FC Kolkheti Khobi

Kolkheti Khobi

Full name	Football Club Kolkheti Khobi
Founded	1936; 89 years ago (1936)
Ground	Paata Tatarishvili Tsentraluri Stadioni Khobi, Georgia
Capacity	4,000
Manager	Tsotne Moniava
League	Liga 3
2024	10th of 10, Liga 2 (relegated)
Website	fckolkheti.ge

FC Kolkheti Khobi (Georgian: საფეხბურთო კლუბი კოლხეთი ხობი) is a Georgian association football club based in the town of Khobi. Following the 2024 season they were relegated to Liga 3, the third 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]

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]

Back in the 2nd division, the club fought for survival in both seasons. In 2023, thanks to a goal scored deep into injury time by Giga Tsurtsumia, Kolkheti snatched victory over Liga 3 side Varketili in a return play-off match,^[8] but a year later their automatic relegation was confirmed with five games still to play.

Seasons

Year	League	Pos	P	W	D	L	GF–GA	Pts	Cup
2007/08	Pirveli Liga Group A	8/10	27	10	8	9	35-27	38	–
2008/09	Pirveli Liga Group A	8/11	30	11	3	16	30-47	36	1st Round
2009/10	Pirveli Liga	10/15	28	9	3	16	36-52	30	–
2010/11	Pirveli Liga	7/17	32	12	10	10	28-34	46	1st Round
2011/12	Pirveli Liga Group A	7/10	18	5	5	8	18-19	20	Round of 32
	Relegation round	2/8	20	9	7	4	25-13	34
2012/13	Pirveli Liga Group B	4/16	30	18	3	9	43-28	57	2nd Round
2013/14	Pirveli Liga Group B	9/10	26	8	6	12	31-54	30	2nd Round
2014/15	Pirveli Liga Group B	8/10	36	12	10	14	46-51	46	–
2015/16	Pirveli Liga	3/18[a]	34	18	10	6	60-29	64	1st Round
2016	Pirveli Liga	5/10↓	16	5	6	5	20-24	21	2nd Round
2017	Liga 3 Red Group	3/10	18	8	5	5	25-18	29	3rd Round
	Promotion Round	9/10	18	3	4	11	9-39	13
2018	Liga 3	5/20	38	17	10	11	54-35	61	2nd Round
2019	Liga 3	6/10	36	11	8	17	39-54	41	2nd Round
2020	Liga 3	6/10	18	5	7	6	27-24	22	2nd Round
2021	Liga 3	9/14	26	6	13	7	32-39	31	1st Round
2022	Liga 3	4/16↑[b]	30	15	9	6	53-32	54	1st Round
2023	Erovnuli Liga 2	7/10[c]	36	12	10	14	44-52	46	Round of 16
2024	Erovnuli Liga 2	10/10↓	36	4	8	24	30–85	20	3rd Round

1. Lost 1–2 to Zugdidi in a promotion play-off tie
2. Beat Rustavi 2–0 on aggregate in promotion play-offs
3. Beat Varketili 1–0 on aggregate in relegation play-offs

Current squad

As of 8 March 2024^[9]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  GEO Gogi Kulua 2 DF  GEO Shotiko Andguladze 3 DF  GEO Tornike Dundua 4 DF  GEO Zurab Lataria 5 MF  GEO Gaga Gazdeliani 7 MF  GEO Tengo Pipia 8 DF  RSA Letlhogonolo Kekolo 9 FW  GEO Gia Apkhazava 10 FW  GEO Giorgi Chedia (C) 11 MF  GEO Zurab Chanturidze 14 GK  GEO Luka Mikaia

No. Pos. Nation Player 16 DF  GEO Giorgi Tevzadze 17 MF  GEO Emil Sepashvili 18 FW  GEO Sandro Avaliani 20 DF  GEO Otar Zviadauri 22 DF  GEO Giorgi Mirzoevi 23 MF  GEO Giorgi Kashia 26 DF  GEO Irakli Shonia 27 DF  GEO Levan Gogenia 30 MF  GEO Revaz Salukvadze 33 DF  GEO Zurab Eradze 37 MF  GEO Anatoly Mesiachenko

Honours

• Pirveli Liga
  • Silver Medal winner: 1999
  • Third place: 2015-16

Managers

Name	Nat.	From	To
Edik Sajaia		2018	2018
Levan Nodia		2019	2019
Paata Bukia		2019	2019
Merab Kharbedia		2019	2020
Paata Bukia		2020	2020
Zurab Pirtskhalaishvili		2020	2021
Levan Nodia		2021	2021
Levan Khurtsilava		2022	2022
Levan Nodia		2023	2023
Besik Sherozia		2023	2024
Gia Gigatadze		2024	2024
Tsotne Moniava		2024	–

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.^[10]

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.

References

1. "FC Kolkheti Khobi". wildstat.com.
2. "Umaglesi Liga 1999-2000". flashscore.com.
3. "ზუგდიდი-კოლხეთი (ხ) 2:1 - ზუგდიდი (გა)დარჩა". sportall.ge (in Georgian). 30 May 2016.
4. "ზუგდიდთან" უნდა დავამტკიცოთ, რომ ხობის "კოლხეთი" უმაღლეს ლიგაში გადასვლას იმსახურებდა". sportall.ge (in Georgian), 29 May 2016.
5. "Skuri vs Kolkheti Khobi". soccerway.com.
6. "ხობის "კოლხეთი" 5 ათასი ლარით დააჯარიმეს". livepress.ge (in Georgian), 5 December 2016.
7. "ეროვნულ ლიგა 2-ში ხობის "კოლხეთი" და "ვიტ ჯორჯია" ითამაშებენ". 1tv.ge (in Georgian), 10 December 2022.
8. "ხობის "კოლხეთმა" ეროვნულ ლიგა 2-ში ადგილი შეინარჩუნა". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 10 December 2023.
9. "A list of players". eliga.ge.
10. "ხობის ცენტრალურ სტადიონს რეაბილიტაცია უტარდება". radioatinati.ge (in Georgian). 10 November 2016.

External links

• On Soccerway
• Facebook page
• FC Kolkheti Khobi Results on Flashscore