# 2016–17 Second Professional Football League (Bulgaria)

The 2016–17 Second League was the 61st season of the Bulgarian Second League, the second tier of the Bulgarian football league system and the 1st season under this name and current league structure.
A total of 16 teams contested the league in a similar format to the B Group: 7 of which returning from the 2015–16 season, 7 of which promoted from third division and the reserves teams of Ludogorets Razgrad and CSKA Sofia.

## Stadia and locations

| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Bansko | Bansko | Saint Peter | 3,000 |
| Botev | Galabovo | Energitik | 3,000 |
| Botev | Vratsa | Hristo Botev | 32,000 |
| CSKA II | Sofia | Balgarska Armia | 22,995 |
| Etar | Veliko Tarnovo | Ivaylo | 25,000 |
| Levski | Karlovo | Vasil Levski | 6,000 |
| Lokomotiv | Sofia | Lokomotiv | 22,000 |
| Ludogorets II | Razgrad | Eagles' Nest | 2,000 |
| Nesebar | Nesebar | Nesebar Stadium | 7,000 |
| Oborishte | Panagyurishte | Orcho Voyvoda | 3,000 |
| Pomorie | Pomorie | Pomorie Stadium | 3,000 |
| Sozopol | Sozopol | Arena Sozopol | 3,500 |
| Spartak | Pleven | Pleven Stadium | 22,000 |
| Septemvri | Sofia | Dragalevtsi | 1,700 |
| Tsarsko Selo | Sofia | Tsarsko Selo | 2,000 |
| Vitosha | Bistritsa | Bistritsa Stadium | 2,000 |

## Personnel and sponsorship

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor | Kit sponsor |
| Bansko | Petko Medvetski | Ivan Topuzov | adidas | | |
| Botev Galabovo | Ivan Vutov | Georgi Kirilov | KRASIKO | Galabovo Municipality | Knauf |
| Botev Vratsa | Sasho Angelov | Todor Gochev | Jumper | WinBet | |
| CSKA Sofia II | Svetoslav Todorov | Petar Vitanov | adidas | Mtel | WinBet |
| Etar Veliko Tarnovo | Stanislav Genchev | Kiril Akalski | Joma | | |
| Levski Karlovo | Krasimir Manolov | Yanko Valkanov | Saller | Karlovo Municipality | |
| Lokomotiv Sofia | Yavor Valchinov | Daniel Peev | Joma | | |
| Ludogorets Razgrad II | Radoslav Zdravkov | Preslav Petrov | Macron | bet365 | Vivacom, Spetema |
| Nesebar | Nikolay Rusev | Nikolay Kostov | Joma | | |
| Oborishte Panagyurishte | Emil Velev | Anatoli Todorov | KRASIKO | Asarel Medet | |
| Pomorie | Malin Orachev | Georgi Petkov | Joma | Pomorie Municipality | Efbet |
| Sozopol | Rumen Dimov | Ivan Yanchev | KRASIKO | | |
| Spartak Pleven | Momchil Chelestinov (caretaker) | Tihomir Todorov | adidas | | |
| Septemvri Sofia | Hristo Arangelov | Valentin Galev | Joma | | |
| Tsarsko Selo Sofia | Nikola Spasov | Simeon Ganchev | Joma | | |
| Vitosha Bistritsa | Kostadin Angelov | Chetin Sadula | Jumper | Efbet | |
Note: Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising. However, only one sponsorship is permitted per jersey for official tournaments organised by UEFA in addition to that of the kit manufacturer (exceptions are made for non-profit organisations). Clubs in the domestic league can have more than one sponsorship per jersey which can feature on the front of the shirt, incorporated with the main sponsor or in place of it; or on the back, either below the squad number or on the collar area. Shorts also have space available for advertisement.

## Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Botev Vratsa | Dimitar Mutafov | End of caretaker tenure | 31 May 2016 | Pre-season | Boyko Velichkov | 8 June 2016 |
| Bansko | Ivan Atanasov | Mutual consent | 23 June 2016 | Pre-season | Petko Medvetski | 23 June 2016 |
| Lokomotiv Sofia | Anton Velkov | Resigned | 5 July 2016 | Pre-season | Angel Kolev | 5 July 2016 |
| Etar | Ferario Spasov | Resigned | 1 August 2016 | Pre-season | Sasho Angelov | 5 August 2016 |
| Etar | Sasho Angelov | Resigned | 10 August 2016 | 10th | Iliyan Kiryakov (caretaker) | 13 August 2016 |
| Etar | Iliyan Kiryakov | End of caretaker tenure | 20 August 2016 | 2nd | Georgi Vasilev | 20 August 2016 |
| Spartak Pleven | Diyan Donchev | Resigned | 30 August 2016 | 10th | Ferario Spasov | 31 August 2016 |
| Septemvri Sofia | Nikolay Mitov | Signed by Botev Plovdiv | 30 August 2016 | 1st | Hristo Arangelov | 30 September 2016 |
| Septemvri Sofia | Hristo Arangelov | Mutual consent | 3 September 2016 | 1st | Nikolay Mitov | 3 September 2016 |
| Botev Galabovo | Dimcho Markov | Mutual consent | 14 October 2016 | 11th | Nikola Nikolov (caretaker) | 14 October 2016 |
| Spartak Pleven | Ferario Spasov | Resigned | 15 October 2016 | 12th | Boyko Tsvetkov | 17 October 2016 |
| Oborishte | Tancho Kalpakov | Resigned | 17 October 2016 | 14th | Emil Velev | 17 October 2016 |
| Tsarsko Selo | Todor Yanchev | Resigned | 29 October 2016 | 8th | Nikola Spasov | 29 October 2016 |
| Botev Vratsa | Boyko Velichkov | Resigned | 22 November 2016 | 7th | Sasho Angelov | 23 November 2016 |
| CSKA Sofia II | Stamen Belchev | Promoted to CSKA Sofia | 27 November 2016 | 5th | Ivaylo Stanev (caretaker) | 28 November 2016 |
| Lokomotiv Sofia | Angel Kolev | Promoted to Director of football | 20 December 2016 | 11th | Yavor Valchinov | 20 December 2016 |
| Botev Galabovo | Nikola Nikolov | End of caretaker tenure | 31 December 2016 | 14th | Ivan Vutov | 1 January 2017 |
| Etar | Georgi Vasilev | Resigned | 3 January 2017 | 1st | Stanislav Genchev | 8 January 2017 |
| Spartak Pleven | Boyko Tsvetkov | Mutual consent | 4 January 2017 | 10th | Aleksandar Georgiev | 4 January 2017 |
| CSKA Sofia II | Ivaylo Stanev | End of caretaker tenure | 9 January 2017 | 8th | Svetoslav Todorov | 9 January 2017 |
| Ludogorets Razgrad II | Galin Ivanov | Demoted to assistant | 15 January 2017 | 13th | Radoslav Zdravkov | 15 January 2017 |
| Septemvri Sofia | Nikolay Mitov | Signed by Levski Sofia | 2 March 2017 | 1st | Hristo Arangelov | 2 March 2017 |
| Spartak Pleven | Aleksandar Georgiev | Resigned | 6 May 2017 | 14th | Momchil Chelestinov (caretaker) | 9 May 2017 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Etar (C, P) | 30 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 52 | 27 | +25 | 61 | Promotion to the First League |
| 2 | Septemvri Sofia (O, P) | 30 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 52 | 26 | +26 | 59 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs |
| 3 | Vitosha Bistritsa (O, P) | 30 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 37 | 23 | +14 | 53 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs |
| 4 | Sozopol | 30 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 38 | 25 | +13 | 50 | |
| 5 | Tsarsko Selo | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 54 | 39 | +15 | 48 | Ineligible for promotion |
| 6 | Lokomotiv Sofia | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 47 | 34 | +13 | 47 | Ineligible for promotion |
| 7 | Pomorie | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 36 | 32 | +4 | 47 | |
| 8 | Ludogorets Razgrad II | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 39 | 33 | +6 | 44 | Ineligible for promotion |
| 9 | Nesebar | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 40 | |
| 10 | Botev Vratsa | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 38 | |
| 11 | Oborishte | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 30 | 39 | −9 | 37 | |
| 12 | Botev Galabovo | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 28 | 39 | −11 | 34 | |
| 13 | CSKA Sofia II (R) | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 44 | 49 | −5 | 33 | Relegation to the Third League |
| 14 | Spartak Pleven (R) | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 44 | 52 | −8 | 33 | Relegation to the Third League |
| 15 | Bansko (R) | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 26 | 55 | −29 | 25 | Relegation to the Third League |
| 16 | Levski Karlovo (R) | 30 | 5 | 1 | 24 | 24 | 71 | −47 | 16 | Relegation to the Third League |
* 1 2 POM 2–0 LSO; LSO 3–0 POM
* 1 2 SPL 3–4 CSK; CSK 1–1 SPL

## Results

| Home \ Away | BAN | GAL | BVR | CSK | ETA | LEK | LSO | LUD | NES | OBO | POM | SOZ | SPL | SEP | TSS | VIT |
| Bansko | | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 4–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
| Botev Galabovo | 1–0 | | 1–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 0–0 |
| Botev Vratsa | 4–0 | 1–1 | | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–4 |
| CSKA Sofia II | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 |
| Etar | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 6–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Levski Karlovo | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–0 | | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 |
| Lokomotiv Sofia | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 6–0 | | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Ludogorets Razgrad II | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | | 3–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Nesebar | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–4 | | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Oborishte | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 |
| Pomorie | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Sozopol | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–0 | | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 |
| Spartak Pleven | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| Septemvri Sofia | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Tsarsko Selo | 4–0 | 1–1 | 5–3 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–5 | 1–1 | | 0–1 |
| Vitosha Bistritsa | 4–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |

## Top scorers

    As of matches played on 27 May 2017
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Dimitar Georgiev | Lokomotiv Sofia | 18 |
| 2 | Simeon Ganchev | Tsarsko Selo | 13 |
| 3 | Kostadin Adzhov | Septemvri Sofia | 12 |
| 3 | Milcho Angelov | CSKA Sofia II | 12 |
| 5 | Georgi Fikiyn | Bansko | 11 |
| 5 | Chris Gadi | Spartak Pleven | 11 |
| 7 | Georgi Kirilov | Botev Galabovo | 10 |
| 7 | Todor Chavorski | Botev Vratsa | 10 |
| 7 | Ahmed Ahmedov | Pomorie | 10 |
| 7 | Pavel Petkov | Tsarsko Selo | 10 |
| 11 | Stefan Hristov | Vitosha Bistritsa | 9 |
| 11 | Daniel Pehlivanov | Septemvri Sofia | 9 |
| 13 | Daniel Peev | Lokomotiv Sofia | 8 |
| 13 | Ivan Petkov | Etar | 8 |
| 13 | Svetoslav Dikov | Tsarsko Selo | 8 |
| 13 | Vladimir Aytov | Oborishte | 8 |
| 13 | Eray Karadayi | Nesebar | 8 |

### Notes

* ↑ Including 4 goals for Botev Vratsa.
* ↑ Including 4 goals for Spartak Pleven.