1985/86: Chelsea v West Ham

Football may have been in the doldrums in England during a troubled time for the sport, but there could be no doubting that on the pitch the excitement provided by the 1985/86 title race was a welcome distraction. A glance at the Division One table at the end of March reveals that six clubs still held hopes of claiming championship glory.

Two of the contenders would meet during the Easter weekend as squeaky bum time neared. Chelsea and West Ham were enjoying fine seasons and, along with Arsenal, were trying to bring the title back to the capital for the first time in 15 years. Their clash at Stamford Bridge was a potential title eliminator, especially for the visitors.

West Ham: The Boys of '86

West Ham are currently chasing a place in the Champions League. But they have a long way to go to match the excitement of their 1985/86 season.

It may have settled many a pub argument amongst players and supporters alike, but surely there is more to football than purely "medals on the table". As Rob Smyth points out in this brilliant article on the Danish national team of the 1980s: "Winning is for losers. Many of life's more interesting stories focus on those who didn't quite make it."

West Ham United may not have won any trophies in 1985/86. But the achievements of John Lyall's squad are still rightly celebrated at the club. No other West Ham league season has touched the heights of the 1985/86 campaign; the Boys of '86 were this close to lifting the Division One title.

1987/88: Celtic's glorious centenary season

The relationship involving Billy McNeill and Celtic Football Club was always destined to be a marriage made in heaven. The captain of the Lisbon Lions, McNeill then went on to enjoy a successful spell as manager, winning three League titles and a Scottish Cup and League Cup between 1978-1983.

1987: Rangers 2 Celtic 2

There are some football matches from the distant past that still leave you breathless when you watch them on YouTube. Matches played out in front of packed terraces, the atmosphere incomprehensible in relation to the sanitised experience of today, with both sets of players flying into tackles, as if their lives depended on it.

The 1985 FA Cup semi-final clashes between Manchester United and Liverpool are a prime example of this. Another is the Old Firm derby of October 17, 1987. An afternoon dripping in tension, the match alone was full of drama, passion, and controversy. Yet for four men involved, the consequences of their actions on that famous Saturday would rumble on for months to come.