Cypriot Second Division
The Cypriot Second Division () is the second highest football division of the Cypriot football league system. Administrated by the Cyprus Football Association, is contested by 16 teams, with the top two teams promoted to the Cypriot First Division and the last four teams relegated to the Cypriot Third Division. History. The Cypriot Second Division started unofficially the 1934–35 football season as the second level of the Cypriot football (Cyprus Football Association founded in 1934). The competition consisted of teams that didn't participate in Cypriot First Division and the reserve teams of the Cypriot First Division clubs . In the reserve teams were allowed to participate only players that had no more than three caps with their team in First Division. The reserve teams managed to win all the titles of the unofficial period. The first official second division championship was held in the 1953–54 season, after the unification of Cypriot Football, without the presence of the reserve teams. From that season, the reserve teams were participate in the new Reserve Teams Championship. Almost every team that participated and still participate in the Cypriot First Division had also participated in the Second Division, with only exceptions to be  APOEL and Omonia. Pezoporikos Larnaca and Trust were also two teams that never played to Second Division but both do not exist anymore. Çetinkaya Türk also never participated in Second Division but the team withdrew from CFA in 1954. Many teams with multiple participations in the Cypriot First Division had also played in the Second Division, like AEL Limassol, Nea Salamis Famagusta, Apollon Limassol, Olympiakos Nicosia, AEK Larnaca, Enosis Neon Paralimni and EPA Larnaca. Anorthosis Famagusta also participated in the Second Division during 1945–46 season (unofficial competition), because they withdrew from CFA eight years earlier and disbanded their football team . After their reform and their re-integration in the CFA, they were forced to play in the Second Division in order to be promoted to the First Division. It was the only time from the unofficial period of the competition that a team promoted from the Second Division to the First Division. Since 1952–53 season, the second Division teams took part in the Cypriot Cup, except of the 1963–64 season. In some seasons during the 1960s and 1970s only the leading teams of the Second Division took part (some times only the champion) in the competition. From 1975–76 season all  the teams of the Cypriot Second Division take part in the Cypriot Cup. No Second Division team ever reach the final but they managed to qualify to the semi-finals four times (Nea Salamis Famagusta in 1953–54, Orfeas Nicosia in 1983–84, PAEEK in 1984–85 and AEP Paphos in 2005–06). Structure. The structure of the championship was changed some times. From 1953–54 until 1967–68 the championship was split to two or three geographical groups, depending from Districts of Cyprus each participated team came from. The winners of each group were playing against each other in the final phase of the competition  and the winner were the champions of the Second Division. The championship was held for the first time as a single division in the 1968–69 season. All the teams played against each other twice, once at their home and once away. The team with the most points at the end of the season crowned champions. This is the league's current format until present time. Exceptions were: Current format (2018–19). Sixteen clubs are competing in the league, playing each other twice, once at home and once away for a total of 30 games per team. The champion and the second  place team are promoted to the Cypriot First Division and the bottom four are relegated to the Cypriot Third Division. Points system. The points system of the Cypriot Second Division changed three times during the years: From 1953–54 until 1959–60 season, teams were awarded two points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a defeat. From 1960–61 until 1969–70 season, teams were awarded three points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a defeat. From 1970–71 until 1990–91 season, teams were awarded two points for a win, one point for  a draw and zero points for a defeat. Since 1991–92 season (until present time), teams are awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a defeat. Teams. The 16 teams which participate in the 2021–22 Cypriot Second Division are: Winners (unofficial competition: 1935–1953). The table presents the winners of the competition during the period 1935–1953, in which the competition was unofficial. During that period, the league consisted of the reserve teams of the Cypriot First Division clubs (which managed to win all the titles) and other teams that didn't participate in the  First Division. The period 1941–1944 the championship was not held due to World War II. Many Cypriots were volunteer enlisted in the Greek and English army, and also formed a Cypriot constitution. Most teams have undertaken national project by collecting money and clothing to be sent to Greece in order to assist the Greek people and the army. Moreover, many Greek refugees fled to Cyprus. Due to the prevailed war conditions the CFA decided to suspend all the competitions. Winners. The table presents all the winners since the 1953–54 season, in which the competition started officially. Number of participating and  promoted teams per season. The number of the participated teams and the number of the teams that were promoted to the Cypriot First Division was changed many times during the years. In some seasons no team was promoted, in other seasons only the champion was promoted and some other seasons were promoted the first two or the first three teams. In some seasons, play-offs between a First Division and a Second Division team were held with the winner participating in the next season's First Division and the losing team in the Second Division. Participations per club. So far , 87 teams participated in the Cypriot Second Division since 1953–54 (including the 2017–18 season). League or status at 2017–18: