Nationwide League Division Three 1996/1997
Historical league standings at 22nd 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 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 39 | 17 | 52 | 39 |
| 2 | Carlisle United | 24 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 38 | 24 | 46 | 38 |
| 3 | Cambridge United | 24 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 36 | 30 | 44 | 36 |
| 4 | Wigan Athletic | 23 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 40 | 26 | 41 | 40 |
| 5 | Chester City | 23 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 27 | 25 | 36 | 27 |
| 6 | Swansea City | 23 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 26 | 35 | 27 |
| 7 | Scunthorpe United | 24 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 |
| 8 | Northampton Town | 24 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 33 | 27 | 34 | 33 |
| 9 | Cardiff City | 22 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 24 | 34 | 26 |
| 10 | Torquay United | 24 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 26 | 26 | 34 | 26 |
| 11 | Colchester United | 24 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 22 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 5 | 35 | 29 | 33 | 35 |
| 12 | Barnet | 23 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 24 | 19 | 32 | 24 |
| 13 | Hull City | 24 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 23 | 26 | 32 | 23 |
| 14 | Lincoln City | 24 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 30 | 36 | 31 | 30 |
| 15 | Scarborough | 23 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| 16 | Rochdale | 23 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| 17 | Hartlepool United | 23 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 28 |
| 18 | Mansfield Town | 23 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 24 | 24 | 28 | 24 |
| 19 | Leyton Orient | 23 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 20 | 28 | 19 |
| 20 | Exeter City | 24 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 23 | 34 | 26 | 23 |
| 21 | Doncaster Rovers | 23 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 25 | 36 | 24 | 25 |
| 22 | Hereford United | 24 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 25 | 35 | 23 | 25 |
| 23 | Darlington | 24 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 27 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 33 | 44 | 22 | 33 |
| 24 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 24 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 21 | 44 | 16 | 21 |
