The Alliance Premier League season of 1985–86 (known as the Gola League 1985–86 for sponsorship reasons) was the seventh season of the Alliance Premier League. This was the first year where a team from the Isthmian League had been promoted to the APL, and this was the last season of the league under this name - starting with the 1986–87 season, the league would be renamed to the Football Conference.
New teams in the league this season Cheltenham Town (promoted 1984–85) Stafford Rangers (promoted 1984–85) Wycombe Wanderers (promoted 1984-85)
Final league table
Results
Top scorers Source: Rank Player Club League FA Cup FA Trophy League Cup Total1 Kim Casey Kidderminster Harriers 36 2 Carl Richards Enfield 28 3 Mike Doherty Weymouth 25 4 Mick Carter Runcorn 22 5 Paul Davies Kidderminster Harriers 21 6 Nicky Evans Barnet 20 = Gary Hooley Frickley Athletic / Scarborough 20 8 Ken McKenna Telford United 18 = Paul Wilson Frickley Athletic 18 10 Graham Bennett Stafford Rangers 17 11 Mark Boyland Cheltenham Town 16 = Dave Gilbert Boston United 16 13 Colin Cowperthwaite Barrow 15 = Frank Murphy Nuneaton Borough 15 15 Tony Burman Dartford 14 = David Singleton Bath City 14 = Tim Smithers Nuneaton Borough 14 = Chris Townsend Cheltenham Town 14 19 Tony Agana Weymouth 13 = Noel Ashford Enfield 13 21 Phil Derbyshire Stafford Rangers 12 22 Bob Mountain Stafford Rangers 11 23 Stephen Claridge Weymouth 10
Promotion and relegation
Promoted
Gateshead (from the Northern Premier League) Sutton (from the Isthmian League) Welling United (from the Southern Premier League)
Relegated Wycombe Wanderers (to the Isthmian League) Dartford (to the Southern Premier League) Barrow (to the Northern Premier League)
Election to the Football League As winners of the Alliance Premier League, Enfield won the right to apply for election to the Football League to replace one of the four bottom sides in the 1985–86 Football League Fourth Division. The vote went as follows:
Club Final Position Votes Exeter City 21st (Fourth Division) 64 Preston North End 23rd (Fourth Division) 62.5 Cambridge United 22nd (Fourth Division) 61 Torquay United 24th (Fourth Division) 61 Enfield 1st (Alliance Premier League) 7.5
As a result Enfield did not gain membership of the Football League. This was the final season in which the team who won the Conference National had to apply for election to the Football League, and from the 1986–87 season onward the winning team was automatically promoted, on the provision that they met the various conditions that the Football League set for all its members.
References
External links 1985–86 Conference National Results Re-election Results – The Division Four final league table, including the results of the re-election vote.