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.

The competition began on 24 November 1986 and ended with the final on 24 May 1987 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

Southern Section

First round

Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team20 JanuaryCarlisle United1–2Preston North End20 JanuaryChester City1–1Lincoln CityChester City won on 5-4 penaltiesAfter extra-time.20 JanuaryHalifax Town1–2Middlesbrough27 JanuaryBolton Wanderers2–1Burnley27 JanuaryRochdale3–0Chesterfield27 JanuaryScunthorpe United1–2Wrexham27 JanuaryYork City0–1Mansfield Town10 FebruaryBury1–1Wigan AthleticBury won on 5-4 penalties

Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team20 JanuaryExeter City0–1Port Vale26 JanuaryAldershot2–0Swansea City26 JanuaryBrentford4–2Walsall26 JanuaryFulham3–2Northampton Town26 JanuaryGillingham2–0Colchester United26 JanuaryWolverhampton Wanderers0–1Hereford United27 JanuaryBristol City1–0Southend United29 JanuarySwindon Town2–2BournemouthSwindon Town won 4–2 on penalties

Quarter-finals

Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team10 FebruaryBolton Wanderers1–2Chester City17 FebruaryRochdale0–0MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough won 4–3 on penaltiesAfter extra-time.17 FebruaryWrexham2–1Preston North End24 FebruaryBury1–2Mansfield Town

Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team10 FebruaryAldershot1–1FulhamAldershot won 11–10 on penaltiesAfter extra-time.10 FebruaryBristol City3–0Brentford10 FebruaryPort Vale3–3GillinghamGillingham won 5–4 on penaltiesAfter extra-time.10 FebruarySwindon Town4–2Hereford United

Area semi-finals

Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team10 MarchMiddlesbrough0–1Mansfield Town23 MarchWrexham1 – 3After extra-time.Chester City

Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team10 MarchBristol City2–0Gillingham10 MarchSwindon Town2–3Aldershot

Area finals Northern Area final

Southern Area final

Final

References