May 1984 N/A
Mark Schiavi W   London (1964-05-01)1 May 1964 (aged 22) 39 6 Bournemouth Summer 1985 Free
Forwards
Ian Benjamin FW   Nottingham (1961-12-11)11 December 1961 (aged 24) 106 45 Peterborough United Summer 1984
Trevor Morley (c) FW   Nottingham (1962-03-20)20 March 1962 (aged 24) 51 13 Nuneaton Town Summer 1985 £20,000
Paul Sugrue FW   Coventry (1960-11-06)6 November 1960 (aged 25) 9 2 Portsmouth March 1986

Competitions

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Canon League Division Four

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League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
6 Colchester United 46 19 13 14 88 63 +25 70
7 Hartlepool United 46 20 10 16 68 67 +1 70
8 Northampton Town 46 18 10 18 79 58 +21 64
9 Southend United 46 18 10 18 69 67 +2 64
10 Hereford United 46 18 10 18 74 73 +1 64
Source: [citation needed]

Results summary

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Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
46 18 10 18 79 58  +21 64 9 7 7 44 29  +15 9 3 11 35 29  +6

Last updated: 30 March 2020.
Source: [citation needed]

League position by match

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Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAAHAHHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAAHAAHAHAAHAAHHAHAHAHHHAHHA
ResultLWWLWLLWLLLWDDWDDLWWWDDLWWLWLWLLWDLWWDWDLLLLWD
Position151310126111410121316131413121313151411991014131011998810899887677881098
Source: Rothmans Football Yearbook 1986-87
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

