FC Zestaponi
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| Full name | Football Club Zestaponi | ||
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| Founded | 2004 | ||
| Ground | Municipal Stadium Zestaponi, Georgia (Capacity: 10,000) |
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| Chairman |  Ilia Kokaia |
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| Manager | Gia Geguchadze |
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| League | Umaglesi Liga | ||
| 2007-08 | 3rd | ||
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Football Club Zestaponi is a Georgian football club based in Zestaponi. They play in the Umaglesi Liga, the top division in Georgian football. They play their home games at Municipal Stadium. FC “Zestaponi” was founded on 18 of June, 2004 by the initiative of the shareholders of JSC “Giorgi Nikoladze Zestaponi Ferro-Alloy Plant”. From the same year FC “Zestaponi” is engaged in the 16th National Championship of Georgia among the highest league teams.
Currently, FC “Zestaponi” presents one large football mechanism. Part of the whole system is “Zestaponi – 2” (first participant of the first league of Georgian Championship) and teams of football players born in 1989, 1990 and 1991, that compete among youngsters and children’s league of Georgian Championship.
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[edit] History
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[edit] Metallurg Zestaponi (Soviet-1989)
Young footballers, 1920 -ns 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 the 23rd of 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.
"Metallurgi", 1937 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 20’s 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 Batumi Team.
"Metallurgi", 1948 In 30’s 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 30’s, after a metallurgical giant, Zestaponi Ferro-Alloy Plant” has been put into exploitation (actually even now plant and football develop side by side). It was by the initiative of professional committee of the plant, that a meeting of workers of the physical culture was held on May 10, 1937. A decision of establishing a football team was made on the meeting. The team was called “Metallurgi”
Georgian Cups Winner -"Metallurgi", 1962. In August 1938, “Metallurgi” participates in the union tournament held by sport-society “metallurgist” in Minsk, where the team defeats Moscow “Electrostal”, Staliningrad “Krasni Oktiabr”, Leningrad “Metallurg” teams and loses in final to “Serp i Molot”. In 1938 Zestaponi “Metallurgi” is engaged in Georgian Championship, where it participates regularly until 1989.
In various years “Metallurgi” was:
Silver medalist of Georgian Championship – In 1967, 1970, 1982 years;
Finalist of Georgian Cup – In 1966, 1967, 1971 years;
Winner of Georgian Cup – In 1962.
Various football players from “Metallurgi” played for leading Georgian Football Clubs on various degrees, for example:
Vice-Champion of Georgia "Metallurgi " - 1970 Tbilisi “Locomotive” – Guram Shavdia, Zaur Chubinidze; Kutaisi “Torpedo” – Guram Nishnianidze; Tbilisi “Dinamo” – Giorgi (Jora) Chumburidze, Guram Kochiashvili, Dodik Khundadze, Guram Petriashvili, Kartlos Tsintsadze.
In 1990, a new club for the city was formed, FC Margveti Zestaponi represent Zestaponi in newly formed Pirveli Liga.
[edit] Metalurgi Zestaponi (1999–2004)
As FC Margveti Zestaponi faced financial problem and relegated in 1998. A new club using the city legend team name Metalurgi 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 .
[edit] FC Zestaponi (2004–)
On June 18, 2004 FC Zestaponi was established. The club was invited to join Umaglesi Liga
[edit] Seasons
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Season League Pos. Pl. W D L GF GA P Cup Europe Notes Manager 1999-00 ? 2000-01 Pirveli Liga Round of 16 Promoted 2001-02 Umaglesi Liga 11 Round of 16 2002-03 Umaglesi Liga 12 Round of 32 Relegated 2003-04 Pirveli Liga 16 30 2 1 27 18 87 7 Round of 32 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 1st Round 2008-09 Umaglesi Liga UEFA Cup 1st qualifying round
[edit] Eurocups Record
| Season | Competition | Round | Country | Club | Score |
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| 2007 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | 1R |  |
FC Tobol | 0-3, 2-0 |
| 2008-09 | UEFA Cup | 1Q |  |
Győri ETO FC | 1-1, 1-2 |
| 2009-10 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  |
Lisburn Distillery F.C. | 5-1, 6-0 |
[edit] Stadium
Zestaponi central stadium, that 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 8000 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).
Central Stadium of Zestaponi (East tribune) On the Zestaponi central Stadium field surface “Natural Green Carpet” is made by Turkish Firm “Chimeks”. Production of this firm is used on the home arenas of “Beshiktash” and Fenebarche, besides on Tbilisi stadium “Olimp”. We should also mention, that project director was a famous specialist Levan Tskhovrebashvili.
FC Zestaponi management plans to build a new base for the club. Lots of 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 4 100 individual seats.
Thus, everything is done for one purpose - for Zestaponi to become a new bright spot on the football map of Georgia!
[edit] Achievements
- Georgian Cup: 1
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- 2007/08
[edit] Current squad
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[edit] Former Players
[edit] Kit providers and sponsors
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[edit] Zestaponi Reserve
[edit] Seasons
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Season League Pos. Pl. W D L GF GA P Notes Manager 2001-02 Regionuli Liga West 2004-05 Regionuli Liga West Promoted 2005–06 Pirveli Liga 15 34 9 9 16 23 44 36 2006–07 Pirveli Liga 12 34 10 10 14 34 40 40 2007–08 Pirveli Liga West 4 27 12 4 11 39 28 40 2008–09 Pirveli Liga West
- Zestaponi-3
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Season League Pos. Pl. W D L GF GA P Notes Manager 2005-06 Regionuli Liga West
[edit] External links
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