| Club: | Leeds United |
| Season: | 1986–87 |
| Chairman: | Leslie Silver |
| Manager: | Billy Bremner |
| Stadium: | Elland Road |
| League: | Second Division |
| League Result: | 4th |
| Cup1: | Play-offs |
| Cup1 Result: | Final |
| Cup2: | FA Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Semi-final |
| Cup3: | League Cup |
| Cup3 Result: | Second round |
| Cup4: | Full Members' Cup |
| Cup4 Result: | First round |
| League Topscorer: | Ian Baird, John Sheridan (15 each) |
| Season Topscorer: | Ian Baird (19) |
| Highest Attendance: | 31,395 vs Charlton Athletic (29 May 1987, Play-offs) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 3,960 vs Bradford City (1 October 1986, Full Members' Cup) |
| Average Attendance: | 31,178 |
| Prevseason: | 1985–86 |
| Nextseason: | 1987–88 |
The 1986–87 season was Leeds United's 60th season in the Football League, and their fifth consecutive season in the Football League Second Division, the second tier of English football, where they finished 4th, qualifying for the Football League Second Division play-offs, where they lost in the final to Charlton Athletic. Alongside the Second Division, the club competed in the FA Cup and the Football League Cup, being eliminated in the semi-finals of the former and the second round of the latter.
Leeds United had played in the second tier of English football since they were relegated in the 1981–82 season.[1] Billy Bremner had been appointed as their manager in October 1985, replacing Eddie Gray.[2] After leading the club to 14th position in the league that season, Bremner made a number of changes to playing staff, including bringing in at least ten players. Along with the fourth-place finish in the league, Bremner oversaw Leeds' run to the semi-final of the 1986–87 FA Cup where they lost to Coventry City F.C.[3]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Blackburn Rovers | Away | 1–2 | Ritchie | 8,346 | ||
| Stoke City | Home | 2–1 | Sheridan, Baird | 13,334 | ||
| Sheffield United | Home | 0–1 | 18,294 | |||
| Barnsley | Away | 1–0 | Baird | 6,839 | ||
| Huddersfield Town | Away | 1–1 | Sheridan | 9,306 | ||
| Reading | Home | 3–2 | Edwards, Ritchie, Buckley | 12,248 | ||
| Bradford City | Away | 0–2 | 13,525 | |||
| Hull City | Home | 3–0 | Ritchie (pen.), Baird, Ormsby | 13,551 | ||
| Plymouth Argyle | Away | 1–1 | Baird | 11,923 | ||
| Crystal Palace | Home | 3–0 | Sheridan (pen.), Ormsby, Edwards | 14,316 | ||
| Portsmouth | Home | 3–1 | Sheridan (pen.), Ritchie, Baird | 21,361 | ||
| Grimsby Town | Away | 0–0 | 7,223 | |||
| Shrewsbury Town | Home | 1–0 | Aspin | 14,966 | ||
| Millwall | Away | 0–1 | 6,869 | |||
| Oldham Athletic | Home | 0–2 | 21,052 | |||
| Birmingham City | Away | 1–2 | Sheridan | 7,836 | ||
| Derby County | Home | 2–0 | Sheridan, Edwards | 19,129 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | Away | 0–3 | 19,853 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Home | 3–1 | Sheridan, Snodin, Baird | 12,014 | ||
| Stoke City | Away | 2–7 | Baird, Sheridan (pen.) | 12,358 | ||
| Sunderland | Home | 1–1 | Bennett (o.g.) | 21,286 | ||
| Oldham Athletic | Away | 1–0 | Ritchie | 8,477 | ||
| Ipswich Town | Away | 0–2 | 14,125 | |||
| Huddersfield Town | Home | 1–1 | Baird | 17,983 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | Home | 0–0 | 14,452 | |||
| Sheffield United | Away | 0–0 | 12,494 | |||
| Barnsley | Home | 2–2 | Baird, Sheridan | 14,216 | ||
| Bradford City | Home | 1–0 | Edwards | 21,802 | ||
| Grimsby Town | Home | 2–0 | Ritchie, Sheridan (pen.) | 14,270 | ||
| Portsmouth | Away | 1–1 | Adams | 13,745 | ||
| Crystal Palace | Away | 0–1 | 8,781 | |||
| Plymouth Argyle | Home | 4–0 | Sheridan, Baird (3) | 18,618 | ||
| Millwall | Home | 2–0 | Baird, Ritchie | 18,304 | ||
| Hull City | Away | 0–0 | 9,531 | |||
| Shrewsbury Town | Away | 2–0 | Sheridan, Pearson | 4,186 | ||
| Ipswich Town | Home | 3–2 | McDonald, Sheridan, Ormsby | 24,839 | ||
| Sunderland | Away | 1–1 | Pearson | 14,725 | ||
| Reading | Away | 1–2 | Pearson | 7,415 | ||
| Birmingham City | Home | 4–0 | Sheridan, Baird (2), Edwards | 19,100 | ||
| Derby County | Away | 1–2 | Ashurst | 20,087 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | Home | 3–2 | Sheridan (pen.), Pearson, Ormsby | 24,688 | ||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Away | 1–0 | Edwards | 8,139 |
See main article: 1987 Football League play-offs and 1987 Football League Second Division play-off Final.
See main article: 1986–87 FA Cup.
| Telford United | Away | 2–1 | Baird (2) | 6,460 | |||
| Swindon Town | Away | 2–1 | Quinn (o.g.), Baird | 14,031 | |||
| Queens Park Rangers | Home | 2–1 | Baird, Ormsby | 31,324 | |||
| Wigan Athletic | Away | 2–0 | Stiles, Adams | 12,479 | |||
| Coventry City | Neutral | 2–3 | Rennie, Edwards | 51,372 |
See main article: 1986–87 Football League Cup.
| Oldham Athletic | Away | 2–3 | Aspin, Taylor | 5,569 | |||
| Oldham Athletic | Home | 0–1 | 11,449 |
See main article: 1986–87 Full Members' Cup.
| First round | Bradford City | Home | 0–1 | 3,960 |