English Third Division 1980/1981
Historical league standings at 27th 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 | 28 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 46 | 22 | 42 | 24 |
| 2 | Barnsley | 29 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 47 | 24 | 41 | 23 |
| 3 | Rotherham United | 31 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 41 | 23 | 39 | 18 |
| 4 | Huddersfield Town | 30 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 46 | 20 | 38 | 26 |
| 5 | Portsmouth | 29 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 4 | 9 | 36 | 27 | 36 | 9 |
| 6 | Burnley | 29 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 41 | 27 | 35 | 14 |
| 7 | Chesterfield | 29 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 43 | 27 | 34 | 16 |
| 8 | Exeter City | 28 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 44 | 37 | 31 | 7 |
| 9 | Plymouth Argyle | 30 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 15 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 40 | 33 | 31 | 7 |
| 10 | Reading | 29 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 40 | 36 | 30 | 4 |
| 11 | Brentford | 31 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 19 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 19 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 36 | 36 | 30 | 0 |
| 12 | Chester | 31 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 11 | 7 | 13 | 25 | 31 | 29 | -6 |
| 13 | Sheffield United | 30 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 29 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 45 | 38 | 28 | 7 |
| 14 | Colchester United | 29 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 26 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 28 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 33 | 40 | 28 | -7 |
| 15 | Walsall | 31 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 30 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 24 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 42 | 52 | 28 | -10 |
| 16 | Millwall | 30 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 32 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 30 | 45 | 27 | -15 |
| 17 | Gillingham | 30 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 27 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 30 | 42 | 26 | -12 |
| 18 | Newport County | 29 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 25 | 9 | 6 | 14 | 38 | 41 | 24 | -3 |
| 19 | Swindon Town | 28 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 22 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 32 | 41 | 24 | -9 |
| 20 | Oxford United | 30 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 21 | 36 | 24 | -15 |
| 21 | Fulham | 29 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 24 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 33 | 43 | 23 | -10 |
| 22 | Blackpool | 29 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 32 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 34 | 52 | 22 | -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 |