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  Win   Draw   Loss

17 August 1985 (1985-08-17) 1 Burnley 3–2 Northampton Town Burnley
15:00 BST K.Hird  
W.Biggins  
B.Mundee   o.g.'
T.Morley  
G.Reed  
Stadium: Turf Moor
Attendance: 4,214
26 August 1985 (1985-08-26) 2 Exeter City 1–2 Northampton Town Exeter
15:00 BST T.Kellow   T.Morley  
I.Benjamin  
Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 2,392
Referee: Rodger Gifford
31 August 1985 (1985-08-31) 3 Northampton Town 1–0 Mansfield Town Northampton
15:00 BST P.Cavener   pen.' Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,739
6 September 1985 (1985-09-06) 4 Swindon Town 3–2 Northampton Town Swindon
15:00 BST P.Coyne     pen.'   pen.' R.Hill  
P.Cavener   pen.'
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 4,102
10 September 1985 (1985-09-10) 5 Northampton Town 6–0 Preston North End Northampton
19:30 BST I.Benjamin    
R.Hill      
T.Morley  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,171
14 September 1985 (1985-09-14) 6 Northampton Town 0–1 Crewe Alexandra Northampton
15:00 BST G.Blissett   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,654
18 September 1985 (1985-09-18) 7 Hartlepool United 2–1 Northampton Town Hartlepool
19:30 BST B.Honour  
N.Walker  
R.Hill   Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 2,200
21 September 1985 (1985-09-21) 8 Northampton Town 3–1 Stockport County Northampton
15:00 BST I.Benjamin  
R.Hill  
T.Morley  
T.Sword   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 1,954
28 September 1985 (1985-09-28) 9 Rochdale 3–2 Northampton Town Rochdale
15:00 BST P.Heaton  
R.Moore  
D.Grant  
R.Hill  
I.Benjamin  
Stadium: Spotland Stadium
Attendance: 1,954
Referee: George Courtney
1 October 1985 (1985-10-01) 10 Northampton Town 1–2 Wrexham Northampton
19:30 BST R.Hill   J.Steel  
S.Charles  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,234
5 October 1985 (1985-10-05) 11 Northampton Town 1–3 Hereford United Northampton
15:00 BST P.Chard   I.Wells  
O.Kearns  
M.Carter  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 1,998
12 October 1985 (1985-10-12) 12 Peterborough United 0–5 Northampton Town Peterborough
15:00 BST P.Chard  
A.Mann    
P.Cavener  
I.Benjamin  
Stadium: London Road
Attendance: 3,901
19 October 1985 (1985-10-19) 13 Torquay United 1–1 Northampton Town Torquay
15:00 BST D.Dawkins   P.Chard   Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 1,186
22 October 1985 (1985-10-22) 14 Northampton Town 2–2 Chester City Northampton
19:30 BST T.Morley  
I.Benjamin  
M.Graham  
D.Murray  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,323
26 October 1985 (1985-10-26) 15 Colchester United 0–2 Northampton Town Colchester
15:00 BST Report P.Chard   2'
A.Mann   23'
Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 2,872
Referee: M James
2 November 1985 (1985-11-02) 16 Northampton Town 2–2 Scunthorpe United Northampton
15:00 GMT I.Benjamin  
P.Cavener   pen.'
M.Brolly  
S.Lister  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,343
5 November 1985 (1985-11-05) 17 Northampton Town 2–2 Tranmere Rovers Northampton
19:30 GMT W.Donald  
I.Benjamin  
F.Worthington   pen.'
B.Rodaway  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,005
Referee: Danny Vickers
9 November 1985 (1985-11-09) 18 Aldershot 1–0 Northampton Town Aldershot
15:00 GMT A.Massey   pen.' Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 1,556
23 November 1985 (1985-11-23) 19 Northampton Town 4–0 Halifax Town Northampton
15:00 GMT P.Chard   pen.'
I.Benjamin  
T.Morley  
M.Schiavi  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 1,514
30 November 1985 (1985-11-30) 20 Cambridge United 2–5 Northampton Town Cambridge
15:00 GMT D.Crown  
S.Fallon  
I.Benjamin       pen.'
M.Schiavi  
T.Morley  
Stadium: Abbey Stadium
Attendance: 2,235
6 December 1985 (1985-12-06) 21 Southend United 0–4 Northampton Town Southend-on-Sea
19:30 GMT M.Schiavi  
P.Curtis  
I.Benjamin    
Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 2,527
14 December 1985 (1985-12-14) 22 Northampton Town 2–2 Port Vale Northampton
15:00 GMT T.Morley  
P.Chard  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 3,259
21 December 1985 (1985-12-21) 23 Preston North End 1–1 Northampton Town Preston
15:00 GMT P.Sproson  
R.Earle  
R.Hill   Stadium: Deepdale
Attendance: 2,570
11 January 1986 (1986-01-11) 24 Mansfield Town 1–0 Northampton Town Mansfield
15:00 GMT M.Kearney   pen.' R.Hill   Stadium: Field Mill
Attendance: 3,836
18 January 1986 (1986-01-18) 25 Northampton Town 2–0 Burnley Northampton
15:00 GMT T.Morley  
R.Hill  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 3,095
25 January 1986 (1986-01-25) 26 Crewe Alexandra 0–1 Northampton Town Crewe
15:00 GMT T.Morley   Stadium: Gresty Road
Attendance: 1,856
1 February 1986 (1986-02-01) 27 Northampton Town 0–1 Swindon Town Northampton
15:00 GMT C.Henry   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 4,449
5 February 1986 (1986-02-05) 28 Chester City 2–3 Northampton Town Chester
19:30 GMT I.Richardson   pen.'
P.Chard   o.g.'
R.Hill  
M.Schiavi  
T.Morley  
Stadium: Sealand Road
Attendance: 3,332
21 February 1986 (1986-02-21) 29 Stockport County 1–0 Northampton Town Stockport
19:30 GMT S.Cammack   Stadium: Edgeley Park
Attendance: 2,011
1 March 1986 (1986-03-01) 30 Northampton Town 1–0 Rochdale Northampton
15:00 GMT I.Benjamin   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,146
4 March 1986 (1986-03-04) 31 Wrexham 1–0 Northampton Town Wrexham, Wales
19:30 GMT J.Steel   Stadium: Racecourse Ground
Attendance: 1,433
8 March 1986 (1986-03-08) 32 Hereford United 3–0 Northampton Town Hereford
15:00 GMT P.Maddy    
M.Carter  
Stadium: Edgar Street
Attendance: 2,478
11 March 1986 (1986-03-11) 33 Northampton Town 3–0 Hartlepool United Northampton
19:30 GMT I.Benjamin    
R.Hill  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 1,815
15 March 1986 (1986-03-15) 34 Northampton Town 2–2 Peterborough United Northampton
15:00 GMT T.Morley  
R.Hill  
T.Slack  
E.Kelly  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 3,332
18 March 1986 (1986-03-18) 35 Scunthorpe United 1–0 Northampton Town Scunthorpe
19:30 GMT J.Broddle   P.Chard   Stadium: Old Showground
Attendance: 1,355
22 March 1986 (1986-03-22) 36 Northampton Town 1–0 Colchester United Northampton
15:00 GMT W.Donald   13' Report Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,035
Referee: P Tyldesley
29 March 1986 (1986-03-29) 37 Orient 0–1 Northampton Town Leyton, London
15:00 GMT I.Benjamin   Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 2,920
31 March 1986 (1986-03-31) 38 Northampton Town 0–0 Southend United Northampton
15:00 BST Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 3,527
4 April 1986 (1986-04-04) 39 Tranmere Rovers 1–3 Northampton Town Birkenhead
15:00 BST M.Hilditch   S.Hamill  
I.Benjamin  
P.Sugrue  
Stadium: Prenton Park
Attendance: 1,103
8 April 1986 (1986-04-08) 40 Northampton Town 2–2 Exeter City Northampton
19:30 BST W.Donald  
R.Hill  
M.Ling  
P.Friar   o.g.'
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,213
12 April 1986 (1986-04-12) 41 Northampton Town 2–3 Aldershot Northampton
15:00 BST P.Sugrue  
P.Chard  
G.Johnson
B.Barnes    
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,049
15 April 1986 (1986-04-15) 42 Northampton Town 2–3 Orient Northampton
19:30 BST T.Morley  
R.Hill  
C.Jones  
A.Comfort  
C.Foster  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 1,731
18 April 1986 (1986-04-18) 43 Halifax Town 2–0 Northampton Town Halifax
15:00 BST D.Longhurst     Stadium: The Shay
Attendance: 1,105
26 April 1986 (1986-04-26) 44 Northampton Town 0–2 Cambridge United Northampton
15:00 BST D.Crown  
B.Mundee  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,100
29 April 1986 (1986-04-29) 45 Northampton Town 5–1 Torquay United Northampton
19:30 BST R.Hill       pen.'
M.Schiavi  
P.Compton   o.g'
M.Walsh   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 1,167
3 May 1986 (1986-05-03) 46 Port Vale 0–0 Northampton Town Burslem
15:00 BST Stadium: Vale Park
Attendance: 3,873

