The Soviet Second League (, Soviet football championship (Second League)) was the third highest division of Soviet football, below the Soviet First League. The league was formed in 1971 in place of the Class A Second Group of the Soviet football championship just a year after the division was downgraded to the third tier. Previously, the third-tier competition predecessor Class B was liquidated completely. The Second League remained in force until dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Overview

The Soviet third tier competitions were conducted since the establishment of the Soviet football championship among teams of masters in 1936. At first they were called as the Group V (Cyrillic letter of V) of the Soviet football championship, but was discontinued after the 1937. The experimental edition of the third-tier competition was re-introduced in 1946 as the Third Group of the Soviet football championship. But the consistent competitions really took off in 1963 when the Class B of the Soviet football championship was downgraded to the third tier.

The most titles of the League won was two by 11 different teams out of various now independent republics. The last winners of the League were FC Karpaty Lviv, FC Asmaral Moscow, and FC Okean Nakhodka.

Between 1963 and 1970 football competitions in Class B were split by republican principle at first as tier two, then as tier three, and at the end in 1970 it was downgraded to the auxiliary tier four (or lower tier three). Each territorial Class B competition had multiple number of sub-groups that were known as zones. Winners of each territorial (republican) Class B was granted promotion to Class A Second Group (First League). Also on occasions, there were relegation play-offs to allow rotation for the collective of physical culture (KFK). Class B of the Russian SFSR (1959–1970) Class B of the Ukrainian SSR (1960–1970) Class B of Union republics (1960–1967) Class B of Central Asia (1966–1970) Class B of the Kazakh SSR (1968–1970) Class B of Caucasus (1969)

In 1970–71, the Soviet league system was restructured for lower leagues and Class B competitions were discontinued. Republican competitions were conducted with the Soviet Second League which consisted of multiple groups (zones). There was no explicit designation of zones as they were simply numerated. Initially the league consisted of six groups, but for the next couple of season was increased to seven before reducing back to six again. Normally winners of group were getting promoted to the First League.

In 1980 the league was expanded to 9 groups, winners of which qualified for a mini-tournament that consisted of three groups with three teams. The three winners of that mini-tournament received promotion to the First League. This format remained in place until 1989.

Republican competitions continued to be conducted among collective of physical culture and were considered as amateur.

In 1990 the league again went through another transformation reducing the number of groups from 9 to 3, winners of which would have been promoted to the First League. Due to withdrawal of teams, promotion and relegation was disrupted and the 1991 season became the last.

Third tier competition names

1936–1937 Group V (third letter in the Russian alphabet) 1936–1937 Group G 1936–1937 Group D and Group of Cities of the Far East 1946–1946 Third Group 1963–1969 Class B 1970–1970 Second Group (Class A) 1970–1970 Class B 1971–1989 Second League 1990–1991 Buffer League 1990–1991 Second League B

Winners

Group V SeasonWinnerRunners-upThirdNotes1936 (spring)FC Dinamo Rostov/DonStroiteli BakuDynamo Odessa1936 (autumn)Dinamo KazanSpartak KharkivDynamo Dnipropetrovsk1937Dynamo OdessaLokomotyv KyivStakhanovets Staline

Third Group SeasonZoneWinnerRunners-upThirdNotes19461Spartak UzhhorodKrylya Sovetov Tbilisifive groups winners and runners-up of which qualified for the two final groups2Dinamo RigaZenit Kaliningrad

Class B SeasonZoneWinnerRunners-upThirdNotes1963RussiaVolga KalininDinamo KirovZvezda Serpukhovthree zonesUkraineSKA OdessaLokomotyv VinnytsiaAzovstal ZhdanovRepublicsLokomotivi TbilisiDinamo Batumi1964RussiaRostselmash Rostov/DonTerek GroznyTekstilshchik Ivanovothree zonesUkraineLokomotyv VinnytsiaSKA KievPolissya ZhytomyrRepublicsGranitas KlaipėdaVostok Ust-KamenogorskPolitodel Tashkent Oblast1965RussiaSpartak NalchikRubin KazanSokol Saratovthree zonesUkraineSKA LvivSKA KievAvanhard Zhovti VodyRepublicsDynamo KirovabadDynamo BakuPamir Leninabad1966RussiaLokomotiv KalugaSpartak OrdzhonikidzeMetallurg Tulafour zonesUkraineAvanhard Zhovti VodyDynamo KhmelnytskyiLokomotyv KhersonCentral AsiaPamir LeninabadMetallurg ChimkentDynamo TselinogradRepublicsMeshakhte TkibuliPolad SumgayitNeman Grodno1967RussiaDinamo MakhachkalaVolga UlyanovskVolgar Astrakhanfour zonesUkraineAvtomobilist ZhytomyrKhimik SeverodonetskDnipro KremenchukCentral AsiaZarafshon NawoyiSverdlovets Tashkent OblastMetallurg TemirtauRepublicsNeman GrodnoPolad Sumgait1968RussiaMashuk PyatigorskKalinenets SverdlovskSpartak Belgorodfour zonesUkraineAvanhard TernopilBukovyna ChernivtsiShakhtar KadiivkaCentral AsiaSverdlovets Tashkent OblastAk Altyn Andizhan OblastSamarqandKazakhstanEmbek DjezkazghanADK Alma‑AtaMetallurg Temirtau1969RussiaDruzhba MaykopSaturn RybinskIskra Smolenskfive zonesUkraineSpartak Ivano-FrankivskShakhtar HorlivkaSpartak SumyCentral AsiaTashavtomash TashkentSamarkandYangiyerKazakhstanTraktor PavlodarTsementnik SemipalatinskEmbek DjezkazghanCaucasusDila GoriGuria LanchkhutiAvtomobilist Yerevan

