English Third Division 1980/1981
Historical league standings at 10th January 1981
| 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 | 27 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 45 | 22 | 40 | 23 |
| 2 | Barnsley | 28 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 44 | 22 | 39 | 22 |
| 3 | Rotherham United | 29 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 40 | 22 | 37 | 18 |
| 4 | Huddersfield Town | 28 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 45 | 20 | 35 | 25 |
| 5 | Burnley | 28 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 40 | 24 | 35 | 16 |
| 6 | Chesterfield | 27 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 43 | 25 | 34 | 18 |
| 7 | Portsmouth | 26 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 8 | 30 | 21 | 33 | 9 |
| 8 | Reading | 27 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 39 | 33 | 29 | 6 |
| 9 | Exeter City | 27 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 42 | 37 | 29 | 5 |
| 10 | Chester | 29 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 24 | 28 | 29 | -4 |
| 11 | Sheffield United | 29 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 29 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 45 | 37 | 28 | 8 |
| 12 | Colchester United | 28 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 26 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 32 | 38 | 28 | -6 |
| 13 | Plymouth Argyle | 28 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 35 | 33 | 27 | 2 |
| 14 | Brentford | 29 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 32 | 36 | 27 | -4 |
| 15 | Walsall | 29 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 28 | 27 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 40 | 47 | 26 | -7 |
| 16 | Millwall | 28 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 30 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 29 | 43 | 25 | -14 |
| 17 | Newport County | 28 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 25 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 38 | 40 | 24 | -2 |
| 18 | Fulham | 28 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 24 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 31 | 40 | 23 | -9 |
| 19 | Swindon Town | 27 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 19 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 29 | 40 | 22 | -11 |
| 20 | Oxford United | 28 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 22 | -13 |
| 21 | Gillingham | 28 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 27 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 28 | 42 | 22 | -14 |
| 22 | Blackpool | 27 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 29 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 31 | 49 | 20 | -18 |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 27 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 32 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 35 | 55 | 19 | -20 |
| 24 | Hull City | 28 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 39 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 23 | 53 | 15 | -30 |
