# 1985–86 Reading F.C. season

During the 1985–86 English football season, Reading F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division where they finished in 1st position with 94 points. Reading set a new league record during the season for the most consecutive wins from the start of a season (13).

## Squad

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 | ENG | Gary Westwood |
| -- | DF | ENG | Steve Wood |
| -- | DF | WAL | Nigel Stevenson |
| -- | DF | ENG | Steve Richardson |
| -- | DF | ENG | Brian Roberts |
| -- | DF | ENG | Gary Peters |
| -- | DF | ENG | Martin Hicks |
| -- | DF | ENG | Glenn Burvill |
| -- | MF | NIR | Colin Bailie |
| -- | MF | ENG | Jerry Williams |
| -- | MF | ENG | Mark White |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | ENG | Andy Rogers |
| -- | MF | ENG | Sean Reck |
| -- | MF | ENG | Nick Platnauer |
| -- | MF | ENG | Deane Foster |
| -- | MF | ENG | Terry Hurlock |
| -- | MF | ENG | Michael Gilkes |
| -- | MF | ENG | Stuart Beavon |
| -- | FW | SCO | Kevin Bremner |
| -- | FW | ENG | Dean Horrix |
| -- | FW | ENG | Trevor Senior |

## Results

Reading's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Division Three

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers |
| 1 | 17 August 1985 | Blackpool | H | 1–0 | Williams |
| 2 | 24 August 1985 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–0 | Senior |
| 3 | 26 August 1985 | Bristol Rovers | H | 3–2 | Bater (o.g.), Hicks, Horrix |
| 4 | 31 August 1985 | Cardiff City | A | 3–1 | Senior (3) |
| 5 | 7 September 1985 | Walsall | H | 2–1 | Brazier (o.g.), Senior |
| 6 | 14 September 1985 | Rotherham United | A | 2–1 | Rogers, White |
| 7 | 17 September 1985 | Brentford | A | 2–1 | Peters, Senior |
| 8 | 21 September 1985 | Swansea City | H | 2–0 | Horrix, Senior |
| 9 | 28 September 1985 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 1–0 | White |
| 10 | 2 October 1985 | Chesterfield | H | 4–2 | Senior (3), Williams |
| 11 | 5 October 1985 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | Wood |
| 12 | 12 October 1985 | Newport County | A | 2–0 | Beavon, Bremner |
| 13 | 19 October 1985 | Lincoln City | A | 1–0 | Senior |
| 14 | 23 October 1985 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–2 | Bremner, Senior |
| 15 | 26 October 1985 | Bury | A | 1–3 | Rogers |
| 16 | 2 November 1985 | Wigan Athletic | H | 1–0 | Williams |
| 17 | 6 November 1985 | Notts County | H | 3–1 | Bremner (2), Senior |
| 18 | 9 November 1985 | York City | A | 1–0 | Bremner |
| 19 | 23 November 1985 | Darlington | H | 0–2 | |
| 20 | 30 November 1985 | Derby County | A | 1–1 | Gilkes |
| 21 | 14 December 1985 | Bristol City | H | 1–0 | Gilkes |
| 22 | 21 December 1985 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 4–3 | Horrix (pen), Senior (2), Bremner |
| 23 | 26 December 1985 | Bournemouth | A | 1–0 | Horrix |
| 24 | 28 December 1985 | Bristol Rovers | A | 2–0 | Senior, Rogers |
| 25 | 1 January 1986 | Gillingham | H | 1–2 | Horrix |
| 26 | 11 January 1986 | Cardiff City | H | 1–1 | Bremner |
| 27 | 18 January 1986 | Blackpool | A | 0–0 | |
| 28 | 1 February 1986 | Walsall | A | 0–6 | |
| 29 | 22 February 1986 | Swansea City | A | 3–2 | Senior, Beavon (2) |
| 30 | 4 March 1986 | Chesterfield | A | 4–3 | Senior (2), Peters, Williams |
| 31 | 8 March 1986 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | |
| 32 | 12 March 1986 | Lincoln City | H | 0–2 | |
| 33 | 15 March 1986 | Newport County | H | 2–0 | Wood, Hicks |
| 34 | 19 March 1986 | Rotherham United | H | 2–1 | Wood, Senior |
| 35 | 22 March 1986 | Bury | H | 2–0 | Senior, Horrix |
| 36 | 29 March 1986 | Gillingham | A | 0–3 | |
| 37 | 31 March 1986 | Bournemouth | H | 1–2 | Senior |
| 38 | 5 April 1986 | Notts County | A | 0–0 | |
| 39 | 8 April 1986 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 3–2 | Rogers (2), White |
| 40 | 12 April 1986 | York City | H | 0–0 | |
| 41 | 16 April 1986 | Brentford | H | 3–1 | Senior (2), Wood |
| 42 | 19 April 1986 | Darlington | A | 0–0 | |
| 43 | 22 April 1986 | Wigan Athletic | A | 0–1 | |
| 44 | 26 April 1986 | Derby County | H | 1–0 | Senior |
| 45 | 3 May 1986 | Bristol City | A | 0–3 | |
| 46 | 5 May 1986 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 2–0 | Senior (2) |