Second Group (Class A) SeasonZoneWinnerRunners-upThirdNotes1970UkraineMetalurh ZaporizhiaTavriya SimferopolAvtomobilist Zhytomyrthree zones; top two teams of second and third groups played in final Russian groupRussiaAvtomobilist NalchikSpartak Yoshkar‑OlaKuzbass Kemerevo

Second League SeasonWinnerRunners-upNotes1971Kryvbas Kryvyi RihIskra Smolensksix groups1972Spartak Ivano-FrankivskDinamo Rigaseven groups1973Uralmash SverdlovskTavriya SimferopolKuban Krasnodarwinners of seven groups play in final1974Alga FrunzeRubin KazanMetalist Kharkivsix groups1975Terek GroznyDinamo RigaStroitel Asgabatsix groups1976Dinamo LeningradKryvbas Kryvyi RihUralmash Sverdlovsksix groups1977Kuban KrasnodarŽalgiris VilniusSCA Odessasix groups1978FC Zvezda PermSpartak NalchikMetalist Kharkivsix groups1979Iskra SmolenskKolos NikopolDinamo StavropolGuria LanchkhutiSugdiyona JizzakhSKA KhabarovskTextilschik IvanovoSKA KyivRotor VolgogradLokomotivi SamtrediaShakhrikhonchi ShakhrikhanFC Shakhtersix groups, no final, six winners1980Spartak KostromaTraktor PavlodarCSKA KyivRotor VolgogradDynamo SamarqandKhimik Grodnonine groups, three final groups1981Daugava RigaDinamo KirovRotor VolgogradKotayk AbovyanKryvbas Kryvyi RihTextilschik Ivanovonine groups, three final groups1982Textilschik IvanovoDnepr MogilevKuzbass KemerevoSpartak OrjonikidzeDynamo SamarqandShakhternine groups, three final groups1983Irtysh OmskSpartak OrjonikidzeDinamo BatumiMetallurg LipetskZnamya Truda Orekhovo-ZuevoKrylya Sovetov Kuybyshevnine groups, three final groups1984Krylya Sovetov KuybyshevKotayk AbovyanDinamo StavropolNyva VinnytsiaGeolog TumenDynamo Samarqandnine groups, three final groups1985Rostselmash Rostov/DonAtlantas KlaipėdaIskra SmolenskTavriya SimferopolFC Zvezda PermMeliorator Chimkentnine groups, three final groups1986Krylya Sovetov KuybyshevGeolog TumenZoria VoroshilovgradKapaz KirovabadMetallurg LipetskSokhibkor Khalkabadnine groups, three final groups1987Tavriya SimferopolFC Zvezda PermKuban KrasnodarIskra SmolenskMeliorator ChimkentNistru Chisinaunine groups, three final groups1988Nistru ChisinauTorpedo KutaisiFakel VoronezhNeftchi FergonaTsement NovorossiyskBukovyna Chernivtsinine groups, three final groups1989Lokomotiv GorkiyTextilschik TiraspolDinamo SukhumiIrtysh OmskVolyn LutskNeftchi Fergonanine groups, three final groups1990Bukovyna ChernivtsiUralmash SverdlovskNeftchi FergonaDaugava RigaTextilschik KamyshynNovbakhor Namanganthree groups1991Karpaty LvivAsmaral MoscowOkean NakhodkaZorya LuhanskKrylya Sovetov SamaraKopetdag Asgabatthree groups

All-time table (top 20) There were over 520 teams that played in the third tier competitions. TeamRepublicSeasonsFirstseasonLastseasonPlayedWonDrawnLostGoalsforGoalsagainstPoints11st2nd3rdBukovina ChernovtsyUkraine26196319891175508318349146611151842 Polesie ZhitomirUkraine2419631988108645531032112949861675 Druzhba MaikopRussia28196319901085470243372137411231653 Tselinnik TselinogradKazakhstan261964199097447621528313609681643 Neftyanik FerganaUzbekistan231963198990847917825115068701615 Metallurg LipetskRussia241963199094844824225812818551586 Khimik DzhambulKazakhstan27196319901013446242325143911271580 Krivbass Krivoi RogUkraine2219631988100342829528012679671579 Sudostroitel NikolaevUkraine23196319891043425295323125710031570 Zakarpatie UzhgorodUkraine26196319891155426291438123512881569 Niva VinnitsaUkraine2219631990100242728628912308851567 Podolie KhmelnitskiyUkraine24196319881084404286394119111671498 Mashuk PiatigorskRussia241936 (f)198991643120228312249531495 Volyn LutskUkraine27196319901206386332488114814161490 Avangard RovnoUkraine25196319881113388309416109711521473 Sokol SaratovRussia2419631990923421209293141610651472 Zenit IzhevskRussia261963199097240725131412799881472 Spartak KostromaRussia231963198889139926023212258851457 Meliorator ChimkentKazakhstan2419631990918418202298135210181456 Kristall KhersonUkraine24196319881076387289400123312701450 1Three points for a win. In 1973, a point for a draw was awarded only to a team that won the subsequent penalty shootout. In 1978–1988, the number of draws for which points were awarded was limited.

See also Ukrainian Zone - the Ukrainian Republican competitions of the Soviet Second League only, not including the interzonal tournaments.

References

External links