English Third Division 1980/1981
Historical league standings at 28th April 1981
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Rotherham United | 45 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 41 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 13 | 9 | 60 | 31 | 59 | 29 |
| 2 | Barnsley | 45 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 42 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 26 | 26 | 20 | 17 | 8 | 68 | 44 | 57 | 24 |
| 3 | Charlton Athletic | 45 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 34 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 9 | 12 | 61 | 43 | 57 | 18 |
| 4 | Huddersfield Town | 45 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 36 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 31 | 29 | 20 | 14 | 11 | 67 | 38 | 54 | 29 |
| 5 | Plymouth Argyle | 45 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 18 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 20 | 24 | 19 | 14 | 12 | 55 | 42 | 52 | 13 |
| 6 | Portsmouth | 45 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 28 | 21 | 9 | 15 | 54 | 47 | 51 | 7 |
| 7 | Chesterfield | 43 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 38 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 28 | 32 | 20 | 10 | 13 | 66 | 46 | 50 | 20 |
| 8 | Burnley | 45 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 27 | 18 | 13 | 14 | 59 | 47 | 49 | 12 |
| 9 | Brentford | 45 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 30 | 25 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 22 | 24 | 14 | 18 | 13 | 52 | 49 | 46 | 3 |
| 10 | Reading | 44 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 37 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 21 | 37 | 17 | 10 | 17 | 58 | 59 | 44 | -1 |
| 11 | Exeter City | 43 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 34 | 28 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 35 | 16 | 11 | 16 | 60 | 63 | 43 | -3 |
| 12 | Fulham | 45 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 29 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 31 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 55 | 60 | 43 | -5 |
| 13 | Gillingham | 45 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 19 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 24 | 37 | 12 | 18 | 15 | 47 | 56 | 42 | -9 |
| 14 | Millwall | 44 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 30 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 13 | 38 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 43 | 57 | 42 | -14 |
| 15 | Newport County | 43 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 34 | 22 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 32 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 58 | 54 | 41 | 4 |
| 16 | Carlisle United | 44 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 32 | 29 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 24 | 36 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 56 | 65 | 41 | -9 |
| 17 | Sheffield United | 45 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 38 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 27 | 43 | 14 | 12 | 19 | 65 | 62 | 40 | 3 |
| 18 | Swindon Town | 45 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 35 | 27 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 29 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 51 | 56 | 40 | -5 |
| 19 | Oxford United | 44 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 37 | 46 | 40 | -9 |
| 20 | Chester | 44 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 29 | 15 | 10 | 19 | 36 | 45 | 40 | -9 |
| 21 | Walsall | 45 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 43 | 43 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 31 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 58 | 74 | 39 | -16 |
| 22 | Colchester United | 45 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 34 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 10 | 43 | 13 | 11 | 21 | 44 | 65 | 37 | -21 |
| 23 | Blackpool | 45 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 47 | 9 | 13 | 23 | 45 | 75 | 31 | -30 |
| 24 | Hull City | 44 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 20 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 47 | 7 | 16 | 21 | 37 | 68 | 30 | -31 |



