FC Guria Lanchkhuti

Guria Lanchkhuti
Founded1924
GroundEvgrapi Shevardnadze Stadium, Lanchkhuti, Georgia
Capacity4,500 (3,030 seats)
ChairmanGiga Imedaishvili
Head CoachTemur Loria
LeagueLiga 4
2024Liga 3, 16th of 16 (relegated)

FC Guria (Georgian: საფეხბურთო კლუბი გურია) is a Georgian association football club from Lanchkhuti. Following the 2024 season they were relegated to Liga 4, the fourth tier of the national league.

Being one of the strongest Georgian teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Guria played in the Soviet Top league, and also won the national Cup. They later played fifteen seasons in the Umaglesi Liga, twice claiming silver medals.

The team plays their home matches at the Evgrapi Shevardnadze Stadium.

100% share of the club currently belongs to the Lanchkhuti municipality.[1]

History

Early period

Formed in 1924[2] as FC Kimi, the team ceased to exist after the start of World War 2 and resumed functioning in 1952 under the name "Kolmeurne", a Georgian word for the collective farm worker.

In 1960 the club was renamed as Guria. The next year they gained a first title by becoming champions of the republican league. During the subsequent decade the team won the Georgian Cup three times and the domestic league two more times, in 1966 and 1971, which enabled them to advance to the Soviet Association football.[3]

1972–79: in the Soviet second league

Starting from 1972 Guria played in the Second League, the third tier of the Soviet football league, for seven years.

In Second League after each season
YEAR M W D L GF–GA Pts FP
1972 36 12 7 17 46-49 31 13th
1973 34 13 5 16 52-52 31 8th
1974 38 10 17 11 56-53 37 11th
1975 34 18 5 11 62-47 41 3rd
1976 38 21 10 7 67-34 52 1st*
1977 42 22 7 13 91-57 51 4th
1978 46 24 11 11 82-48 59 2nd
1979 46 31 4 11 110-50 66 1st

*Note: Lost promotion play-offs to Uralmash Sverdlovsk

Overall results shown by Guria in II League are the following:

M W D L GF–GA
314 151 66 97 566:390

Guria's remarkable progress was largely attributed to Shalva Kakabadze, who worked as head coach for record twenty years continuously from 1959 until 1980, and local government chairman Evgrapi Shevardnadze, brother of the Soviet Communist Party leader in Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze.[4]

1980–86: Road to the top flight

After the winning season in 1979 Guria were promoted to the First League, where they played for another seven consecutive years. 

In First League after each season
YEAR M W D L GF–GA Pts FP
1980 46 18 10 18 68-73 46 11th
1981 46 16 13 17 50-56 44 14th
1982 42 15 7 20 48-67 37 18th
1983 42 19 4 19 52-71 42 9th
1984 42 16 10 16 49-52 42 10th
1985 38 15 7 16 50-52 37 17th
1986 46 28 5 13 80-66 61 2nd[5] ↑

Source

The very fact of promotion to the Soviet Top League for the team representing a provincial town seemed amazing. Football fervour around Guria grew so high that in most cases, not a single seat was available during their matches, and some youngsters would climb up trees around the stadium to watch their favourite team. The pitch invasion during the 2–1 win over fierce rivals Daugava Riga resulted in the disqualification of stadium for three matches. For this reason, the final home game of the season against Yuri Semin's Lokomotive Moscow (1–0) was held in Batumi in front of 20,000 spectators.[6]

It happened so that the struggling Guria that was almost relegated in the previous season managed to place 2nd soon after the native of Lanchkhuti, Eduard Shevardnadze became the Soviet foreign affairs minister.

Under head coach Begi Sikharulidze, some players especially contributed to this huge achievement:[7] Besik Pridonashvili with all 46 games played and 27 goals scored; Teimuraz Chkhaidze - 44 (8); Murman Akopian - 43 (7); Badri Danelia - 43 (1); Levan Melikia - 41; Vakhtang Kopaleishvili - 40 (16); Sergey Shvetsov - 40 (1); Enuki Tevzadze - 39 (5); Tariel Ebanoidze - 37 (1); Gigla Imnadze - 36; Alexander Kondratiev - 36; Merab Tevzadze - 30 (1); Gia Giligashvili - 26; Karlo Mchedlidze - 12; Davit Ugrelidze - 11 (5).

