Football League Third Division South 1956/57
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts | Notes |
| 1st | Ipswich Town | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 101 | 54 | 1.870 | 59 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd | Torquay United | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 89 | 64 | 1.391 | 59 | Runners Up |
| 3rd | Colchester United | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 84 | 56 | 1.500 | 58 | - |
| 4th | Southampton | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 76 | 52 | 1.462 | 54 | - |
| 5th | Bournemouth & Boscambe Athletic | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 88 | 62 | 1.419 | 52 | - |
| 6th | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 86 | 65 | 1.323 | 52 | - |
| 7th | Southend United | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 73 | 65 | 1.123 | 48 | - |
| 8th | Brentford | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 78 | 76 | 1.026 | 48 | - |
| 9th | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 72 | 79 | 0.911 | 48 | - |
| 10th | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 61 | 60 | 1.017 | 47 | - |
| 11th | Watford | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 72 | 75 | 0.960 | 46 | - |
| 12th | Newport County | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 65 | 62 | 1.048 | 45 | - |
| 13th | Reading | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 80 | 81 | 0.988 | 45 | - |
| 14th | Northampton Town | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 66 | 73 | 0.904 | 45 | - |
| 15th | Walsall | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 80 | 74 | 1.081 | 44 | - |
| 16th | Coventry City | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 74 | 84 | 0.881 | 44 | - |
| 17th | Millwall | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 64 | 84 | 0.762 | 44 | - |
| 18th | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 68 | 73 | 0.932 | 43 | - |
| 19th | Aldershot | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 79 | 92 | 0.859 | 42 | - |
| 20th | Crystal Palace | 46 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 62 | 75 | 0.827 | 40 | - |
| 21st | Exeter City | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 61 | 79 | 0.772 | 37 | - |
| 22nd | Gillingham | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 54 | 85 | 0.635 | 37 | - |
| 23rd | Swindon Town | 46 | 15 | 6 | 25 | 66 | 96 | 0.688 | 36 | Re Elected |
| 24th | Norwich City | 46 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 61 | 94 | 0.649 | 31 | 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 7 non-league clubs. | ||
| Votes | Club | End Result |
| 48 | Norwich City | Re Elected to the League |
| 42 | Swindon Town | Re Elected to the League |
| 7 | Peterborough United | Not Elected to the League |
| 1 | Bedford Town | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Headington United | Not Elected to the League |
| 0 | Kettering Town | 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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▼Port Vale were Relegated from the Football League Second Division |
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▲Ipswich Town were Promoted to the Football League Second Division |
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- Swindon Town were Re-Elected to the League |
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- Norwich City were Re-Elected to the League |
