Football League Third Division 1987/88

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Football League Third Division 1987/88
Football League logo until 1988
master Sunderland AFC
Climbers Sunderland
Brighton AFC & Hove Albion
Walsall FC (as play-off winners)
Relegation ↓ Rotherham United
Relegated Rotherham United
Grimsby Town
York City
Doncaster Rovers
Teams 24
Games 552
Gates 1,485  (ø 2.69 per game)
Top scorer David Crown ( Southend United )
← Football League Third Division 1986/87
^ Football League Second Division 1987/88

The Football League Third Division 1987/88 was the 61st season of the Football League Third Division as the third highest English football league . AFC Sunderland became third division champions and also the second-placed Brighton & Hove Albion and after play-off successes against Notts County and Bristol City also the third-placed FC Walsall rose to the Football League Second Division . For the three promoted teams in the following third division season 1988/89, the second division teams Sheffield United (as a play-off loser against Bristol City), Reading FC and Huddersfield Town, which were ranked in the table below, took their places. Grimsby Town , York City and the Doncaster Rovers had to relegate directly from the Third Division to the Football League Fourth Division . In addition, Rotherham United failed in the play-off round against the fourth division Scunthorpe United , Torquay United and Swansea City in the semifinals at Swansea. Swansea City as the later winner took in the following season 1988/89 as well as the fourth division winner Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers ranked behind them the vacant positions.

Closing table

Pl. society Sp. S. U N Gates Diff. Points
 1. Sunderland AFC (A)  46  27  12  7th 092:480 +44 93
 2. Brighton & Hove Albion (A)  46  23  15th  8th 069:470 +22 84
 3. Walsall FC  46  23  13  10 068:500 +18 82
 4th Notts County  46  23  12  11 082:490 +33 81
 5. Bristol City  46  21st  12  13 077:620 +15 75
 6th Northampton Town (N)  46  18th  19th  9 070:510 +19 73
 7th Wigan Athletic  46  20th  12  14th 070:610  +9 72
 8th. Bristol Rovers  46  18th  12  16 068:560 +12 66
 9. Fulham FC  46  19th  9  18th 069:600  +9 66
10. Blackpool FC  46  17th  14th  15th 071:620  +9 65
11. Port Vale  46  18th  11  17th 058:560  +2 65
12. Brentford FC  46  16  14th  16 053:590  −6 62
13. Gillingham FC  46  14th  17th  15th 077:610 +16 59
14th Bury FC  46  15th  14th  17th 058:570  +1 59
15th Chester City  46  14th  16  16 051:620 −11 58
16. Preston North End (N)  46  15th  13  18th 048:590 −11 58
17th Southend United (N)  46  14th  13  19th 065:830 −18 55
18th Chesterfield FC  46  15th  10  21st 041:700 −29 55
19th Mansfield Town  46  14th  12  20th 048:590 −11 54
20th FC Aldershot (N)  46  15th  8th  23 064:780 −14 53
21st Rotherham United  46  12  16  18th 050:660 −16 52
22nd Grimsby Town (A)  46  12  14th  20th 048:580 −10 50
23. York city  46  8th  9  29 048:910 −43 33
24. Doncaster Rovers  46  8th  9  29 040:840 −44 33

Placement criteria: 1st points - 2nd goal difference - 3rd goals scored

  • Third division champion and promoted to the Football League Second Division 1988/89
  • Promoted to the Football League Second Division in 1988/89
  • Play-off winners and promoted to Football League Second Division in 1988/89
  • defeated participants of the play-off round to participate in the Football League Second Division 1988/89
  • inferior participant of the play-off round to participate in the Football League Third Division 1988/89
  • Relegation to the Football League Fourth Division in 1988/89
    • (A) Relegated from the Football League Second Division 1986/87
    (N) Newcomers from the Football League Fourth Division 1986/87

    Play-off games

    Play-off round to participate in the Second Division

      Semi-finals (first leg / second leg / total) final
                             
    SD 21  Sheffield United 0 1 1      
    5  Bristol City 1 1 2  
    5  Bristol City 1 2 3
      3  Walsall FC 3 0 3
    3  Walsall FC 3 1 4th
     
    4th  Notts County 1 1 2  

    Play-off round to participate in the Third Division

      Semi-finals (first leg / second leg / total) final
                             
    21st  Rotherham United 0 1 1      
    FD 6  Swansea City 1 1 2  
    FD 6  Swansea City 2 3 5
      FD 4  Torquay United 1 3 4th
    FD 4  Scunthorpe United 1 1 2
     
    FD 5  Torquay United 2 1 3  

    List of goalscorers

    player society Gates
    1 EnglandEngland David Crown Southend United 26th
    2 WalesFlag of Wales (1959 – present) .svg Steve Lovell Gillingham FC 25th
    3 EnglandEngland Garry Nelson Brighton & Hove Albion 22nd
    4th EnglandEngland Marco Gabbiadini Sunderland AFC 21st
    = ScotlandScotland Ian McParland Notts County =
    = EnglandEngland Mark Taylor Blackpool FC =
    7th IrelandIreland David Kelly Walsall FC 20th
    = EnglandEngland Gary Lund Notts County =
    9 EnglandEngland Eric Gates Sunderland AFC 19th
    = EnglandEngland Liam Robinson Bury FC =
    = EnglandEngland Dave Waller Chesterfield FC =

    Web links

    References and footnotes

    1. ^ English League Leading Goalscorers. (RSSSF)
    2. ^ Rothmans Football Yearbook 1988-89. P. 422.
    3. ↑ In a play-off held in Walsall's Fellows Park , FC Walsall won 4-0 goals.