Football League Third Division South 1952/53
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 92 | 46 | 2.000 | 64 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Millwall | 46 | 24 | 14 | 8 | 82 | 44 | 1.864 | 62 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Northampton Town | 46 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 109 | 70 | 1.557 | 62 | - |
| 4th | Norwich City | 46 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 99 | 55 | 1.800 | 60 | - |
| 5th | Bristol City | 46 | 22 | 15 | 9 | 95 | 61 | 1.557 | 59 | - |
| 6th | Coventry City | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 77 | 62 | 1.242 | 50 | - |
| 7th | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 81 | 75 | 1.080 | 50 | - |
| 8th | Southend United | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 69 | 74 | 0.932 | 49 | - |
| 9th | Bournemouth & Boscambe Athletic | 46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 74 | 69 | 1.072 | 47 | - |
| 10th | Watford | 46 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 62 | 63 | 0.984 | 47 | - |
| 11th | Reading | 46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | 69 | 64 | 1.078 | 46 | - |
| 12th | Torquay United | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 87 | 88 | 0.989 | 45 | - |
| 13th | Crystal Palace | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 66 | 82 | 0.805 | 43 | - |
| 14th | Leyton Orient | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 68 | 73 | 0.932 | 42 | - |
| 15th | Newport County | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 70 | 82 | 0.854 | 42 | - |
| 16th | Ipswich Town | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 60 | 69 | 0.870 | 41 | - |
| 17th | Exeter City | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 61 | 71 | 0.859 | 40 | - |
| 18th | Swindon Town | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 64 | 79 | 0.810 | 40 | - |
| 19th | Aldershot | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 61 | 77 | 0.792 | 39 | - |
| 20th | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 61 | 82 | 0.744 | 39 | - |
| 21st | Gillingham | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 55 | 74 | 0.743 | 39 | - |
| 22nd | Colchester United | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 59 | 76 | 0.776 | 38 | - |
| 23rd | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 68 | 91 | 0.747 | 36 | Re Elected |
| 24th | Walsall | 46 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 56 | 118 | 0.475 | 24 | 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 |
| 46 | Shrewsbury Town | Re Elected to the League |
| 41 | Walsall | Re Elected to the League |
| 6 | Peterborough United | Not Elected to the League |
| 2 | Bath City | Not Elected to the League |
| 2 | Yeovil Town | Not Elected to the League |
| 1 | Hereford United | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Headington United | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Worcester City | Not Elected to the League |
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End of Season Notes |
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▼Southampton were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
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▲Bristol Rovers were Promoted to the Football League Second Division |
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- Shrewsbury Town were Re-Elected to the League |
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- Walsall were Re-Elected to the League |