1987: the top league

Straight away after the promotion the football ground underwent a significant reconstruction and eventually the capacity of stadium in a town with 9,021 residents as of 1987 reached 22,000.[8]

Between the 1983–84 and 1987–88 seasons the USSR occupied a second place after Italy in UEFA ranking,[9] therefore, the Soviet Top League was a tough challenge for Guria. Being regarded as a decent home team, Guria beat Kairat 2–0, Neftchi 1–0, Dinamo Minsk 2–1, Dinamo Moscow 2–1 and Ararat 2–0, also played goalless draws against Dinamo Kyiv, Dinamo Tbilisi and future bronze medal holders Zalgiris, although poor results in away games doomed the club for relegation.

1988–89: Promotion battles

Guria did not succeed in a new promotion attempt, finishing in the 4th place in 1988, but the team still made headlines with a shock victory over Dinamo Kyiv (2–1) in the Cup 1/16 finals.[10] The next year the Gurians once again displayed their powerful home run by winning all 21 games held in Lanchkhuti and earned a place in the Soviet Top League as runners-up of the 1989 season.[11]

However, Guria were no longer destined to play again in the Soviet championship. On 15 February 1990, the Georgian Football Federation made a decision to break away from the Soviet Football Federation, withdraw all the teams from the Soviet leagues and form its own national championship with immediate effect.[12]

Since 1990: Georgian leagues

By entering Umaglesi Liga competition a new stage opened up for Guria. First several years they remained high-flying, winning the Georgian Cup title in 1990[13] and silver medals in 1990 and 1991. Later the decline started which saw the club moving up and down the first three divisions several times.

Their very name was subjected to changes, becoming Guria-Lokomotive-2 after the merger with Locomotive's reserve team in 2001, and Guria-2000 in 2008. In 2009 the team regained their popular name.

In the 2016 season Guria played in the top Georgian division, but within two years they slumped to Liga 3. Although the team managed to go up for 2019, their tenure there did not last longer than one season.

Throughout the shortened 2020 season Guria appeared poised for promotion. Yet, the decisive last two games lost to direct rivals spelled failure for their main goal.[14] In contrast, a year later the team mostly stayed inside the drop zone, although due to the points picked up close to the end they barely escaped yet another relegation.

Guria reached a new low in 2024, when they finished at the bottom of the table and suffered relegation to Liga 4.

Seasons

Season League Pos P W D L GF GA Pts Cup
1987 Soviet Top League 16↓ 30 5 8 17 18 38 18
1988 Soviet First League 4 42 23 7 12 71 44 53
1989 Soviet First League 2↑ 42 27 9 6 78 39 63
1990 Umaglesi Liga 2 34 22 6 6 73 20 72 Winner
1991 Umaglesi Liga 2 19 14 4 1 38 15 46 —
1991–92 Umaglesi Liga 4 38 22 3 13 89 56 69 Round of 16
1992–93 Umaglesi Liga 12 32 12 2 18 37 57 38 Round of 16
1993–94 Umaglesi Liga West 2 14 9 0 5 36 22 27 Quarterfinals
Champ.Group 7 18 5 2 11 30 50 17
1994–95 Umaglesi Liga 13 30 8 6 16 36 81 30 Quarterfinals
1995–96 Umaglesi Liga 13 30 9 0 21 35 74 27 Round of 32
1996–97 Umaglesi Liga 13 30 10 3 17 33 63 33 Round of 16
1997–98 Umaglesi Liga 14 30 6 9 15 30 58 27 Round of 16
1998–99 Umaglesi Liga 16↓ 30 3 4 23 34 87 13 Round of 32
1999–2000 Pirveli Liga A 8 22 7 1 14 36 45 22 Round of 16
2000–01 Pirveli Liga 3 22 12 5 5 31 25 41 Fourth round
Champ.Group 1↑ 10 6 2 2 15 9 20
2001–02 Umaglesi Liga 10↓ 22 3 6 13 14 44 15 Quarterfinals
2002–03 Pirveli Liga 12 30 9 7 14 32 44 34 Second round
2003–04 Pirveli Liga 10 30 13 6 11 38 37 45 First round
2004–05 Pirveli Liga 10 30 10 8 12 30 45 38 First round
2005–06 Pirveli Liga 9 34 14 5 15 50 47 47 Round of 32
2006–07 Pirveli Liga 15↓ 34 8 7 19 36 76 31 First round
2007–08 Meore Liga West 2↑ 22 15 6 1 49 17 51 —
2008–09 Pirveli Liga 6 14 7 2 5 24 21 23 Round of 16
2009–10 Pirveli Liga 4 28 16 5 7 53 32 53 First round
2010–11 Pirveli Liga 6 32 14 4 14 50 59 46 First round
2011–12 Pirveli Liga B 2 18 12 3 3 41 15 39 Round of 32
2012–13 Pirveli Liga A 1↑ 33 27 4 2 86 20 85 Quarterfinals
2013–14 Umaglesi Liga 6 32 12 0 20 31 53 36 Round of 16
2014–15 Umaglesi Liga 9 30 10 9 11 38 43 39 Round of 32
2015–16 Umaglesi Liga 11 30 6 9 15 28 49 27 Round of 16
2016 Umaglesi Liga White 6↓ 12 3 2 7 8 21 11 Round of 16
2017 Erovnuli Liga 2 8↓[a] 36 11 4 21 47 68 37 Round of 16
2018 Liga 3 3↑[b] 38 21 10 7 59 31 73 Round of 8
2019 Erovnuli Liga 2 8↓[c] 36 10 6 20 39 64 36 Round of 16
2020 Liga 3 5 18 8 2 8 26 30 26 First round
2021 Liga 3 11 26 8 5 13 33 44 29 Third round
2022 Liga 3 12 30 11 4 15 42 49 37 Quarterfinals
2023 Liga 3 9 30 11 6 13 44 55 39 Third round
2024 Liga 3 16↓ 30 5 6 19 30 71 21 First round
  1. ^ Lost to Telavi 2–3 on aggregate in play-offs
  2. ^ Beat Samgurali on away goals in play-offs
  3. ^ Lost to Aragvi 1–2 on aggregate in play-offs

