Nationwide League Division Three 1996/1997
Historical league standings at 3rd 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 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 16 | 48 | 36 |
| 2 | Cambridge United | 22 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 33 | 27 | 42 | 33 |
| 3 | Wigan Athletic | 21 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 39 | 24 | 40 | 39 |
| 4 | Carlisle United | 22 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 32 | 20 | 40 | 32 |
| 5 | Cardiff City | 21 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 22 | 34 | 25 |
| 6 | Swansea City | 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 25 | 32 | 25 |
| 7 | Barnet | 22 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 17 | 32 | 23 |
| 8 | Colchester United | 22 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 32 | 26 | 31 | 32 |
| 9 | Scunthorpe United | 22 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 28 |
| 10 | Northampton Town | 22 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 31 | 26 | 30 | 31 |
| 11 | Scarborough | 21 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 30 |
| 12 | Lincoln City | 22 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 23 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 28 | 33 | 30 | 28 |
| 13 | Chester City | 21 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 23 | 23 | 30 | 23 |
| 14 | Hull City | 22 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 20 | 22 | 29 | 20 |
| 15 | Torquay United | 22 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 22 | 24 | 28 | 22 |
| 16 | Rochdale | 21 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 |
| 17 | Exeter City | 22 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 21 | 28 | 26 | 21 |
| 18 | Doncaster Rovers | 22 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 24 | 33 | 24 | 24 |
| 19 | Mansfield Town | 21 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 21 |
| 20 | Leyton Orient | 21 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 16 |
| 21 | Hereford United | 22 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 23 | 31 | 23 | 23 |
| 22 | Darlington | 22 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 30 | 39 | 22 | 30 |
| 23 | Hartlepool United | 21 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 23 | 28 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 22 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 18 | 42 | 13 | 18 |
