Nationwide League Division Three 1996/1997
Historical league standings at 14th December 1996
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GS |
| 1 | Fulham | 23 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 37 | 17 | 49 | 37 |
| 2 | Carlisle United | 23 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 35 | 22 | 43 | 35 |
| 3 | Cambridge United | 23 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 34 | 28 | 43 | 34 |
| 4 | Wigan Athletic | 22 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 25 | 41 | 40 |
| 5 | Scunthorpe United | 23 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 31 | 34 | 32 |
| 6 | Cardiff City | 21 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 22 | 34 | 25 |
| 7 | Chester City | 22 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 25 | 24 | 33 | 25 |
| 8 | Colchester United | 23 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 33 | 27 | 32 | 33 |
| 9 | Swansea City | 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 25 | 32 | 25 |
| 10 | Barnet | 22 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 17 | 32 | 23 |
| 11 | Northampton Town | 23 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 32 | 27 | 31 | 32 |
| 12 | Lincoln City | 23 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 29 | 34 | 31 | 29 |
| 13 | Torquay United | 23 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 23 | 24 | 31 | 23 |
| 14 | Scarborough | 22 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 |
| 15 | Hull City | 23 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 20 | 25 | 29 | 20 |
| 16 | Rochdale | 22 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 28 |
| 17 | Exeter City | 23 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 32 | 26 | 22 |
| 18 | Hartlepool United | 22 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 29 | 25 | 26 |
| 19 | Mansfield Town | 22 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 22 |
| 20 | Leyton Orient | 22 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 17 |
| 21 | Doncaster Rovers | 22 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 24 | 33 | 24 | 24 |
| 22 | Hereford United | 23 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 25 | 34 | 23 | 25 |
| 23 | Darlington | 23 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 27 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 31 | 41 | 22 | 31 |
| 24 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 23 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 21 | 42 | 16 | 21 |