Overall, seasons spent in Georgian leagues since 1990:

Correct up to 2025 season

Club honours

Personal honours

In early 2020, by decree of the Georgian Ministry of Sport Begi Sikharulidze, Teimuraz Chkhaidze and Gigla Imnadze were awarded the Knight of Sport title for their distinguished contribution to Guria's victorious season in 1986.[15]

A year later Begi Sikharulidze was awarded the title Honorary Citizen of Lanchkhuti.[16]

Current squad

As of 3 April 2025[17]

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 Georgia (country) GEO Irakli Khvedelidze
2 DF Georgia (country) GEO Levan Vardiashvili
3 DF Georgia (country) GEO Lasha Jgamaia
4 DF Georgia (country) GEO Saba Tuskia
5 DF Georgia (country) GEO Tornike Kukuladze (C)
6 MF Georgia (country) GEO Vazha Shanidze
7 MF Georgia (country) GEO Vano Tsilosani
8 MF Georgia (country) GEO Anri Zakarashvili
9 FW Georgia (country) GEO Tamaz Shalikashvili
No. Pos. Nation Player
10 FW Georgia (country) GEO Teimuraz Sharashenidze (C)
11 FW Georgia (country) GEO Vano Sharvadze
12 GK Georgia (country) GEO Tornike Khoperia
13 DF Georgia (country) GEO Aleksandre Suladze
14 MF Georgia (country) GEO Teimuraz Lomadze
15 MF   Davit Kerkhanochiev
16 DF Georgia (country) GEO Davit Gogichaishvili
24 FW Georgia (country) GEO Lasha Khachapuridze

Former players

Topscorers by season

Season Name Goals
1966–67 Georgia (country) Omar Pertenava 16
1967–68 Georgia (country) Vakhtang Dzidziguri 23
1968–69 Georgia (country) Vakhtang Dzidziguri 17
1969–70 Georgia (country) Vakhtang Dzidziguri 18
1970–71 Georgia (country) Vakhtang Dzidziguri 39
1971–72 Georgia (country) Vakhtang Dzidziguri 13
1972–73 Georgia (country) Joni Abaishvili 19
1973–74 Georgia (country) Vakhtang Dzidziguri 15
1974–75 Georgia (country) Revaz Sanaia 25
1975–76 Georgia (country) Besik Mchedlishvili 20
1976–77 Moldova Vasil Troian 18
1977–78 Moldova Vasil Troian 15
1978–79 Georgia (country) Merab Megreladze 26
1979–80 Georgia (country) Merab Megreladze 20
1980–81 Georgia (country) Merab Megreladze 11
1981–82 Georgia (country) Temur Ebanoidze 9
1982–83 Georgia (country) Murtaz Akophiani 14
1983–84 Georgia (country) Vakhtang Kopaleishvili 13
1984–85 Georgia (country) Gia Tkebuchava 11
1985–86 Georgia (country) Besik Phridonashvili 27
1986–87 Ukraine Viktor Khlus 5
1987–88 Ukraine Viktor Khlus 21
1988–89 Georgia (country) Merab Zhordania 25
1989–90 Georgia (country) Otar Korghalidze 21
1990–91 Georgia (country) Otar Korghalidze 14
1991–92 Georgia (country) Otar Korghalidze 40

