1981-10-24
| First Division |
| Division 1 | Venue | Gate | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coventry City | 3 | 1 | Swansea City | Highfield Road | 14,050 | |
| Hateley 2, Kaiser | Lineups | Curtis | ||||
| Ipswich Town | 2 | 1 | Arsenal | Portman Road | 24,362 | |
| Mariner, Mills | Lineups | Sunderland | ||||
| Leeds United | 1 | 0 | Sunderland | Elland Road | 25,220 | |
| Gray E | Lineups | |||||
| Liverpool | 1 | 2 | Manchester United | Anfield Road | 41,438 | |
| McDermott (p) | Lineups | Albiston, Moran | ||||
| Manchester City | 0 | 0 | Nottingham Forest | Maine Road | 34,881 | |
| Lineups | ||||||
| Middlesbrough | 0 | 2 | Everton | Ayresome Park | 13,423 | |
| Lineups | Ferguson 2 | |||||
| Notts County | 1 | 1 | West Ham United | Meadow Lane | 12,456 | |
| Masson | Lineups | Brooking | ||||
| Stoke City | 1 | 0 | Birmingham City | Victoria Ground | 15,399 | |
| Chapman | Lineups | |||||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | White Hart Lane | 37,294 | |
| Lineups | Robinson | |||||
| West Bromwich Albion | 1 | 1 | Southampton | The Hawthorns | 15,730 | |
| Brown | Lineups | Channon | ||||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 3 | Aston Villa | Molineux | 19,942 | |
| Lineups | Shaw 2, Palmer OG | |||||
| Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ptn |  |
First Division | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Last 5 Games | Next Match | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | Manchester United | 13 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 23 | W | W | D | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Notts County | H |
| 2 | 2 | Ipswich Town | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 23 | W | L | W | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Aston Villa | A |
| 3 | -2 | Swansea City | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 22 | L | W | W | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H |
| 4 | -2 | Tottenham Hotspur | 11 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 21 | L | W | W | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Southampton | A |
| 5 | 0 | Nottingham Forest | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 19 | D | W | D | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Leeds United | H |
| 6 | 0 | West Ham United | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 18 | D | L | D | D | D | 1981-10-31 | Middlesbrough | H |
| 7 | 1 | Everton | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 18 | W | W | D | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Manchester City | H |
| 8 | 1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 17 | W | D | D | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Stoke City | H |
| 9 | -2 | Southampton | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 0 | 17 | D | W | L | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Tottenham Hotspur | H |
| 10 | 3 | Aston Villa | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 15 | W | W | D | D | D | 1981-10-31 | Ipswich Town | H |
| 11 | 3 | Coventry City | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 15 | W | L | D | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Arsenal | A |
| 12 | -2 | Liverpool | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 14 | L | D | W | D | D | 1981-10-31 | Sunderland | A |
| 13 | -1 | Notts County | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 12 | -4 | 14 | D | L | W | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Manchester United | A |
| 14 | -3 | Birmingham City | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 13 | L | D | W | D | D | 1981-10-31 | West Bromwich Albion | H |
| 15 | 2 | Stoke City | 11 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 13 | W | L | L | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A |
| 16 | -1 | Manchester City | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | -1 | 13 | D | L | D | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Everton | A |
| 17 | -1 | Arsenal | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | -3 | 12 | L | W | L | L | D | 1981-10-31 | Coventry City | H |
| 18 | 2 | Leeds United | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 19 | -11 | 12 | W | W | L | D | L | 1981-10-31 | Nottingham Forest | A |
| 19 | -1 | West Bromwich Albion | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | -2 | 10 | D | L | D | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Birmingham City | A |
| 20 | -1 | Middlesbrough | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8 | -11 | 9 | L | L | D | D | L | 1981-10-31 | West Ham United | A |
| 21 | 0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 13 | -15 | 8 | L | D | L | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Swansea City | A |
| 22 | 0 | Sunderland | 11 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | -10 | 7 | L | L | L | D | L | 1981-10-31 | Liverpool | H |
| Second Division |
| Second Division | Venue | Gate | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolton Wanderers | 3 | 4 | Cambridge United | Burnden Park | 5,751 | |
