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FC Kolkheti-1913 Poti

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FC Kolkheti 1913 is a Georgian football club based in Poti. Following the 2023 season, the club earned promotion to the Erovnuli Liga, the top division of Georgian football.

FC Kolkheti 1913 Poti
Founded1913; 111 years ago (1913)
GroundFazisi Stadium
Poti, Georgia
Capacity6,000
ChairmanZaza Inashvili
ManagerKlimenti Tsitaishvili
LeagueErovnuli Liga
20231st of 10 in Liga 2, promoted
WebsiteClub website

Being registered in 1913, Kolkheti is considered one of the oldest clubs in the South Caucasus.[1] Since the formation of independent Georgian leagues in 1990, they have spent 24 seasons in the top flight.

History edit

Domestic leagues edit

The Soviet period edit

The football club from Poti under the name Kolkhida (Colchis) for many years was a member of the Georgian Soviet championship until early 1960s. From 1962 to 1990, they spent 24 seasons in fourth and third divisions of the Soviet football system, including last consecutive eleven years in zone 9 of the Second league, with the 2nd place in 1989 being the best result.[2]

Earning league trophies edit

When GFF formed the national league in early 1990, Kolkheti-1913 took part in an opening game against Iberia Tbilisi. The historic match held at Boris Paichadze stadium ended 1–0 in favour of the guest team.[3] Therefore, Kolkheti became the first club to win a game in the history of Georgian national leagues.

Throughout the first decade, the Kolkhs were considered one of the strongest rivals. Apart from 1992/93, when they finished in 9th place, the club completed each season among top five teams with twice, in 1993-94 and 1996–97, coming second.[4] In this period the team also earned the bronze medals three times.

This success of the club was largely contributed to their sponsors from mid-1990s, the naval port of Poti.

Crisis begins edit

In 2006, after a foreign business company took over the port administration, the football club abruptly lost a significant income.[5] Despite being 10th among 16 clubs in 2005/06, due to the severe financial crisis Kolkheti had to quit the league.[6]

The club climbed back to Umaglesi Liga following the 2009/10 season, but returned to the second league three years later.[7] In 2011, a sponsorship deal with the naval port resumed to a less extent, which lasted for four years.[8]

Battle for survival edit

Kolkheti were back in the top division in 2014-15, although further financial difficulties hit the club in 2018, which pushed them to the verge of bankruptcy. As Kolkheti amassed a large amount of debts, they were deducted six points. Eventually, the team was relegated.[9]

While in Liga 2, Kolkheti still could not afford to pay off debts. In an emergency statement, the club appealed for urgent help.[10] Meanwhile, they were slapped with another six-point deduction.[11] The overall situation badly affected the team. Three managers were sacked for unsatisfactory results within initial five months of the season.[12] The tide remained unchanged, though. Only in the last matchday did Kolkheti manage to avoid automatic relegation, but after being thrashed by Samgurali in play-offs they slumped to the third division.[13]

Disappointment and triumph edit

In the initial two seasons Kolkheti were among primary promotion-chasers, although in both cases they suffered a setback in pursuit for an automatic promotion spot. The play-off results proved also unsuccessful despite the team's unbeaten aggregate score in the regular time. First they failed to beat WIT Georgia on penalties,[14] and a year later lost in extra time to Rustavi on away goals.[15]

In 2022, too, Kolkheti ended up in the 2nd place. However, due to changes made in the competition format before this season, the club ended their three-year tenure in this division and won automatic promotion back to Liga 2.[16] This year another event occurred which had a big impact on Kolkheti. On 29 August, the municipal club was handed over to a company linked to football manager Mamuka Jugeli.[17]

Kolkheti achieved a remarkable success in the 2nd division in 2023. While reaching the national cup semifinals, the team under head coach Davit Kvirkvelia emerged victorious after a dramatic hard-fought battle against Gareji for the first place, which enabled them to return to the Erovnuli Liga after a five-year absence.[18]

European competitions edit

Based on successful performance in Umaglesi Liga, Kolkheti-1913 represented Georgia on UEFA Cup for four consecutive seasons from 1996 until 2000.

