| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 83 | 47 | 2 | 62 | pr |
| 2 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 22 | 17 | 7 | 65 | 33 | 2 | 61 | pr |
| 3 | York City | 46 | 21 | 19 | 6 | 67 | 38 | 2 | 61 | pr |
| 4 | Wrexham | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 63 | 43 | 1 | 56 | |
| 5 | Chesterfield | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 55 | 42 | 1 | 56 | |
| 6 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 67 | 50 | 1 | 51 | |
| 7 | Watford | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 64 | 56 | 1 | 50 | |
| 8 | Aldershot | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 65 | 52 | 1 | 49 | |
| 9 | Halifax Town | 46 | 14 | 21 | 11 | 48 | 51 | 1 | 49 | |
| 10 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 56 | 55 | 1 | 47 | |
| 11 | Bournemouth | 46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 54 | 58 | 1 | 47 | |
| 12 | Southend United | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 62 | 62 | 1 | 46 | |
| 13 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 62 | 64 | 1 | 46 | |
| 14 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | 66 | 73 | 1 | 46 | |
| 15 | Walsall | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 57 | 48 | 1 | 45 | |
| 16 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 50 | 44 | 1 | 45 | |
| 17 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 59 | 54 | 1 | 44 | |
| 18 | Hereford United | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 53 | 57 | 1 | 43 | |
| 19 | Brighton + Hove Albion | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 52 | 58 | 1 | 43 | |
| 20 | Port Vale | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 52 | 58 | 1 | 42 | |
| 21 | Cambridge United | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | 48 | 81 | 1 | 35 | r |
| 22 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 41 | 62 | 1 | 31 | r |
| 23 | Southport | 46 | 6 | 16 | 24 | 35 | 82 | 0 | 28 | r |
| 24 | Rochdale | 46 | 2 | 17 | 27 | 38 | 94 | 0 | 21 | r |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Att. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 July 1973 | Away | Airdrieoneans | Tour | 5–1 | W | 0 | → |
| 1 August 1973 | Away | East Fife | Tour | 2–3 | L | 0 | → |
| 4 August 1973 | Away | Volendam | Tour | 2–3 | L | 0 | → |
| 5 August 1973 | Away | Eindhoven, Holland | Tour | 1–2 | L | 0 | → |
| 13 August 1973 | Home | Sheffield Wednesday | Friendly | 0–0 | D | 0 | → |
| 17 August 1973 | Home | Ipswich Town | Friendly | 0–2 | L | 0 | → |
| 22 August 1973 | Away | Harwich + Parkeston | Friendly | 1–4 | L | 0 | → |
| 25 August 1973 | Away | Blackburn Rovers | League | 0–1 | L | 8504 | → |
| 28 August 1973 | Away | Portsmouth | League Cup | 1–2 | L | 9652 | → |
| 31 August 1973 | Home | Watford | League | 2–3 | L | 7583 | → |
| 8 September 1973 | Away | Halifax Town | League | 0–0 | D | 2604 | → |
| 11 September 1973 | Away | Oldham Athletic | League | 0–2 | L | 6038 | → |
| 14 September 1973 | Home | Cambridge United | League | 3–1 | W | 6413 | → |
| 17 September 1973 | Home | Southport | League | 0–1 | L | 4592 | → |
| 22 September 1973 | Away | Port Vale | League | 0–0 | D | 4323 | → |
| 29 September 1973 | Home | Rochdale | League | 1–2 | L | 4860 | → |
| 1 October 1973 | Away | Southport | League | 0–0 | D | 2293 | → |
| 6 October 1973 | Away | Wrexham | League | 1–5 | L | 4220 | → |
| 13 October 1973 | Home | Aldershot | League | 2–1 | W | 3821 | → |
| 19 October 1973 | Home | Hereford United | League | 2–1 | W | 6066 | → |
| 22 October 1973 | Home | Oldham Athletic | League | 2–2 | D | 5537 | → |
| 27 October 1973 | Away | Shrewsbury Town | League | 2–1 | W | 1815 | → |
| 3 November 1973 | Home | Huddersfield Town | League | 5–2 | W | 7032 | → |
| 10 November 1973 | Away | York City | League | 0–1 | L | 8433 | → |
| 14 November 1973 | Away | Chesterfield | League | 0–0 | D | 4087 | → |
| 17 November 1973 | Home | Walsall | League | 2–1 | W | 6235 | → |
| 24 November 1973 | Home | Boreham Wood | FA Cup | 3–0 | W | 6937 | → |
| 1 December 1973 | Home | Tranmere Rovers | League | 1–1 | D | 4760 | → |
| 8 December 1973 | Away | Bristol Rovers | League | 0–4 | L | 10778 | → |
| 15 December 1973 | Home | Reading | FA Cup | 2–0 | W | 5768 | → |
| 22 December 1973 | Away | Rochdale | League | 1–1 | D | 1011 | → |
| 26 December 1973 | Home | Charlton Athletic | League | 2–0 | W | 8888 | → |
| 29 December 1973 | Home | Halifax Town | League | 1–2 | L | 6369 | → |
| 1 January 1974 | Away | Watford | League | 0–1 | L | 8044 | → |
| 5 January 1974 | Away | Peterborough Utd | FA Cup | 1–3 | L | 11661 | → |
| 12 January 1974 | Away | Cambridge United | League | 2–3 | L | 4255 | → |
| 19 January 1974 | Home | Blackburn Rovers | League | 1–1 | D | 5338 | → |
| 25 January 1974 | Away | AFC Bournemouth | League | 3–1 | W | 9676 | → |
| 2 February 1974 | Away | Plymouth Argyle | League | 1–1 | D | 6955 | → |
| 9 February 1974 | Home | Port Vale | League | 1–0 | W | 4187 | → |
| 16 February 1974 | Away | Aldershot | League | 3–3 | D | 6677 | → |
| 24 February 1974 | Home | Wrexham | League | 1–1 | D | 10054 | → |
| 3 March 1974 | Away | Charlton Athletic | League | 1–2 | L | 4449 | → |
| 10 March 1974 | Home | Shrewsbury Town | League | 2–0 | W | 5038 | → |
| 16 March 1974 | Away | Hereford United | League | 2–1 | W | 7138 | → |
| 18 March 1974 | Home | Plymouth Argyle | League | 2–0 | W | 5271 | → |
| 24 March 1974 | Home | York City | League | 3–3 | D | 7025 | → |
| 26 March 1974 | Away | Grimsby Town | League | 1–2 | L | 5933 | → |
| 30 March 1974 | Away | Huddersfield Town | League | 1–0 | W | 4453 | → |
| 1 April 1974 | Home | AFC Bournemouth | League | 2–2 | D | 6385 | → |
| 5 April 1974 | Home | Chesterfield | League | 1–3 | L | 6222 | → |
| 12 April 1974 | Home | Brighton + H.A. | League | 0–2 | L | 9772 | → |
| 13 April 1974 | Away | Walsall | League | 2–1 | W | 3165 | → |
| 15 April 1974 | Away | Brighton + H.A. | League | 2–0 | W | 12943 | → |
| 19 April 1974 | Home | Bristol Rovers | League | 0–0 | D | 8323 | → |
| 22 April 1974 | Home | Grimsby Town | League | 4–1 | W | 5335 | → |
| 26 April 1974 | Away | Tranmere Rovers | League | 0–2 | L | 4227 | → |
| 3 May 1974 | Home | Chelsea | Friendly | 1–3 | L | 0 | → |