The 1997 Russian Third League 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
Notes.
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. FC Iriston Vladikavkaz and FC Dynamo-Imamat Makhachkala were awarded 1 home win each. FC Torpedo Georgiyevsk played their first professional season. FC Anzhi-2 Kaspiysk renamed to FC Anzhi-d and moved to Makhachkala. They did not participate in national-level competitions in 1998. FC Dynamo-d Stavropol, PFC Spartak-d Nalchik and FC Olimp Kislovodsk did not participate in national-level competitions in 1998. FC Alania-d Vladikavkaz last played professionally in 1995 as FC Spartak-Alania-d Vladikavkaz.
Top goalscorers
35 goals
Budun Budunov (FC Anzhi-d Makhachkala)
30 goals
Kyamran Nurakhmedov (FC Dynamo-Imamat Makhachkala)
28 goals
Alisher Gippot (FC Torpedo Georgiyevsk)
26 goals
Aslan Maremukov (FC Nart Nartkala)
25 goals
Nikolai Tkachenko (FC Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody)
24 goals
Eduard Khachaturyan (FC Mozdok)
22 goals
Mikhail Pavlov (FC Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody) Aleksandr Zaalishvili (FC Nart Nartkala)
21 goals
Gadzhi Bamatov (FC Anzhi-d Makhachkala) Iosif Khuazhev (FC Mozdok)
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 Oleg Sizov FC Fakel-d Voronezh Yuri Litvinov
Standings
Notes.
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. 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. FC Fakel-d Voronezh was excluded from the league after playing 17 games and gaining 7 points. Opponents were awarded a 3–0 win in the remaining games. FC Rassvet Troitskoye promoted from the Amateur Football League. They did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998. 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. FC Dynamo Mikhailovka renamed to FC Rotor-2. 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. FC Fakel-d Voronezh played their first professional season. They did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998.
Top goalscorers
16 goals
Murat Gomleshko (FC Niva Slavyansk-na-Kubani) Viktor Ledovskikh (FC Spartak-Bratskiy Yuzhny) Denis Popov (FC Kuban Slavyansk-na-Kubani)
15 goals
Gennadi Remezov (FC Rassvet Troitskoye)
11 goals
Aleksandr Bocharnikov (FC Kuban Slavyansk-na-Kubani) Sergei Glazunov (FC Salyut Saratov) Valeri Prokulatov (FC Volgodonsk)
10 goals
Sergei Afanasyev (FC Metallurg Krasny Sulin) Roman Oreshchuk (FC Rostselmash-d Rostov-on-Don) Sergei Pogarchenko (FC Shakhtyor Shakhty)
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
Notes.
FC Roda Moscow deducted 6 points. FC Khimki and FC Spartak Lukhovitsy promoted from the Amateur Football League. FC Torpedo-ZIL Moscow played their first professional season. FC Roda Moscow and FC Chertanovo Moscow did not participate in the national-level competitions in 1998. FC Mashinostroitel Sergiyev Posad moved to Moscow and renamed to FC Sportakademklub. FC Avangard-Kortek Kolomna renamed to FC Kolomna. 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. 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
Sergei Kulichenko (PFC CSKA-d Moscow)
20 goals
Viktor Voronkov (FC Roda Moscow)
19 goals
Sergei Lutovinov (FC Spartak-d Moscow)
17 goals
Sabir Khamzin (FC Sportakademklub Moscow) Sergei Kravchuk (FC Khimki) Sergei Lavrentyev (FC Torpedo-ZIL Moscow)
16 goals
Sergei Artyomov (FC Dynamo-d Moscow) Gleb Panfyorov (FC Torpedo-ZIL Moscow) Aleksei Snigiryov (FC Lokomotiv-d Moscow/FC Torpedo-ZIL Moscow)
15 goals
Guy-Martin Ngaha Tchamoah (FC Roda Moscow) Aleksandr Rogachyov (FC Kolomna) Vadim Shatalin (FC Khimki)
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
Notes.
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. 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. FC Khimik Dzerzhinsk awarded one home loss. FC Torpedo-Viktoriya Nizhny Novgorod played their first professional season. FC Lokomotiv Kaluga promoted from the Amateur Football League, where they played in 1996 as FC Smena-PRMZ Kaluga. FC Energiya Velikiye Luki promoted from the Amateur Football League. 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
Nikolai Sidorov (FC Lokomotiv Kaluga)
17 goals
Valeri Korneyev (FC Spartak Bryansk)
14 goals
Andrei Alenichev (FC Energiya Velikiye Luki) Dmitri Golubev (FC Metallurg Vyksa)
13 goals
Yevgeni Losev (FC Lokomotiv Kaluga) Dmitri Pozhidayev (FC Energetik Uren)
12 goals
Anatoli Lychagov (FC Energetik Uren) Nail Safayev (FC Torpedo Vladimir) Valeri Vasilyev (FC Stroitel Morshansk)
11 goals
Aleksandr Gultyayev (FC Mashinostroitel Pskov) Vladislav Khakhalev (FC Torpedo Vladimir)
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
Notes.
FC Zenit Chelyabinsk and FC Energiya Ulyanovsk promoted from the Amateur Football League. 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
Vyacheslav Ulitin (FC Zenit Penza)
21 goals
Vyacheslav Khovanskiy (FC Trubnik Kamensk-Uralsky)
19 goals
Andrei Eskov (FC Iskra Engels)
17 goals
Pavel Yumatov (FC Neftyanik Pokhvistnevo)
16 goals
Aleksandr Fedoseyev (FC Zenit Penza)
15 goals
Sergei Sviridkin (FC Gazovik Orenburg)
14 goals
Aleksandr Fyodorov (FC Progress Zelenodolsk) Aleksandr Nikulin (FC Neftyanik Pokhvistnevo) Yuri Petrov (FC Dynamo Perm)
13 goals
Igor Shiropatin (FC Uralets Nizhny Tagil)
See also 1997 Russian Top League 1997 Russian First League 1997 Russian Second League