Managerial history

Name Coun. From To
Givi Imnaishvili Soviet Union 1952 1953
Vladimer Narimanidze Soviet Union 1954 1955
Viktor Berezhnoi Soviet Union 1956 1956
Boris Chitaia Soviet Union 1957 1958
Shalva Kakabadze Soviet Union 1959 1979
Aleksandre Kotrikadze Soviet Union 1980 1980
Murtaz Khurtsilava Soviet Union 1981 1982
Shalva Kakabadze Soviet Union 1983 1984
Begi Sikharulidze Soviet Union 1985 1986
Aleksandre Kotrikadze Soviet Union 1986 1986
Mykhailo Fomenko Soviet Union 1987 1990
Gigla Imnadze Georgia (country) 1990 1990
Murtaz Khurtsilava Georgia (country) 1990 1993
Temur Chkhaidze Georgia (country) 1993 1994
Gigla Imnadze Georgia (country) 1994 1995
Begi Sikharulidze Georgia (country) 1995 1996
Boris Dudarov Russia 1996 1996
Gigla Imnadze Georgia (country) 1996 1997
Gia Tavadze Georgia (country) 1997 1997
Avtandil Nariashvili Georgia (country) 1997 ?
Davit Makharadze Georgia (country) 2013 2013
Roman Pokora Ukraine 2013 2013
Davit Makharadze Georgia (country) 2014 2014
Temur Loria Georgia (country) 2014 2015
Gigla Imnadze Georgia (country) 2015 2015
Kakha Gogichaishvili Georgia (country) 2015 2015
Badri Kvaratskhelia Georgia (country) 2015 2015
Gia Chkhaidze Georgia (country) 2015 2015
Viktor Demidov Russia 2016 2016
Temur Makharadze Georgia (country) 2016 2016
Oleh Leshchynskyi Ukraine 2016 2016
Gigla Imnadze Georgia (country) 2017 2017
Gia Guruli Georgia (country) 2017 2017
Davit Makharadze Georgia (country) 2017 2018
Giorgi Oniani Georgia (country) 2018 2018
Giga Imedaishvili Georgia (country) 2018 2018
Tengiz Pataraia Georgia (country) 2019 2019
Giga Imedaishvili Georgia (country) 2019 2019
Gela Sanaia Georgia (country) 2019 2019
Gia Chkhaidze Georgia (country) 2019 2019
Temur Loria Georgia (country) 2019 2020
Levan Khomeriki / Ivane Makharadze Georgia (country) 2020 2021
Giga Imedaishvili Georgia (country) 2021 2021
Giorgi Oniani Georgia (country) 2021 2022
Davit Digmelashvili Georgia (country) 2023 2023
Aleksandre Koshkadze Georgia (country) 2023 2024
Gigla Imnadze Georgia (country) 2024 2025
Temur Loria Georgia (country) 2025

References

  1. ^ "შპს ფეხბურთის კლუბი ლანჩხუთის გურია". companyinfo.ge (in Georgian).
  2. ^ "Georgia - List of Foundation Dates".
  3. ^ Football 1987. Tbilisi: Georgian Federation of Sport reporters. p. 92.
  4. ^ ""ჩვენ ორნი ვართ ქვეყანაზე _ მე და ევგრაფ შევარდნაძე!"". gurianews.com (in Georgian). 25 January 2012.
  5. ^ Soviet Union 1986. www.rsssf.org
  6. ^ ""რას ხედავ, ბიძია, მაქედან?!" _ ლანჩხუთის "გურიას" იუბილე". gurianews.com (in Georgian). 13 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Guria in 1986". teams.by.
  8. ^ "Первый чисто футбольный стадион в Высшей лиге СССР построили только в 1987-м (за два месяца!). Вы ни за что не угадаете, в каком городе". sports.ru (in Russian) 23 April 2020. 22 April 2020.
  9. ^ "UEFA ranking". mogiel.net.
  10. ^ "USSR 1988-89 Cup". wildstat.com.
  11. ^ "The Soviet First league in 1989". soccer365.ru.
  12. ^ "Грузия и Литва после обретения самостоятельности". ua.tribuna.com (in Russian) 23 March 2020.
  13. ^ "როგორ მოიპოვა ლანჩხუთელთა საყვარელმა გუნდმა "გურიის" სახელწოდება". gurianews.com (in Georgian). 16 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Liga 3 results in 2020". gff.ge.
  15. ^ ""სპორტის რაინდები" _ ლანჩხუთელთა გასული წლის საფეხბურთო აღიარება". gurianews.com (in Georgian). 10 January 2020.
  16. ^ ""გურიას" ლეგენდას ლანჩხუთის საპატიო მოქალაქის წოდება მიენიჭა". gurianews.com (in Georgian). 15 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Guria squad". soccerway.com.
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