# 1986–87 Carlisle United F.C. season

For the 1986–87 season, Carlisle United F.C. competed in Football League Division Three.

## Results & fixtures
### Football League Third Division
#### League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 20 | York City | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 55 | 79 | −24 | 49 | |
| 21 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 45 | Relegated in play-offs |
| 22 | Carlisle United | 46 | 10 | 8 | 28 | 39 | 78 | −39 | 38 | Relegated |
| 23 | Darlington | 46 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 45 | 77 | −32 | 37 | Relegated |
| 24 | Newport County | 46 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 49 | 86 | −37 | 37 | Relegated |
* ↑ Bolton Wanderers lost in the first round of the play-offs and were thus relegated.

#### Matches

| Match Day | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score |
| 1 | 23 August | Chester City | A | 2–2 |
| 2 | 30 August | York City | H | 2–2 |
| 3 | 6 September | Blackpool | A | 2–1 |
| 4 | 13 September | Walsall | H | 0–3 |
| 5 | 16 September | Brentford | H | 0–0 |
| 6 | 20 September | Bristol City | A | 0–3 |
| 7 | 27 September | Mansfield Town | H | 1–2 |
| 8 | 11 October | Darlington | H | 1–0 |
| 9 | 14 October | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–2 |
| 10 | 18 October | Gillingham | A | 0–1 |
| 11 | 21 October | Bury | H | 2–1 |
| 12 | 25 October | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–0 |
| 13 | 28 October | Newport County | A | 1–1 |
| 14 | 1 November | Wigan Athletic | A | 0–2 |
| 15 | 4 November | Port Vale | H | 2–0 |
| 16 | 8 November | Bournemouth | A | 1–2 |
| 17 | 22 November | Fulham | H | 1–3 |
| 18 | 29 November | Swindon Town | A | 0–2 |
| 19 | 13 December | Chesterfield | A | 2–3 |
| 20 | 21 December | Notts County | H | 0–2 |
| 21 | 26 December | Middlesbrough | A | 0–1 |
| 22 | 27 December | Rotherham United | H | 3–5 |
| 23 | 3 January | Fulham | A | 0–3 |
| 24 | 24 January | Blackpool | H | 3–1 |
| 25 | 3 February | Bolton Wanderers | H | 0–0 |
| 26 | 7 February | Brentford | A | 1–3 |
| 27 | 14 February | Bristol City | H | 1–2 |
| 28 | 21 February | Mansfield Town | A | 0–2 |
| 29 | 28 February | Newport County | H | 2–2 |
| 30 | 3 March | Wigan Athletic | H | 0–2 |
| 31 | 14 March | Gillingham | H | 2–4 |
| 32 | 17 March | Bury | A | 0–0 |
| 33 | 21 March | Darlington | A | 1–0 |
| 34 | 28 March | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–0 |
| 35 | 31 March | York City | A | 0–1 |
| 36 | 4 April | Bournemouth | H | 0–0 |
| 37 | 7 April | Walsall | A | 0–3 |
| 38 | 11 April | Port Vale | A | 1–0 |
| 39 | 18 April | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–2 |
| 40 | 20 April | Middlesbrough | H | 0–1 |
| 41 | 22 April | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–4 |
| 42 | 26 April | Notts County | A | 1–2 |
| 43 | 2 May | Swindon Town | A | 0–3 |
| 44 | 4 May | Rotherham United | A | 1–2 |
| 45 | 6 May | Chester City | H | 0–2 |
| 46 | 9 May | Chesterfield | H | 3–0 |

### Football League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Carlisle United Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| R1 L1 | 2 September | Grimsby Town | H | 1–0 | | |
| R1 L2 | 9 September | Grimsby Town | A | 0–2 | | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Carlisle United Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| R1 | 15 November | Notts County | A | 1–1 | | |
| R1 R | 18 November | Notts County | H | 1–3 | | |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score |
| GS | 8 December | Stockport County | A | 1–0 |
| GS | 16 December | Bury | H | 3–2 |
| R1 | 20 January | Preston North End | H | 1–2 |