| Date | Opponent | Score | Att. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 August 1952 | Home | Torquay United | League | 3–1 | W | 8500 | → |
| 27 August 1952 | Away | Swindon Town | League | 3–1 | W | 14276 | → |
| 30 August 1952 | Away | Northampton Town | League | 3–4 | L | 13928 | → |
| 2 September 1952 | Home | Swindon Town | League | 3–0 | W | 10500 | → |
| 6 September 1952 | Home | Leyton Orient | League | 1–0 | W | 14200 | → |
| 9 September 1952 | Home | Brighton + H.A. | League | 1–2 | L | 13200 | → |
| 13 September 1952 | Away | Ipswich Town | League | 0–0 | D | 11200 | → |
| 17 September 1952 | Away | Brighton + H.A. | League | 2–2 | D | 17000 | → |
| 20 September 1952 | Home | Reading | League | 3–1 | W | 15300 | → |
| 23 September 1952 | Home | Millwall | League | 2–1 | W | 14000 | → |
| 27 September 1952 | Away | Bournemouth + BA | League | 1–5 | L | 12819 | → |
| 30 September 1952 | Home | Watford | League | 1–0 | W | 6500 | → |
| 4 October 1952 | Away | Q P R | League | 2–3 | L | 14675 | → |
| 11 October 1952 | Home | Aldershot | League | 1–1 | D | 12500 | → |
| 18 October 1952 | Away | Colchester United | League | 3–3 | D | 10589 | → |
| 25 October 1952 | Home | Norwich City | League | 1–2 | L | 15500 | → |
| 1 November 1952 | Away | Coventry City | League | 1–2 | L | 12623 | → |
| 8 November 1952 | Home | Exeter City | League | 1–1 | D | 9500 | → |
| 15 November 1952 | Away | Bristol Rovers | League | 1–2 | L | 20227 | → |
| 22 November 1952 | Away | Bath City | FA Cup | 1–3 | L | 16000 | → |
| 29 November 1952 | Away | Gillingham | League | 1–1 | D | 11537 | → |
| 6 December 1952 | Home | Walsall | League | 2–1 | W | 8000 | → |
| 13 December 1952 | Away | Shrewsbury Town | League | 1–7 | L | 6095 | → |
| 20 December 1952 | Away | Torquay United | League | 2–4 | L | 6559 | → |
| 26 December 1952 | Away | Bristol City | League | 0–5 | L | 30100 | → |
| 3 January 1953 | Home | Northampton Town | League | 3–1 | W | 7000 | → |
| 15 January 1953 | Away | Newport County | League | 1–0 | W | 3000 | → |
| 17 January 1953 | Away | Leyton Orient | League | 0–3 | L | 9178 | → |
| 24 January 1953 | Home | Ipswich Town | League | 2–0 | W | 6500 | → |
| 31 January 1953 | Home | Newport County | League | 1–0 | W | 6000 | → |
| 7 February 1953 | Away | Reading | League | 0–1 | L | 13197 | → |
| 14 February 1953 | Home | Bournemouth + BA | League | 0–0 | D | 6000 | → |
| 21 February 1953 | Home | Q P R | League | 2–0 | W | 12000 | → |
| 28 February 1953 | Away | Aldershot | League | 1–1 | D | 6852 | → |
| 7 March 1953 | Home | Colchester United | League | 4–0 | W | 10250 | → |
| 14 March 1953 | Away | Norwich City | League | 1–3 | L | 16890 | → |
| 21 March 1953 | Home | Coventry City | League | 1–0 | W | 10000 | → |
| 28 March 1953 | Away | Exeter City | League | 2–0 | W | 7000 | → |
| 3 April 1953 | Home | Crystal Palace | League | 2–2 | D | 13000 | → |
| 4 April 1953 | Home | Bristol Rovers | League | 2–1 | W | 16000 | → |
| 6 April 1953 | Away | Crystal Palace | League | 0–0 | D | 12845 | → |
| 11 April 1953 | Away | Millwall | League | 1–4 | L | 21564 | → |
| 18 April 1953 | Home | Gillingham | League | 3–1 | W | 7390 | → |
| 23 April 1953 | Away | Watford | League | 1–1 | D | 10042 | → |
| 25 April 1953 | Away | Walsall | League | 1–1 | D | 5044 | → |
| 29 April 1953 | Home | Bristol City | League | 0–4 | L | 7500 | → |
| 2 May 1953 | Home | Shrewsbury Town | League | 2–2 | D | 3000 | → |
| 14 May 1953 | Away | Lens F C | Tour | 4–3 | W | 0 | → |
| 17 May 1953 | Away | C A Montreuil | Tour | 0–0 | D | 0 | → |
| 20 May 1953 | Away | Angers F C | Tour | 2–2 | D | 0 | → |
| 24 May 1953 | Away | Racing Club Malines | Tour | 4–0 | W | 0 | → |