Soviet Second League


The Soviet 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 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. Each territorial Class B competition had multiple number of sub-groups that were known as zones. Winners of each territorial Class B was granted promotion to Class A Second Group. Also on occasions, there were relegation play-offs to allow rotation for the collective of physical culture.
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. 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
  • *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
  • *1970–1970 Class B
  • 1971–1989 Second League
  • 1990–1991 Buffer League
  • *1990–1991 Second League B

    Winners

Group V

Third Group

Class B

Second Group (Class A)

Second League

All-time table (top 20)

There were over 520 teams that played in the third tier competitions.
TeamRepublicSeasonsFirst
season		Last
season		PlayedWonDrawnLostGoals
for		Goals
against		Points11st2nd3rd
Bukovina 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 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.