English Third Division 1977/1978
Historical league standings at 2nd January 1978
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Wrexham | 24 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 42 | 27 | 33 | 15 |
| 2 | Gillingham | 25 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 43 | 33 | 31 | 10 |
| 3 | Tranmere Rovers | 25 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 39 | 23 | 30 | 16 |
| 4 | Cambridge United | 24 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 21 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 41 | 28 | 30 | 13 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 24 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 29 | 20 | 29 | 9 |
| 6 | Peterborough United | 24 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 19 | 16 | 29 | 3 |
| 7 | Shrewsbury Town | 25 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 41 | 32 | 27 | 9 |
| 8 | Colchester United | 24 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 33 | 23 | 26 | 10 |
| 9 | Swindon Town | 24 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 41 | 33 | 26 | 8 |
| 10 | Bury | 24 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 28 | 30 | 26 | -2 |
| 11 | Chesterfield | 24 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 2 |
| 12 | Exeter City | 24 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 29 | 29 | 24 | 0 |
| 13 | Walsall | 24 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 0 |
| 14 | Chester | 24 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 26 | 33 | 24 | -7 |
| 15 | Carlisle United | 24 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 31 | 31 | 23 | 0 |
| 16 | Oxford United | 25 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 29 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 33 | 38 | 22 | -5 |
| 17 | Rotherham United | 24 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 26 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 29 | 38 | 20 | -9 |
| 18 | Port Vale | 24 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 22 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 25 | 35 | 20 | -10 |
| 19 | Plymouth Argyle | 24 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 28 | 34 | 19 | -6 |
| 20 | Lincoln City | 24 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 19 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 26 | 36 | 19 | -10 |
| 21 | Hereford United | 24 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 19 | -10 |
| 22 | Bradford City | 24 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 27 | 39 | 19 | -12 |
| 23 | Portsmouth | 24 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 23 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 26 | 40 | 19 | -14 |
| 24 | Sheffield Wednesday | 24 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 20 | 30 | 17 | -10 |
