FC Zestafoni

FC Zestafoni

Full name	Football Club Zestafoni
Nickname(s)	Zesta, Feroelebi (Ferroians), Margvelebi (Margvetians)
Founded	2004 (2004)
Ground	David Abashidze Stadium Zestafoni, Georgia
Ground Capacity	4,558
Chairman	Ilia Kokaia
Manager	Giorgi Geguchadze
League	Umaglesi Liga
2012–13	5th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

Football Club Zestafoni is a Georgian football club based in Zestafoni. They play in the Umaglesi Liga, the top division in Georgian football. They play their home games at David Abashidze Stadium. At that time Zestafoni have their own club FC Metallurg Zestafoni. A new club was formed as Margveti Zestafoni joined Pirveli Liga and promoted in the first season. Margveti was a member of Umaglesi Liga and achieve their best season in 1995-96 by finished runner-up. FC Zestafoni was founded on 18 June 2004 by the initiative of the shareholders of JSC Giorgi Nikoladze Zestafoni Ferro-Alloy Plant. From the same year FC Zestafoni is engaged in the National Championship of Georgia among the highest league teams.

Currently, FC Zestafoni presents one large football mechanism. Part of the whole system is "Zestafoni – 2" (first participant of the first league of Georgian Championship) and teams of football players born in 1997-1998 and 1999-2000, that compete among youngsters and children’s league of Georgian Championship.

History

FC Metalurgi Zestafoni (1937–1989)

From the beginning of the 20th century football was given rise in Georgia. In 1906 the first football fan club was founded in Tbilisi. This happened by the patronage of Mr. Lgotac. He was the one who on 23 February 1907 established the first football club in Georgia. The Club, called "Comet", had its own regulations, funds, uniforms and a stadium.

Though it should be mentioned, that football was played far earlier in Georgia, mainly in the sea-side cities, first of all in Poti, where local groups competed in "passing/tossing a ball" with British mariners. That's why Poti is considered to be a cradle of Georgian football.

As to Zestafoni, in out city, football has been played since the beginning of the 20th century. First football players from Zestafoni were students of the local gymnasium (currently secondary school #1). According to our data, Zestafoni football team held its first match with one of the clubs of western Georgia (according to different sources Senaki or Ozurgeti) in 1918, during a celebration organized to commemorate Independence of Georgia. First international match held in Zestafoni was also during the independence period, in 1920. Zestafoni team competed with a group of British Occupational Forces and defeated it by 2–1.

In the 20's Zestafoni football players held various matches with teams of neighboring cities. In 1927 first Football Championship in held in Georgia. First Champion of Georgia is Team of Batumi.

In 30's two football teams are established in Zestafoni – "Mertskhali" (Swallow) and "Locomotive", that often take part in local and regional tournaments.

A truly new era in the history of Zestafoni football starts form the second half of the 30's, after a metallurgical giant, "Zestafoni Ferro-Alloy Plant", has been put into exploitation. It was by the initiative of professional committee of the plant, that a meeting of workers of the physical culture was held on 10 May 1937. A decision of establishing a football team was made on the meeting. The team was called "Metallurgi".

In August 1938, "Metallurgi" participates in the union tournament held by sport-society "Metallurgist" in Minsk, where the team defeats "Electrostal Moscow", "Krasni Oktiabr Staliningrad", "Metallurg Leningrad" and loses in final to "Serp i Molot". In 1938 FC Metallurgi Zestafoni is engaged in Georgian Championship, where it participates regularly until 1989.

Various football players from "Metallurgi" played for leading Georgian Football Clubs on various degrees, for example: Lokomotivi Tbilisi – Guram Shavdia, Zaur Chubinidze; Torpedo Kutaisi – Guram Nishnianidze; Dinamo Tbilisi – Giorgi (Jora) Chumburidze, Guram Kochiashvili, Dodik Khundadze, Guram Petriashvili, Kartlos Tsintsadze, Nodar Kiknadze.

