English Fourth Division 1971/1972
Historical league standings at 1st January 1972
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GA |
| 1 | Brentford | 23 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 33 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 43 | 18 | 31 | 2.39 |
| 2 | Scunthorpe United | 22 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 18 | 30 | 1.67 |
| 3 | Southport | 23 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 43 | 23 | 29 | 1.87 |
| 4 | Grimsby Town | 22 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 21 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 46 | 35 | 27 | 1.31 |
| 5 | Southend United | 22 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 35 | 27 | 27 | 1.30 |
| 6 | Lincoln City | 23 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 39 | 34 | 26 | 1.15 |
| 7 | Gillingham | 21 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 34 | 27 | 25 | 1.26 |
| 8 | Workington | 22 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 30 | 16 | 24 | 1.88 |
| 9 | Colchester United | 22 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 25 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 34 | 33 | 24 | 1.03 |
| 10 | Cambridge United | 22 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 34 | 31 | 23 | 1.10 |
| 11 | Bury | 22 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 29 | 28 | 22 | 1.04 |
| 12 | Doncaster Rovers | 22 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 28 | 30 | 22 | 0.93 |
| 13 | Aldershot | 22 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 29 | 22 | 0.90 |
| 14 | Peterborough United | 22 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 24 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 41 | 36 | 21 | 1.14 |
| 15 | Northampton Town | 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 26 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 33 | 36 | 21 | 0.92 |
| 16 | Reading | 22 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 27 | 36 | 21 | 0.75 |
| 17 | Newport County | 22 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 30 | 38 | 20 | 0.79 |
| 18 | Chester | 23 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 26 | 27 | 19 | 0.96 |
| 19 | Exeter City | 22 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 28 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 29 | 41 | 19 | 0.71 |
| 20 | Darlington | 21 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 30 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 23 | 39 | 18 | 0.59 |
| 21 | Stockport County | 22 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 29 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 33 | 45 | 15 | 0.73 |
| 22 | Crewe Alexandra | 22 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 27 | 38 | 15 | 0.71 |
| 23 | Barrow | 22 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 24 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 17 | 35 | 15 | 0.49 |
| 24 | Hartlepool | 22 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 25 | 42 | 14 | 0.60 |
