Russian Third League 1997

The Russian Third League 1997 was the 4th and, so far, final time competition on the fourth level of Russian football was professional. In 1998 Russian Third League was disbanded and the Amateur Football League moved back to fourth level of the Russian football pyramid. All the 1997 Russian Third League teams that were not promoted to the Second Division moved to the Amateur Football League (unless otherwise noted below). There were 5 zones with 88 teams starting the competition (6 were excluded before the end of the season).

Zone 1

Overview

Team Head coach
FC Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody Aleksandr Babayan
FC Mozdok Yuri Gazzaev
FC Torpedo Georgiyevsk Yuri Kotov
FC Anzhi-d Makhachkala
FC Nart Nartkala Vladimir Kurashinov
FC Iriston Vladikavkaz Ruslan Merdenov
FC Nart Cherkessk Nurbiy Lakhov
FC Dynamo-d Stavropol
FC Alania-d Vladikavkaz
PFC Spartak-d Nalchik
FC Dynamo-Imamat Makhachkala Kosim Akchurin
FC Olimp Kislovodsk Aleksandr Grosberg
FC Beshtau Lermontov Valentin Lobachyov

Standings

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody (A) 48 33 11 4 112 40+72 110 Promotion to Second Division
2 Mozdok (A) 48 29 8 11 105 46+59 95
3 Torpedo Georgiyevsk (A) 48 28 9 11 85 36+49 93
4 Anzhi-d Makhachkala 48 29 5 14 114 58+56 92
5 Nart Nartkala (A) 48 27 6 15 109 74+35 87 Promotion to Second Division
6 Iriston Vladikavkaz (A) 48 25 9 14 98 63+35 84
7 Nart Cherkessk (A) 48 21 7 20 83 80+3 70
8 Dynamo-d Stavropol 48 15 14 19 69 76−7 59
9 Alania-d Vladikavkaz (A) 48 12 7 29 66 119−53 43 Promotion to Second Division
10 Spartak-d Nalchik 48 11 10 27 65 99−34 43
11 Dynamo-Imamat Makhachkala (A) 48 12 6 30 67 131−64 42 Promotion to Second Division
12 Olimp Kislovodsk 48 11 7 30 54 116−62 40
13 Beshtau Lermontov (A) 48 7 5 36 50 139−89 26 Promotion to Second Division

Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: unknown
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Notes.

  1. FC Alania-d Vladikavkaz were excluded from the league after playing 35 games and gaining 43 points. Opponents were awarded a 3-0 win in the remaining games.
  2. FC Iriston Vladikavkaz and FC Dynamo-Imamat Makhachkala were awarded 1 home win each.
  3. FC Torpedo Georgiyevsk played their first professional season.
  4. FC Anzhi-2 Kaspiysk renamed to FC Anzhi-d and moved to Makhachkala. They did not participate in national-level competitions in 1998.
  5. FC Dynamo-d Stavropol, PFC Spartak-d Nalchik and FC Olimp Kislovodsk did not participate in national-level competitions in 1998.
  6. FC Alania-d Vladikavkaz last played professionally in 1995 as FC Spartak-Alania-d Vladikavkaz.

Top goalscorers

35 goals
30 goals
28 goals
26 goals
25 goals
24 goals
22 goals
21 goals

Zone 2

Overview

Team Head coach
FC Kuban Slavyansk-na-Kubani Nikolai Smirnov
FC Rassvet Troitskoye Sergei Lushchin
FC Rostselmash-d Rostov-on-Don
FC Spartak-Bratskiy Yuzhny Sergei Antonkin
FC Niva Slavyansk-na-Kubani Oleg Ivanov
FC Shakhtyor Shakhty Yuri Shikunov
FC Volgodonsk Nikolai Zlobin
FC Metallurg Krasny Sulin Viktor Shchirov
FC Rotor-d Volgograd
FC Salyut Saratov Vladimir Khoroltsev
FC Kuban-d Krasnodar Igor Kaleshin
FC Rotor-2 Mikhaylovka Sergei Andreyev
FC Lokomotiv Yelets Yuri Raznov
FC Zhemchuzhina-d Sochi Anatoli Lyz
FC Energiya-d Kamyshin
FC Fakel-d Voronezh Yuri Litvinov

