Football League Third Division 1982/83
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Portsmouth | 46 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 74 | 41 | +33 | 91 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Cardiff City | 46 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 76 | 50 | +26 | 86 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 84 | 49 | +35 | 82 | ▲Promoted |
| 4th | Newport County | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 76 | 54 | +22 | 78 | - |
| 5th | Oxford United | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 71 | 53 | +18 | 78 | - |
| 6th | Lincoln City | 46 | 23 | 7 | 16 | 77 | 51 | +26 | 76 | - |
| 7th | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 84 | 58 | +26 | 75 | - |
| 8th | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | 61 | 66 | -5 | 65 | - |
| 9th | Brentford | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 88 | 77 | +11 | 64 | - |
| 10th | Walsall | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 64 | 63 | +1 | 64 | - |
| 11th | Sheffield United | 46 | 19 | 7 | 20 | 62 | 64 | -2 | 64 | - |
| 12th | Bradford City | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 68 | 69 | -1 | 61 | - |
| 13th | Gillingham | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 58 | 59 | -1 | 61 | - |
| 14th | AFC Bournemouth | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 59 | 68 | -9 | 61 | - |
| 15th | Southend United | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 66 | 65 | +1 | 59 | - |
| 16th | Preston North End | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 60 | 69 | -9 | 58 | - |
| 17th | Millwall | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 64 | 77 | -13 | 55 | - |
| 18th | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 60 | 72 | -12 | 54 | - |
| 19th | Exeter City | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 81 | 104 | -23 | 54 | - |
| 20th | Orient | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 64 | 88 | -24 | 54 | - |
| 21st | Reading | 46 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 64 | 79 | -15 | 53 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Wrexham | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 56 | 76 | -20 | 51 | ▼Relegated |
| 23rd | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 9 | 11 | 26 | 57 | 97 | -40 | 38 | ▼Relegated |
| 24th | Chesterfield | 46 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 43 | 68 | -25 | 37 | ▼Relegated |
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Rotherham United were Relegated from the Second Division |
| ▼Burnley were Relegated from the Second Division |
| ▼Bolton Wanderers were Relegated from the Second Division |
| ▲Portsmouth were Promoted to the Second Division |
| ▲Cardiff City were Promoted to the Second Division |
| ▲Huddersfield Town were Promoted to the Second Division |
| ▼Reading were Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| ▼Wrexham were Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| ▼Doncaster Rovers were Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| ▼Chesterfield Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| ▲Wimbledon were Promoted from the Fourth Division |
| ▲Hull City were Promoted from the Fourth Division |
| ▲Port Vale were Promoted from the Fourth Division |
| ▲Scunthorpe United were Promoted from the Fourth Division |