1985–86 Mansfield Town F.C. season
# 1985–86 Mansfield Town F.C. season

The 1985–86 season was Mansfield Town's 49th season in the Football League and 12th in the Fourth Division they finished in 3rd position with 81 points, gaining promotion back to the Third Division.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Swindon Town | 46 | 32 | 6 | 8 | 82 | 43 | +39 | 102 | Division Champions, promoted |
| 2 | Chester City | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 83 | 50 | +33 | 84 | Promoted |
| 3 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 74 | 47 | +27 | 81 | Promoted |
| 4 | Port Vale | 46 | 21 | 16 | 9 | 67 | 37 | +30 | 79 | Promoted |
| 5 | Orient | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 79 | 64 | +15 | 72 | |

## Results

### Football League Fourth Division

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 17 August 1985 | Hereford United | H | 4–0 | 2,357 | Cassells (3), Chamberlain |
| 2 | 24 August 1985 | Port Vale | A | 0–0 | 2,930 | |
| 3 | 27 August 1985 | Halifax Town | H | 2–0 | 3,299 | Vinter, Chamberlain |
| 4 | 31 August 1985 | Northampton Town | A | 0–1 | 2,739 | |
| 5 | 7 September 1985 | Wrexham | H | 1–1 | 3,081 | Whatmore |
| 6 | 14 September 1985 | Aldershot | A | 2–1 | 1,307 | Cassells, Kearney |
| 7 | 18 September 1985 | Leyton Orient | H | 1–1 | 1,307 | Chamberlain |
| 8 | 21 September 1985 | Scunthorpe United | A | 3–0 | 1,780 | Whatmore, Vinter, Pollard |
| 9 | 28 September 1985 | Southend United | H | 3–0 | 3,705 | Kearney, Vinter, Westley (o.g.) |
| 10 | 2 October 1985 | Chester City | A | 0–1 | 2,145 | |
| 11 | 5 October 1985 | Cambridge United | A | 2–4 | 1,957 | Kearney, Chamberlain |
| 12 | 12 October 1985 | Colchester United | H | 2–0 | 3,370 | Luke, Chamberlain |
| 13 | 19 October 1985 | Exeter City | H | 2–1 | 3,289 | Kearney, Lowery |
| 14 | 22 October 1985 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 2–1 | 1,540 | Kearney, Chamberlain |
| 15 | 26 October 1985 | Torquay United | H | 4–0 | 3,506 | Lowery, Chamberlain, Whatmore (2) |
| 16 | 2 November 1985 | Hartlepool United | A | 1–1 | 4,195 | Chamberlain |
| 17 | 5 November 1985 | Burnley | A | 1–2 | 2,020 | Kearney |
| 18 | 9 November 1985 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–2 | 3,245 | Chamberlain, Kent |
| 19 | 23 November 1985 | Swindon Town | A | 1–2 | 4,784 | Ramsey (o.g.) |
| 20 | 30 November 1985 | Rochdale | H | 3–2 | 2,593 | Whatmore (2), Luke |
| 21 | 14 December 1985 | Peterborough United | A | 2–4 | 3,128 | Kent, Garner |
| 22 | 22 December 1985 | Port Vale | H | 2–1 | 3,730 | Kent, Garner |
| 23 | 26 December 1985 | Stockport County | H | 4–2 | 3,730 | Lowery (2), Garner, Chamberlain |
| 24 | 1 January 1986 | Preston North End | A | 2–0 | 3,703 | Cassells, Chamberlain |
| 25 | 11 January 1986 | Northampton Town | H | 1–0 | 3,836 | Kearney |
| 26 | 18 January 1986 | Hereford United | A | 2–4 | 2,888 | Kent, Logan |
| 27 | 25 January 1986 | Aldershot | H | 2–0 | 3,100 | Whatmore (2) |
| 28 | 1 February 1986 | Wrexham | A | 2–1 | 1,360 | Cassells, Vinter |
| 29 | 8 February 1986 | Exeter City | A | 1–0 | 1,741 | Kent |
| 30 | 15 February 1986 | Leyton Orient | A | 1–0 | 3,713 | Kent |
| 31 | 4 March 1986 | Chester City | H | 0–0 | 3,957 | |
| 32 | 8 March 1986 | Cambridge United | H | 2–0 | 3,379 | Cassells, Chamberlain |
| 33 | 14 March 1986 | Colchester United | A | 0–0 | 1,959 | |
| 34 | 22 March 1986 | Torquay United | A | 2–1 | 1,655 | Luke, Cassells |
| 35 | 25 March 1986 | Scunthorpe United | H | 1–1 | 3,923 | Garner |
| 36 | 29 March 1986 | Preston North End | H | 2–3 | 3,736 | Cassells, Chamberlain |
| 37 | 31 March 1986 | Stockport County | A | 2–0 | 4,635 | Cassells, Chamberlain |
| 38 | 5 April 1986 | Burnley | H | 0–0 | 3,678 | |
| 39 | 11 April 1986 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1–2 | 2,099 | Kent |
| 40 | 15 April 1986 | Southend United | A | 1–3 | 1,140 | Lowery |
| 41 | 19 April 1986 | Swindon Town | H | 1–1 | 8,420 | Chamberlain |
| 42 | 22 April 1986 | Hartlepool United | H | 4–0 | 5,545 | Cassells (2), Chamberlain, Kelly (o.g.) |
| 43 | 26 April 1986 | Rochdale | A | 1–1 | 1,936 | Cassells |
| 44 | 29 April 1986 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–0 | 3,477 | |
| 45 | 3 May 1986 | Peterborough United | H | 0–1 | 3,010 | |
| 46 | 5 May 1986 | Halifax Town | A | 2–1 | 3,414 | Kent, Whatmore |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R1 | 16 November 1985 | Port Vale | H | 1–1 | 5,207 | Chamberlain |
| R1 Replay | 18 November 1985 | Port Vale | A | 0–1 | 6,749 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R1 1st leg | 21 August 1985 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–0 | 3,179 | Vinter, Chamberlain |
| R1 2nd leg | 3 September 1985 | Middlesbrough | A | 4–4 | 4,051 | Kearney, Vinter, Chamberlain, Graham |
| R2 1st leg | 25 September 1985 | Chelsea | H | 2–2 | 6,018 | Pollard, Cassells |
| R2 2nd leg | 9 October 1985 | Chelsea | A | 0–2 | 11,664 | |

