Football League
Division 3
1995/96
(The League used highest goals scored to rank clubs equal on points rather than goal difference)
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st |  Preston
North End |
46 | 23 | 17 | 6 | 78 | 38 | +40 | 86 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Gillingham |
46 | 22 | 17 | 7 | 49 | 20 | +29 | 83 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Bury |
46 | 22 | 13 | 11 | 66 | 48 | +18 | 79 | ▲Promoted |
| 4th | Plymouth
Argyle |
46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 68 | 49 | +19 | 78 | ♦▲PO Winners |
| 5th |
Darlington |
46 | 20 | 18 | 8 | 60 | 42 | +18 | 78 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 6th |
Hereford
United |
46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 65 | 47 | +18 | 74 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 7th |
Colchester
United |
46 | 18 | 18 | 10 | 61 | 51 | +10 | 72 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 8th |
Chester
City |
46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 72 | 53 | +19 | 70 | - |
| 9th |
Barnet |
46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 65 | 45 | +20 | 70 | - |
| 10th |
Wigan
Athletic |
46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 62 | 56 | +6 | 70 | - |
| 11th |
Northampton
Town |
46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 51 | 44 | +7 | 67 | - |
| 12th |
Scunthorpe
United |
46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 67 | 61 | +6 | 60 | - |
| 13th |
Doncaster
Rovers |
46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 49 | 60 | -11 | 59 | - |
| 14th |
Exeter
City |
46 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 46 | 53 | -7 | 57 | - |
| 15th |
Rochdale |
46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 57 | 61 | -4 | 55 | - |
| 16th |
Cambridge
United |
46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 61 | 71 | -10 | 54 | - |
| 17th |
Fulham |
46 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 57 | 63 | -6 | 53 | - |
| 18th |
Lincoln
City |
46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 57 | 73 | -16 | 53 | - |
| 19th |
Mansfield
Town |
46 | 11 | 20 | 15 | 54 | 64 | -10 | 53 | - |
| 20th |
Hartlepool
United |
46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 47 | 67 | -20 | 49 | - |
| 21st |
Leyton
Orient |
46 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 44 | 63 | -19 | 47 | - |
| 22nd |
Cardiff
City |
46 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 41 | 64 | -23 | 45 | - |
| 23rd |
Scarborough |
46 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 39 | 69 | -30 | 40 | - |
| 24th |
Torquay
United |
46 | 5 | 14 | 27 | 30 | 84 | -54 | 29 | *Reprieved |
-
|
Football League Third Division Playoffs |
|||
|
Semi Finals 1st Leg |
|||
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| 12/05/1996 | Colchester United | 1-0 | Plymouth Argyle |
| 12/05/1996 | Hereford United | 1-2 | Darlington |
|
Semi Finals 2nd Leg |
|||
| 15/05/1996 | Plymouth Argyle | 3-1 | Colchester United |
| Plymouth Argyle won 3-2 on aggregate | |||
| 15/05/1996 | Darlington | 2-1 | Hereford United |
| Darlington won 4-2 on aggregate | |||
| Final | |||
| 25/05/1996 | Plymouth Argyle | 1-0 | Darlington |
-
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Carlisle United were Relegated from Football League Division 2 |
| ▼Swansea City were Relegated from Football League Division 2 |
| ▼Brighton & Hove Albion were Relegated from Football League Division 2 |
| ▼Hull City were Relegated from Football League Division 2 |
| ▲Preston North End were Promoted to Football League Division 2 |
| ▲Gillingham were Promoted to Football League Division 2 |
| ▲Bury were Promoted to Football League Division 2 |
| ♦ Plymouth Argyle Qualified for Playoffs |
| ♦ Darlington Qualified for Playoffs |
| ♦ Hereford United Qualified for Playoffs |
| ♦ Colchester United Qualified for Playoffs |
| ♦▲Plymouth Argyle were Promoted to Football League Division 2 via the Playoffs |
| * Torquay United were saved from Relegation to the Vauxhall Conference as Champions Stevenage Borough did not have their ground up to Football League Standards |