Standings

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Kuban Slavyansk-na-Kubani (A) 30 20 4 6 63 30+33 64 Promotion to Second Division
2 Rassvet Troitskoye 30 17 7 6 56 30+26 58
3 Rostselmash-d Rostov-on-Don (A) 30 16 9 5 52 18+34 57 Promotion to Second Division
4 Spartak-Bratskiy Yuzhny 30 17 5 8 62 36+26 56
5 Niva Slavyansk-na-Kubani 30 16 5 9 58 35+23 53
6 Shakhtyor Shakhty (A) 30 14 6 10 40 27+13 48 Promotion to Second Division
7 Volgodonsk 30 12 8 10 40 33+7 44
8 Metallurg Krasny Sulin 30 11 10 9 38 36+2 43
9 Rotor-d Volgograd (A) 30 12 6 12 44 43+1 42 Promotion to Second Division
10 Salyut Saratov (A) 30 10 10 10 43 36+7 40
11 Kuban-d Krasnodar 30 11 5 14 28 40−12 38
12 Rotor-2 Mikhaylovka 30 9 9 12 37 33+4 36
13 Lokomotiv Yelets 28 11 1 16 32 50−18 34
14 Zhemchuzhina-d Sochi (A) 30 9 6 15 38 55−17 33 Promotion to Second Division
15 Energiya-d Kamyshin 28 2 3 23 13 79−66 9
16 Fakel-d Voronezh 28 1 4 23 15 78−63 7

Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: unknown
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Notes.

  1. FC Lokomotiv Yelets were excluded from the league after playing 15 games and gaining 34 points. Opponents were awarded a 3-0 win in the remaining games.
  2. FC Energiya-d Kamyshin were excluded from the league after playing 15 games and gaining 9 points. Opponents were awarded a 3-0 win in the remaining games.
  3. FC Fakel-d Voronezh were excluded from the league after playing 17 games and gaining 7 points. Opponents were awarded a 3-0 win in the remaining games.
  4. FC Rassvet Troitskoye promoted from the Amateur Football League. They did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.
  5. FC Spartak-Bratskiy Yuzhny, FC Niva Slavyansk-na-Kubani, FC Volgodonsk and FC Kuban-d Krasnodar did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.
  6. FC Dynamo Mikhailovka renamed to FC Rotor-2.
  7. FC Energiya-d Kamyshin last played professionally in 1992 as FC Tekstilshchik-d Kamyshin. They did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.
  8. FC Fakel-d Voronezh played their first professional season. They did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.

Top goalscorers

16 goals
15 goals
11 goals
10 goals

Zone 3

Overview

Team Head coach
FC Dynamo-d Moscow Aleksei Petrushin
FC Khimki Vladimir Shtapov
FC Torpedo-ZIL Moscow Sergei Petrenko
FC Kosmos Dolgoprudny Aleksandr Logunov
FC Roda Moscow Vladimir Opochinskiy
FC Spartak-d Moscow Sergey Rodionov
FC Titan Reutov Aleksei Belenkov
PFC CSKA-d Moscow Sergei Berezin
FC Sportakademklub Moscow Aleksandr Yefremov
FC Kolomna Viktor Korneyev
FC Spartak Lukhovitsy Sergei Bondar
FC Monolit Moscow Yuri Vereykin
FC Torgmash Lyubertsy Anatoli Leshchenkov
FC Krasnogvardeyets Moscow Aleksandr Rakov
FC Asmaral Moscow Vladimir Mikhaylov
FC Torpedo-Luzhniki-d Moscow
FC Lokomotiv-d Moscow Nikolai Khudiyev
FC Fabus Bronnitsy Vladimir Sautin
FC MEPhI Moscow Rinat Bilyaletdinov
FC Dynamo-2 Moscow Aleksandr Maksimenkov
FC Chertanovo Moscow Viktor Borovikov

