# 1986–87 Associate Members' Cup

The 1986–87 Associate Members' Cup, known as the 1986–87 Freight Rover Trophy, was the sixth staging of a secondary football league tournament, and the fourth staging of the Associate Members' Cup, a knock-out competition for English football clubs in the Third Division and the Fourth Division. The winners were Mansfield Town and the runners-up were Bristol City.
The competition began on 24 November 1986 and ended with the final on 24 May 1987 at Wembley Stadium.
In the first round, there were two sections split into eight groups: North and South. In the following rounds each section gradually eliminates teams in knock-out fashion until each has a winning finalist. At this point, the two winning finalists faced each other in the combined final for the honour of the trophy.

## Preliminary round
### Northern Section

Group 1 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Chesterfield | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Middlesbrough | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 24 Nov | Middlesbrough | 3–0 | Doncaster Rovers |
| 2 Dec | Chesterfield | 2–1 | Middlesbrough |
| 9 Dec | Doncaster Rovers | 0–0 | Chesterfield |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Chester City | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| Preston North End | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Crewe Alexandra | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 2 Dec | Crewe Alexandra | 1–2 | Chester City |
| 16 Dec | Chester City | 1–1 | Preston North End |
| 5 Jan | Preston North End | 1–0 | Crewe Alexandra |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Mansfield Town | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Halifax Town | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Rotherham United | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 2 Dec | Mansfield Town | 2–2 | Halifax Town |
| 5 Dec | Halifax Town | 0–0 | Rotherham United |
| 9 Dec | Rotherham United | 1–1 | Mansfield Town |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Lincoln City | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| Scunthorpe United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Hartlepool United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 25 Nov | Lincoln City | 1–0 | Scunthorpe United |
| 2 Dec | Scunthorpe United | 1–0 | Hartlepool United |
| 6 Dec | Hartlepool United | 0–0 | Lincoln City |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Wrexham | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 4 |
| Wigan Athletic | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 25 Nov | Wrexham | 6–1 | Tranmere Rovers |
| 16 Dec | Wigan Athletic | 2–2 | Wrexham |
| 3 Feb | Tranmere Rovers | 2–3 | Wigan Athletic |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| York City | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 4 |
| Rochdale | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Darlington | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 25 Nov | York City | 4–1 | Darlington |
| 2 Dec | Darlington | 2–2 | Rochdale |
| 6 Jan | Rochdale | 1–1 | York City |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Carlisle United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
| Bury | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 |
| Stockport County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 6 Dec | Bury | 3–1 | Stockport County |
| 8 Dec | Stockport County | 0–1 | Carlisle United |
| 16 Dec | Carlisle United | 3–2 | Bury |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| Burnley | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 |
| Blackpool | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 2 Dec | Bolton Wanderers | 1–0 | Blackpool |
| 9 Dec | Blackpool | 2–3 | Burnley |
| 16 Dec | Burnley | 0–2 | Bolton Wanderers |

### Southern Section

Group 1 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Aldershot | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 4 |
| Colchester United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 |
| Peterborough United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 25 Nov | Colchester United | 2–1 | Peterborough United |
| 3 Dec | Peterborough United | 3–3 | Aldershot |
| 9 Dec | Aldershot | 4–2 | Colchester United |
Group 2 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Gillingham | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 6 |
| Northampton Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| Notts County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | −8 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 25 Nov | Notts County | 0–5 | Gillingham |
| 16 Dec | Gillingham | 1–0 | Northampton Town |
| 5 Jan | Northampton Town | 3–0 | Notts County |
Group 3 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Southend United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 6 |
| Fulham | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 3 |
| Cambridge United | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 2 Dec | Cambridge United | 0–4 | Fulham |
| 16 Dec | Southend United | 5–4 | Cambridge United |
| 6 Jan | Fulham | 1–2 | Southend United |
Group 4 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 |
| Bournemouth | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Cardiff City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 2 Dec | Cardiff City | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 16 Dec | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4–3 | Bournemouth |
| 6 Jan | Bournemouth | 1–0 | Cardiff City |
Group 5 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Swansea City | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 4 |
| Walsall | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 3 |
| Torquay United | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 2 Dec | Torquay United | 0–0 | Swansea City |
| 9 Dec | Swansea City | 3–0 | Walsall |
| 16 Dec | Walsall | 1–0 | Torquay United |
Group 6 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Bristol City | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 4 |
| Exeter City | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Bristol Rovers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 26 Nov | Exeter City | 1–1 | Bristol City |
| 16 Dec | Bristol City | 3–0 | Bristol Rovers |
| 7 Jan | Bristol Rovers | 1–1 | Exeter City |
Group 7 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Brentford | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 6 |
| Swindon Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 |
| Leyton Orient | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | −7 | 0 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 9 Dec | Swindon Town | 3–0 | Leyton Orient |
| 15 Dec | Leyton Orient | 1–5 | Brentford |
| 6 Jan | Brentford | 4–2 | Swindon Town |
Group 8 :
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Hereford United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| Port Vale | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Newport County | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 |
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 10 Dec | Hereford United | 4–0 | Newport County |
| 22 Dec | Port Vale | 1–0 | Hereford United |
| 6 Jan | Newport County | 2–1 | Port Vale |