Canon Fourth Division 1985/1986
Historical league standings at 22nd December 1985
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Chester City | 22 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 45 | 21 | 44 | 24 |
| 2 | Swindon Town | 22 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 31 | 24 | 43 | 7 |
| 3 | Hartlepool United | 21 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 36 | 28 | 39 | 8 |
| 4 | Mansfield Town | 22 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 40 | 26 | 38 | 14 |
| 5 | Orient | 22 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 38 | 26 | 38 | 12 |
| 6 | Port Vale | 22 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 34 | 16 | 37 | 18 |
| 7 | Southend United | 21 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 36 | 34 | 36 | 2 |
| 8 | Stockport County | 22 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 34 | 33 | 36 | 1 |
| 9 | Rochdale | 20 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 21 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 31 | 29 | 34 | 2 |
| 10 | Northampton Town | 23 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 17 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 51 | 32 | 33 | 19 |
| 11 | Colchester United | 21 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 40 | 35 | 32 | 5 |
| 12 | Burnley | 22 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 2 |
| 13 | Tranmere Rovers | 22 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 47 | 35 | 28 | 12 |
| 14 | Hereford United | 21 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 0 |
| 15 | Aldershot | 23 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 31 | 35 | 28 | -4 |
| 16 | Peterborough United | 22 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 26 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 30 | 35 | 28 | -5 |
| 17 | Exeter City | 21 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 26 | 27 | -3 |
| 18 | Wrexham | 21 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 28 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 29 | 40 | 27 | -11 |
| 19 | Cambridge United | 23 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 22 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 32 | 52 | 22 | -20 |
| 20 | Crewe Alexandra | 21 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 23 | 32 | 21 | -9 |
| 21 | Scunthorpe United | 22 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 22 | 30 | 20 | -8 |
| 22 | Halifax Town | 22 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 28 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 28 | 41 | 19 | -13 |
| 23 | Preston North End | 22 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 29 | 48 | 19 | -19 |
| 24 | Torquay United | 22 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 32 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 53 | 13 | -34 |