Standings

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Dynamo-d Moscow (A) 40 31 4 5 84 24+60 97 Promotion to Second Division
2 Khimki (A) 40 26 6 8 80 38+42 84
3 Torpedo-ZIL Moscow (A) 40 23 8 9 77 29+48 77
4 Kosmos Dolgoprudny (A) 40 21 8 11 63 41+22 71
5 Roda Moscow 40 23 7 10 83 49+34 70
6 Spartak-d Moscow (A) 40 21 3 16 72 54+18 66 Promotion to Second Division
7 Titan Reutov (A) 40 19 7 14 57 52+5 64
8 CSKA-d Moscow (A) 40 17 12 11 66 53+13 63
9 Sportakademklub Moscow (A) 40 17 8 15 58 47+11 59
10 Kolomna (A) 40 15 12 13 49 40+9 57
11 Spartak Lukhovitsy (A) 40 17 5 18 59 53+6 56
12 Monolit Moscow (A) 40 15 8 17 57 70−13 53
13 Torgmash Lyubertsy (A) 40 13 9 18 42 61−19 48
14 Krasnogvardeyets Moscow 40 13 8 19 43 61−18 47
15 Asmaral Moscow (A) 40 14 3 23 50 77−27 45 Promotion to Second Division
16 Torpedo-Luzhniki-d Moscow (A) 40 13 6 21 56 58−2 45
17 Lokomotiv-d Moscow (A) 40 12 7 21 52 73−21 43
18 Fabus Bronnitsy (A) 40 10 13 17 52 57−5 43
19 MEPhI Moscow 40 11 9 20 40 53−13 42
20 Dynamo-2 Moscow 40 10 9 21 50 83−33 39
21 Chertanovo Moscow 40 1 4 35 18 135−117 7

Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: unknown
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Notes.

  1. FC Roda Moscow deducted 6 points.
  2. FC Khimki and FC Spartak Lukhovitsy promoted from the Amateur Football League.
  3. FC Torpedo-ZIL Moscow played their first professional season.
  4. FC Roda Moscow and FC Chertanovo Moscow did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.
  5. FC Mashinostroitel Sergiyev Posad moved to Moscow and renamed to FC Sportakademklub.
  6. FC Avangard-Kortek Kolomna renamed to FC Kolomna.
  7. FC MEPhI Moscow promoted from the Amateur Football League, where it played in 1996 as FSh MEPhI. They did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.
  8. FC Dynamo-2 Moscow did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998 (FC Dynamo-d Moscow was renamed to FC Dynamo-2 in 1998).

Top goalscorers

21 goals
20 goals
19 goals
17 goals
16 goals
15 goals

Zone 4

Overview

Team Head coach
FC Metallurg Vyksa Mikhail Beketov
FC Energetik Uren Viktor Pavlyukov
FC Torpedo Vladimir Yevgeni Skomorokhov
FC Torpedo-Viktoriya Nizhny Novgorod Aleksandr Platonychev
FC Spartak Bryansk Viktor Ozhoga
FC Stroitel Morshansk Vyacheslav Vlasov
FC Luch Tula Yuri Cheryevskiy
FC Lokomotiv Kaluga Aleksandr Sakharov
FC Energiya Velikiye Luki Vladimir Gogin
FC Volochanin Vyshny Volochyok Viktor Demidov
FC Zenit-d Saint Petersburg
FC Mashinostroitel Pskov Sergei Markelov
FC Dynamo Bryansk Viktor Zimin
FC Neftyanik Yaroslavl Valentin Volkov
FC Spartak Kostroma Valeri Volchanovskiy
FC Lokomotiv-d Saint Petersburg
FC Lokomotiv-d Nizhny Novgorod
FC Khimik Dzerzhinsk Andrei Sergeyev
FC Industriya Borovsk Yuri Karamyan
FC Spartak Rybnoye

Standings

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Metallurg Vyksa 36 24 7 5 54 20+34 79
2 Energetik Uren (A) 36 23 7 6 70 35+35 76 Promotion to Second Division
3 Torpedo Vladimir (A) 36 21 10 5 60 27+33 73
4 Torpedo-Viktoriya Nizhny Novgorod (A) 36 21 7 8 62 18+44 70
5 Spartak Bryansk (A) 36 17 10 9 54 38+16 61
6 Stroitel Morshansk (A) 36 19 2 15 53 42+11 59
7 Luch Tula (A) 36 17 7 12 41 37+4 58
8 Lokomotiv Kaluga (A) 36 16 6 14 56 47+9 54
9 Energiya Velikiye Luki (A) 36 13 14 9 43 36+7 53
10 Volochanin Vyshny Volochyok (A) 36 14 8 14 33 40−7 50
11 Zenit-d St. Petersburg (A) 36 12 13 11 49 32+17 49
12 Mashinostroitel Pskov 36 13 7 16 28 40−12 46
13 Dynamo Bryansk (A) 36 13 7 16 38 42−4 46 Promotion to Second Division
14 Neftyanik Yaroslavl (A) 36 12 8 16 41 46−5 44
15 Spartak Kostroma (A) 36 10 8 18 30 48−18 38
16 Lokomotiv-d St. Petersburg 36 8 7 21 28 57−29 31
17 Lokomotiv-d Nizhny Novgorod 36 6 6 24 24 61−37 24
18 Khimik Dzerzhinsk (A) 36 4 8 24 18 64−46 20 Promotion to Second Division
19 Industriya Borovsk 36 4 8 24 21 73−52 20

Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: unknown
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Notes.

