FC Mertskhali ( ka, მერცხალი ოზურგეთი; English: Swallows) is a

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

club from

Ozurgeti Ozurgeti ( ka, ოზურგეთი ) is the capital of the western Georgian province of Guria. It was formerly known as Macharadze or Makharadze (named in honor of Filipp Makharadze). It is a regional center of tea and hazelnut processing. ...

, currently playing in

Regionuli Liga Regionuli Liga ( Georgian: რეგიონული ლიგა), run by Georgian Football Federation since 1990, is the fifth and lowest division of the Georgian league system after Erovnuli Liga, Erovnuli Liga 2, Liga 3 and Liga 4. Its p ...

, the fifth tier of the national league system. The club has spent four seasons in

Umaglesi Liga The Erovnuli Liga ( ka, ეროვნული ლიგა - lit. National League) is the top division of professional football in Georgia. Since 1990, it has been organized by the Professional Football League of Georgia and Georgian Football ...

, the top Georgian division.

History

Early period

Founded in 1936, the team finished 2nd in Division 2 in 1938 and advanced to the main league of the Soviet Georgian championship. In 1958 they claimed their first bronze medals. In the next two years Mertskhali twice clinched the Republican Cup. Also, in 1964 and 1966 the club again came the third, and in 1967 became a winner of the league, which paved the way for their participation in the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

championship. Mertskhali played there for seven seasons in a row and later, in 1980s, spent five more years in the third tier of the Soviet league system. Twice they came close to the promotion to the First League, including through a promotion play-off spot secured in 1985. The period between 1982 and 1987, when the team under long-time manager Bakhva Giorgadze secured five medals, is considered most remarkable in the club's history.

Since 1990

After

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

restored its independence, the club played in

during the first three seasons after 1990 and also in 2003–04. Between 2007 and 2009 Mertskhali participated in the third tier, followed by nine successive seasons in

Erovnuli Liga 2 The Georgian Erovnuli Liga 2 ( ka, ეროვნული ლიგა 2; ), organized since 1990 by GFF, serves as the second division of professional football in Georgia. Under the current name the league was introduced for the 2017 season ...

. Among them most noteworthy was the 2011/12 season when they finished 2nd and booked a place in promotion

play-offs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...

. For the next three years the club was mainly in mid-table, although dismal performance in the 2015/16 season resulted in relegation to

Meore Liga Liga 3, organized by Georgian Football Federation since 1990, is the third division of professional football in Georgia. Until 2017, when the current name was introduced, it was known as Meore Liga (the Second league). Structure and league sys ...

. Prior to the new season drastic changes were made, including appointment of well-known coach Khariton Chkhatarashvili as a manager. He guided the team to the second place, but according to regulations introduced for this transitional season, only group winners could stay up. For this reason Mertskhali dropped down further to the fourth division, thus suffering two consecutive relegations within two years. It worsened the financial situation as well. The club was proposed for sale in early 2019, although unsuccessfully. Since 2017 Mertskhali have been a member of

Group West.

Seasons

Honours

* Georgian Soviet Championship ** Champion: 1967, 1982, 1987 ** Bronze Medal winner: 1958, 1960, 1964, 1966 * Georgian Soviet Cup ** Champion: 1959, 1960, 1982 *

Pirveli Liga The Georgian Erovnuli Liga 2 ( ka, ეროვნული ლიგა 2; ), organized since 1990 by GFF, serves as the second division of professional football in Georgia. Under the current name the league was introduced for the 2017 season ...

** Silver Medal winner: 1994, 2002–03, 2011–12 ** Bronze Medal winner: 1997 *

Soviet Second League The Soviet Second League (russian: Чемпионат СССР по футболу (вторая лига), Soviet football championship (Second League)) was the third highest division of Soviet football, below the Soviet First League The So ...

** Silver Medal winner: 1984 ** Bronze Medal winner: 1968, 1985

Notable players

National team member Irakli Zoidze started his professional career in this club in 1990.

Stadium

Megobroba (literally - Friendship) football ground with the capacity of 10,000 seats was built in 1968, although later after the reconstruction it was reduced to 3,500.

Names

1938-46 Makharadze* district team 1946-47 Dinamo 1947-54 Makharadze district team 1954-59 Kolmeurne 1960 Sikharuli 1961-93 Mertskhali 1993-95 Anako ''Note'': Makharadze was a Soviet-time name for

References

External Links

Profile on Soccerway
{{Erovnuli Liga teamlist Mertskhali Ozurgeti Ozurgeti 1936 establishments in Georgia (country)