Metalurgi Zestafoni (1999–2004)

As FC Margveti Zestafoni faced financial problem and relegated in 1998. A new club using the city legend team name Metallurgi Zestafoni was formed in 1999. The club promoted to Umaglesi Liga in 2001. But the club faced financial problem and relegated in 2003. In 2003–04, the club finished bottom in Pirveli Liga and disestablished .

FC Zestafoni (2004–)

On 18 June 2004 FC Zestafoni was established. The club was invited to join Umaglesi Liga

Seasons

Season	League	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GF	GA	P	Cup	Europe	Notes	Manager
2004–05	Umaglesi Liga	5	36	16	5	15	38	48	53	Runner-up
2005–06	Umaglesi Liga	4	30	18	7	5	44	22	61	Runner-up
2006–07	Umaglesi Liga	4	26	16	9	1	55	11	57	Runner-up
2007–08	Umaglesi Liga	3	26	18	5	3	56	16	59	Winner	Intertoto 1-st Round
2008–09	Umaglesi Liga	4	30	16	4	10	43	27	52	Quarter-finals	UEFA Cup 1-st qualifying round
2009–10	Umaglesi Liga	3	36	19	10	7	58	33	67	Quarter-finals	UEFA Europa League 2-nd qualifying round
2010–11	Umaglesi Liga	1	36	24	6	6	72	19	78	Semi-finals	UEFA Europa League 3-rd qualifying round
2011–12	Umaglesi Liga	1	36	24	7	5	73	33	79	Runner-up	UEFA Champions League 2011–12 3-rd qualifying round UEFA Europa League Play-offs
2012–13	Umaglesi Liga	5	32	12	6	14	35	38	42	Round of 16	UEFA Champions League 2012–13 2-nd qualifying round
2013–14	Umaglesi Liga	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Round of 16

Stadium

David Abashidze stadium was built by "Zestafoni Ferro-alloy Plant", started operating in 1952. Though a couple of matches were held on the stadium before its opening in 1951.

In 1952–1989 and 1999–2003 participant of Georgian Championship, FC Metallurgi held matches on the Zestafoni central stadium, in 1990–1998 it was a home stadium for FC Margveti.

Since 2004 FC Zestafoni is holding domestic matches on the stadium.

In 1981 reconstruction works were done on arena, west stand was roofed, east stand was constructed, after these works capacity of the Stadium increased to 8,000 seats.

In 2004, after establishing FC Zestafoni, central Stadium was repaired and is still being repaired to renew the arena and comply with international standards.

In 2005 works were done to renew the grass surface on the Stadium. Georgian workers have constructed new drainage system of German technology. Field is watered by a watering system of an American Company "Rainbird" (by the way this watering system was successfully used on 8 Stadiums during 2004 European Championship in Portugal).

On the David Abashidze Stadium (former Central) Stadium field surface “Natural Green Carpet” is made by the Ukrainian firm “Lidia-Park”.

FC Zestafoni management is building a new base for the club. Lots of new football fields have been constructed in Zestafoni (among them one with an artificial surface). Relevant infrastructure is being made – work out rooms are being repaired, building of a new tribunes with personal seats is planned, along with the installment of a modern score-board.

Today capacity of the Stadium increased to 4,558 individual seats.

On 9 April 2010 the stadium was named after David Abashidze who contributed tremendously to the development and revival of football in Zestafoni.

Honors

• Georgian League:
• 1 ! (2) - 2010–11, 2011–12
• 2 ! (-)
• 3 ! (2) - 2007–08, 2009–10

• Georgian Cup:
• (1) - 2008
• (4) - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012

• Georgian Super Cup:
• (2) - 2011, 2012
• (1) - 2008

All competitions statistic

As of 1 January 2014

Eurocups

Season	Competition	Round	Country	Club	Home	Away
2007	UEFA Intertoto Cup	1Q		Tobol	2–0	0–3
2008–09	UEFA Cup	1Q		Gyori ETO	1–2	1–1
2009–10	UEFA Europa League	1Q		Lisburn Distillery	6–0	5–1
		2Q		Helsingborgs	1–2	2–2
2010–11	UEFA Europa League	1Q		Faetano	5–0	0–0
		2Q		Dukla Banska Bystrica	3–0	0–1
		3Q		Karpaty Lviv	0–1	0–1
2011–12	UEFA Champions League	2Q		Dacia Chisinau	3–0	0–2
		3Q		Sturm Graz	1–1	0–1
2011–12	UEFA Europa League	Play Off		Brugge	3–3	0–2
2012–13	UEFA Champions League	2Q		Neftchi Baku	2–2	0–3

