Northern Football League
1985/86 Tables◄ 1986/87 Tables ►1987/88 Tables
Northern League Division 1 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Blyth Spartans | 38 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 87 | 36 | +51 | 94 | Champions |
| 2nd | Bishop Auckland | 38 | 26 | 2 | 10 | 96 | 42 | +54 | 80 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Spennymoor United | 38 | 20 | 13 | 5 | 89 | 41 | +48 | 73 | - |
| 4th | Newcastle Blue Star | 38 | 20 | 11 | 7 | 74 | 34 | +40 | 71 | - |
| 5th | Whitley Bay | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 74 | 53 | +21 | 66 | - |
| 6th | North Shields | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 65 | 47 | +18 | 64 | - |
| 7th | Gretna | 38 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 73 | 57 | +16 | 61 | - |
| 8th | South Bank | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 59 | 38 | +23 | 60 | - |
| 9th | Tow Law Town | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 50 | 57 | -7 | 55 | - |
| 10th | Easington Colliery | 38 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 59 | 59 | 0 | 53 | - |
| 11th | Whitby Town | 38 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 56 | 63 | -7 | 52 | - |
| 12th | Brandon United | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 55 | 64 | -9 | 47 | - |
| 13th | Consett | 38 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 46 | 72 | -26 | 47 | - |
| 14th | Ryhope Community Association | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 47 | 64 | -17 | 42 | - |
| 15th | Hartlepool United Reserves | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 41 | 59 | -18 | 40 | Resigned |
| 16th | Chester-le-Street Town | 38 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 37 | 66 | -29 | 35 | - |
| 17th | Crook Town | 38 | 9 | 5 | 24 | 47 | 85 | -38 | 32 | - |
| 18th | Ferryhill Athletic | 38 | 7 | 9 | 22 | 42 | 80 | -38 | 30 | - |
| 19th | Peterlee Newtown | 38 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 66 | -35 | 28 | ▼Relegated |
| 20th | Bedlington Terriers | 38 | 6 | 4 | 28 | 40 | 87 | -47 | 22 | ▼Relegated |
Northern League Division 2 1986/87
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Billingham Synthonia | 36 | 26 | 9 | 1 | 83 | 34 | +49 | 87 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Guisborough Town | 36 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 87 | 33 | +54 | 79 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Shildon | 36 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 77 | 47 | +30 | 65 | ▲Promoted |
| 4th | Billingham Town | 36 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 70 | 43 | +27 | 60 | - |
| 5th | West Auckland Town | 36 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 56 | 46 | +10 | 58 | - |
| 6th | Alnwick Town | 36 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 45 | 30 | +15 | 56 | - |
| 7th | Stockton | 36 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 65 | 51 | +14 | 56 | - |
| 8th | Norton & Stockton Ancients | 36 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 64 | 47 | +17 | 54 | - |
| 9th | Seaham Colliery Welfare | 36 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 60 | 53 | +7 | 54 | - |
| 10th | Ashington | 36 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 67 | 73 | -6 | 48 | - |
| 11th | Northallerton Town | 36 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 61 | 74 | -13 | 45 | - |
| 12th | Durham City | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 52 | 63 | -11 | 44 | - |
| 13th | Willington | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 53 | 52 | +1 | 43* | * -3 Points |
| 14th | Shotton Comrades | 36 | 8 | 16 | 12 | 52 | 64 | -12 | 37* | * -3 Points |
| 15th | Evenwood Town | 36 | 10 | 7 | 19 | 58 | 70 | -12 | 37 | - |
| 16th | Darlington Cleveland Bridge | 36 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 45 | 81 | -36 | 34 | - |
| 17th | Esh Winning | 36 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 44 | 81 | -37 | 31 | - |
| 18th | Horden Colliery Welfare | 36 | 8 | 6 | 22 | 39 | 79 | -40 | 30 | - |
| 19th | Langley Park | 36 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 41 | 98 | -57 | 21 | = |
Teams Leaving the Northern League
| ▼Hartlepool United Reserves Resigned from the League |
Team Name Changes
| - Seaham Colliery Welfare changed their name to Seaham Red Star |
1985/86 Tables◄ 1986/87 Tables ►1987/88 Tables