Liverpool were also knocked off top spot in the league. Everton took their second title in three years, this time by a nine-point margin. The big managerial story of the season came in November, when Ron Atkinson’s five-year reign at Old Trafford came to an end. United had won the FA Cup twice and never finished lower than 4th in the league. But witli the championship going to Merseyside with monotonous regularity and a Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final their best effort in Europe, it simply wasn’t good enough. Aberdeen boss Alex Ferguson was appointed. Ferguson had broken the Celtic-Rangers duopoly, winning the Scottish title on three occasions. He had also led die Dons to Cup Winners’ Cup glory in 1983 when they overcame Real Madrid.
Ferguson’s first major signings were Viv Anderson and Brian McClair, in the summer of 1987. United had just ended the season in 11 th place, their worst finish since returning to the top flight in 1975.
Wimbledon’s meteoric rise
Five places above United at the end of the 1986-87 season was Wimbledon. Dave Bassett’s side had gone from nonleague to Division One in nine years, and 6th place in their first season represented a phenomenal achievement. Swansea had done exaedy the same five years earlier, but the Dons would prove to have much more resilience as a top-division side.
For Coventry and Scarborough 1986-87 was a memorable season, albeit at different ends of the footballing scale. Coventry met Spurs in the FA Cup Final. Spurs had never finished on the losing side in their seven previous appearances. Coventry ended diat run and in the process picked up the club’s first major honour. Coventry twice came from behind, their second equaliser a spectacular flying header from Keith Houchen. The winner came in extra-time, when Gary Mabbutt deflected a McGrath cross into his net. Coventry coach John Sdlett did a Wembley jig to rival Nobby Stiles’ effort in 1966.
World History
