# FC Zhemchuzhina-Sochi

FC Zhemchuzhina-Sochi (Russian: ФК Жемчужина-Сочи) was a Russian association football club based in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai founded in 1991 and dissolved in 2012.

## History

Zhemchuzhina Sochi was founded in 1991 and named after a hotel which was one of the founders. Zhemchuzhina is Russian for "a pearl". Zhemchuzhina spent one season in the Soviet Second League B (winning zonal tournament), but were entitled to enter Russian First Division in 1992, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Zhemchuzhina won the tournament in their zone and were promoted to the Russian Top Division. They spent 7 seasons there, from 1993 to 1999. After another season in the First Division in 2000 Zhemchuzhina went straight down to the Second Division. The club was disbanded after the 2003 season due to financial problems.
In 2004, a new club, Sochi-04, was formed in place of Zhemchuzhina. The former head of Zhemchuzhina, Oleg Shinkaryov, became a chairman of Sochi-04.

### Rebirth

In 2007, club was re-established under name "Zhemchuzhina-A". Arsen Naydyonov became manager and vice-president of club. "Zhemchuzhina-A" played in Amateur Football League South zone, the 4th highest-level in 2007. It finished 2nd this league and promoted to South Zone of Russian Second Division for 2008 season. In 2008, it was renamed to FC Zhemchuzhina-Sochi. It promoted to the Russian First Division the 2010 season as champions of South Zone after 9 seasons of absence.
In August 2011 the team withdrew from Russian First Division (FNL).

## League history

    Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Cup Europe Top Scorer (League) Head Coach 1991 4th, Zone 4 1 42 27 10 5 91 33 64 — — Makeev - 24 Naydyonov 1992 2nd, "West" 1 34 24 5 5 84 40 53 — — Gogrichiani - 26 Naydyonov 1993 1st 13 34 10 10 14 52 62 30 R64 — Gogrichiani - 13 Naydyonov 1994 9 30 8 11 11 44 48 27 R32 — Filimonov - 9 Naydyonov 1995 13 30 8 4 18 36 69 28 R16 — Bogatyryov - 10 Naydyonov 1996 15 34 10 6 18 38 57 36 R16 — 3x players - 6 Naydyonov 1997 14 34 11 7 16 38 51 40 R32 — Gogrichiani - 7 Naydyonov 1998 13 30 9 8 13 31 48 35 R32 — Gogrichiani - 4 Kutarba - 4 Baidachny 1999 15 30 5 11 14 29 55 26 R16 — Demenko - 5 Kovalenko - 5 Baidachny Antikhovich 2000 2nd 17 38 12 7 19 48 70 43 R32 — Gogrichiani - 7 Suleymanov - 7 Naydyonov 2001 3rd, "South" 9 38 16 6 16 59 47 54 R32 — Avetisyan - 18 Sekech 2002 11 40 16 6 18 60 51 54 R256 — Nikulin - 12 Suleymanov 2003 18 38 9 5 24 36 66 32 R512 — Guguyev - 12 Naydyonov Bondaruk 2004 — R512 — 2004–2007 2007 LFL(4th), "South" 2 30 19 3 8 53 27 60 — — Naydyonov 2008 3rd, "South" 6 34 14 12 8 48 30 54 — — Pinchuk - 15 Gogrichiani 2009 1 34 29 2 3 91 22 89 R1024 — Dubrovin - 22 Vasilenko 2010 2nd 8 38 16 9 13 45 44 57 R64 — Zebelyan - 6 Demenko - 6 Vasilenko Sanaya 2011–12 20 38 8 2 28 22 81 27 R32 — Papadopulos - 5 Cherchesov

## Reserve squad

Zhemchuzhina's reserve squad played professionally as FC Zhemchuzhina-d Sochi (Russian Third League in 1995–1997) and FC Zhemchuzhina-2 Sochi (Russian Second Division in 1998–1999). In 1992-1993 the reserves team was based in Adler and played under the name of FC Torpedo Adler.
Another farm club called FC Dynamo-Zhemchuzhina-2 Sochi played professionally in Russian Third League in 1996 and Russian Second League in 1997.

## Notable players

Had international caps for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Zhemchuzhina.
* Denis Boyarintsev
* Maksim Demenko
* Olexandr Gorshkov
* Lyubomir Kantonistov
* Arsen Avetisyan
* Eduard Partsikyan
* Tigran Petrosyan
* Manuk Kakosyan
* Robert Zebelyan
* Kazemır Qudiyev
* Nazim Suleymanov
* Vital Bulyga
* Konstantin Kovalenko
* Gennady Tumilovich
* Uladzimir Zhuravel
* Ricardo Baiano
* Marek Čech
* Michal Papadopulos
* Gocha Gogrichiani
* Zurab Ionanidze
* Davit Janashia
* David Khmelidze
* Dimitri Kudinov
* Ruslan Baltiev
* Kazbek Geteriev
* Konstantin Ledovskikh
* Serghei Covalciuc
* Denis Knitel
* Alexandr Mukanin
* Farkhod Vasiev
* Andriy Vasylytchuk
* Vladimir Shishelov