FC Meskheti Akhaltsikhe

FC Meskheti (Georgian: საფეხბურთო კლუბი მესხეთი) is a defunct Georgian football club based in Akhaltsikhe.

FC Meskheti Akhaltsikhe

Full name	FC Meskheti Akhaltsikhe
Founded	2005
Dissolved	2021
Ground	Mikheil Iadze Stadium
Capacity	3,000
League	N/A
Home colours

Most recently the club took part in Regionuli Liga, the fifth tier of Georgian league system, although in the late 2000s they spent two seasons in the top division.

Meskheti ceased their activities in early 2021.

History

Founded in 2005, the club initially participated in Pirveli Liga for the first two years. Meskheti finished 2nd in 2007 and gained promotion to Umaglesi Liga, where they spent two seasons.^[1]

In 2008 certain financial problems hit the club, which was denied assistance from the local municipality.^[2]

The next July, unable to meet the requirements necessary for a top-league team, Meskheti were expelled to the second division with 3 points deducted. With the crisis unsolved, the club finished at the bottom of the table^[3] and in the 2010–11 season they failed to take part in any league.

Meskheti rejoined Pirveli Liga in 2011. A year later the club once again suspended its participation in official tournaments.^[4]

Season	Division	Pos	MP	W	D	L	GF–GA	P	Notes
2005/06	Second	6th of 18	34	17	6	11	50-30	57
2006/07	Second	2nd of 18	34	22	6	6	69-19	72	Promoted
2007/08	First	6th of 14	26	11	6	9	29-30	39
2008/09	First	8th of 11	30	7	8	15	23-42	29	Expelled
2009/10	Second	15th of 15	28	7	4	17	26-48	22	-3 points
2011/12	Second, Group A	8th of 10	18	5	2	11	19-25	17
	2nd Round	6th of 8	20	6	7	7	11-18	25

Later, in 2016, Meskheti participated in Group Centre of Meore Liga^[5] and then became a member of Regionuli Liga. After the 2020 season they withdrew.

Season	Division	Pos	MP	W	D	L	GF–GA	P
2018	Reg.Liga East A	10th of 11	20	3	1	16	20-106	10
2019	Reg.Liga East A	6th of 9	8	2	2	4	9-20	8
2020	Reg.Liga East A	13th of 14	13	2	1	10	24-62	7

Current squad

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 — GK  GEO Gela Dzadzunashvili — GK  GEO Giorgi Somkhishvili — GK  GEO Nika Tsikhelashvili — DF  GEO Zurab Bardzimadze — DF  GEO Zurab Dzamsashvili — DF  GEO Zaza Kobesashvili — DF  GEO Dmitri Lekishvili — DF  GEO Aleksandr Metreveli — DF  GEO Giorgi Nadirashvili — DF  GEO Giga Zhvania — MF  GEO Temur Apriamashvili

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  GEO Zviad Chkhetiani — MF  GEO Paata Gvirchishvili — MF  GEO Giorgi Kevlishvili — MF  GEO Giorgi Turmanidze — FW  GEO Mikheil Takadze — FW  GEO David Inasaridze — FW  GEO Aleksandr Kaidarashvili — FW  GEO Mamuka Rusia — FW  GEO Gela Sudadze — FW  GEO Zurab Sudadze

Honours

• Pirveli Liga
  • Silver Medal winner: 2007
  • Bronze Medal winner: 1995

City Derby

FC Samtskhe was established in the city in 2019. Meskheti lost 1–0 the only match held on 23 September 2020 between the rivals.^[6]

Name

Meskheti, being a synonym of Samtskhe, is a part of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region.

References

1. "რამ განაპირობა ფეხბურთის გუნდის დაშლა?". tv9news.ge (in Georgian). 16 March 2019. Retrieved 1 Dec 2021.
2. "ახალციხის "მესხეთი" დაიშალა". samtskhe-javakheti.blogspot.com (in Georgian). 13 Oct 2010. Retrieved 1 Dec 2021.
3. "2011-12 in Pirveli Liga". soccerway.com.
4. "საფეხბურთო კლუბი "მესხეთი" ისევ დაიშალა". sknews.ge (in Georgian). 13 July 2012.
5. "Meore Liga 2016". soccerway.com.
6. "სამცხე" "მესხეთის" წინააღმდეგ - ახალციხის გუნდები ერთმანეთის პირისპირ". tv9news.ge (in Georgian). 23 September 2020.