English Third Division 1980/1981
Historical league standings at 21st 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 | 43 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 41 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 13 | 7 | 59 | 28 | 59 | 31 |
| 2 | Barnsley | 43 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 41 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 26 | 25 | 19 | 17 | 7 | 67 | 43 | 55 | 24 |
| 3 | Charlton Athletic | 44 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 34 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 25 | 26 | 23 | 9 | 12 | 59 | 42 | 55 | 17 |
| 4 | Huddersfield Town | 44 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 36 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 29 | 28 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 65 | 37 | 52 | 28 |
| 5 | Portsmouth | 44 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 34 | 17 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 28 | 21 | 9 | 14 | 53 | 45 | 51 | 8 |
| 6 | Chesterfield | 43 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 38 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 28 | 32 | 20 | 10 | 13 | 66 | 46 | 50 | 20 |
| 7 | Plymouth Argyle | 44 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 33 | 17 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 20 | 24 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 53 | 41 | 50 | 12 |
| 8 | Burnley | 44 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 22 | 25 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 58 | 45 | 49 | 13 |
| 9 | Brentford | 44 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 28 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 22 | 24 | 13 | 18 | 13 | 50 | 48 | 44 | 2 |
| 10 | Exeter City | 43 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 34 | 28 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 35 | 16 | 11 | 16 | 60 | 63 | 43 | -3 |
| 11 | Fulham | 44 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 27 | 27 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 31 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 54 | 58 | 43 | -4 |
| 12 | Reading | 43 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 36 | 16 | 10 | 17 | 56 | 58 | 42 | -2 |
| 13 | Millwall | 44 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 30 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 13 | 38 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 43 | 57 | 42 | -14 |
| 14 | Carlisle United | 43 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 31 | 27 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 24 | 36 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 55 | 63 | 41 | -8 |
| 15 | Swindon Town | 44 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 35 | 27 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 27 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 50 | 54 | 40 | -4 |
| 16 | Chester | 43 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 27 | 15 | 10 | 18 | 35 | 43 | 40 | -8 |
| 17 | Oxford United | 44 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 37 | 46 | 40 | -9 |
| 18 | Gillingham | 44 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 24 | 37 | 11 | 18 | 15 | 45 | 55 | 40 | -10 |
| 19 | Sheffield United | 44 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 38 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 42 | 14 | 11 | 19 | 64 | 61 | 39 | 3 |
| 20 | Newport County | 42 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 33 | 22 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 32 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 57 | 54 | 39 | 3 |
| 21 | Walsall | 44 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 41 | 42 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 31 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 56 | 73 | 37 | -17 |
| 22 | Colchester United | 44 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 34 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 10 | 42 | 13 | 11 | 20 | 44 | 64 | 37 | -20 |
| 23 | Blackpool | 44 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 28 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 47 | 8 | 13 | 23 | 44 | 75 | 29 | -31 |
| 24 | Hull City | 43 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 20 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 47 | 7 | 15 | 21 | 36 | 67 | 29 | -31 |



