FC Zestaponi explained

Clubname:FC Zestafoni
Fullname:Football Club Zestafoni
Nickname:Zesta, Feroelebi (Ferroians), Margvelebi (Margvetians)
Ground:David Abashidze Stadium
Zestafoni, Georgia
Capacity:4,558
Owner:Ilia Kokaia
Manager:Levan Jokhadze
League:Liga 3
Season:2023
Position:Liga 3, 13th
Website:http://www.fczestafoni.ge
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Football Club Zestaponi is a Georgian football club based in Zestaponi. They play their home games at David Abashidze Stadium. Zestaponi was founded on 18 June 2004 by the initiative of the shareholders of JSC Giorgi Nikoladze Zestaponi Ferro-Alloy Plant.

At that time Zestaponi have their own club FC Metallurg Zestaponi. A new club was formed as Margveti Zestaponi 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 Zestaponi (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 Zestaponi, in out city, football has been played since the beginning of the 20th century. First football players from Zestaponi were students of the local gymnasium (currently secondary school #1). According to our data, Zestaponi 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 Zestaponi was also during the independence period, in 1920. Zestaponi team competed with a group of British Occupational Forces and defeated it by 2–1.

In the 1920s Zestaponi 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 Zestaponi – "Mertskhali" (Swallow) and "Locomotive", that often take part in local and regional tournaments.

A truly new era in the history of Zestaponi football starts form the second half of the 1930s, after a metallurgical giant, "Zestaponi 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 Zestaponi 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 (Jora) Chumburidze, Guram Kochiashvili, Dodik Khundadze, Guram Petriashvili, Kartlos Tsintsadze, Nodar Kiknadze.

Margveti Zestaponi (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 Zestaponi – FC Margveti Zestaponi, 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 (municipal) club.

SeasonLeaguePos.Pl.WDLGFGAPCupEuropeNotes
1990Pirveli Ligaalign=right bgcolor=silver23828371024487Round of 32N/APromoted
1991Umaglesi Liga819838323227
1991–92Umaglesi Liga838141113605853Round of 16
1992–93Umaglesi Liga63215512495450Semi-finals
1993–94Umaglesi Liga838 15 7 1671 68 20/18–
1994–95Umaglesi Liga93010614355336Round of 32
1995–96Umaglesi Ligaalign=right bgcolor=silver2302226853768Semi-finals
1996–97Umaglesi Liga73012216446638Quarter-finalsUEFA Cup Preliminary round
1997–98Umaglesi Ligaalign=right bgcolor=#FFBBBB16302721217513Round of 32Relegated
1998–99Pirveli ligaalign=right bgcolor=silver2241842782458Round of 32
1999–00Pirveli liga West Group Aalign=right bgcolor=#ccffcc1221840711858Round of 16

Metalurgi Zestaponi (1999–2004)

As FC Margveti Zestaponi faced financial problem and relegated in 1998. A new club using the city legend team name Metallurgi Zestaponi 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 .

SeasonLeaguePos.Pl.WDLGFGAPCupEuropeNotes
1999–00Pirveli liga West Group Aalign=right 4221255422741Round of 32
2000–01Pirveli ligaalign=right bgcolor=silver2321787483142/38Round of 16Promoted
2001–02Umaglesi Liga93291013334437Round of 16
2002–03Umaglesi Ligaalign=right bgcolor=#FFBBBB12326125177919Round of 32Relegated
2003–04Pirveli ligaalign=right bgcolor=#FFBBBB1630212718877Round of 32Initially relegated, but after the merger with FC Zestaponi were promoted to the Umaglesi Liga

FC Zestaponi (2004–present)

On 18 June 2004, FC Zestaponi was incorporated. The club was invited to join Umaglesi Liga. Although, FC Metallurgi, FC Margveti and FC Zestaponi 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 Zestaponi.