FA Cup

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16 November 1985 (1985-11-16) First round Gillingham 3–0 Northampton Town Gillingham
15:00 GMT B.Mundee   o.g.'
D.Mehmet  
T.Cochrane  
Stadium: Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 3,991
Referee: Dennis Hedges

Milk Cup

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21 August 1985 (1985-08-21) First round 1st leg Peterborough United 0–0 Northampton Town Peterborough
19:30 BST Stadium: London Road
Attendance: 3,117
Referee: John Moules
2 September 1985 (1985-09-02) First round 2nd leg Northampton Town 2–0 Peterborough United Northampton
19:30 BST P.Cavener   pen.'
P.Chard  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 2,464
25 September 1985 (1985-09-25) Second round 1st leg Oxford United 2–1 Northampton Town Oxford
19:30 BST P.Rhoades-Brown  
R.Houghton  
I.Benjamin   Stadium: Manor Ground
Attendance: 5,644
7 October 1985 (1985-10-07) Second round 2nd leg Northampton Town 0–2 Oxford United Northampton
19:30 BST J.Aldridge     Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,076

Freight Rover Trophy

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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]
21 January 1986 (1986-01-21) Prelim round (s) Northampton Town 2–1 Colchester United Northampton
19:30 GMT M.Schiavi   4'
I.Benjamin   82'
Report T.Baker   36' Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 1,958
Referee: Gerald Ashby
27 March 1986 (1986-03-27) Quarter-final (s) Bristol City 3–2 Northampton Town Bristol
19:30 GMT G.Riley  
B.Hutchinson  
S.Neville  
S.Hamlil  
R.Hill  
Stadium: Ashton Gate
Attendance: 3,038

Appearances and goals

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Pos Player Division Four FA Cup League Cup League Trophy Total
Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals
GK Peter Gleasure 44 1 4 3 52
GK Tim Garner 2 2
DF Mark Bushell
DF Paul Curtis 27 1 1 4 32 1
DF Paul Friar 14 2 16
DF Russell Lewis 43 1 4 3 51
DF Keith McPherson 20 1 21
DF Graham Reed 34 2 1 1 3 2 1 40 3 1
MF Phil Chard 41 7 1 4 1 3 49 8
MF Warren Donald 32 3 1 1 3 37 3
MF Stewart Hamill 3 1 1 1 4 2
MF Richard Hill 41 17 1 4 3 2 49 19
MF Aidy Mann 25 7 2 3 1 1 29 8 2
MF Mark Schiavi 31 5 1 1 3 1 35 1 6
FW Ian Benjamin 46 22 1 4 1 3 3 54 26
FW Trevor Morley 43 13 1 4 3 51 13
FW Paul Sugrue 2 6 2 1 2 7 2
Players who left before end of season:
DF Ian Dawes 3 2 1 4 2
DF Brian Mundee 31 1 4 1 37
DF Gavin Nebbeling 11 1 12
MF Steve Brown
MF Phil Cavener 13 4 4 1 4 1 18 4 5
MF Ged Nohilly

References

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  1. ^ Rothmans Football Yearbook 1986/87, p.252.
  2. ^ "Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics - Keith McPherson". www.westhamstats.info. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics - Warren Donald". www.westhamstats.info. Retrieved 24 January 2024.

Books

  • Grande, Frank (1997). Northampton Town F.C.: The Official Centenary History. London: Yore Publications. ISBN 978-1874427674.