Football League Fourth Division 1985/86
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Swindon Town | 46 | 32 | 6 | 8 | 82 | 43 | +39 | 102 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Chester City | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 83 | 50 | +33 | 84 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Mansfield Town | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 74 | 47 | +27 | 81 | ▲Promoted |
| 4th | Port Vale | 46 | 21 | 16 | 9 | 67 | 37 | +30 | 79 | ▲Promoted |
| 5th | Orient | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 79 | 64 | +15 | 72 | - |
| 6th | Colchester United | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 88 | 63 | +25 | 70 | - |
| 7th | Hartlepool United | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 68 | 67 | +1 | 70 | - |
| 8th | Northampton Town | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 79 | 58 | +21 | 64 | - |
| 9th | Southend United | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 69 | 67 | +2 | 64 | - |
| 10th | Hereford United | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 74 | 73 | +1 | 64 | - |
| 11th | Stockport County | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 63 | 71 | -8 | 64 | - |
| 12th | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 54 | 61 | -7 | 63 | - |
| 13th | Wrexham | 46 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 68 | 80 | -12 | 60 | - |
| 14th | Burnley | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 60 | 65 | -5 | 59 | - |
| 15th | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 50 | 55 | -5 | 59 | - |
| 16th | Aldershot | 46 | 17 | 7 | 22 | 66 | 74 | -8 | 58 | - |
| 17th | Peterborough United | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 52 | 64 | -12 | 56 | - |
| 18th | Rochdale | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 57 | 77 | -20 | 55 | - |
| 19th | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 74 | 73 | +1 | 54 | - |
| 20th | Halifax Town | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 60 | 71 | -11 | 54 | - |
| 21st | Exeter City | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 47 | 59 | -12 | 54 | Re-Elected |
| 22nd | Cambridge United | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 65 | 80 | -15 | 54 | Re-Elected |
| 23rd | Preston North End | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 54 | 89 | -35 | 43 | Re-Elected |
| 24th | Torquay United | 46 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 43 | 88 | -45 | 37 | Re-Elected |
|
Election for League Membership |
||
| The bottom four league sides faced re-election and were joined in the vote by non-league Enfield for the last ever Election vote needed for league membership. | ||
| Votes | Club | End Result |
| 64 | Exeter City | Re Elected to the league |
| 62.5 | Preston North End | Re Elected to the league |
| 61 | Cambridge United | Re Elected to the league |
| 61 | Torquay United | Re Elected to the league |
| 7.5 | Enfield | Not Elected to the league |
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Lincoln City were relegated from the Third Division |
| ▼Cardiff City were relegated from the Third Division |
| ▼Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated from the Third Division |
| ▼Swansea City were relegated from the Third Division |
| ▲Swindon Town were promoted to the Third Division |
| ▲Chester City were promoted to the Third Division |
| ▲Mansfield Town were promoted to the Third Division |
| ▲Port Vale were promoted to the Third Division |
| ♦ Exeter City were Re-Elected to the League |
| ♦ Cambridge United were Re-Elected to the League |
| ♦ Preston North End were Re-Elected to the League |
| ♦ Torquay United were Re-Elected to the League |
| ♦ With Promotion & Relegation introduced between the Football League and the Conference starting from the next season, the Re-Election vote was the last time it was ever used to decide an election to the League |