The only victory achieved in this competition against Dinamo Minsk was insufficient for qualifying for the next round. Having lost the first leg 0–1, Kolkheti conceded an early goal at home and scored twice afterwards, but the away goals rule gave a final advantage to their opponents.[19]

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup GS   Zemun 2–3 - 5th
  FF Jaro - 0–2
  Guingamp 1–3 -
  Dinamo București - 0–2
1997–98 UEFA Cup 1Q   Dinamo Minsk 2–1 0–1 2–2
1998–99 UEFA Cup 1Q   Red Star Belgrade 0–4 0–7 0–11
1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R   Cementarnica 55 0–4 2–4 2–8

Seasons edit

Year Div. Pos P W D L GF–GA Pts Cup
1990 1st 5/18 34 19 5 10 53-31 62 Quarterfinals
1991 1st 4/20 19 10 3 6 30-19 33 —
1991/92 1st 5/20 38 15 11 12 49-45 56 Round of 32
1992/93 1st 9/17 32 12 6 14 47-45 42 Round of 16
1993/1994 1st, Group West 1/8 14 9 2 3 36-21 29 Semifinals
1-10 Places 2/10 18 14 2 2 51-20 44
1994/95 1st 3/16 30 20 3 7 72-28 63 Round of 32
1995/96 1st 3/16 30 22 2 6 69-38 68 Quarterfinals
1996/97 1st 2/16 30 20 4 6 75-28 64 Quarterfinals
1997-98 1st 3/16 30 17 6 7 56-27 57 Quarterfinals
1998/99 1st 4/16 30 15 7 8 57-36 52 Round of 16
1999/2000 1st, Group B 2/8 14 8 1 5 19-15 25 Quarterfinals
1-8 Places 5/8 14 7 3 4 18-10 37
2000/01 1st 6/12 22 8 7 7 22-18 31 Quarterfinals
1-6 Places 5/6 10 2 2 6 10-19 24
2001/02 1st 5/12 22 10 5 7 32-29 35 Round of 16
1-6 Places 4/6 10 2 2 6 9-16 26
2002/03 1st 6/12 22 9 3 10 28-33 30 Round of 16
1-6 Places 6/6 10 0 5 5 5-23 20
2003/04 1st 9/12 22 7 3 12 18-35 24 Round of 16
7-12 Places 8/12 10 6 3 1 14-6 33
2004/05 1st 9/10 36 9 5 22 32-63 32 Quarterfinals
2005/06 1st 10/16↓[a] 30 9 5 16 26-35 32 Quarterfinals
2006/07 — — — — — — — — —
2007/08 2nd 5/10 27 11 7 9 36-33 40 1st Round
2008/09 2nd 5/11 30 13 6 11 45-40 45 Round of 16
2009/10 2nd, Group A 2/15↑ 28 19 4 5 63-21 61 Quarterfinals
2010/11 1st 7/10 36 10 10 16 25-47 40 Round of 16
2011/12 1st 8/12 22 6 8 8 19-24 26 Round of 16
2012/13 1st 10/10 22 0 4 18 11-43 4 Round of 16
Relegation round 6/6↓ 32 3 8 21 22-56 17
2013/14 2nd, Group A 2/13↑ 24 17 4 3 51-13 55 2nd Round
2014/15 1st 10/16 30 9 10 11 31-31 37 2nd Round
2015/16 1st 12/16 30 7 6 17 21-41 27 2nd Round
2016 1st, Group Red 4/7 12 6 0 6 10-18 18 Quarterfinals
2017 1st 9/10 36 6 8 22 31-73 26 5th Round
2018 1st 10/10↓ 36 4 8 24 26-76 14[b] 3rd Round
2019 2nd 9/10↓ 36 10 4 22 31-80 28[c] 3rd Round
2020 3rd 2/10 18 12 2 4 47-18 38 2nd Round
2021 3rd 2/10 26 14 7 5 54-28 49 2nd Round
2022 3rd 2/16↑ 30 21 6 3 76-29 69 3rd Round
2023 2nd 1/16↑ 36 23 8 5 70-28 77 Semifinals

Notes edit

  1. ^ Relegated due to financial problems.
  2. ^ Six points deduction.
  3. ^ Six points deduction.

Overall edit

Seasons spent in Georgian leagues since 1990:

