Football League Third Division South 1955/56
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Leyton Orient | 46 | 29 | 8 | 9 | 106 | 49 | 2.163 | 66 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 29 | 7 | 10 | 112 | 50 | 2.240 | 65 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Ipswich Town | 46 | 25 | 14 | 7 | 106 | 60 | 1.767 | 64 | - |
| 4th | Southend United | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 88 | 80 | 1.100 | 53 | - |
| 5th | Torquay United | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 86 | 63 | 1.365 | 52 | - |
| 6th | Brentford | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 69 | 66 | 1.045 | 52 | - |
| 7th | Norwich City | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 86 | 82 | 1.049 | 51 | - |
| 8th | Coventry City | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 73 | 60 | 1.217 | 49 | - |
| 9th | Bournemouth & Boscambe Athletic | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 63 | 51 | 1.235 | 48 | - |
| 10th | Gillingham | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 69 | 71 | 0.972 | 48 | - |
| 11th | Northampton Town | 46 | 20 | 7 | 19 | 67 | 71 | 0.944 | 47 | - |
| 12th | Colchester United | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 76 | 81 | 0.938 | 47 | - |
| 13th | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 69 | 66 | 1.045 | 46 | - |
| 14th | Southampton | 46 | 18 | 8 | 20 | 91 | 81 | 1.123 | 44 | - |
| 15th | Aldershot | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 70 | 90 | 0.778 | 40 | - |
| 16th | Exeter City | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 58 | 77 | 0.753 | 40 | - |
| 17th | Reading | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 70 | 79 | 0.886 | 39 | - |
| 18th | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 64 | 86 | 0.744 | 39 | - |
| 19th | Newport County | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 58 | 79 | 0.734 | 39 | - |
| 20th | Walsall | 46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 68 | 84 | 0.810 | 38 | - |
| 21st | Watford | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 52 | 85 | 0.612 | 37 | - |
| 22nd | Millwall | 46 | 15 | 6 | 25 | 83 | 100 | 0.830 | 36 | - |
| 23rd | Crystal Palace | 46 | 12 | 10 | 24 | 54 | 83 | 0.651 | 34 | Re Elected |
| 24th | Swindon Town | 46 | 8 | 14 | 24 | 34 | 78 | 0.436 | 30 | 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 11 non-league clubs. | ||
| Votes | Club | End Result |
| 44 | Crystal Palace | Re Elected to the League |
| 42 | Swindon Town | Re Elected to the League |
| 8 | Peterborough United | Not Elected to the League |
| 1 | Boston United | Not Elected to the League |
| 1 | Gloucester City | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Bedford Town | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Chelmsford City | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Hastings United | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Headington United | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Hereford United | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | King's Lynn | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Worcester City | 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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▼Plymouth Argyle were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
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▲Leyton Orient were Promoted to the Football League Second Division |
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- Crystal Palace were Re-Elected to the League |
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- Swindon Town were Re-Elected to the League |
