1985–86 Aston Villa F.C. season

The 1985–86 English football season was Aston Villa's 87th season in the Football League. Villa competed in the Football League First Division.
There were debuts for Simon Stainrod, Paul Elliott CBE and Steve Hodge.
10 July 1985 – Everton sell striker Andy Gray to Aston Villa for £150,000, six years after he first left Villa Park to sign for Wolves. The departure of Gray from Goodison Park comes despite calls from fans for manager Howard Kendall to retain the striker who played a crucial role in Everton winning three major trophies in his two seasons at the club.
29 November 1985 – Manchester United sign Aston Villa midfielder Colin Gibson for £275,000.
26 March 1986 – The return leg of the under-21 European Championship quarter-final sees England reach the next stage by drawing 1–1 with Denmark at Maine Road, with Aston Villa defender Paul Elliott equalising after the Danes took a 1–0 lead in the first half.

League table

Source:

29 January 1986 – The FA Cup fourth round replays sees Millwall beat Aston Villa 1–0.

8 October 1985 – A Football League Cup second round second leg scoring spree at Villa Park sees Aston Villa beat Exeter City 8–1 to make the aggregate score 12–2 over two legs.
26 November 1985 – League Cup fourth round action sees Aston Villa win 2–1 away to local rivals West Bromwich Albion.
12 February 1986 – The first legs of the League Cup semi-finals are played. Aston Villa draw 2–2 at home with Oxford United while Liverpool suffers a surprise 1–0 defeat at QPR.
12 March 1986 – Oxford United reach the League Cup final for the first time after beating Aston Villa 4–3 on aggregate.