UEFA Team Ranking 2013/2014

Rank	Country	Team	Points
233		Malmö FF	6.265
234		Kalmar FF	6.265
235		Zestafoni	5.975
236		NK Slaven Belupo	5.925
237		Ruch Chorzów	5.775

Goals in Georgian Umaglesi Liga

Topscorers

Name	Position	Country	Years	Goals
Nikoloz Gelashvili	Forward		2008–2011	63
Zurab Ionanidze	Forward		2005–2009	48
Jaba Dvali	Forward		2010–2012	45
Rati Tsinamdzgvrishvili	Forward		2008–2013	24
Tornike Gorgiashvili	Midfielder		2005–2013	21
Gogi Pipia	Midfielder		2005–2011	21
Shota Grigalashvili	Midfielder		2009–2012	18

Topscorers by season

Season	Name	Goals
2004/05	Zaza Zirakishvili	10
2005/06	Zurab Ionanidze	17
2006/07	Gogi Pipia	13
2007/08	Gilvan Gomes	12
2008/09	Nikoloz Gelashvili	20
2009/10	Nikoloz Gelashvili	16
2010/11	Nikoloz Gelashvili	18
2011/12	Jaba Dvali	20
2012/13	Tornike Gorgiashvili	7

Goal N.	Name	Country	Date
1	Giorgi Kurtsikidze		Aug 2, 2004
100	Zurab Ionanidze		Nov 18, 2006
200	Nikoloz Gelashvili		Nov 2, 2008
300	Nikoloz Gelashvili		Aug 29, 2010
400	Zaal Eliava		Dec 14, 2011

Matches in Georgian Umaglesi Liga

As of 1 January 2014

Name	Position	Country	Years	Matches
Roin Kvaskhvadze	Goalkeeper		2005–	155
Aleks Benashvili	Midfielder		2005–2013	136
Giorgi Khidesheli	Defender		2005–2013	116
Sevasti Todua	Defender		2005–2010	116
Tornike Aptsiauri	Midfielder		2010–2013	114
Zurab Ionanidze	Forward		2005–2010	113
Tornike Gorgiashvili	Midfielder		2005–2013	112
Zaal Eliava	Defender		2009–2012	108
Irakli Dzaria	Midfielder		2005–2011	108
Nikoloz Gelashvili	Forward		2007–2011	107
Shota Grigalashvili	Midfielder		2009–2012	101
Murtaz Daushvili	Midfielder		2005–2011	99
Jaba Dvali	Forward		2009–2012	98

Current squad

As of 21 January 2014

• Official website

No Footballers

Managers

• Vladimir Zemlianoi (Jun 18, 2004 – Sep 18, 2004)
• Zaza Gurielidze (Sep 20, 2004 – Oct 2, 2004)
• Teimuraz Makharadze (Oct 5, 2004 – Oct 14, 2005), (Nov 13, 2005 – Mar 30, 2006), (Sep 1, 2006 – Nov 30, 2008)
• Koba Zhorzhikashvili (Oct 15, 2005 – Nov 12, 2005), (Mar 31, 2006 – May 30, 2006)
• Merab Kochlashvili (Jun 1, 2006 – Aug 30, 2006)
• Gia Geguchadze (Dec 1, 2008 – Aug 16, 2011)
• Giorgi Chiabrishvili (Aug 18, 2011 – Sep 12, 2012)
• David Mujiri and Zaza Zamtaradze (Sep 14, 2012 – Dec 10, 2012)
• Kakhaber Kacharava (Dec 13, 2012 – May 31, 2013)
• Ratko Dostanić (July 15, 2013 – Nov 1, 2013)
• Gia Geguchadze (Nov 5, 2013 – )

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to FC Zestafoni.

• Official website
• Fan-club website
• Soccerway.com
• Transfermarkt.de