For the 1985–86 season, Norwich City F.C. competed in Football League Division Two, following their relegation from Division One the previous season. They also completed in the FA Cup and Milk Cup as well as the first, and ultimately only, staging of the Screen Sport Super Cup.

Overview The previous season saw Norwich relegated back to the Second Division after three seasons in the top flight, a loss only slightly mitigated by them winning the Milk Cup. Norwich had a slow start to the season that saw them lose their first three away games, but things steadily improved and, after losing to Wimbledon in October, they would go unbeaten in the league for eighteen games, until they played Wimbledon again in March. In December, they first reached third place, and thus a promotion spot, with a 3–0 win over Blackburn Rovers, then overtook Portsmouth into first place with a 3–1 win over Oldham Athletic in the next game. They would remain top for the remainder of the season, achieving promotion in April with a 2–0 win at Bradford City and guaranteeing top spot with a 1–1 draw against Stoke City in the next game. They would finish a successful league campaign with a 4–0 win at home to Leeds United. They would remain in the top flight for the next nine seasons, still a club record.

Behind the scenes, in November, chairman Sir Arthur South received a challenge from board member Jimmy Jones, who proposed a vote of no confidence over building contracts being awarded to companies that South had an interest in. Instead, South and the board resigned, and a new board was installed headed by Robert Chase, with Jones as vice-chairman.Canary Citizens p.175 Chase would remain in charge of the club until 1996.

Norwich had early exits from both main cup competitions, being knocked out of the FA Cup by Liverpool, who beat them 5–0 in the third round, while their defence of the Milk Cup ended in the fourth round with defeat to eventual winners Oxford United. Norwich had initially qualified for the UEFA Cup as Milk Cup winners but the Heysel stadium disaster led to English club first being withdrawn from European competition by the FA and then banned indefinitely. As compensation, Norwich and the other affected teams were invited to compete in the Screen Sport Super Cup. Norwich qualified from Group 1 with a win and defeat against Everton and two draws against Manchester United, before losing a two-legged semi-final to Liverpool. The second leg, played on 6 May, would be their last game of the season.

Squad Squad at the end of season (6 May 1986)

Transfers In DatePosNameFromFeeReference24 May 1985MFGarry BrookeTottenham HotspurUnknownCanary Citizens p.22430 May 1985MFMike PhelanBurnleyUnknownCanary Citizens p.30930 May 1985MFDavid WilliamsBristol RoversUnknownCanary Citizens p.34714 June 1985FWKevin DrinkellGrimsby TownUnknownCanary Citizens p.2467 October 1985DFIan CulverhouseTottenham HotspurUnknownCanary Citizens p.33914 October 1985FWWayne BigginsBurnleyUnknownCanary Citizens p.218

Out DatePosNameToFeeReference16 July 1985DFGreg DownsCoventry City£40,0001987 Club Directory p.16116 July 1985FWGary RowellMiddlesbrough£25,000Canary Citizens p.3901987 Club Directory p.31119 July 1985FWMark FarringtonCardiff CityUnknownCanary Citizens p.25225 July 1985MFAsa HartfordBolton WanderersFreeCanary Citizens p.2661987 Club Directory p.5913 August 1985MFMike ChannonPortsmouthUnknownCanary Citizens p.23115 August 1985FWDavid FaircloughOldham AthleticUnknownCanary Citizens p.25125 November 1985MFJohn DevineStoke CityUnknownCanarty Citizens p.24410 February 1986MFLouie DonowaReal Deportivo de La CoruñaUnknown20 March 1986FWJon RigbyAldershotUnknownCanary Citizens p.317

Loans out DatePosNameToUntilReference13 December 1985FWRobert RosarioWolverhampton WanderersEnd of season23 December 1985MFLouie DonowaStoke City31 January 1985

Final table

Results Division Two

Source:Norwich City: The Modern Era p.202-205

FA Cup

Source:Norwich City: The Modern Era p.206

Milk Cup

Source:

Screen Sport Super Cup

Source:1987 Club Directory p.338–339

Appearances Player League FA Cup Milk Cup Screen Sport Super Cup Total Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals Starts Subs Goals Goalkeepers GK Chris Woods 42 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 6 0 0 53 0 0 Defenders RB Ian Culverhouse 30 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 5 0 0 39 0 0 LB Dennis van Wijk 27 2 1 1 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 0 35 2 1 CB Steve Bruce 42 0 8 1 0 0 4 0 2 6 0 0 53 0 10 CB Dave Watson 42 0 3 1 0 0 3 0 0 5 0 0 51 0 3 RB Paul Haylock 12 0 1 – – – 1 0 0 1 1 0 14 1 1 LB Tony Spearing 7 1 0 – – – 1 0 0 1 0 0 9 1 0 Midfielders CM Mike Phelan 42 0 3 1 0 0 4 0 0 6 0 0 53 0 3 AM Peter Mendham 35 0 8 1 0 0 4 0 1 5 0 1 45 0 10 RW Mark Barham 35 0 9 1 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 0 45 0 9 LW David Williams 37 2 8 1 0 0 3 0 0 6 0 1 47 2 9 AM Garry Brooke 8 5 2 – – – 1 1 1 1 2 1 10 8 4 AM Dale Gordon 3 3 1 – – – – – – 0 1 0 3 4 1 AM Louie Donowa 0 2 0 – – – – – – – – – 0 2 0 Forwards ST Kevin Drinkell 41 0 22 1 0 0 4 0 1 6 0 1 43 0 24 ST Wayne Biggins 28 0 7 1 0 0 – – – 4 0 1 33 0 8 ST John Deehan 22 4 4 0 1 0 – – – 2 0 0 24 5 4 ST Robert Rosario 8 0 2 – – – 4 0 1 1 0 0 13 0 3 ST Paul Clayton 1 0 0 – – – – – – 1 0 0 2 0 0 Source:Canary Citizens p.429

Goalscorers Rank Position Player Division Two FA Cup Milk Cup Screen Sport Super Cup Total 1 ST Kevin Drinkell 22 0 1 1 24 2 CB Steve Bruce 8 0 2 0 10CM Peter Mendham 8 0 1 1 10 3 RW Mark Barham 9 0 0 0 9 LW David Williams 8 0 0 1 9 4 ST Wayne Biggins 7 0 0 1 8 5 ST/LB John Deehan 4 0 0 0 4 LW Garry Brooke 2 0 1 1 4 6 CM Mike Phelan 3 0 0 0 3 CB Dave Watson 3 0 0 0 3 ST Robert Rosario 2 0 1 0 3 7 RW Dale Gordon 1 0 0 0 1 LB Dennis van Wijk 1 0 0 0 1 RB Paul Haylock 1 0 0 0 1 Own goals 5 0 0 0 5 Source:

References

Bibliography Canary Citizens Centenary Edition: Authors Mike Davage, John Eastwood and Kevan Platt The Football League Club Directory 1987: Editor Tony Williams Norwich City: The Modern Era: Author Rob Hadgraft News of the World Football Annual 1986-87: Editors Bill Bateson and Albert Sewell