| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge United | 46 | 26 | 13 | 7 | 87 | 40 | 2 | 65 | pr |
| 2 | Exeter City | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 70 | 46 | 2 | 62 | pr |
| 3 | Colchester United | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 77 | 43 | 2 | 59 | pr |
| 4 | Bradford City | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 78 | 51 | 2 | 59 | pr |
| 5 | Swansea City | 46 | 25 | 8 | 13 | 92 | 68 | 1 | 58 | |
| 6 | Barnsley | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 62 | 39 | 2 | 55 | |
| 7 | Watford | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 67 | 50 | 1 | 51 | |
| 8 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 21 | 9 | 16 | 71 | 65 | 1 | 51 | |
| 9 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 60 | 49 | 1 | 50 | |
| 10 | Southend United | 46 | 15 | 19 | 12 | 52 | 45 | 1 | 49 | |
| 11 | Darlington | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 59 | 64 | 1 | 49 | |
| 12 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 47 | 60 | 1 | 49 | |
| 13 | Bournemouth | 46 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 54 | 44 | 1 | 48 | |
| 14 | Stockport County | 46 | 13 | 19 | 14 | 53 | 57 | 1 | 45 | |
| 15 | Brentford | 46 | 18 | 7 | 21 | 77 | 76 | 1 | 43 | |
| 16 | Torquay United | 46 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 59 | 67 | 1 | 43 | |
| 17 | Aldershot | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 49 | 59 | 1 | 43 | |
| 18 | Rochdale | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 50 | 59 | 1 | 38 | |
| 19 | Newport County | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 42 | 58 | 1 | 38 | |
| 20 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 49 | 73 | 1 | 37 | |
| 21 | Halifax Town | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 47 | 58 | 1 | 36 | re |
| 22 | Hartlepool | 46 | 10 | 12 | 24 | 47 | 73 | 1 | 32 | re |
| 23 | Southport | 46 | 3 | 19 | 24 | 33 | 77 | 0 | 25 | re |
| 24 | Workington | 46 | 4 | 11 | 31 | 41 | 102 | 0 | 19 | r |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Att. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 July 1976 | Away | Maidstone United | Friendly | 2–1 | W | 0 | → |
| 2 August 1976 | Away | Darlington | Friendly | 2–0 | W | 0 | → |
| 7 August 1976 | Away | Gravesend + North. | Friendly | 2–0 | W | 0 | → |
| 14 August 1976 | Home | Brighton + H.A. | League Cup | 1–1 | D | 6254 | → |
| 17 August 1976 | Away | Brighton + H.A. | League Cup | 1–2 | L | 11907 | → |
| 21 August 1976 | Home | Watford | League | 2–1 | W | 5267 | → |
| 25 August 1976 | Away | Crewe Alexandra | League | 1–1 | D | 2182 | → |
| 28 August 1976 | Away | AFC Bournemouth | League | 0–2 | L | 4688 | → |
| 3 September 1976 | Home | Workington | League | 2–0 | W | 4563 | → |
| 10 September 1976 | Home | Halifax Town | League | 1–1 | D | 5163 | → |
| 18 September 1976 | Away | Hartlepool AFC | League | 1–1 | D | 1612 | → |
| 24 September 1976 | Home | Scunthorpe United | League | 1–1 | D | 5288 | → |
| 2 October 1976 | Away | Cambridge United | League | 3–2 | W | 4917 | → |
| 8 October 1976 | Home | Colchester United | League | 0–0 | D | 6690 | → |
| 16 October 1976 | Away | Rochdale | League | 0–0 | D | 2302 | → |
| 23 October 1976 | Home | Exeter City | League | 2–0 | W | 4605 | → |
| 26 October 1976 | Away | Barnsley | League | 1–3 | L | 4380 | → |
| 29 October 1976 | Home | Newport County | League | 1–1 | D | 4821 | → |
| 6 November 1976 | Away | Aldershot | League | 0–0 | D | 3845 | → |
| 12 November 1976 | Home | Bradford City | League | 4–1 | W | 5417 | → |
| 20 November 1976 | Away | Exeter City | FA Cup | 1–1 | D | 4434 | → |
| 22 November 1976 | Home | Exeter City | FA Cup | 2–1 | W | 6604 | → |
| 27 November 1976 | Away | Southport | League | 0–0 | D | 1298 | → |
| 4 December 1976 | Home | Huddersfield Town | League | 1–1 | D | 4419 | → |
| 11 December 1976 | Home | Newport County | FA Cup | 3–0 | W | 5724 | → |
| 18 December 1976 | Away | Torquay United | League | 0–0 | D | 2151 | → |
| 27 December 1976 | Home | Brentford | League | 2–1 | W | 8960 | → |
| 28 December 1976 | Away | Doncaster Rovers | League | 3–0 | W | 5605 | → |
| 1 January 1977 | Home | Aldershot | League | 5–0 | W | 7150 | → |
| 8 January 1977 | Home | Chester City | FA Cup | 0–4 | L | 10347 | → |
| 15 January 1977 | Home | Crewe Alexandra | League | 1–0 | W | 5209 | → |
| 22 January 1977 | Away | Watford | League | 1–1 | D | 6934 | → |
| 28 January 1977 | Home | Stockport County | League | 0–0 | D | 6119 | → |
| 2 February 1977 | Home | AFC Bournemouth | League | 2–2 | D | 6138 | → |
| 12 February 1977 | Away | Workington | League | 3–0 | W | 1096 | → |
| 19 February 1977 | Away | Halifax Town | League | 1–3 | L | 1994 | → |
| 21 February 1977 | Away | Darlington | League | 0–0 | D | 2743 | → |
| 25 February 1977 | Home | Hartlepool AFC | League | 1–0 | W | 6383 | → |
| 5 March 1977 | Away | Scunthorpe United | League | 0–1 | L | 2752 | → |
| 11 March 1977 | Home | Cambridge United | League | 0–1 | L | 9423 | → |
| 15 March 1977 | Home | Swansea City | League | 1–2 | L | 3932 | → |
| 19 March 1977 | Away | Colchester United | League | 1–0 | W | 6637 | → |
| 25 March 1977 | Home | Rochdale | League | 3–0 | W | 5430 | → |
| 2 April 1977 | Away | Exeter City | League | 1–3 | L | 4156 | → |
| 8 April 1977 | Away | Brentford | League | 0–1 | L | 8950 | → |
| 9 April 1977 | Home | Doncaster Rovers | League | 2–1 | W | 4437 | → |
| 12 April 1977 | Away | Swansea City | League | 0–2 | L | 8063 | → |
| 15 April 1977 | Home | Barnsley | League | 1–1 | D | 4691 | → |
| 18 April 1977 | Away | Stockport County | League | 0–0 | D | 2391 | → |
| 23 April 1977 | Away | Bradford City | League | 0–2 | L | 5412 | → |
| 29 April 1977 | Home | Southport | League | 3–2 | W | 3239 | → |
| 2 May 1977 | Home | Darlington | League | 0–0 | D | 2371 | → |
| 7 May 1977 | Away | Huddersfield Town | League | 1–1 | D | 2275 | → |
| 10 May 1977 | Away | Newport County | League | 0–3 | L | 3356 | → |
| 13 May 1977 | Home | Torquay United | League | 0–3 | L | 2681 | → |
| 21 May 1977 | Home | Leicester City | Friendly | 3–3 | D | 0 | → |