English Third Division 1978/1979
Historical league standings at 31st March 1979
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Watford | 35 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 38 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 29 | 23 | 19 | 10 | 6 | 67 | 40 | 48 | 27 |
| 2 | Swansea City | 36 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 49 | 26 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 65 | 49 | 45 | 16 |
| 3 | Gillingham | 35 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 5 | 44 | 31 | 44 | 13 |
| 4 | Shrewsbury Town | 34 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 24 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 42 | 30 | 44 | 12 |
| 5 | Carlisle United | 37 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 27 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 12 | 19 | 6 | 43 | 32 | 43 | 11 |
| 6 | Swindon Town | 33 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 35 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 20 | 26 | 18 | 5 | 10 | 55 | 37 | 41 | 18 |
| 7 | Southend United | 36 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 28 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 22 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 47 | 36 | 40 | 11 |
| 8 | Exeter City | 34 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 33 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 48 | 39 | 38 | 9 |
| 9 | Blackpool | 35 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 17 | 32 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 45 | 42 | 35 | 3 |
| 10 | Plymouth Argyle | 36 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 26 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 48 | 50 | 35 | -2 |
| 11 | Chester | 37 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 36 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 34 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 47 | 51 | 35 | -4 |
| 12 | Colchester United | 35 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 23 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 30 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 38 | 42 | 35 | -4 |
| 13 | Oxford United | 35 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 21 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 26 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 34 | 40 | 34 | -6 |
| 14 | Hull City | 32 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 29 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 28 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 45 | 39 | 32 | 6 |
| 15 | Rotherham United | 32 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 13 | 6 | 13 | 35 | 38 | 32 | -3 |
| 16 | Sheffield Wednesday | 32 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 32 | 35 | 32 | -3 |
| 17 | Brentford | 35 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 27 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 23 | 11 | 9 | 15 | 36 | 39 | 31 | -3 |
| 18 | Chesterfield | 33 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 31 | 27 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 43 | 48 | 31 | -5 |
| 19 | Bury | 33 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 26 | 23 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 22 | 7 | 16 | 10 | 42 | 45 | 30 | -3 |
| 20 | Walsall | 36 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 30 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 48 | 53 | 29 | -5 |
| 21 | Mansfield Town | 31 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 5 | 16 | 10 | 31 | 35 | 26 | -4 |
| 22 | Peterborough United | 34 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 31 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 32 | 49 | 26 | -17 |
| 23 | Tranmere Rovers | 35 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 41 | 4 | 13 | 18 | 36 | 61 | 21 | -25 |
| 24 | Lincoln City | 33 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 43 | 4 | 9 | 20 | 23 | 65 | 17 | -42 |