SeasonLeaguePos.Pl.WDLGFGAPCupEuropeNotes
2004–05Umaglesi Liga53616515384853bgcolor=silverRunner-up –
2005–064301875442261bgcolor=silverRunner-up –
2006–074261691551157bgcolor=silverRunner-up –
2007–08bgcolor=cc9966 align=right3261853561659bgcolor=goldWinnerIntertoto 1st Round
2008–0943016410432752Quarter-finalsUEFA Cup 1st qualifying round
2009–10bgcolor=cc9966 align=right336 19 10 758 33 67Quarter-finalsUEFA Europa League 2nd qualifying round
2010–11bgcolor=gold align=right136 24 6 672 19 78Semi-finalsUEFA Europa League 3rd qualifying round
2011–12bgcolor=gold align=right136 24 7 573 33 79bgcolor=silverRunner-up2011–12 UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying roundUEFA Europa League Play-offs
2012–1353212614353842Round of 162012–13 UEFA Champions League 2nd qualifying round
2013–14bgcolor=silver align=right232195 848 23 62Round of 16 –
2014–15163068 16 40 61 26Round of 16UEFA Europa League 2nd qualifying roundExpelled
2018Regionuli Liga4281729603323/30Second round
2019bgcolor=silver align=right22720521002923/42Round of 32Promotion to Liga 4
2020Liga 4614446222016Second round
2021bgcolor=silver align=right2362394762741/37Round of 32Promotion to Liga 3
2022Liga 3bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=right15304323187715Second round
2023133061113334629First round
2024Second round

Stadium

David Abashidze stadium was built by "Zestaponi 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 Zestaponi central stadium, in 1990–1998 it was a home stadium for FC Margveti.

Since 2004 FC Zestaponi 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 Zestaponi, 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 Zestaponi management is building a new base for the club. Many new football fields have been constructed in Zestaponi (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 Zestaponi.

Honors

Zestaponian Clubs in Georgian Umaglesi Liga

ClubSeasonsYearsMatchesWinsDrawsLosesGFGAPoints
FC Margveti Zestaponi81991–19982479843106397443337
FC Metallurgi22001–2003641511385012356
FC Zestaponi112004–20153431887283562310636
Total211991–201565430112622710098761029

FC Zestaponi. All competitions statistic

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

European Cups

SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAway
2007UEFA Intertoto Cup1Q Tobol2–00–3
2008–09UEFA Cup1Q Gyori ETO1–21–1
2009–10UEFA Europa League1Q Lisburn Distillery6–05–1
2Q Helsingborgs1–22–2
2010–11UEFA Europa League1Q Faetano5–00–0
2Q Dukla Banska Bystrica3–00–1
3Q Karpaty Lviv0–10–1
2011–12UEFA Champions League2Q Dacia Chisinau3–00–2
3Q Sturm Graz1–10–1
2011–12UEFA Europa League Brugge3–30–2
2012–13UEFA Champions League2Q Neftchi Baku2–20–3
2014–15UEFA Europa League2Q Spartak Trnava0–00–3

Goals in Georgian Umaglesi Liga

Topscorers

NamePositionCountryYearsGoals
Forward 2008–201663
Forward 2010–2012, 201455
Forward 2005–200948
Forward 2008–201324
Midfielder 2005–201321
Gogi Pipia Midfielder 2005–201121
Midfielder 2009–201218

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 Kurtsikidze2 August 2004
100Zurab Ionanidze18 November 2006
200Nikoloz Gelashvili2 November 2008
300Nikoloz Gelashvili29 August 2010
400Zaal Eliava14 December 2011
500Giorgi Kukhianidze2 March 2014

Matches in Georgian Umaglesi Liga

NamePositionCountryYearsMatches
Goalkeeper 2005–13155
Midfielder 2005–13136
Defender 2005–13, 2014126
Defender 2005–10116
Midfielder 2010–13114
Forward 2005–10113
Midfielder 2005–13112
Forward 2009–12, 2014110
Defender 2009–12108
Midfielder 2005–11108
Forward 2007–11107
Midfielder 2009–12101
Midfielder 2005–1199

Managers

External links

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