Canon Fourth Division 1985/1986
Historical league standings at 2nd May 1986
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Swindon Town | 45 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 19 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 30 | 24 | 31 | 6 | 8 | 81 | 43 | 99 | 38 |
| 2 | Chester City | 45 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 44 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 39 | 32 | 23 | 15 | 7 | 83 | 48 | 84 | 35 |
| 3 | Port Vale | 44 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 42 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 15 | 8 | 66 | 35 | 78 | 31 |
| 4 | Mansfield Town | 44 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 43 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 29 | 29 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 72 | 45 | 78 | 27 |
| 5 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 41 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 27 | 47 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 68 | 67 | 70 | 1 |
| 6 | Colchester United | 45 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 49 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 37 | 41 | 19 | 12 | 14 | 86 | 61 | 69 | 25 |
| 7 | Orient | 44 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 36 | 21 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 36 | 42 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 72 | 63 | 66 | 9 |
| 8 | Hereford United | 46 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 55 | 30 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 19 | 43 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 74 | 73 | 64 | 1 |
| 9 | Stockport County | 45 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 28 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 28 | 40 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 63 | 68 | 64 | -5 |
| 10 | Northampton Town | 45 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 44 | 29 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 35 | 29 | 18 | 9 | 18 | 79 | 58 | 63 | 21 |
| 11 | Southend United | 45 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 41 | 26 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 26 | 40 | 17 | 10 | 18 | 67 | 66 | 61 | 1 |
| 12 | Crewe Alexandra | 44 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 35 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 17 | 33 | 17 | 9 | 18 | 52 | 59 | 60 | -7 |
| 13 | Burnley | 44 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 35 | 30 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 23 | 30 | 16 | 10 | 18 | 58 | 60 | 58 | -2 |
| 14 | Wrexham | 45 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 31 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 34 | 56 | 16 | 9 | 20 | 65 | 80 | 57 | -15 |
| 15 | Scunthorpe United | 45 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 31 | 23 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 32 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 48 | 55 | 56 | -7 |
| 16 | Aldershot | 45 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 41 | 25 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 21 | 49 | 16 | 7 | 22 | 62 | 74 | 55 | -12 |
| 17 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 46 | 41 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 28 | 32 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 74 | 73 | 54 | 1 |
| 18 | Halifax Town | 45 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 34 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 25 | 44 | 14 | 12 | 19 | 59 | 69 | 54 | -10 |
| 19 | Exeter City | 45 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 25 | 23 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 21 | 34 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 46 | 57 | 54 | -11 |
| 20 | Rochdale | 44 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 40 | 25 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 47 | 14 | 12 | 18 | 55 | 72 | 54 | -17 |
| 21 | Peterborough United | 44 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 30 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 45 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 50 | 63 | 52 | -13 |
| 22 | Cambridge United | 45 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 42 | 38 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 42 | 14 | 9 | 22 | 62 | 80 | 51 | -18 |
| 23 | Preston North End | 45 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 32 | 41 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 22 | 44 | 11 | 10 | 24 | 54 | 85 | 43 | -31 |
| 24 | Torquay United | 45 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 29 | 32 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 14 | 53 | 9 | 10 | 26 | 43 | 85 | 37 | -42 |



