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

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

 ▼Southampton were Relegated from the Football League Second Division

 ▲Bristol Rovers were Promoted to the Football League Second Division

 - Shrewsbury Town were Re-Elected to the League

 - Walsall were Re-Elected to the League