Football League Second Division 1987/88
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Millwall | 44 | 25 | 7 | 12 | 72 | 52 | +20 | 82 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Aston Villa | 44 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 68 | 41 | +27 | 78 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Middlesbrough | 44 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 63 | 36 | +27 | 78 | ♦▲PO Winners |
| 4th | Bradford City | 44 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 54 | +20 | 77 | ♦Playoffs |
| 5th | Blackburn Rovers | 44 | 21 | 14 | 9 | 68 | 52 | +16 | 77 | ♦Playoffs |
| 6th | Crystal Palace | 44 | 22 | 9 | 13 | 86 | 59 | +27 | 75 | - |
| 7th | Leeds United | 44 | 19 | 12 | 13 | 61 | 51 | +10 | 69 | - |
| 8th | Ipswich Town | 44 | 19 | 9 | 16 | 61 | 52 | +9 | 66 | - |
| 9th | Manchester City | 44 | 19 | 8 | 17 | 80 | 60 | +20 | 65 | - |
| 10th | Oldham Athletic | 44 | 18 | 11 | 15 | 72 | 64 | +8 | 65 | - |
| 11th | Stoke City | 44 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 50 | 57 | -7 | 62 | - |
| 12th | Swindon Town | 44 | 16 | 11 | 17 | 73 | 60 | +13 | 59 | - |
| 13th | Leicester City | 44 | 16 | 11 | 17 | 62 | 61 | +1 | 59 | - |
| 14th | Barnsley | 44 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 61 | 62 | -1 | 57 | - |
| 15th | Hull City | 44 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 54 | 60 | -6 | 57 | - |
| 16th | Plymouth Argyle | 44 | 16 | 8 | 20 | 65 | 67 | -2 | 56 | - |
| 17th | AFC Bournemouth | 44 | 13 | 10 | 21 | 56 | 68 | -12 | 49 | - |
| 18th | Shrewsbury Town | 44 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 42 | 54 | -12 | 49 | - |
| 19th | Birmingham City | 44 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 41 | 66 | -25 | 48 | - |
| 20th | West Bromwich Albion | 44 | 12 | 11 | 21 | 50 | 69 | -19 | 47 | - |
| 21st | Sheffield United | 44 | 13 | 7 | 24 | 45 | 74 | -29 | 46 | ♦▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Reading | 44 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 44 | 70 | -26 | 42 | ▼Relegated |
| 23rd | Huddersfield Town | 44 | 6 | 10 | 28 | 41 | 100 | -59 | 28 | ▼Relegated |
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Football League Division 1/Division 2 - The Playoffs |
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Semi Finals 1st Leg |
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| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| Sun May 15 | Blackburn Rovers | 0-2 | Chelsea |
| Sun May 15 | Bradford City | 2-1 | Middlesbrough |
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Semi Finals 2nd Leg |
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| Wed May 18 | Chelsea | 4-1 | Blackburn Rovers |
| Chelsea won 6-1 on aggregate | |||
| Wed May 18 | Middlesbrough | 2-0 | Bradford City |
| Middlesbrough won 3-2 on aggregate | |||
| Final 1st Leg | |||
| Wed May 25 | Middlesbrough | 2-0 | Chelsea |
| Final 2nd Leg | |||
| Sat June 28 | Chelsea | 1-0 | Middlesbrough |
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Middlesbrough won 2-1 on aggregate |
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End of Season Notes |
| ▼Chelsea were Relegated from the First Division after the Playoffs |
| ▼Portsmouth were Relegated from the First Division |
| ▼Watford were Relegated from the First Division |
| ▼Oxford United were Relegated from the First Division |
| ▲Millwall were Promoted to the First Division |
| ▲Aston Villa were Promoted to the First Division |
| ♦ Chelsea (finished 18th - First Division) Qualified for the Relegation/Promotion Playoffs |
| ♦ Middlesbrough (finished 3rd - Second Division) Qualified for the Relegation/Promotion Playoffs |
| ♦ Bradford City (finished 4th - Second Division) Qualified for the Relegation/Promotion Playoffs |
| ♦ Blackburn Rovers (finished 5th - Second Division) Qualified for the Relegation/Promotion Playoffs |
| ▲Middlesbrough were Promoted to the First Division via the Playoffs |
| ▼Sheffield United were Relegated to the Third Division |
| ▼Reading were Relegated to the Third Division |
| ▼Huddersfield Town were Relegated to the Third Division |
| ▲Sunderland were Promoted from the Third Division |
| ▲Brighton & Hove Albion were Promoted from the Third Division |
| ▲Walsall were Promoted from the Third Division via the Playoffs |