| Henry 2, Kidd | Lineups | Spriggs (p), Turner, Gibbins, Mayo | ||||
| Cardiff City | 1 | 1 | Shrewsbury Town | Ninian Park | 4,353 | |
| Stevens | Lineups | Atkins | ||||
| Chelsea | 1 | 2 | Barnsley | Stamford Bridge | 15,236 | |
| Mayes | Lineups | Banks, Glavin | ||||
| Crystal Palace | 0 | 1 | Derby County | Selhurst Park | 11,292 | |
| Lineups | Swindlehurst | |||||
| Grimsby Town | 1 | 1 | Blackburn Rovers | Blundell Park | 7,159 | |
| Wigginton | Lineups | Garner | ||||
| Newcastle United | 1 | 1 | Rotherham United | St James' Park | 19,052 | |
| Shinton | Lineups | Gooding | ||||
| Queens Park Rangers | 2 | 0 | Leicester City | Loftus Road | 12,419 | |
| Stainrod, Gregory | Lineups | |||||
| Sheffield Wednesday | 2 | 1 | Oldham Athletic | Hillsborough | 17,839 | |
| Bannister, Shirtliff | Lineups | Wylde | ||||
| Watford | 3 | 0 | Norwich City | Vicarage Road | 14,463 | |
| Bolton, Barnes, Blissett | Lineups | |||||
| Wrexham | 0 | 2 | Luton Town | Racecourse Ground | 4,069 | |
| Lineups | Donaghy, White | |||||
| Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ptn | |
Second Division | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Last 5 Games | Next Match | ||||||
| 1 | 0 | Luton Town | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 25 | W | W | D | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Crystal Palace | H |
| 2 | 0 | Watford | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 25 | W | W | W | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Shrewsbury Town | A |
| 3 | 1 | Sheffield Wednesday | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 22 | W | L | W | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Leicester City | A |
| 4 | 3 | Queens Park Rangers | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 19 | W | D | W | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Charlton Athletic | A |
| 5 | -2 | Oldham Athletic | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 19 | L | L | W | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Newcastle United | H |
| 6 | -1 | Charlton Athletic | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 17 | W | W | D | W | L | 1981-10-25 | Orient | A |
| 7 | -1 | Chelsea | 11 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 17 | L | D | W | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Rotherham United | A |
| 8 | 2 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 17 | D | D | W | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Wrexham | H |
| 9 | 5 | Barnsley | 11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 16 | W | W | L | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Orient | H |
| 10 | 2 | Newcastle United | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 16 | D | L | W | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Oldham Athletic | A |
| 11 | -3 | Leicester City | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 16 | L | D | W | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Sheffield Wednesday | H |
| 12 | -3 | Crystal Palace | 11 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 16 | L | W | W | D | L | 1981-10-31 | Luton Town | A |
| 13 | -2 | Norwich City | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 14 | -5 | 16 | L | W | L | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Bolton Wanderers | H |
| 14 | 2 | Cambridge United | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 15 | W | L | W | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Cardiff City | H |
| 15 | -2 | Shrewsbury Town | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | -2 | 15 | D | L | D | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Watford | H |
| 16 | 1 | Derby County | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | -4 | 14 | W | D | L | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Grimsby Town | H |
| 17 | -2 | Grimsby Town | 11 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 10 | -6 | 14 | D | L | L | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Derby County | A |
| 18 | 0 | Rotherham United | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 12 | -4 | 11 | D | L | L | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Chelsea | H |
| 19 | 0 | Cardiff City | 10 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | -6 | 11 | D | W | L | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Cambridge United | A |
| 20 | 0 | Wrexham | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | -6 | 7 | L | L | L | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Blackburn Rovers | A |
| 21 | 0 | Bolton Wanderers | 11 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 9 | -13 | 6 | L | L | L | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Norwich City | A |
| 22 | 0 | Orient | 10 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 8 | -12 | 5 | D | L | L | L | L | 1981-10-25 | Charlton Athletic | H |
| Third Division |
| Third Division | Venue | Gate | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Rovers | 3 | 2 | Huddersfield Town | Eastville | 5,064 | |
| Randall, Stephens, McCaffery | Lineups | Lillis, Kennedy (p) | ||||
