FC Kolkheti Khobi explained

Clubname:Kolkheti Khobi
Fullname:Football Club Kolkheti Khobi
Ground:Paata Tatarishvili Tsentraluri Stadioni
Khobi, Georgia
Capacity:4,000
Manager:Tsotne Moniava
League:Erovnuli Liga 2
Season:2023
Position:7th of 10, Liga 2
Website:https://sites.google.com/site/kolkhetikhobi/

FC Kolkheti Khobi is a Georgian association football club based in the town of Khobi. They currently compete in Erovnuli Liga 2, the second tier of Georgian football.

The club has spent four seasons in the top division.

History

Established in 1936, Kolkheti played many years in Georgian championship during the Soviet Union. In 1988 the club won the title and advanced to the Soviet Second league where the next year they finished in the 5th place.[1] After 1990, when Umaglesi Liga was formed, Kolkheti participated in initial three seasons. Later they spent several years in the second and third divisions. The club returned to the top flight for 1999/2000 season only to finish at the bottom of the table.[2]

In 2007, the club rejoined Pirveli Liga, where they played for ten successive seasons. Another promotion attempt was made in 2015/16 when Kolkheti finished 3rd in Liga 2. They shared equal points with WIT Georgia, who won automatic promotion, while Kolkheti participated in play-offs due to disadvantage in goal difference. The club suffered a narrow defeat in a one-legged tie,[3] although it was known beforehand that due to the club's failure to get an Umaglesi Liga license, even the victory would not have led to promotion.[4]

Furthermore, at the end of 2016 Kolkheti lost their Liga 2 place following the relegation semi-finals against Skuri.[5] The return leg, marred by violent conduct against a referee, was aborted, which cost the club dearly. The GFF Disciplinary Committee handed Kolkheti a 0–3 defeat and a 5,000₾ fine.[6]

Gia Guruli, the famous Dinamo Tbilisi striker, worked as manager of Kolkheti between December 2014 and October 2016.

The club usually stayed in mid-table in the next seasons. In 2022, Kolkheti beat their rivals battling for a promotion qualifying place, defeated Rustavi in both play-off matches and advanced to a higher league for the first time in sixteen years.[7]

Seasons

Year League Pos P W D L GF–GA Pts Cup
2007/08Pirveli Liga Group A 8/102710 8 9 35-27 38
2008/09Pirveli Liga Group A 8/113011 3 16 30-47 36 1st Round
2009/10Pirveli Liga10/15289 3 16 36-52 30
2010/11Pirveli Liga 7/173212 10 10 28-34 46 1st Round
2011/12Pirveli Liga Group A 7/10185 5 8 18-19 20 Round of 32
Relegation round bgcolor=Silver2/82097425-1334
2012/13Pirveli Liga Group B 4/163018 3 9 43-28 57 2nd Round
2013/14Pirveli Liga Group B 9/10268 6 12 31-54 30 2nd Round
2014/15Pirveli Liga Group B 8/103612 10 14 46-51 46
2015/16Pirveli Liga 3/183418 10 6 60-29 64
Pirveli Liga bgcolor=LimeGreen5/10 16 5 6 5 20-2421
2017Liga 3 Red Group3/1018 8 5 5 25-18 29
Promotion Round9/1018 34119-3913
2018Liga 35/2038 17 10 11 54-35 612nd Round
20196/1036 11 8 17 39-54 412nd Round
20206/10 18 5 7 6 27-24 22 2nd Round
20219/1426 6 13 7 32-39 311st Round
20224/1630 15 9 6 53-32 541st Round
2023Erovnuli Liga 27/10 36 12 10 14 44-52 46Round of 16

Current squad

As of 8 March 2024[8]

(C)

Honours

Managers

NameNat.FromTo
20182018
Levan Nodia 20192019
Paata Bukia 20192019
Merab Kharbedia 20192020
Paata Bukia 20202020
Zurab Pirtskhalaishvili 20202021
Levan Nodia 20212021
Levan Khurtsilava 20222022
Levan Nodia 20232023
Besik Sherozia 20232024
Gia Gigatadze20242024
Tsotne Moniava2024

Stadium

The central stadium of Khobi named after Paata Tatarishvili was initially envisaged for 12,000 spectators. Following a major reconstruction completed in 2017, its capacity has sustained a three-fold reduction.[9]

Name

Although the club is widely known with the current name, previously they were also referred to as Olimpia Khobi and FC Khobi.

The very name stems from Colchis, an ancient state situated at the eastern Black Sea coast.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FC Kolkheti Khobi . wildstat.com.
  2. Web site: Umaglesi Liga 1999-2000 . flashscore.com.
  3. Web site: ზუგდიდი-კოლხეთი (ხ) 2:1 - ზუგდიდი (გა)დარჩა . sportall.ge (in Georgian) . 30 May 2016.
  4. Web site: ზუგდიდთან" უნდა დავამტკიცოთ, რომ ხობის "კოლხეთი" უმაღლეს ლიგაში გადასვლას იმსახურებდა . sportall.ge (in Georgian), 29 May 2016.
  5. Web site: Skuri vs Kolkheti Khobi . soccerway.com.
  6. Web site: ხობის "კოლხეთი" 5 ათასი ლარით დააჯარიმეს . livepress.ge (in Georgian), 5 December 2016.
  7. Web site: ეროვნულ ლიგა 2-ში ხობის "კოლხეთი" და "ვიტ ჯორჯია" ითამაშებენ . 1tv.ge (in Georgian), 10 December 2022.
  8. Web site: A list of players . eliga.ge.
  9. Web site: radioatinati.ge (in Georgian) . ხობის ცენტრალურ სტადიონს რეაბილიტაცია უტარდება . 10 November 2016 .