Football League Third Division 1970/71
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Preston North End | 46 | 22 | 17 | 7 | 63 | 39 | 1.615 | 61 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Fulham | 46 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 68 | 41 | 1.659 | 60 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd | Halifax Town | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 74 | 55 | 1.345 | 56 | - |
| 4th | Aston Villa | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 54 | 46 | 1.174 | 53 | - |
| 5th | Chesterfield | 46 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 66 | 38 | 1.737 | 51 | - |
| 6th | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 69 | 50 | 1.380 | 51 | - |
| 7th | Mansfield Town | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 64 | 62 | 1.032 | 51 | - |
| 8th | Rotherham United | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 64 | 60 | 1.067 | 50 | - |
| 9th | Wrexham | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 72 | 65 | 1.108 | 49 | - |
| 10th | Torquay United | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 54 | 57 | 0.947 | 49 | - |
| 11th | Swansea City | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 59 | 56 | 1.054 | 46 | - |
| 12th | Barnsley | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 49 | 52 | 0.942 | 45 | - |
| 13th | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 58 | 62 | 0.935 | 45 | - |
| 14th | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 50 | 47 | 1.064 | 44 | - |
| 15th | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 12 | 19 | 15 | 63 | 63 | 1.000 | 43 | - |
| 16th | Rochdale | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 61 | 68 | 0.897 | 43 | - |
| 17th | Port Vale | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 52 | 59 | 0.881 | 42 | - |
| 18th | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 10 | 22 | 14 | 45 | 55 | 0.818 | 42 | - |
| 19th | Bradford City | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 49 | 62 | 0.790 | 40 | - |
| 20th | Walsall | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 51 | 57 | 0.895 | 39 | - |
| 21st | Reading | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 48 | 85 | 0.565 | 39 | ▼Relegated |
| 22nd | Bury | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 52 | 60 | 0.867 | 37 | ▼Relegated |
| 23rd | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | 45 | 66 | 0.682 | 35 | ▼Relegated |
| 24th | Gillingham | 46 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 42 | 67 | 0.627 | 33 | ▼Relegated |
-
|
End of Season Notes |
| ▼Blackburn Rovers were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
| ▼Bolton Wanderers were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
| ▲Preston North End were Promoted to the Football League Second Division |
| ▲Fulham were Promoted to the Football League Second Division |
| ▼Reading were Relegated to the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▼Bury were Relegated to the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▼Doncaster Rovers were Relegated to the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▼Gillingham Relegated to the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▲Notts County were Promoted from the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▲AFC Bournemouth were Promoted from the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▲Oldham Athletic were Promoted from the Football League Fourth Division |
| ▲York City were Promoted from the Football League Fourth Division |