FC Locomotive Tbilisi

FC Locomotive Tbilisi is a Georgian football club from the capital, Tbilisi. During the existence of the USSR the club was a part of the Lokomotiv Voluntary Sports Society. The club has strong connections with the Georgian Railways.

Locomotive Tbilisi
Full nameFootball Club Lokomotive Tbilisi
Nickname(s)Railroaders
FoundedAugust 14, 1936 (1936-08-14)
GroundMikheil Meskhi Stadium
Mikheil Meskhi 2 Stadium
Tbilisi, Georgia
Capacity27,223
2,000
ChairmanAlex Topuria
ManagerJohn van Loen
LeagueErovnuli Liga 2
202210th in Erovnuli Liga, relegated
WebsiteClub website

History

Locomotive was founded on 14 August 1936 as a part of Lokomotiv sports society.[1] The club won Georgian championship in 1937, which gave them the permission to participate in USSR Top League. Their debut season in the highest level of the Soviet football championship came in 1938, where the club took 24th place out of 26 and got relegated. However, the Tbilisi-based club managed to get another promotion during the following season and participated in 1940 Soviet Top League. But they were eventually disqualified from the tournament. These were the only seasons when Locomotive managed to take part in the top league.[1]

From the following years until the dissolution of USSR, the club moved between the lower divisions, played in the second the third divisions of the Soviet football championship.

Nodar Akhalkatsi, the coach of FC Dinamo Tbilisi and one of the most successful managers in the Soviet football, started his managing career in Locomotive. He managed the club from 1967 to 1970.[1][2]

Since the post-Soviet era, Locomotive is one of the regular members of Erovnuli Liga. However, the club failed to win the championship. They were runners-up twice: in 2000-01 and in 2001–02 Umaglesi Liga. The club won Georgian Cup three times: in 2000, in 2002 and in 2005.

Some notable players of the club are: Levan Kenia, Levan Tskitishvili, Zurab Khizanishvili, Giorgi Arabidze, Giorgi Aburjania, Valeri Abramidze, Juan Diego González-Vigil, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Endika Bordas.

Honours

European cups
Season Competition Round Country Club Home Away
1999–00 UEFA Cup QR Linfield 1–0 1–1
1R PAOK 0–7 0–2
2000–01 UEFA Cup QR Slovan 0–2 0–2
2001–02 UEFA Cup QR Birkirkara 1–1 0–0
2002–03 UEFA Cup QR Copenhagen 1–4 1–3
2005–06 UEFA Cup 1R Banants 0–2 3–2
2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1Q Etzella 2–2 0–0
2020–21 UEFA Europa League 1Q Universitatea Craiova 2–1 —
2Q Dynamo Moscow 2–1 —
3Q Granada — 0–2

Current squad

As of 12 May, 2024.[3] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  GEO Soso Kopaliani
3 DF  GEO Tornike Molashvili
4 DF  GEO Nika Tchanturia
5 MF  GEO Sandro Shetsiruli
6 MF  ZAM Frank Chileshe
7 MF  GEO Nikoloz Basheleishvili
8 MF  GEO Davit Samurkasovi
9 FW  GEO Lasha Ozbetelashvili
10 MF  GEO Luka Kekelidze
11 FW  GEO Lasha Kalandadze
12 GK  GEO Luka Khelashvili
14 MF  GEO Bidzina Makharoblidze
15 DF  GEO Vasil Khositashvili
16 MF  GEO Sandro Shashiashvili
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 FW  GEO Aleksandre Turkia
18 MF  GEO Ioane Tabatadze
19 FW  GEO Mamia Gavashelishvili
20 MF  GEO Gabriel Khutsishvili
21 DF  GEO Mikheil Basheleishvili
22 DF  GEO Davit Bukia
23 GK  GEO Guram Chikashua
24 DF  GEO Beka Kharaishvili
25 MF  GEO Zura Zosiashvili
27 DF  GEO Giorgi Gabadze (captain)
30 MF  GEO Lasha Menteshashvili
35 MF  GEO Luka Tsulukidze
36 MF  ZAM Bonephaneso Phiri
38 DF  GEO Roman Chachua

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  GEO Givi Mukbaniani (at FC Sioni Bolnisi until 31 December 2024)

Reserve team

Lokomotive II — participant in a number of seasons in the second and third most important leagues in Georgia.[4] Reached the final of the 2022 Georgian Cup as a fourth league team.[5]

References
  1. "The history of FC Locomotive Tbilisi". FCloco.ge. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  2. Locomotive Tbilisi managers (in Russian)
  3. "Lokomotivi Tbilisi roster". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  4. Локомотиви-2 Тбилиси (in Russian)
  5. "მეოთხე ლიგაში მოთამაშე "ლოკომოტივი-2" საქართველოს თასის ფინალში გავიდა". radiotavisupleba.ge (in Georgian). 2 November 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-11-02.


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