English Third Division 1980/1981
Historical league standings at 27th 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 | 26 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 42 | 20 | 38 | 22 |
| 2 | Barnsley | 27 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 42 | 21 | 37 | 21 |
| 3 | Rotherham United | 27 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 40 | 22 | 35 | 18 |
| 4 | Burnley | 27 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 40 | 24 | 34 | 16 |
| 5 | Huddersfield Town | 27 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 41 | 19 | 33 | 22 |
| 6 | Chesterfield | 26 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 42 | 25 | 32 | 17 |
| 7 | Portsmouth | 25 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 29 | 21 | 31 | 8 |
| 8 | Exeter City | 26 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 42 | 34 | 29 | 8 |
| 9 | Sheffield United | 27 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 20 | 24 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 45 | 32 | 28 | 13 |
| 10 | Chester | 27 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 25 | 28 | -1 |
| 11 | Plymouth Argyle | 27 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 34 | 31 | 27 | 3 |
| 12 | Colchester United | 27 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 29 | 36 | 26 | -7 |
| 13 | Reading | 25 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 33 | 32 | 25 | 1 |
| 14 | Brentford | 27 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 32 | 36 | 25 | -4 |
| 15 | Fulham | 27 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 30 | 37 | 23 | -7 |
| 16 | Walsall | 27 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 28 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 37 | 47 | 23 | -10 |
| 17 | Newport County | 26 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 21 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 33 | 36 | 22 | -3 |
| 18 | Swindon Town | 26 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 29 | 39 | 22 | -10 |
| 19 | Millwall | 26 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 30 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 26 | 42 | 22 | -16 |
| 20 | Oxford United | 27 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 21 | -13 |
| 21 | Gillingham | 27 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 27 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 28 | 42 | 21 | -14 |
| 22 | Blackpool | 26 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 26 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 29 | 46 | 20 | -17 |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 26 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 29 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 34 | 52 | 19 | -18 |
| 24 | Hull City | 27 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 36 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 21 | 50 | 15 | -29 |