• Umaglesi Liga / Erovnuli Liga (1st tier): 25

• Pirveli Liga / Erovnuli Liga 2 (2nd tier): 6

• Meore Liga / Liga 3 (3rd tier): 3

Correct up to 2024 season

Current squad edit

As of 2 March 2024[20]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   UKR Yaroslav Kotlyarov
4 MF   GEO Akaki Giunashvili
7 MF   GEO Lasha Gvalia (C)
9 FW   GEO Lasha Kokhreidze
10 MF   GEO Giorgi Abuashvili
11 FW   GEO Tsotne Chikovani
12 DF   GEO Luka Lakvekheliani
13 MF   GEO Saba Piranashvili
15 DF   GEO Beka Kharshiladze
16 DF   GEO Giorgi Akhaladze
17 MF   GEO Erekle Jijavadze
18 MF   GEO Levan Jordania
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 FW   RUS Georgiy Melkadze
20 DF   FRA Mahamat Thiam
22 FW   RUS Kirill Klimov
23 MF   GEO Saba Zoidze
24 MF   GEO Vato Arveladze
25 DF   GEO Davit Megrelishvili
30 FW   GEO Davit Zurabiani (on loan from Dinamo Batumi)
31 GK   UKR Danylo Ryabenko
33 DF   GEO Tornike Shekiladze
35 GK   UKR Artem Fastov
37 MF   GEO Demetre Gvasalia
40 MF   GEO Giorgi Kharebava

Out on loan edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF   GEO Giorgi Kvernadze (at Frosinone)

Managers edit

Name Nat. From To
Soso Pilia   November 2012 June 2013
Zaza Inashvili   July 2013 October 2015
Gela Sanaia   October 2015 August 2017
Oleksandr Shtelin   September 2017 December 2017
Konstantin Galkin   February 2018 March 2018
Nugzar Tvaradze   March 2018 September 2018
Viktor Demidov   September 2018 December 2018
Paata Metreveli   February 2019 April 2019
Soso Pilia   April 2019 June 2019
Giorgi Krasovski   June 2019 August 2019
Nugzar Tvaradze   August 2019 October 2019
Vladimer Chkonia   October 2019 December 2019
Davit Makharadze   February 2020 October 2020
Nugzar Tvaradze   October 2020 December 2020
Giorgi Krasovski   February 2021 June 2021
Gia Gigatadze   June 2021 May 2022
Davit Kvirkvelia   June 2022 April 2024
Klimenti Tsitaishvili   April 2024

Honours edit

Stadium edit

The Fazisi arena was built in 1961. Its reconstruction got under way in 2013, but it took seven years before the works were completed. Meanwhile, Kolkheti-1913 held their home games on Rugby Arena in Poti or in some neighbouring cities. Football returned to Fazisi in October 2019.[22]

References edit

  1. ^ Georgia - List of Foundation Dates.
  2. ^ "Kolkheti in USSR II league". wildstat.com.
  3. ^ "ასე იწყებოდა: ეროვნული ჩემპიონატის პირველი მატჩი 30 წლის წინ გაიმართა". popsport.com (in Georgian). 30 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Kolkheti - overall stats". wildstat.com.
  5. ^ "კოლხეთის განცხადება:ისტორიული კლუბი მავანთა გამო კრიზისში ყოფნას არ იმსახურებს". crystalbet.com (in Georgian). 22 October 2019.
  6. ^ "2005/06 season". soccerway.com.
  7. ^ "Umaglesi Liga 2012/13". soccerway.com.
  8. ^ "ფოთის "კოლხეთი" - მილიონერთა ქალაქის გაჭირვებული გუნდი". sportall.ge (in Georgian), 29 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Final table in 2018". eliga.ge.
  10. ^ "შესაძლებელია ქართული საფეხბურთო რუკიდან გავქრეთ". popsport.com (in Georgian). 29 June 2019.
  11. ^ "ფოთის კოლხეთმა ფეხბურთელებთან შეთანხმებას მიაღწია". livepress.com (in Georgian). 20 August 2019.
  12. ^ "ფოთის საფეხბურთო კლუბი მეოთხე მწვრთნელის მოლოდინშია". 1tv.ge (in Georgian). 27 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Samgurali vs Kolkheti-1913". flashscore.com.
  14. ^ "2020 play-offs". soccerway.com.
  15. ^ ""ვიტ ჯორჯია" და "რუსთავი" ეროვნულ ლიგა 2-ში დარჩნენ". 1tv.ge (in Georgian). 11 December 2021.
  16. ^ "ლიგა 2-ში „კოლხეთი 1913" და „დინამო თბილისი 2" ითამაშებენ". 1tv.ge (in Georgian), 14 November 2022.
  17. ^ "შპს "საფეხბურთო კლუბი კოლხეთი 1913"". poti.gov.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  18. ^ "ფოთის "კოლხეთი" ეროვნულ ლიგაში დაბრუნდა". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Kolkheti vs Dinamo Minsk". uefa.com.
  20. ^ "A list of players". eliga.ge.
  21. ^ Georgia – List of Champions – rsssf.org
  22. ^ "ფოთის ცენტრალურ სტადიონზე შვიდი წლის შემდეგ პირველი მატჩი მიმდინარეობს". Georgian Public TV (in Georgian). 6 October 2019.

External links edit

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