| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | GD | W | D | L | F | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | 87 | +33 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 84 | 51 |
| 2 | Fulham | 46 | 87 | +34 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 72 | 38 |
| 3 | Carlisle United | 46 | 84 | +23 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 67 | 44 |
| 4 | Northampton Town | 46 | 72 | +23 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 67 | 44 |
| 5 | Swansea City | 46 | 71 | +4 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 62 | 58 |
| 6 | Chester City | 46 | 70 | +12 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 55 | 43 |
| 7 | Cardiff City | 46 | 69 | +2 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 56 | 54 |
| 8 | Colchester United | 46 | 68 | +11 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 62 | 51 |
| 9 | Lincoln City | 46 | 66 | +1 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 70 | 69 |
| 10 | Cambridge United | 46 | 65 | -6 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 53 | 59 |
| 11 | Mansfield Town | 46 | 64 | +2 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 47 | 45 |
| 12 | 46 | 63 | -3 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 65 | 68 | |
| 13 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 63 | -3 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 59 | 62 |
| 14 | Rochdale | 46 | 58 | 0 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 58 | 58 |
| 15 | 46 | 58 | -5 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 46 | 51 | |
| 16 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 57 | -8 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 50 | 58 |
| 17 | Hull City | 46 | 57 | -6 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 44 | 50 |
| 18 | 46 | 52 | -14 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 64 | 78 | |
| 19 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 52 | -14 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 52 | 66 |
| 20 | 46 | 51 | -13 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 53 | 66 | |
| 21 | 46 | 50 | -16 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 46 | 62 | |
| 22 | Exeter City | 46 | 48 | -25 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 48 | 73 |
| 23 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 47 | -17 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 53 | 70 |
| 24 | 46 | 47 | -15 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 50 | 65 |
Content retrieved from: http://stats.football.co.uk/league_tables/1996_1997/league_two/index.shtml.