#### Table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Reading | 46 | 29 | 7 | 10 | 67 | 51 | +16 | 94 | Division Champions, promoted |
| 2 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 88 | 53 | +35 | 87 | Promoted |
| 3 | Derby County | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 80 | 41 | +39 | 84 | Promoted |
| 4 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 82 | 48 | +34 | 83 | |
| 5 | Gillingham | 46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 81 | 54 | +27 | 79 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers |
| R1 | 16 November 1985 | Wealdstone | H | 1–0 | Horrix (pen) |
| R2 | 7 December 1985 | Hereford United | H | 2–0 | Senior, Horrix |
| R3 | 4 January 1986 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–0 | |
| R3 Replay | 13 January 1986 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–1 | Senior (2) |
| R4 | 25 January 1986 | Bury | H | 1–1 | Senior |
| R4 Replay | 28 January 1986 | Bury | A | 0–3 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 21 August 1985 | Bournemouth | H | 1–3 | Rogers |
| R1 2nd Leg | 3 September 1985 | Bournemouth | A | 0–2 | |

### Associate Members Cup

| Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers |
| R1 A | Bournemouth | A | 0–5 | |
| R1 B | Leyton Orient | H | 0–3 | |

## Squad statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division Three | Division Three | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Members Cup | Members Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | GK | ENG | Gary Westwood | 55 | 0 | 46+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Steve Wood | 55 | 4 | 46+0 | 4 | 6+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | WAL | Nigel Stevenson | 3 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Brian Roberts | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Steve Richardson | 38 | 0 | 32+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Gary Peters | 47 | 2 | 41+0 | 2 | 5+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Martin Hicks | 44 | 2 | 34+0 | 2 | 6+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Glenn Burvill | 24 | 0 | 11+5 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Stuart Beavon | 54 | 3 | 44+0 | 3 | 6+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | NIR | Colin Bailie | 34 | 0 | 25+1 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Michael Gilkes | 15 | 2 | 7+2 | 2 | 3+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Terry Hurlock | 16 | 0 | 16+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Deane Foster | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Nick Platnauer | 8 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Sean Reck | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Andy Rogers | 45 | 6 | 40+0 | 5 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Jerry Williams | 37 | 4 | 26+5 | 4 | 3+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Mark White | 27 | 3 | 25+0 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Trevor Senior | 55 | 31 | 46+0 | 27 | 6+0 | 4 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Kevin Bremner | 28 | 7 | 18+4 | 7 | 5+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Dean Horrix | 51 | 8 | 38+3 | 6 | 6+0 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Name | Division Three | FA Cup | League Cup | Members Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | Trevor Senior | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| 2 | FW | Dean Horrix | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 3 | FW | Kevin Bremner | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 4 | MF | Andy Rogers | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | MF | Jerry Williams | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| = | DF | Steve Wood | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | MF | Stuart Beavon | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| = | MF | Mark White | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | MF | Michael Gilkes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| = | DF | Martin Hicks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| = | DF | Gary Peters | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| = | | Own Goal | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| | | TOTALS | 67 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 74 |