# 1986–87 Norwich City F.C. season

For the 1986–87 season, Norwich City F.C. competed in Football League Division One, following their promotion from Division Two the previous season. They also completed in the FA Cup and Littlewoods Cup and, for the first time, the Full Members Cup.

## Overview

The previous season had seen Norwich promoted back to the top flight as Second Division champions. Nevertheless, many expected them to struggle, especially since a number of players, including England internationals Chris Woods and Dave Watson, had departed the club just prior to the season. Instead, Norwich would be unbeaten in their first four games and, after experiencing their first defeat against Watford, would be unbeaten in the next six games, topping the table in October. Although they would subsequently suffer a 6–2 defeat to Liverpool, they would remain in the top half for the rest of the season, eventually securing fifth place and finishing the season with a 2–1 win over fourth-placed Arsenal. This was Norwich's highest league finish to that point by some distance, beating the tenth-place finish in 1975–76, and would remain so until they finished fourth in 1988–89. However, there would be no European qualification this season, since the ban on English clubs following the Heysel stadium disaster was still in effect.
In addition to the league, Norwich entered three cup competitions but made relatively early exits from both the FA Cup and the Littlewoods Cup. For the first time, they competed in the Full Members Cup, having instead entered the Football League Super Cup the previous season. Here, they reached the semi-finals, one game away from Wembley, only to be eliminated 2–1 by Charlton Athletic after extra-time.

## Squad

    Squad at the end of season (9 May 1987)
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | SCO | Bryan Gunn |
| — | GK | ENG | Graham Benstead |
| — | GK | ENG | Harvey Lim |
| — | GK | ENG | Jon Sheffield |
| — | DF | ENG | Ian Culverhouse |
| — | DF | ENG | Tony Spearing |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Bruce (captain) |
| — | DF | ENG | Ian Butterworth |
| — | DF | ENG | Shaun Elliott |
| — | DF | ENG | Kenny Brown |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil Chapple |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Fensome |
| — | MF | ENG | Mike Phelan |
| — | MF | ENG | Dale Gordon |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Trevor Putney |
| — | MF | ENG | Ian Crook |
| — | MF | WAL | David Williams |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Barham |
| — | MF | ENG | Peter Mendham |
| — | MF | ENG | Ruel Fox |
| — | MF | ENG | Jeremy Goss |
| — | MF | ENG | Garry Brooke |
| — | FW | ENG | Kevin Drinkell (vice-captain) |
| — | FW | ENG | Wayne Biggins |
| — | FW | ENG | Robert Rosario |
| — | FW | ENG | David Hodgson |
| — | FW | ENG | Paul Clayton |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 13 June 1986 | MF | Trevor Putney | Ipswich Town | Exchange |
| 18 June 1986 | MF | Ian Crook | Tottenham Hotspur | £80,000 |
| 18 July 1986 | FW | David Hodgson | Sunderland | Unknown |
| 22 August 1986 | DF | Shaun Elliott | Sunderland | £150,000 |
| 19 September 1986 | DF | Ian Butterworth | Nottingham Forest | £160,000 |
| 15 October 1986 | GK | Bryan Gunn | Aberdeen | Unknown |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 28 May 1986 | FW | John Deehan | Ipswich Town | Exchange |
| 1 July 1986 | GK | Chris Woods | Rangers | £600,000 |
| 18 August 1986 | DF | Dennis van Wijk | Club Brugge | Unknown |
| 18 August 1986 | DF | Paul Haylock | Gillingham | Free |
| 21 August 1986 | DF | Dave Watson | Everton | £900,000 |

### Loans in

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Until | Reference |
| 21 November 1986 | DF | Mark Seagraves | Liverpool | 6 December 1986 | |

## Final table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 68 | 43 | +25 | 71 | Disqualified from the UEFA Cup |
| 4 | Arsenal | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 58 | 35 | +23 | 70 | Disqualified from the UEFA Cup |
| 5 | Norwich City | 42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 53 | 51 | +2 | 68 | |
| 6 | Wimbledon | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 57 | 50 | +7 | 66 | |
| 7 | Luton Town | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 47 | 45 | +2 | 66 | |
* ↑ Arsenal would have qualified as League Cup winners.

## Results
### Division One

* Source:

### FA Cup

* Source:

### Littlewoods Cup

* Source:

### Full Members' Cup

* Source:

## Appearances

| Pos | Player | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | Littlewoods Cup | Littlewoods Cup | Littlewoods Cup | Full Members Cup | Full Members Cup | Full Members Cup | Total | Total | Total |
| Pos | Player | Starts | Sub | Goals | Starts | Sub | Goals | Starts | Sub | Goals | Starts | Sub | Goals | Starts | Subs | Goals |
| Goalkeepers |||||||||||||||||
| GK | Bryan Gunn | 29 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
| GK | Graham Benstead | 13 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders |||||||||||||||||
| RB | Ian Culverhouse | 25 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| LB | Tony Spearing | 39 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
| CB | Steve Bruce | 41 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 0 | 3 |
| CB | Ian Butterworth | 28 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| RB | Kenny Brown | 17 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| CB | Shaun Elliott | 15 | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 2 |
| LB | Mark Seagraves | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders |||||||||||||||||
| CM | Mike Phelan | 40 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 5 |
| CM | Ian Crook | 31 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 3 | 5 |
| AM | Trevor Putney | 20 | 3 | 4 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 4 |
| AM | Dale Gordon | 40 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 1 | 7 |
| CM | David Williams | 12 | 0 | 3 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 14 | 0 | 3 |
| AM | Mark Barham | 11 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 14 | 3 | 3 |
| AM | Peter Mendham | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| AM | Ruel Fox | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| CM | Jeremy Goss | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| AM | Garry Brooke | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Forwards |||||||||||||||||
| ST | Kevin Drinkell | 42 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 53 | 0 | 21 |
| ST | Wayne Biggins | 23 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 10 | 7 |
| ST | Robert Rosario | 25 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 0 | 7 |
| ST | David Hodgson | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
* Source:

## Goalscorers

| Rank | Position | Player | Division One | FA Cup | Littlewoods Cup | Full Members Cup | Total |
| 1 | ST | Kevin Drinkell | 16 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 21 |
| 2 | LW | Dale Gordon | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | ST | Wayne Biggins | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 2 | ST | Robert Rosario | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 3 | CM | Ian Crook | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | CM | Mike Phelan | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | RW | Trevor Putney | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | ST | David Hodgson | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | RW | David Williams | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | CB | Steve Bruce | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | CM | Mark Barham | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | CB | Shaun Elliott | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* Source: