1986–87 Arsenal F.C. season
The 1986–87 season saw the return to Arsenal of their former player George Graham as manager. Graham had been appointed just after the end of the previous season as successor to Don Howe who had resigned in late March. He had been a member of Arsenal's double winning team in 1971, but Arsenal had gone since 1979 without winning a major trophy, finishing seventh in the two seasons leading up to Graham's arrival and finishing as low as 10th in 1983.
1986–87 season | |
---|---|
Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood |
Manager | George Graham |
First Division | 4th |
FA Cup | Quarter-finals |
League Cup | Winners |
Top goalscorer | League: Martin Hayes (19) All: Martin Hayes (24) |
Arsenal started the season well and were top of the league by Christmas, but a 10-match winless run went against their title hopes in the second half of the season and they eventually finished fourth, with Everton finishing champions for the second time in three seasons. Compensation for the failed title bid came in the form of the club's first ever Football League Cup victory, which came with a 2–1 win over Liverpool in the Wembley final. Charlie Nicholas scored both of Arsenal's goals.
Tony Adams, the 20-year-old centre-half who played in every single game for Arsenal this season, was voted PFA Young Player of the Year. Striker Niall Quinn and wingers David Rocastle and Martin Hayes both became regular members of the first team this season, with Hayes finishing as Arsenal's top scorer with 24 goals.
Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Results
First Division
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Liverpool | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 72 | 42 | +30 | 77 | Excluded from the 1987–88 UEFA Cup[lower-alpha 1] |
3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 68 | 43 | +25 | 71 | |
4 | Arsenal | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 58 | 35 | +23 | 70 | League Cup winners, excluded from the 1987–88 UEFA Cup[lower-alpha 1] |
5 | Norwich City | 42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 53 | 51 | +2 | 68 | |
6 | Wimbledon | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 66 |
Notes:
- All English teams were banned by UEFA from its competitions from the season 1985–86 on until the season 1990–91 because of the Heysel Disaster in 1985.
23 August 1986 1 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Manchester United | London |
Nicholas ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 41,382 |
26 August 1986 2 | Coventry City | 2–1 | Arsenal | Coventry |
Anderson ![]() |
Stadium: Highfield Road Attendance: 11,182 |
30 August 1986 3 | Liverpool | 2–1 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
Mølby ![]() Rush ![]() |
Adams ![]() |
Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 38,637 |
2 September 1986 4 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | London |
Quinn ![]() Adams ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 20,101 |
6 September 1986 5 | Arsenal | 0–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | London |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 44,707 |
13 September 1986 6 | Luton Town | 0–0 | Arsenal | Luton |
Stadium: Kenilworth Road Attendance: 9,876 |
20 September 1986 7 | Arsenal | 0–0 | Oxford United | London |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 20,676 |
27 September 1986 8 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Arsenal | Nottingham |
Stadium: City Ground |
4 October 1986 9 | Everton | 0–1 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
Williams | Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 30,007 |
11 October 1986 10 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Watford | London |
Groves ![]() Hayes ![]() Quinn ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 24,076 |
18 October 1986 11 | Newcastle United | 1–2 | Arsenal | Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
Anderson ![]() Williams ![]() |
Stadium: St. James' Park Attendance: 22,368 |
25 October 1986 12 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Chelsea | London |
Hayes ![]() ![]() Rocastle ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 32,990 |
1 November 1986 13 | Charlton Athletic | 0–2 | Arsenal | London |
Adams ![]() Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Selhurst Park |
8 November 1986 14 | Arsenal | 0–0 | West Ham United | London |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 36,084 |
15 November 1986 15 | Southampton | 0–4 | Arsenal | Southampton |
Hayes ![]() Anderson Quinn ![]() Groves ![]() |
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 18,728 |
22 November 1986 16 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Manchester City | London |
Quinn ![]() Anderson ![]() Adams ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 29,009 |
29 November 1986 17 | Aston Villa | 0–4 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
