Nationwide League Division One 1996/1997
Historical league standings at 21st 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 | Barnsley | 23 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 42 | 26 | 44 | 42 |
| 2 | Bolton Wanderers | 23 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 21 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 46 | 32 | 42 | 46 |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 24 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 40 | 25 | 42 | 40 |
| 4 | Crystal Palace | 24 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 24 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 48 | 24 | 39 | 48 |
| 5 | Wolverhampton W'drs. | 23 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 31 | 22 | 36 | 31 |
| 6 | Oxford United | 24 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 34 | 25 | 34 | 34 |
| 7 | Queens Park Rangers | 24 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 31 | 29 | 34 | 31 |
| 8 | Stoke City | 22 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 30 | 31 | 34 | 30 |
| 9 | Port Vale | 24 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 28 | 24 | 34 | 28 |
| 10 | Norwich City | 23 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 24 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 30 |
| 11 | Birmingham City | 23 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 24 | 22 | 33 | 24 |
| 12 | Tranmere Rovers | 24 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 23 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 31 |
| 13 | Ipswich Town | 24 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 30 | 34 | 30 | 30 |
| 14 | Portsmouth | 24 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 |
| 15 | West Bromwich Albion | 23 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 19 | 20 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 36 | 37 | 29 | 36 |
| 16 | Swindon Town | 23 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 21 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 32 |
| 17 | Charlton Athletic | 23 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 24 | 33 | 29 | 24 |
| 18 | Huddersfield Town | 24 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 33 | 28 | 27 |
| 19 | Reading | 24 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 33 | 28 | 25 |
| 20 | Manchester City | 23 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 27 | 37 | 26 | 27 |
| 21 | Oldham Athletic | 24 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 26 | 29 | 26 | 26 |
| 22 | Southend United | 24 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 24 | 41 | 25 | 24 |
| 23 | Bradford City | 24 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 22 | 38 | 23 | 22 |
| 24 | Grimsby Town | 23 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 20 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 25 | 42 | 22 | 25 |
