FC Zestafoni


Football Club Zestafoni is a Georgian football club based in Zestafoni. They play their home games at David Abashidze Stadium. Zestafoni was founded on 18 June 2004 by the initiative of the shareholders of JSC Giorgi Nikoladze Zestafoni Ferro-Alloy Plant.
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 achieved their best result in 1995–96 by finishing runner-up.

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. According to our data, Zestafoni football team held its first match with one of the clubs of western Georgia 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 1920s 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 the 1930s two football teams are established in Zestafoni – "Mertskhali" 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 1930s, 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.
In various years of Soviet era "Metallurgi" was:
Silver medalist of Georgian Championship – 1967, 1970, 1982;
Runners-Up of Georgian Cup – 1966, 1967, 1971 years;
Georgian Cup's Winner – 1962.
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 Chumburidze, Guram Kochiashvili, Dodik Khundadze, Guram Petriashvili, Kartlos Tsintsadze, Nodar Kiknadze.

Margveti Zestafoni (1990–2000)

In 1990 Georgian Football Federation leaves the Soviet Union's Football Federation. An Independent Georgian Football Federation is formed, that shortly after becomes a member of FIFA and UEFA, leading Georgian Clubs are engaged in National Championships.
In 1990 a new Football Club is founded in Zestafoni – FC Margveti Zestafoni, that holds the position of "Metallurgi" in Pirveli League of the Georgian National Championship and from the very first year becomes a member of Umaglesi league.
In 1993 and 1996 years "Margveti" is the semi-finalist of the Georgian National Cup. In 1996 "Margveti" is the Vice-Champion of Georgia and participates in UEFA Cup Qualification Round. Unfortunately, due to financial problems, at the end of the 20th century the club broke up.
In total, in the years of 1991–1998 FC "Margveti" participated in Umaglesi League 8 National Championships, held 247 matches, won 98 of them, draw 43, lost – 106, difference in scores 397–443.
In 2006 "Margveti-2006" was founded in the lower division and recently in Meore Liga, but it is different club.

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. Although, FC Metallurgi, FC Margveti and FC Zestafoni came from the same city, played on same stadium. They never met in the Umaglesi league and all clubs came from the succession of Metallurg Zestafoni.
UEFA Europa League Play-offs-2012–13Umaglesi Liga53212614353842Round of 16UEFA Champions League 2012–13 2nd qualifying round-2013–14Umaglesi Liga2321958482362Round of 16 –-2014–15Umaglesi Liga Round of 16UEFA Europa League 2nd qualifying round

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".
On the David Abashidze Stadium 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. Many new football fields have been constructed in Zestafoni. 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

Erovnuli Liga
Georgian Cup
Georgian Super Cup
ClubSeasonsYearsMatchesWinsDrawsLosesGFGAPoints
FC Margveti Zestafoni81991–19982479843106397443337
FC Metallurgi22001–2003641511385012356
FC Zestafoni112004–20153431887283562310636
Total211991–201565430112622710098761029

FC Zestafoni. All competitions statistic

CompetitionWinsDrawsLosesGFGAPoints
Georgian Umaglesi Liga1887283562310636
Georgian Cup40151412351-
Georgian Super Cup11132-
UEFA Champions League12369-
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League4572719-
UEFA Intertoto Cup10123-

''Eurocups''

Goals in Georgian Umaglesi Liga

Topscorers
NamePositionCountryYearsGoals
Nikoloz GelashviliForward2008–201663
Jaba DvaliForward2010–2012, 201455
Zurab IonanidzeForward2005–200948
Rati TsinamdzgvrishviliForward2008–201324
Tornike GorgiashviliMidfielder2005–201321
Gogi PipiaMidfielder2005–201121
Shota GrigalashviliMidfielder2009–201218

Topscorers by season
SeasonNameGoals
2004/05 Zaza Zirakishvili10
2005/06 Zurab Ionanidze17
2006/07 Gogi Pipia13
2007/08 Gilvan Gomes12
2008/09 Nikoloz Gelashvili20
2009/10 Nikoloz Gelashvili16
2010/11 Nikoloz Gelashvili18
2011/12 Jaba Dvali20
2012/13 Tornike Gorgiashvili7
2013/14 Nikoloz Sabanadze8
2014/15 Jaba Dvali10

Goal N.NameCountryDate
1Giorgi KurtsikidzeAug 2, 2004
100Zurab IonanidzeNov 18, 2006
200Nikoloz GelashviliNov 2, 2008
300Nikoloz GelashviliAug 29, 2010
400Zaal EliavaDec 14, 2011
500Giorgi KukhianidzeMar 2, 2014

Matches in Georgian Umaglesi Liga

NamePositionCountryYearsMatches
Roin KvaskhvadzeGoalkeeper2005–13155
Aleks BenashviliMidfielder2005–13136
Giorgi KhidesheliDefender2005–13, 2014126
Sevasti ToduaDefender2005–10116
Tornike AptsiauriMidfielder2010–13114
Zurab IonanidzeForward2005–10113
Tornike GorgiashviliMidfielder2005–13112
Jaba DvaliForward2009–12, 2014110
Zaal EliavaDefender2009–12108
Irakli DzariaMidfielder2005–11108
Nikoloz GelashviliForward2007–11107
Shota GrigalashviliMidfielder2009–12101
Murtaz DaushviliMidfielder2005–1199

Current squad

Management and Team's staff

Managers