Hayes ![]() Groves ![]() Rocastle own goal |
Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 21,658 |
6 December 1986 18 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Queens Park Rangers | London |
Hayes ![]() ![]() Quinn ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 34,049 |
13 December 1986 19 | Norwich City | 1–1 | Arsenal | Norwich |
Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 21,409 |
20 December 1986 20 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Luton Town | London |
Quinn ![]() Adams ![]() Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 28,217 |
26 December 1986 21 | Leicester City | 1–1 | Arsenal | Leicester |
Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Filbert Street Attendance: 19,205 |
27 December 1986 22 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Southampton | London |
Quinn ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,118 |
1 January 1987 23 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Wimbledon | London |
Nicholas ![]() ![]() Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 36,144 |
4 January 1987 24 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–2 | Arsenal | London |
Adams ![]() Davis ![]() |
Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 37,723 |
18 January 1987 25 | Arsenal | 0–0 | Coventry City | London |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 17,561 |
24 January 1987 26 | Manchester United | 2–0 | Arsenal | Manchester |
Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 51,367 |
14 February 1987 27 | Sheffield Wednesday | 1–1 | Arsenal | Sheffield |
Quinn ![]() |
Stadium: Hillsborough Attendance: 24,792 |
25 February 1987 28 | Oxford United | 0–0 | Arsenal | Oxford |
Stadium: Manor Ground Attendance: 13,296 |
7 March 1987 29 | Chelsea | 1–0 | Arsenal | London |
Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 29,301 |
17 March 1987 31 | Arsenal | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | London |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 18,352 |
21 March 1987 32 | Watford | 2–0 | Arsenal | Watford |
Stadium: Vicarage Road Attendance: 18,172 |
8 April 1987 34 | West Ham United | 3–1 | Arsenal | London |
Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 26,174 |
11 April 1987 35 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Charlton Athletic | London |
Davis ![]() Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 26,111 |
14 April 1987 36 | Arsenal | 0–1 | Newcastle United | London |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 17,353 |
20 April 1987 38 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Leicester City | London |
Hayes ![]() ![]() Davis ![]() Nicholas ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 18,767 |
25 April 1987 39 | Manchester City | 3–0 | Arsenal | Manchester |
Stadium: Maine Road Attendance: 18,072 |
2 May 1987 40 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Aston Villa | London |
Hayes ![]() ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 18,463 |
4 May 1987 41 | Queens Park Rangers | 1–4 | Arsenal | London |
Rix ![]() ![]() Merson ![]() Davis ![]() |
Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 13,387 |
9 May 1987 42 | Arsenal | 1–2 | Norwich City | London |
Merson ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 24,001 |
Football League Cup
23 September 1986 Second round (1st Leg) | Arsenal | 2–0 | Huddersfield Town | London |
Davis ![]() Quinn ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury |
7 October 1986 Second round (2nd Leg) | Huddersfield Town | 1–1 (1–3 agg.) | Arsenal | Huddersfield |
Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Leeds Road |
28 October 1986 Third round | Arsenal | 3–1 | Manchester City | London |
Rocastle ![]() Hayes (p) ![]() Davis ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury |
18 November 1986 Fourth round | Arsenal | 2–0 | Charlton Athletic | London |
Quinn ![]() own goal ![]() |
Stadium: Highbury |
8 February 1987 Semi-Final (1st Leg) | Arsenal | 0–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | London |
Stadium: Highbury |
1 March 1987 Semi-Final (2nd Leg) | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–2 (aet) (2–2 agg.) | Arsenal | London |
Anderson ![]() Quinn ![]() |
Stadium: White Hart Lane |
4 March 1987 Semi-Final (replay) | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–2 | Arsenal | London |
Allinson ![]() Rocastle ![]() |
Stadium: White Hart Lane |
FA Cup
Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Reading.
10 January 1987 Third round | Reading | 1–3 | Arsenal | Reading |
Senior ![]() |
Nicholas ![]() Hayes ![]() |
Stadium: Elm Park |
31 January 1987 Fourth round | Arsenal | 6–1 | Plymouth Argyle | London |
Nicholas Anderson (2) Davis Quinn Rocastle |
D. Rowbotham | Stadium: Highbury |
Top scorers
First Division
Martin Hayes 19
Niall Quinn 8
Tony Adams 6
Viv Anderson 4
Charlie Nicholas 4
Paul Davis 4
References
External links
- Arsenal 1986–87 on statto.com