FC Metalurgi Rustavi

History

Football in Rustavi could be traced back to Metalurgi Rustavi in the Soviet era.

In 1990, the club became a member of the newly created Umaglesi Liga under the name Gorda with Givi Nodia at the helm. In the first three seasons Gorda came third twice. Following Nodia's departure from the team, the management reversed its decision regarding the name. For the next six seasons Metalurgi did not achieve any significant success, although they signed several players who later joined the national team, namely Soso Grishikashvili, Zurab Menteshashvili, Aleksandre Rekhviashvili, and Levan Kobiashvili.

The club was renamed back to Gorda in 1998. Around this period the team usually stayed in the bottom half of the table. In 2002, Gorda lost playoffs to Mtskheta and suffered a first relegation to Pirveli Liga. A year later, being Rustavi this time, they prevailed over the same opponents in play-offs, but due to financial difficulties failed to obtain a top-flight license.

Before the 2006 season, it was announced that Rustavi would merge with Umaglesi Liga side Tbilisi and take part in the main division as Olimpi Rustavi. Starting from this year, Olimpi was regarded as one of the main title contenders.

In 2007, the team won their first Georgian Umaglesi Liga title, followed by the second title three years later. In the same season they recorded an unbeaten run consisting of 27 league matches. With 26 goals netted in 31 matches Anderson Aquino became their top scorer of this season. Having beaten WIT Georgia 2–0, Olimpi won the Super Cup as well.

For the 2011–12 season the club changed its name to Metalurgi Rustavi after a thirteen-year wait. Metalurgi finished on equal points as Zestaponi and was faced with a bizarre scandal involving the Football Federation. As these clubs differently inferred new league regulations determining a winner of the tournament, they both declared themselves a champion. Initially, the GFF sided with Metalurgi, although after an executive committee extraordinary meeting held the next day, it announced a final decision in favor of Zestaponi.

Despite some decline, experienced by Metalurgi in following years, their players occasionally still featured in different post-season nominations. In one of such events in December 2014, Otar Kiteishvili was voted among three best young players.

The 2014–15 season turned out critical. Despite sitting among the top five teams before the winter break, soon the overall situation rapidly deteriorated. The club had amassed debts exceeding 8₾ million and could not afford to pay salaries to its staff and players. After a fifteen-game winless run, Metalurgi ended up in the relegation zone. Following a 5–0 loss to Lokomotivi in playoffs, they were relegated.

Their last season was in the Meore Liga, the third division, in 2015–16, but midway through the season they withdrew from the league. Subsequently, Metalurgi were declared bankrupt. A new Rustavi club emerged representing the city in Liga 2, although they did not have any legal connections.

Honours

• Erovnuli Liga
  • Winners (2): 2007, 2010
  • Runners-up (1): 2011–12
  • Third place (4): 1990, 1991–92, 2008–09, 2010–11
• Georgian Super Cup
  • Winners (1): 2010
• Georgian SSR Football Competition:
  • Winners (4): 1959, 1974, 1979, 1984

Seasons

European record

Notable Players

• Georgia Shota Khinchagashvili
• Georgia Kakhaber Tskhadadze
• Georgia Levan Silagadze
• Georgia Varlam Kilasonia
• Georgia Giorgi Kilasonia
• Georgia Levan Kobiashvili
• Georgia Nugzar Lobzhanidze
• Georgia Nikoloz Togonidze
• Georgia Iason aladashvili
• Georgia Giorgi Sichinava
• Georgia Giorgi Gakhokidze
• Georgia Gocha Jamarauli
• Georgia Otar Kiteishvili
• Georgia Vako Qazaishvili

Managers

• Georgia Giorgi Kiknadze (July 1, 2006 – Jan 1, 2007)
• Ukraine Anatoliy Piskovets (Sept 1, 2007 – Feb 1, 2008)
• Georgia Khvicha Kasrashvili
• Georgia Teimuraz Makharadze (July 1, 2008 – Oct 4, 2010)
• Georgia Nestor Mumladze (Oct 10, 2010 – Nov 1, 2010)
• Georgia Armaz Jeladze (Nov 2010 – Aug 11)
• Georgia Koba Zhorzhikashvili (Aug 9, 2011 – Oct 1, 2012)
• Georgia Georgi Kipiani (Oct 3, 2012 – May 31, 2013)
• Georgia Gela Sanaia (June 1, 2013 – Dec 31, 2013)
• Georgia Varlam Kilasonia (Jan 1, 2014–)

References

References

1. "მეტალურგი" ბრუნდება".
2. (20 May 2007). "საქართველოს ჩემპიონატი რუსთავის "ოლიმპი" ჩემპიონ".
3. (5 May 2010). "Olimpi scale Georgian heights again".
4. (9 June 2010). "ეროვნული ფეხბურთის ციფრების ანატომია".
5. (21 May 2012). ""ზესტაფონი" - საქართველოს საფეხბურთო ჩემპიონატის 2011-2012 წლების გამარჯვებული".
6. "წლის რჩეულები: 2014".
7. "ვარლამ კილასონია: ეს კატასტროფაც აღარ არის!..".
8. (3 March 2015). "რუსთავის "მეტალურგი" იშლება?".
9. "ვარლამ კილასონია: ამიტომაც ჩააგდეს "ლოკომოტივთან" მატჩი...".
10. "Meore Liga 2015-16".
11. გია ტუხაშვილი. (2017-04-11). "რუსთავი: აღზევება".