Football League
Division 3
1997/98
(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 | 
Notts
County |
46 | 29 | 12 | 5 | 82 | 43 | +39 | 99 | ▲Champions |
| 2nd |
Macclesfield
Town |
46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 63 | 44 | +19 | 82 | ▲Runners Up |
| 3rd |
Lincoln
City |
46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 60 | 51 | +9 | 75 | ▲Promoted |
| 4th |
Colchester
United |
46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 72 | 60 | +12 | 74 | ♦▲PO Winners |
| 5th | Torquay
United |
46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 68 | 59 | +9 | 74 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 6th | Scarborough |
46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 67 | 58 | +9 | 72 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 7th | Barnet |
46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 61 | 51 | +10 | 70 | ♦►Playoffs |
| 8th | Scunthorpe
United |
46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 69 | - |
| 9th | Rotherham
United |
46 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 67 | 61 | +6 | 67 | - |
| 10th | Peterborough
United |
46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 63 | 51 | +12 | 67 | - |
| 11th | Leyton
Orient |
46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 62 | 47 | +15 | 66* | * -3 Points |
| 12th | Mansfield
Town |
46 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 64 | 55 | +9 | 65 | - |
| 13th | Shrewsbury
Town |
46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 61 | 62 | -1 | 61 | - |
| 14th | Chester
City |
46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 60 | 61 | -1 | 61 | - |
| 15th | Exeter
City |
46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 68 | 63 | +5 | 60 | - |
| 16th | Cambridge
United |
46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 63 | 57 | +6 | 60 | - |
| 17th | Hartlepool
United |
46 | 12 | 23 | 11 | 61 | 53 | +8 | 59 | - |
| 18th | Rochdale |
46 | 17 | 7 | 22 | 56 | 55 | +1 | 58 | - |
| 19th | Darlington |
46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 56 | 72 | -16 | 54 | - |
| 20th | Swansea
City |
46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 49 | 62 | -13 | 50 | - |
| 21st | Cardiff
City |
46 | 9 | 23 | 14 | 48 | 52 | -4 | 50 | - |
| 22nd | Hull
City |
46 | 11 | 8 | 27 | 56 | 83 | -27 | 41 | - |
| 23rd | Brighton
& Hove Albion |
46 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 38 | 66 | -28 | 35 | - |
| 24th |
Doncaster
Rovers |
46 | 4 | 8 | 34 | 30 | 113 | -83 | 20 | ▼Relegated |
-
|
Football League Division 3 Playoffs |
|||
|
Semi Finals 1st Leg |
|||
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
| 10/05/1998 | Barnet | 1-0 | Colchester United |
| 10/05/1998 | Scarborough | 1-3 | Torquay United |
|
Semi Finals 2nd Leg |
|||
| 13/05/1998 | Colchester United | 3-1 | Barnet |
| Colchester United won 3-2 on aggregate | |||
| 13/05/1998 | Torquay United | 4-1 | Scarborough |
| Torquay United won 7-2 on aggregate | |||
| Final | |||
| 22/05/1998 | Colchester United | 1-0 | Torquay United |
|
End of Season Notes |
| * Leyton Orient were deducted three points as a punishment for fielding suspended players |
| ▼Brentford were Relegated from Football League Division 2 |
| ▼Plymouth Argyle were Relegated from Football League Division 2 |
| ▼Carlisle United were Relegated from Football League Division 2 |
| ▼Southend United were Relegated from Football League Division 2 |
| ▲Notts County were Promoted to Football League Division 2 |
| ▲Macclesfield Town were Promoted to Football League Division 2 |
| ▲Lincoln City were Promoted to Football League Division 2 |
| ♦► Colchester United Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦► Torquay United Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦► Scarborough Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦► Barnet Qualified for the Playoffs |
| ♦▲Colchester United were Promoted to Football League Division 2 via the Playoffs |
| ▼Doncaster Rovers were Relegated to the Football Conference |
| ▲Halifax Town were Promoted from the Football Conference |