Football League Third Division South 1951/52
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 29 | 8 | 9 | 107 | 53 | 2.019 | 66 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Reading | 46 | 29 | 3 | 14 | 112 | 60 | 1.867 | 61 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Norwich City | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 89 | 50 | 1.780 | 61 | - |
| 4th | Millwall | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 74 | 53 | 1.396 | 58 | - |
| 5th | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 87 | 63 | 1.381 | 58 | - |
| 6th | Newport County | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 77 | 76 | 1.013 | 54 | - |
| 7th | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 89 | 53 | 1.679 | 52 | - |
| 8th | Northampton Town | 46 | 22 | 5 | 19 | 93 | 74 | 1.257 | 49 | - |
| 9th | Southend United | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 75 | 66 | 1.136 | 48 | - |
| 10th | Colchester United | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 56 | 77 | 0.727 | 46 | - |
| 11th | Torquay United | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 86 | 98 | 0.878 | 44 | - |
| 12th | Aldershot | 46 | 18 | 8 | 20 | 78 | 89 | 0.876 | 44 | - |
| 13th | Port Vale | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 50 | 66 | 0.758 | 43 | Transferred |
| 14th | Bournemouth & Boscambe Athletic | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 69 | 75 | 0.920 | 42 | - |
| 15th | Bristol City | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 58 | 69 | 0.841 | 42 | - |
| 16th | Swindon Town | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 51 | 68 | 0.750 | 42 | - |
| 17th | Ipswich Town | 46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 63 | 74 | 0.851 | 41 | - |
| 18th | Leyton Orient | 46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 55 | 68 | 0.809 | 41 | - |
| 19th | Crystal Palace | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 61 | 80 | 0.762 | 39 | - |
| 20th | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 62 | 86 | 0.721 | 36 | - |
| 21st | Watford | 46 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 57 | 81 | 0.704 | 36 | - |
| 22nd | Gillingham | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 71 | 81 | 0.877 | 35 | - |
| 23rd | Exeter City | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | 65 | 86 | 0.756 | 35 | Re Elected |
| 24th | Walsall | 46 | 13 | 5 | 28 | 55 | 94 | 0.585 | 31 | Re Elected |
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Election for League Membership |
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| The bottom two clubs were required to seek re-election to the League. They were joined in the vote for membership of the Southern section of the Third Division by 6 non-league clubs. | ||
| Votes | Club | End Result |
| 47 | Exeter City | Re Elected to the League |
| 45 | Walsall | Re Elected to the League |
| 3 | Worcester City | Not Elected to the League |
| 1 | Bath City | Not Elected to the League |
| 1 | Merthyr Tydfil | Not Elected to the League |
| 1 | Peterborough United | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Headington United | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Yeovil Town | Not Elected to the League |
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End of Season Notes |
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▼Coventry City were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
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▼Queens Park Rangers were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
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▲Plymouth Argyle were Promoted to the Football League Second Division |
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- Port Vale Transferred to the Football League Third Division North |
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- Exeter City were Re-Elected to the League |
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- Walsall were Re-Elected to the League |
