Arsenal F.C. 1986–87 football 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.
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.
Results [ ]
First Division [ ]
Source:[citation needed ] Notes:
^ Jump up to: a b 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.
Arsenal v Manchester United
23 August 1986 1 Arsenal 1–0 Manchester United show London
Nicholas
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 41,382
Liverpool v Arsenal
30 August 1986 3 Liverpool 2–1 Arsenal show Liverpool
Mølby 19' (pen. ) Rush 57'
Adams
Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 38,637
Arsenal v Sheffield Wednesday
2 September 1986 4 Arsenal 2–0 Sheffield Wednesday show London
Quinn Adams
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 20,101
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
6 September 1986 5 Arsenal 0–0 Tottenham Hotspur show London
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 44,707
Luton Town v Arsenal
13 September 1986 6 Luton Town 0–0 Arsenal show Luton
Stadium: Kenilworth Road Attendance: 9,876
Arsenal v Oxford United
20 September 1986 7 Arsenal 0–0 Oxford United show London
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 20,676
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
27 September 1986 8 Nottingham Forest 1–0 Arsenal show Nottingham
Stadium: City Ground
Everton v Arsenal
4 October 1986 9 Everton 0–1 Arsenal show Liverpool
Williams
Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 30,007
Arsenal v Watford
11 October 1986 10 Arsenal 3–1 Watford show London
Groves Hayes pen.' Quinn
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 24,076
Newcastle United v Arsenal
Arsenal v Chelsea
25 October 1986 12 Arsenal 3–1 Chelsea show London
Hayes pen.' Rocastle
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 32,990
Charlton Athletic v Arsenal
1 November 1986 13 Charlton Athletic 0–2 Arsenal show London
Adams Hayes
Stadium: Selhurst Park
Arsenal v West Ham United
8 November 1986 14 Arsenal 0–0 West Ham United show London
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 36,084
Southampton v Arsenal
15 November 1986 15 Southampton 0–4 Arsenal show Southampton
Hayes pen.' Anderson Quinn Groves
Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 18,728
Arsenal v Manchester City
22 November 1986 16 Arsenal 3–0 Manchester City show London
Quinn Anderson Adams
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 29,009
Aston Villa v Arsenal
29 November 1986 17 Aston Villa 0–4 Arsenal show Birmingham
Hayes Groves Rocastle own goal
Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 21,658
Arsenal v Queens Park Rangers
6 December 1986 18 Arsenal 3–1 Queens Park Rangers show London
Hayes Quinn
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 34,049
Norwich City v Arsenal
13 December 1986 19 Norwich City 1–1 Arsenal show Norwich
Hayes pen.'
Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 21,409
Arsenal v Luton Town
20 December 1986 20 Arsenal 3–0 Luton Town show London
Quinn Adams Hayes
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 28,217
Leicester City v Arsenal
26 December 1986 21 Leicester City 1–1 Arsenal show Leicester
Hayes pen.'
Stadium: Filbert Street Attendance: 19,205
Arsenal v Southampton
27 December 1986 22 Arsenal 1–0 Southampton show London
Quinn
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,118
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
4 January 1987 24 Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 Arsenal show London
Adams Davis
Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 37,723
Arsenal v Coventry City
18 January 1987 25 Arsenal 0–0 Coventry City show London
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 17,561
Manchester United v Arsenal
24 January 1987 26 Manchester United 2–0 Arsenal show Manchester
Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 51,367
Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal
14 February 1987 27 Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Arsenal show Sheffield
Quinn
Stadium: Hillsborough Attendance: 24,792
Oxford United v Arsenal
25 February 1987 28 Oxford United 0–0 Arsenal show Oxford
Stadium: Manor Ground Attendance: 13,296
Chelsea v Arsenal
7 March 1987 29 Chelsea 1–0 Arsenal show London
Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 29,301
Arsenal v Liverpool
10 March 1987 30 Arsenal 0–1 Liverpool show London
Rush 20'
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 47,777
Arsenal v Nottingham Forest
17 March 1987 31 Arsenal 0–0 Nottingham Forest show London
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 18,352
Watford v Arsenal
21 March 1987 32 Watford 2–0 Arsenal show Watford
Stadium: Vicarage Road Attendance: 18,172
Arsenal v Everton
28 March 1987 33 Arsenal 0–1 Everton show London
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 36,218
West Ham United v Arsenal
8 April 1987 34 West Ham United 3–1 Arsenal show London
Hayes pen.'
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 26,174
Arsenal v Charlton Athletic
11 April 1987 35 Arsenal 2–1 Charlton Athletic show London
Davis Hayes
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 26,111
Arsenal v Newcastle United
14 April 1987 36 Arsenal 0–1 Newcastle United show London
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 17,353
Arsenal v Leicester City
20 April 1987 38 Arsenal 4–1 Leicester City show London
Hayes pen.' Davis Nicholas
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 18,767
Manchester City v Arsenal
25 April 1987 39 Manchester City 3–0 Arsenal show Manchester
Stadium: Maine Road Attendance: 18,072
Arsenal v Aston Villa
2 May 1987 40 Arsenal 2–1 Aston Villa show London
Hayes pen.'
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 18,463
Queens Park Rangers v Arsenal
4 May 1987 41 Queens Park Rangers 1–4 Arsenal show London
Rix Merson Davis
Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 13,387
Arsenal v Norwich City
9 May 1987 42 Arsenal 1–2 Norwich City show London
Merson
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 24,001
[ ]
Arsenal v Manchester City
28 October 1986 Third round Arsenal 3–1 Manchester City show London
Rocastle Hayes (p) Davis
Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Charlton Athletic
18 November 1986 Fourth round Arsenal 2–0 Charlton Athletic show London
Quinn own goal
Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Nottingham Forest
21 January 1987 Quarter-Final Arsenal 2–0 Nottingham Forest show London
Nicholas Hayes
Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
8 February 1987 Semi-Final (1st Leg) Arsenal 0–1 Tottenham Hotspur show London
Stadium: Highbury
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
1 March 1987 Semi-Final (2nd Leg) Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 (aet) (2–2 agg. ) Arsenal show London
Anderson Quinn
Stadium: White Hart Lane
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
4 March 1987 Semi-Final (replay) Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 Arsenal show London
Allinson Rocastle
Stadium: White Hart Lane
Arsenal v Liverpool
5 April 1987 Final Arsenal 2–1 Liverpool show London
Nicholas (2)
Stadium: Wembley Stadium Attendance: 96,000
FA Cup [ ]
Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Reading .
Reading v Arsenal
10 January 1987 Third round Reading 1–3 Arsenal show Reading
Senior 22'
Nicholas 20' , 52' Hayes 36' (pen. )
Stadium: Elm Park
Arsenal v Plymouth Argyle
Arsenal v Barnsley
21 February 1987 Fifth round Arsenal 2–0 Barnsley show London
Hayes (pen)Nicholas
Stadium: Highbury
Arsenal v Watford
14 March 1987 Sixth round Arsenal 1–3 Watford show London
Allinson 12'
Blissett 23' , 88' Barnes 52'
Stadium: Highbury
Top scorers [ ]
First Division [ ]
References [ ]
External links [ ]
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