The 2013 season of the Esiliiga, the second level in the Estonian football system, is the twenty-third season in the league's history. The season officially began on 3 March 2013 and ended on 10 November 2013. However, on 3 March the Estonian Football Association announced that all matches scheduled for 3 March 2013 would be postponed due to heavy snowfall. The previous league champions Infonet were promoted to Meistriliiga while Pärnu Linnameeskond and Kohtla-Järve Lootus were relegated to Esiliiga B division. For this season those three teams are replaced by Jõhvi Lokomotiv from II Liiga East/North division and Viljandi Tulevik and Vändra Vaprus from II Liiga West/South division.
Teams
Stadiums and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityFlora II Tallinn Sportland Arena 600Kiviõli Irbis Kiviõli Kiviõli Stadium 255Levadia II Tallinn Maarjamäe Stadium 1,000Jõhvi Lokomotiv Jõhvi Jõhvi Stadium 500Puuma Tallinn Lasnamäe SPK Stadium 666Tartu SK 10 Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,500Tammeka II Tartu Tamme Stadium 1,500Rakvere Tarvas Rakvere Rakvere Stadium 2,500Viljandi Tulevik Viljandi Viljandi Stadium 2,506Vändra Vaprus Vändra Vändra Stadium 277
Personnel and kits 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 Flora II Jürgen Henn Erkki KubberNike Kiviõli Irbis Erik Šteinberg Tõnis StarkopfAdidas Levadia II Argo Arbeiter Kristjan TammeAdidasViimsi KeevitusJõhvi Lokomotiv Viktors Ņesterenko Boriss GritsjukUhlsportSpacecomPuuma Dmitri Krasilnikov Aleksandr BoldõrevAdidasKruze DisainTartu SK 10 Andrei Borissov Aleksandr PruttšenkoAdidasHa ServTammeka II Indrek Koser Ander PaabutNikeMetecRakvere Tarvas Reijo Kuusik Alari TovstikJomaAqvaViljandi Tulevik Aivar Lillevere Raiko MutleHummelkalameister.eeVändra Vaprus Ranet Lepik Karel OttoMacron4teams
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointmentViljandi Tulevik Raiko MutleResigned31 December 2012Pre-season Aivar Lillevere8 January 2013Tammeka II Ivan O'Konnel-BroninReplaced18 February 2013 Indrek Koser18 February 2013Flora II Norbert HurtSigned by Flora21 July 20137th Jürgen Henn21 July 2013
League table
Promotion play-off At season's end, the runners-up of the 2013 Esiliiga will participate in a two-legged play-off with the 9th place club of the 2013 Meistriliiga for the spot in next year's competition.
Relegation play-off At season's end, the 8th place club of the 2013 Esiliiga will participate in a two-legged play-off with the 3rd place club of the 2013 Esiliiga B for the spot in next year's competition.
Season statistics
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerTeamGoals1 Tõnis StarkopfKiviõli Irbis282 Nikita KolyaevLevadia II243 Andrei JõgiJõhvi Lokomotiv13 Henry RohtlaLevadia II13 Hannes TiruTammeka II136 Maksim BazyukinJõhvi Lokomotiv127 Henri HangRakvere Tarvas11 Toomas MangussonVändra Vaprus11 Aleksandr PruttšenkoTartu SK 1011 Rasmus TautsTammeka II11
Awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerClubPlayerClubMarch Aivar LillevereViljandi Tulevik Maksim BazyukinJõhvi LokomotivApril Argo ArbeiterLevadia II Eero EessaarTartu SK 10May Viktors ŅesterenkoJõhvi Lokomotiv Raido LeokinFlora IIJune Viktors ŅesterenkoJõhvi Lokomotiv Karli KüttTammeka IIJuly Norbert HurtFlora II Alari TovstikRakvere TarvasAugust Indrek KoserTammeka II Joonas LjašRakvere TarvasSeptember Ranet LepikVändra Vaprus Martin KaseFlora IIOctober Erik ŠteinbergKiviõli Irbis Silvio PhilipsTammeka II
See also 2013 Meistriliiga 2013 Esiliiga B 2012–13 Estonian Cup 2013–14 Estonian Cup
References