| Burnley | 2 | 2 | Fulham | Turf Moor | 4,124 | |
| Hamilton, Taylor | Lineups | Davies 2 | ||||
| Carlisle United | 2 | 1 | Walsall | Brunton Park | 3,956 | |
| Crabbe, Beardsley | Lineups | Loveridge | ||||
| Chesterfield | 0 | 2 | Brentford | Saltergate Recreation Ground | 5,525 | |
| Lineups | Roberts, Bowen | |||||
| Exeter City | 4 | 3 | Preston North End | St James Park | 3,642 | |
| Rogers P, Kellow 2 (1p), Roberts L | Lineups | Bruce 2 (1p), Doyle | ||||
| Lincoln City | 1 | 2 | Bristol City | Sincil Bank | 3,819 | |
| Bell | Lineups | Harford 2 | ||||
| Millwall | 1 | 2 | Gillingham | The Den, New Cross | 5,765 | |
| Chatterton | Lineups | White 2 | ||||
| Plymouth Argyle | 5 | 1 | Chester | Home Park | 2,646 | |
| Sims, Randell 2, Cook 2 | Lineups | Jones | ||||
| Portsmouth | 0 | 0 | Newport County | Fratton Park | 8,787 | |
| Lineups | ||||||
| Reading | 2 | 1 | Wimbledon | Elm Park | 3,987 | |
| Webb (p), Hicks | Lineups | Brown (p) | ||||
| Southend United | 0 | 1 | Oxford United | Roots Hall | 5,686 | |
| Lineups | Thomas | |||||
| Swindon Town | 2 | 2 | Doncaster Rovers | County Ground | 7,024 | |
| Carter R, Williams | Lineups | Russell, Lister | ||||
| Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ptn | |
Third Division | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Last 5 Games | Next Match | ||||||
| 1 | 0 | Chesterfield | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 23 | L | W | L | W | D | 1981-10-31 | Bristol City | A |
| 2 | 0 | Doncaster Rovers | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 23 | D | W | W | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Bristol Rovers | H |
| 3 | 1 | Gillingham | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 23 | W | W | W | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Swindon Town | H |
| 4 | -1 | Walsall | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 21 | L | W | W | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Plymouth Argyle | H |
| 5 | 0 | Swindon Town | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 21 | D | L | W | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Gillingham | A |
| 6 | 0 | Fulham | 12 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 20 | D | W | W | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Portsmouth | H |
| 7 | 2 | Carlisle United | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 20 | W | L | W | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Newport County | A |
| 8 | 2 | Oxford United | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 20 | W | D | W | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Lincoln City | H |
| 9 | 2 | Reading | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | -1 | 20 | W | L | D | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Chester | A |
| 10 | -3 | Southend United | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 | L | W | W | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Preston North End | A |
| 11 | 3 | Bristol Rovers | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 18 | W | D | L | L | W | 1981-10-31 | Doncaster Rovers | A |
| 12 | -4 | Millwall | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 17 | L | D | L | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Huddersfield Town | A |
| 13 | 2 | Exeter City | 12 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 15 | -5 | 17 | W | L | D | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Wimbledon | A |
| 14 | -1 | Newport County | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 16 | D | D | L | W | D | 1981-10-31 | Carlisle United | H |
| 15 | -3 | Huddersfield Town | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 16 | L | W | L | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Millwall | H |
| 16 | 1 | Bristol City | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 16 | W | W | L | D | L | 1981-10-31 | Chesterfield | H |
| 17 | 2 | Brentford | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 15 | W | L | W | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Burnley | H |
| 18 | -2 | Lincoln City | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 13 | L | L | L | W | D | 1981-10-31 | Oxford United | A |
| 19 | -1 | Portsmouth | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 12 | -2 | 13 | D | L | L | L | D | 1981-10-31 | Fulham | A |
| 20 | 0 | Chester | 11 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | -7 | 11 | L | L | L | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Reading | H |
| 21 | 0 | Burnley | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 12 | -6 | 10 | D | D | D | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Brentford | A |
| 22 | 0 | Preston North End | 12 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 | -7 | 9 | L | D | D | D | L | 1981-10-31 | Southend United | H |
| 23 | 0 | Wimbledon | 12 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 15 | -14 | 8 | L | W | W | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Exeter City | H |
| 24 | 0 | Plymouth Argyle | 12 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 12 | -10 | 5 | W | L | L | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Walsall | A |
| Fourth Division |
| Fourth Division | Venue | Gate | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Bournemouth | 3 | 2 | Bury | Dean Court | 4,894 | |
| Graham 2, Funnell | Lineups | Madden, Howard | ||||
| Bradford City | 0 | 2 | Sheffield United | Valley Parade | 13,919 | Largest home gate 1981-82 |
| Lineups | Edwards, Neville | |||||
| Halifax Town | 0 | 2 | Colchester United | The Shay | 1,374 | |
| Lineups | Allinson (p), McDonough | |||||
| Hartlepool United | 0 | 0 | Torquay United | Victoria Park | 2,099 | |
| Lineups | ||||||
| Hereford United | 1 | 1 | Darlington | Edgar Street | 2,217 | |
| Phillips | Lineups | Wicks | ||||
| Hull City | 1 | 2 | Aldershot | Boothferry Park | 2,999 | |
| Mutrie | Lineups | Lucas, Sanford | ||||
| Mansfield Town | 0 | 1 | Crewe Alexandra | Field Mill | 2,513 | |
| Lineups | Scott | |||||
| Northampton Town | 3 | 2 | Tranmere Rovers | County Ground | 1,722 | |
| Buchanan 2, Bramhall OG | Lineups | Morley, Brown | ||||
| Peterborough United | 0 | 1 | York City | London Road | 4,220 | |
| Lineups | Walwyn | |||||
| Rochdale | 4 | 1 | Stockport County | Spotland | 1,778 | |
| Martinez 2, Hilditch, Goodwin | Lineups | Fowler | ||||
| Wigan Athletic | 2 | 1 | Scunthorpe United | Springfield Park | 4,553 | |
| McMahon, Barrow | Lineups | DeVries | ||||
| Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ptn | |
Fourth Division | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Last 5 Games | Next Match | ||||||
| 1 | 0 | Bradford City | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 17 | 28 | L | W | W | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Torquay United | A |
| 2 | 2 | Sheffield United | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 26 | W | W | D | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Blackpool | H |
| 3 | 2 | Colchester United | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 21 | 25 | W | W | W | W | W | 1981-10-30 | Wigan Athletic | H |
| 4 | -2 | Blackpool | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 25 | W | L | W | W | D | 1981-10-31 | Sheffield United | A |
| 5 | -2 | Bury | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 25 | L | W | W | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Northampton Town | H |
| 6 | 1 | AFC Bournemouth | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 24 | W | L | L | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Tranmere Rovers | A |
| 7 | -1 | Peterborough United | 11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 21 | L | W | W | W | D | 1981-10-28 | Hereford United | H |
| 8 | 1 | Wigan Athletic | 12 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 21 | W | L | W | W | W | 1981-10-30 | Colchester United | A |
| 9 | -1 | Torquay United | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 20 | D | D | L | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Bradford City | H |
| 10 | 0 | Aldershot | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 18 | W | W | W | L | D | 1981-10-31 | Hartlepool United | H |
| 11 | 2 | Hartlepool United | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 15 | D | L | D | L | D | 1981-10-31 | Aldershot | A |
| 12 | -1 | Port Vale | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | -2 | 15 | L | L | L | W | W | 1981-10-31 | Hull City | H |
| 13 | -1 | Tranmere Rovers | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 11 | -5 | 15 | L | W | W | L | W | 1981-10-31 | AFC Bournemouth | H |
| 14 | 0 | Stockport County | 12 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 11 | -3 | 13 | L | L | W | L | L | 1981-10-30 | Mansfield Town | H |
| 15 | 5 | York City | 12 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 13 | -11 | 13 | W | L | L | D | L | 1981-10-31 | Hereford United | H |
| 16 | -1 | Hereford United | 11 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 10 | -4 | 12 | D | L | D | D | D | 1981-10-28 | Peterborough United | A |
| 17 | 5 | Rochdale | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 | -7 | 12 | W | W | D | L | D | 1981-10-31 | Darlington | A |
| 18 | 0 | Darlington | 12 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -7 | 11 | D | D | W | D | D | 1981-10-31 | Rochdale | H |
| 19 | -3 | Mansfield Town | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -5 | 10 | L | L | L | D | D | 1981-10-30 | Stockport County | A |
| 20 | -3 | Hull City | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 16 | -6 | 10 | L | D | L | D | L | 1981-10-31 | Port Vale | A |
| 21 | -2 | Scunthorpe United | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 12 | -10 | 10 | L | D | D | L | L | 1981-10-31 | Peterborough United | H |
| 22 | -1 | Halifax Town | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 16 | -12 | 9 | L | D | D | D | W | 1981-10-31 | Crewe Alexandra | A |
| 23 | 0 | Northampton Town | 13 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 17 | -13 | 8 | W | D | L | L | D | 1981-10-31 | Bury | A |
| 24 | 0 | Crewe Alexandra | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 16 | -18 | 6 | W | L | L | W | L | 1981-10-31 | Halifax Town | H |
