Football League Third Division 1987/88
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Sunderland | 46 | 27 | 12 | 7 | 92 | 48 | +44 | 93 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 69 | 47 | +22 | 84 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Walsall | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 68 | 50 | +18 | 82 | ♦▲PO Winners |
| 4th | Notts County | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 82 | 49 | +33 | 81 | ♦Playoffs |
| 5th | Bristol City | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 77 | 62 | +15 | 75 | ♦Playoffs |
| 6th | Northampton Town | 46 | 18 | 19 | 9 | 70 | 51 | +19 | 73 | - |
| 7th | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 70 | 61 | +9 | 72 | - |
| 8th | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 68 | 56 | +12 | 66 | - |
| 9th | Fulham | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 69 | 60 | +9 | 66 | - |
| 10th | Blackpool | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 71 | 62 | +9 | 65 | - |
| 11th | Port Vale | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 58 | 56 | +2 | 65 | - |
| 12th | Brentford | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 53 | 59 | -6 | 62 | - |
| 13th | Gillingham | 46 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 77 | 61 | +16 | 59 | - |
| 14th | Bury | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 58 | 57 | +1 | 59 | - |
| 15th | Chester City | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 51 | 62 | -11 | 58 | - |
| 16th | Preston North End | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 48 | 59 | -11 | 58 | - |
| 17th | Southend United | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 65 | 83 | -18 | 55 | - |
| 18th | Chesterfield | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 41 | 70 | -29 | 55 | - |
| 19th | Mansfield Town | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 48 | 59 | -11 | 54 | - |
| 20th | Aldershot | 46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 64 | 74 | -10 | 53 | - |
| 21st | Rotherham United | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 50 | 66 | -16 | 52 | ♦▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Grimsby Town | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 48 | 58 | -10 | 50 | ▼Relegated |
| 23rd | York City | 46 | 8 | 9 | 29 | 48 | 91 | -43 | 33 | ▼Relegated |
| 24th | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 8 | 9 | 29 | 40 | 84 | -44 | 33 | ▼Relegated |
|
Football League Second/Third Division - The Playoffs |
|||
|
Semi Finals 1st Leg |
|||
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| Sun May 15 | Bristol City | 1-0 | Sheffield United |
| Sun May 15 | Notts County | 1-3 | Walsall |
|
Semi Finals 2nd Leg |
|||
| Wed May 18 | Sheffield United | 1-1 | Bristol City |
| Bristol City Won 2-1 on aggregate | |||
| Wed May 18 | Walsall | 1-1 | Notts County |
| Walsall Won 4-2 on aggregate | |||
| Final 1st Leg | |||
| Wed May 25 | Bristol City | 1-3 | Walsall |
| Final 2nd Leg | |||
| Sat May 28 | Walsall | 0-2 | Bristol City |
|
Aggregate Scores: Walsall 3-3 Bristol City (Walsall won penalty shoot-out 4-2 for the right to stage the Replayed Final) |
|||
| Final Replay | |||
| Mon May 30 | Walsall | 4-0 | Bristol City |
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Reading were Relegated from the Second Division |
| ▼Huddersfield Town Relegated from the Second Division |
| ▲Sunderland were Promoted to the Second Division |
| ▲Brighton & Hove Albion were Promoted to the Second Division |
| ♦ Sheffield United (Second Division) Qualified for Playoffs |
| ♦ Walsall Qualified for Playoffs |
| ♦ Notts County Qualified for Playoffs |
| ♦ Bristol City Qualified for Playoffs |
| ▼Sheffield United were Relegated from the Second Division after the conclusion of the Second Division/Third Division Playoffs |
| ▲Walsall were Promoted to the Second Division via the Playoffs |
| ▼Rotherham United were Relegated to the Fourth Division after the conclusion of the Third Division/Fourth Division Playoffs |
| ▼Grimsby Town were Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| ▼York City were Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| ▼Doncaster Rovers Relegated to the Fourth Division |
| ▲Wolverhampton Wanderers were Promoted from the Fourth Division |
| ▲Cardiff City were Promoted from the Fourth Division |
| ▲Bolton Wanderers were Promoted from the Fourth Division |
| ▲Swansea City were Promoted from the Fourth Division via the Playoffs |