1997 Russian Second League

The 1997 Russian Second League was the sixth edition of the Second Division. There were 3 zones with 61 teams starting the competition (3 were excluded before the end of the season). This was the last season that the professional Russian Third League existed. Next season the Second League became the lowest professional level once again.

Top goalscorers

 * 33 goals


 * Aleksandr Kuzmichyov (FC Arsenal Tula)


 * 32 goals


 * Dmitri Kirichenko (FC Torpedo Taganrog)


 * 26 goals


 * Vladimir Kharin (FC Lokomotiv Liski)


 * 21 goals


 * Andrei Bakalets (FC MChS-Selyatino Selyatino)


 * 16 goals


 * Oleg Delov (FC Avangard Kursk)


 * 14 goals


 * 🇧🇷 Anderson (FC Arsenal Tula)
 * Anatoli Balaluyev (FC Avtomobilist Noginsk)
 * Alik Dulayev (FC Avtodor Vladikavkaz)
 * Grigori Ivanov (FC Avtodor Vladikavkaz)
 * Mikhail Shumilin (FC MChS-Selyatino Selyatino)

Top goalscorers

 * 26 goals


 * Eduard Zatsepin (FC Svetotekhnika Saransk)


 * 25 goals


 * Andrei Knyazev (FC Rubin Kazan)


 * 22 goals


 * Vladimir Filimonov (FC Energiya Chaikovsky)


 * 19 goals


 * 🇺🇦 Yuriy Yakovenko (FC Torpedo Arzamas)


 * 17 goals


 * Sergei Budarin (FC Nosta Novotroitsk)


 * 16 goals


 * Vladimir Pantyushenko (FC Rubin Kazan)


 * 14 goals


 * Vitali Papadopulo (FC Torpedo Arzamas)
 * Konstantin Paramonov (FC Amkar Perm)


 * 13 goals


 * Aleksandr Katasonov (FC Amkar Perm)
 * Andrei Minvaliyev (FC Tekstilshchik Ivanovo)

Top goalscorers

 * 21 goals


 * Aleksandr Yarkin (FC Viktoriya Nazarovo)


 * 16 goals


 * Vadim Belokhonov (FC Metallurg Krasnoyarsk)


 * 15 goals


 * Stanislav Chaplygin (FC Metallurg-Zapsib Novokuznetsk)
 * Andrei Korovin (FC Amur-Energiya Blagoveshchensk)


 * 14 goals


 * Yevgeni Savin (FC Dynamo Barnaul)


 * 13 goals


 * Aleksei Kandalintsev (FC SKA Khabarovsk)
 * Dmitri Kudinov (FC Tom Tomsk)


 * 12 goals


 * Sergei Ageyev (FC Tom Tomsk)
 * Vyacheslav Vishnevskiy (FC Tom Tomsk)


 * 11 goals


 * Vyacheslav Fomin (FC Irtysh Tobolsk)
 * Anatoli Kisurin (FC Dynamo Omsk)
 * Anatoli Panchenko (FC Dynamo Barnaul)
 * Sergei Rogalevskiy (FC Kuzbass Kemerovo)
 * Yevgeni Sadovnikov (FC Zvezda Irkutsk)
 * Igor Zykov (FC Selenga Ulan-Ude)