1996 Russian Top League
In 1996 the Russian Top League was extended to 18 clubs. The following is a summary of 1996 teams and people.
Source: rsssf.com {{{2}}}
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
As Alania and Spartak finished at the top of the table with equal points, the title was decided in a championship play-off.
Notes.
Goalkeepers: Aleksandr Filimonov (26), Ruslan Nigmatullin (10).
Defenders: Sergei Gorlukovich (31 / 2), Dmitri Ananko (30 / 1), Vadim Evseev (27 / 2), Aleksandr Lipko (24), Vladislav Duyun (18 / 1), Yuriy Nikiforov (14 / 5), Ramiz Mamedov (14), Konstantin Golovskoy (9), Sergei Chudin (6).
Midfielders: Andrey Tikhonov (34 / 16), Dmitri Alenichev (32 / 7), Yegor Titov (31 / 5), Valery Kechinov (30 / 13), Aleksei Melyoshin (24 / 2), Ilya Tsymbalar (21 / 9), Andrei Piatnitski (13), Andrei Konovalov (11), Artyom Bezrodny (10), Aleksandr Pavlenko (2), Yevgeni Toloknov (1).
Forwards: Vladimir Dzhubanov (25 / 3), Aleksandr Shirko (22 / 5), Valeri Shmarov (3), Konstantin Kovalenko 
(2 / 1), Serhiy Nahornyak 
(2).
(league appearances and goals listed in brackets)
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