### League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R1 | 21 January 1986 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–1 | 1,584 | |
| R1 | 11 March 1986 | Notts County | H | 1–0 | 3,447 | Lowery |
| R1 Replay | 17 March 1986 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 4–2 | 2,895 | Cassells, Chamberlain, Collins (2) |
| R1 Replay | 20 March 1986 | Notts County | A | 1–0 | 2,409 | Luke |
| QF | 27 March 1986 | Darlington | A | 0–3 | 1,425 | |

## Squad statistics

* Squad list sourced from 1985–86 Mansfield Town F.C. season at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | League Trophy | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Andy Beasley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| GK | Kevin Hitchcock | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 55 | 0 |
| DF | Nicky Andersen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 |
| DF | Simon Coleman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | George Foster | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 57 | 0 |
| DF | Mike Galloway | 4(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(2) | 0 |
| DF | Paul Garner | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 4 |
| DF | Mike Graham | 45 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 56 | 1 |
| DF | Bryn Gunn | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| DF | Tony Kenworthy | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| DF | David Logan | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 1 |
| DF | Craig McKernon | 7(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10(4) | 0 |
| DF | Gary Pollard | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 2 |
| DF | Les Robinson | 6(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7(1) | 0 |
| MF | John Cunningham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| MF | Mark Kearney | 31 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 8 |
| MF | Tony Lowery | 40 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3(1) | 1 | 49(1) | 6 |
| FW | Keith Cassells | 40 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 47 | 15 |
| FW | Neville Chamberlain | 39(1) | 16 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 49(1) | 20 |
| FW | Roddy Collins | 7(5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 11(5) | 2 |
| FW | Kevin Kent | 31(3) | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 36(4) | 8 |
| FW | Noel Luke | 8(6) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 3(1) | 1 | 12(8) | 4 |
| FW | Ian Stringfellow | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(3) | 0 |
| FW | Mick Vinter | 21 | 4 | 1(1) | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 31(1) | 6 |
| FW | Neil Whatmore | 30(1) | 9 | 1(1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 36(3) | 9 |
| – | Own goals | – | 3 | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 3 |
