| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burnley | 46 | 21 | 17 | 8 | 66 | 45 | 21 | 80 | pr |
| 2 | Carlisle United | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 65 | 50 | 15 | 80 | pr |
| 3 | Fulham | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 77 | 51 | 26 | 78 | pr |
| 4 | Lincoln City | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 66 | 40 | 26 | 77 | |
| 5 | Oxford United | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 63 | 49 | 14 | 71 | |
| 6 | Gillingham | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 64 | 56 | 8 | 71 | |
| 7 | Southend United | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 63 | 51 | 12 | 69 | |
| 8 | Brentford | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 56 | 47 | 9 | 68 | |
| 9 | Millwall | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 62 | 62 | 0 | 67 | |
| 10 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 64 | 56 | 8 | 65 | |
| 11 | Chesterfield | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 57 | 58 | -1 | 64 | |
| 12 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 58 | 65 | -7 | 63 | |
| 13 | Reading | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 67 | 75 | -8 | 62 | |
| 14 | Portsmouth | 46 | 14 | 19 | 13 | 56 | 51 | 5 | 61 | |
| 15 | Preston North End | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 50 | 56 | -6 | 61 | |
| 16 | Newport County | 46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 58 | |
| 17 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 64 | 59 | 5 | 57 | |
| 18 | Exeter City | 46 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 71 | 84 | -13 | 57 | |
| 19 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 55 | 68 | -13 | 56 | |
| 20 | Walsall | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 51 | 55 | -4 | 53 | |
| 21 | Wimbledon | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 61 | 75 | -14 | 53 | r |
| 22 | Swindon Town | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 55 | 71 | -16 | 52 | r |
| 23 | Bristol City | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 40 | 65 | -25 | 46 | r |
| 24 | Chester | 46 | 7 | 11 | 28 | 36 | 78 | -42 | 32 | r |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Att. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 August 1981 | Away | F.C. Cruse | Friendly | 0–0 | D | 0 | → |
| 1 August 1981 | Away | Heybridge Swifts | Friendly | 0–0 | D | 0 | → |
| 8 August 1981 | Away | Welling United | Friendly | 0–0 | D | 0 | → |
| 10 August 1981 | Home | Norwich City | Friendly | 1–1 | D | 0 | → |
| 11 August 1981 | Away | Harwich + Parkeston | Friendly | 0–4 | L | 0 | → |
| 15 August 1981 | Away | Orient | Trophy | 0–2 | L | 1806 | → |
| 19 August 1981 | Away | Gillingham | Trophy | 0–0 | D | 1974 | → |
| 21 August 1981 | Home | West Ham United | Friendly | 1–2 | L | 0 | → |
| 24 August 1981 | Home | Wimbledon | Trophy | 1–2 | L | 1780 | → |
| 29 August 1981 | Away | Walsall | League | 1–0 | W | 3419 | → |
| 2 September 1981 | Home | Portsmouth | League Cup | 0–0 | D | 4087 | → |
| 4 September 1981 | Home | Newport County | League | 0–4 | L | 4913 | → |
| 12 September 1981 | Away | Carlisle United | League | 2–3 | L | 3596 | → |
| 16 September 1981 | Away | Portsmouth | League Cup | 1–4 | L | 10019 | → |
| 19 September 1981 | Home | Portsmouth | League | 2–0 | W | 4668 | → |
| 21 September 1981 | Home | Swindon Town | League | 0–0 | D | 4864 | → |
| 26 September 1981 | Away | Huddersfield Town | League | 2–3 | L | 7254 | → |
| 29 September 1981 | Away | Fulham | League | 1–2 | L | 4556 | → |
| 3 October 1981 | Home | Plymouth Argyle | League | 3–0 | W | 3847 | → |
| 9 October 1981 | Home | Bristol Rovers | League | 1–0 | W | 4841 | → |
| 17 October 1981 | Away | Chesterfield | League | 2–1 | W | 6146 | → |
| 19 October 1981 | Away | Brentford | League | 1–0 | W | 5400 | → |
| 24 October 1981 | Home | Oxford Utd | League | 0–1 | L | 5686 | → |
| 31 October 1981 | Away | Preston North End | League | 0–1 | L | 4285 | → |
| 2 November 1981 | Home | Gillingham | League | 3–0 | W | 6235 | → |
| 7 November 1981 | Home | Lincoln City | League | 0–2 | L | 5318 | → |
| 14 November 1981 | Away | Bristol City | League | 2–0 | W | 6381 | → |
| 21 November 1981 | Away | Hereford United | FA Cup | 1–3 | L | 5310 | → |
| 27 November 1981 | Home | Reading | League | 2–0 | W | 4847 | → |
| 5 December 1981 | Away | Chester City | League | 1–1 | D | 1380 | → |
| 1 January 1982 | Home | Exeter City | League | 2–1 | W | 5991 | → |
| 16 January 1982 | Home | Doncaster Rovers | League | 1–1 | D | 4741 | → |
| 23 January 1982 | Home | Walsall | League | 3–2 | W | 4684 | → |
| 30 January 1982 | Away | Portsmouth | League | 0–0 | D | 7371 | → |
| 1 February 1982 | Home | Millwall | League | 2–2 | D | 5676 | → |
| 6 February 1982 | Home | Carlisle United | League | 1–1 | D | 4911 | → |
| 9 February 1982 | Away | Swindon Town | League | 0–0 | D | 4472 | → |
| 13 February 1982 | Away | Plymouth Argyle | League | 0–0 | D | 5058 | → |
| 19 February 1982 | Home | Fulham | League | 0–0 | D | 7715 | → |
| 27 February 1982 | Away | Bristol Rovers | League | 1–2 | L | 4910 | → |
| 5 March 1982 | Home | Chesterfield | League | 0–2 | L | 5879 | → |
| 8 March 1982 | Home | Brentford | League | 1–1 | D | 3765 | → |
| 13 March 1982 | Away | Oxford Utd | League | 2–0 | W | 6252 | → |
| 16 March 1982 | Away | Gillingham | League | 0–2 | L | 3782 | → |
| 19 March 1982 | Home | Preston North End | League | 2–2 | D | 3549 | → |
| 23 March 1982 | Away | Wimbledon | League | 0–3 | L | 2051 | → |
| 27 March 1982 | Away | Lincoln City | League | 1–1 | D | 5455 | → |
| 3 April 1982 | Home | Bristol City | League | 3–0 | W | 3103 | → |
| 9 April 1982 | Home | Wimbledon | League | 2–0 | W | 4779 | → |
| 12 April 1982 | Away | Millwall | League | 1–1 | D | 3025 | → |
| 17 April 1982 | Home | Chester City | League | 2–0 | W | 3427 | → |
| 20 April 1982 | Away | Burnley | League | 5–3 | W | 8126 | → |
| 24 April 1982 | Away | Reading | League | 2–0 | W | 2840 | → |
| 1 May 1982 | Home | Huddersfield Town | League | 4–0 | W | 4470 | → |
| 4 May 1982 | Away | Doncaster Rovers | League | 1–1 | D | 3374 | → |
| 8 May 1982 | Away | Exeter City | League | 1–1 | D | 3174 | → |
| 11 May 1982 | Away | Newport County | League | 2–3 | L | 3716 | → |
| 14 May 1982 | Home | Burnley | League | 1–4 | L | 4829 | → |
| 17 May 1982 | Away | East Thurrock United | Friendly | 0–0 | D | 0 | → |