| 23-Aug-52 | Reading | Away | League | 0-2 | | 17604 | |
| 28-Aug-52 | Coventry City | Home | League | 1-2 | Blair | 11797 | |
| 30-Aug-52 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | Home | League | 2-2 | Aldous, Pacey | 10800 | |
| 1-Sep-52 | Coventry City | Away | League | 0-3 | | 17322 | |
| 6-Sep-52 | Southend United | Away | League | 0-1 | | 14200 | |
| 8-Sep-52 | Torquay United | Home | League | 4-1 | Pacey (2), Poulton (2) | 7700 | |
| 13-Sep-52 | Watford | Home | League | 2-0 | Rees, Poulton | 16400 | |
| 17-Sep-52 | Torquay United | Away | League | 0-5 | | 6337 | |
| 20-Sep-52 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Away | League | 1-3 | Poulton | 20320 | |
| 25-Sep-52 | Queens Park Rangers | Home | League | 5-0 | Pacey (2), Poulton, Woan, Blair | 8000 | |
| 27-Sep-52 | Newport County | Home | League | 2-1 | Poulton, Brown | 11774 | |
| 2-Oct-52 | Bristol City | Home | League | 1-3 | Blizzard | 7300 | |
| 4-Oct-52 | Crystal Palace | Away | League | 2-2 | Blizzard, Poulton | 16956 | |
| 11-Oct-52 | Exeter City | Home | League | 2-0 | Pacey, Rowe (og) | 12800 | |
| 18-Oct-52 | Bristol Rovers | Away | League | 1-2 | Pacey | 23790 | |
| 25-Oct-52 | Millwall | Home | League | 1-4 | Blizzard | 22000 | |
| 1-Nov-52 | Gillingham | Away | League | 2-3 | Poulton, Niblett (og) | 11562 | |
| 8-Nov-52 | Walsall | Home | League | 4-1 | Poulton (2, 1 pen), Harris, Lusted | 9581 | |
| 15-Nov-52 | Shrewsbury Town | Away | League | 0-2 | | 6527 | |
| 22-Nov-52 | Bristol Rovers | Home | FAC r1 | 1-1 | Pacey | 10700 | |
| 24-Nov-52 | Bristol Rovers | Away | FAC r1r | 0-1 | | 15032 | |
| 13-Dec-52 | Colchester United | Away | League | 1-3 | Blatchford | 6622 | |
| 20-Dec-52 | Reading | Home | League | 1-1 | Facey | 4800 | |
| 26-Dec-52 | Ipswich Town | Home | League | 3-1 | Blarchford (2), Harris | 6557 | |
| 3-Jan-53 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | Away | League | 1-4 | Harris | 8372 | |
| 10-Jan-53 | Northampton Town | Home | League | 0-1 | | 9001 | |
| 17-Jan-53 | Southend United | Home | League | 3-0 | Pacey, Poulton (pen), Brown | 13054 | |
| 24-Jan-53 | Watford | Away | League | 0-1 | | 10398 | |
| 31-Jan-53 | Northampton Town | Away | League | 1-3 | Pacey | 9476 | |
| 7-Feb-53 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Home | League | 3-0 | Facey (2), Lusted | 8210 | |
| 14-Feb-53 | Newport County | Away | League | 1-0 | Lusted | 5000 | |
| 21-Feb-53 | Crystal Palace | Home | League | 0-0 | | 12240 | |
| 28-Feb-53 | Exeter City | Away | League | 1-0 | Facey | 8000 | |
| 7-Mar-53 | Bristol Rovers | Home | League | 3-3 | Facey, Pacey (2) | 16187 | |
| 14-Mar-53 | Millwall | Away | League | 0-0 | | 23700 | |
| 18-Mar-53 | Swindon Town | Away | League | 1-1 | Whiteley | 3000 | |
| 21-Mar-53 | Gillingham | Home | League | 1-1 | Facey | 11418 | |
| 25-Mar-53 | Ipswich Town | Away | League | 1-0 | Lusted | 3116 | |
| 28-Mar-53 | Walsall | Away | League | 0-1 | | 3282 | |
| 3-Apr-53 | Norwich City | Home | League | 3-1 | Aldous, Lusted, Pacey | 18535 | |
| 4-Apr-53 | Shrewsbury Town | Home | League | 0-0 | | 10642 | |
| 6-Apr-53 | Norwich City | Away | League | 1-5 | Whiteley | 23351 | |
| 11-Apr-53 | Queens Park Rangers | Away | League | 1-0 | Rees | 10895 | |
| 16-Apr-53 | Aldershot | Home | League | 4-1 | Facey (2), Pacey (2) | 6040 | |
| 18-Apr-53 | Swindon Town | Home | League | 2-2 | Lusted, Pacey | 11115 | |
| 21-Apr-53 | Bristol City | Away | League | 1-2 | Rees | 9387 | |
| 25-Apr-53 | Aldershot | Away | League | 0-2 | | 6229 | |
| 30-Apr-53 | Colchester United | Home | League | 5-3 | Pacey (4), Whiteley | 2553 | |