  1. FC Spartak Rybnoye were excluded from the league after playing 18 games and gaining 14 points. All their results were discarded. That was their first professional season. They did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.
  2. FC Industriya Borovsk were excluded from the league after playing 19 games and gaining 20 points. Opponents were awarded 3-0 wins in the remaining games. They did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.
  3. FC Khimik Dzerzhinsk awarded one home loss.
  4. FC Torpedo-Viktoriya Nizhny Novgorod played their first professional season.
  5. FC Lokomotiv Kaluga promoted from the Amateur Football League, where they played in 1996 as FC Smena-PRMZ Kaluga.
  6. FC Energiya Velikiye Luki promoted from the Amateur Football League.
  7. FC Lokomotiv-d Saint Petersburg and FC Lokomotiv-d Nizhny Novgorod did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.

Top goalscorers

18 goals
17 goals
14 goals
13 goals
12 goals
11 goals

Zone 5

Overview

Team Head coach
FC Zenit Penza Aleksandr Komissarov
FC Dynamo Perm Viktor Arkhapchev
FC Zenit Chelyabinsk Oleg Kudelin
FC Metiznik Magnitogorsk Aleksandr Kukushkin
FC Neftyanik Pokhvistnevo Yevgeni Sarychev (until July)
Ishtvan Sekech (from July)
FC Uralets Nizhny Tagil Anatoli Garenskikh
FC Biokhimik-Mordovia Saransk Igor Shinkarenko
FC Energiya Ulyanovsk Mikhail Fursenko
FC Gazovik Orenburg Valeri Bogdanov
FC Trubnik Kamensk-Uralsky Vasili Petrovich
FC Iskra Engels Anatoli Surovtsev
FC Progress Zelenodolsk Aleksandr Klobukov
FC Druzhba Yoshkar-Ola Igor Pochuyenkov
FC Neftyanik Bugulma German Bobek
FC Elektron Vyatskiye Polyany Yuri Osin
FC Gornyak Kachkanar Viktor Stavrov
FC Volga Balakovo Aleksandr Krokhin
FC KAMAZ-Chally-d Naberezhnye Chelny

Standings

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Zenit Penza (A) 34 21 8 5 62 27+35 71 Promotion to Second Division
2 Dynamo Perm (A) 34 20 6 8 55 32+23 66
3 Zenit Chelyabinsk (A) 34 19 9 6 55 27+28 66
4 Metiznik Magnitogorsk 34 18 7 9 65 44+21 61
5 Neftyanik Pokhvistnevo (A) 34 17 8 9 59 32+27 59 Promotion to Second Division
6 Uralets Nizhny Tagil (A) 34 17 8 9 41 27+14 59
7 Biokhimik-Mordovia Saransk (A) 34 16 11 7 47 28+19 59
8 Energiya Ulyanovsk (A) 34 18 3 13 50 42+8 57
9 Gazovik Orenburg (A) 34 16 9 9 48 33+15 57
10 Trubnik Kamensk-Uralsky (A) 34 15 8 11 53 43+10 53
11 Iskra Engels (A) 34 14 9 11 41 39+2 51
12 Progress Zelenodolsk (A) 34 11 9 14 46 56−10 42
13 Druzhba Yoshkar-Ola (A) 34 10 7 17 42 50−8 37
14 Neftyanik Bugulma 34 8 9 17 35 54−19 33
15 Elektron Vyatskiye Polyany 34 7 7 20 33 62−29 28
16 Gornyak Kachkanar 34 5 8 21 33 65−32 23
17 Volga Balakovo (A) 34 5 5 24 32 73−41 20 Promotion to Second Division
18 KAMAZ-Chally-d Naberezhnye Chelny 34 1 5 28 24 87−63 8

Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: unknown
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Notes.

  1. FC Zenit Chelyabinsk and FC Energiya Ulyanovsk promoted from the Amateur Football League.
  2. FC Metiznik Magnitogorsk, FC Elektron Vyatskiye Polyany and FC KAMAZ-Chally-d Naberezhnye Chelny did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.

Top goalscorers

23 goals
21 goals
19 goals
17 goals
16 goals
15 goals
14 goals
13 goals

See also