Football League Third Division 1971/72
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Aston Villa | 46 | 32 | 6 | 8 | 85 | 32 | 2.656 | 70 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 27 | 11 | 8 | 82 | 47 | 1.745 | 65 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | AFC Bournemouth | 46 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 73 | 37 | 1.973 | 62 | - |
| 4th | Notts County | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 74 | 44 | 1.682 | 62 | - |
| 5th | Rotherham United | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 69 | 52 | 1.327 | 55 | - |
| 6th | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 75 | 56 | 1.339 | 54 | - |
| 7th | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 51 | 41 | 1.244 | 50 | - |
| 8th | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 74 | 64 | 1.156 | 50 | - |
| 9th | Walsall | 46 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 62 | 57 | 1.088 | 48 | - |
| 10th | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 54 | 57 | 0.947 | 47 | - |
| 11th | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 59 | 63 | 0.937 | 45 | - |
| 12th | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 73 | 65 | 1.123 | 44 | - |
| 13th | Chesterfield | 46 | 18 | 8 | 20 | 57 | 57 | 1.000 | 44 | - |
| 14th | Swansea City | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 46 | 59 | 0.780 | 44 | - |
| 15th | Port Vale | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 43 | 59 | 0.729 | 41 | - |
| 16th | Wrexham | 46 | 16 | 8 | 22 | 59 | 63 | 0.937 | 40 | ♦ECWC |
| 17th | Halifax Town | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 48 | 61 | 0.787 | 38 | - |
| 18th | Rochdale | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 57 | 83 | 0.687 | 37 | - |
| 19th | York City | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 57 | 66 | 0.864 | 36 | - |
| 20th | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 10 | 16 | 20 | 50 | 71 | 0.704 | 36 | - |
| 21st | Mansfield Town | 46 | 8 | 20 | 18 | 41 | 63 | 0.651 | 36 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Barnsley | 46 | 9 | 18 | 19 | 32 | 64 | 0.500 | 36 | ▼Relegated |
| 23rd | Torquay United | 46 | 10 | 12 | 24 | 41 | 69 | 0.594 | 32 | ▼Relegated |
| 24th | Bradford City | 46 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 45 | 77 | 0.584 | 32 | ▼Relegated |
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Charlton Athletic were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
| ▼Watford were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
| ▲Aston Villa were Promoted to the Football League Second Division |
| ▲Brighton & Hove Albion were Promoted to the Football League Second Division |
| ▼Mansfield Town were Relegated to the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▼Barnsley were Relegated to the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▼Torquay United were Relegated to the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▼Bradford City Relegated to the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▲Grimsby Town were Promoted from the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▲Southend United were Promoted from the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▲Brentford were Promoted from the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▲Scunthorpe United were Promoted from the Football League Fourth Division |