English Third Division 1980/1981
Historical league standings at 20th December 1980
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Charlton Athletic | 24 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 41 | 18 | 37 | 23 |
| 2 | Barnsley | 25 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 39 | 21 | 34 | 18 |
| 3 | Burnley | 25 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 34 | 20 | 32 | 14 |
| 4 | Chesterfield | 24 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 41 | 23 | 31 | 18 |
| 5 | Rotherham United | 25 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 21 | 31 | 14 |
| 6 | Huddersfield Town | 25 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 34 | 17 | 30 | 17 |
| 7 | Portsmouth | 23 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 29 | 21 | 29 | 8 |
| 8 | Sheffield United | 25 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 19 | 22 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 44 | 30 | 27 | 14 |
| 9 | Plymouth Argyle | 25 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 34 | 26 | 27 | 8 |
| 10 | Exeter City | 24 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 38 | 32 | 26 | 6 |
| 11 | Reading | 23 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 33 | 31 | 24 | 2 |
| 12 | Chester | 25 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 22 | 24 | -3 |
| 13 | Colchester United | 25 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 26 | 33 | 24 | -7 |
| 14 | Brentford | 25 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 30 | 35 | 22 | -5 |
| 15 | Walsall | 25 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 35 | 42 | 22 | -7 |
| 16 | Newport County | 24 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 19 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 31 | 32 | 21 | -1 |
| 17 | Gillingham | 25 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 25 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 26 | 38 | 21 | -12 |
| 18 | Fulham | 25 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 20 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 27 | 35 | 20 | -8 |
| 19 | Blackpool | 24 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 22 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 26 | 39 | 20 | -13 |
| 20 | Millwall | 24 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 29 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 24 | 41 | 19 | -17 |
| 21 | Swindon Town | 24 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 24 | 39 | 18 | -15 |
| 22 | Oxford United | 25 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 17 | 32 | 17 | -15 |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 24 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 26 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 31 | 47 | 17 | -16 |
| 24 | Hull City | 25 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 31 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 43 | 15 | -23 |
