# FC Chikhura Sachkhere

Football Club Chikhura Sachkhere, commonly known as Chikhura Sachkhere or simply Chikhura, is a Georgian football club based in Sachkhere.
Following the 2024 season, the club was relegated to Regionuli Liga, the fifth tier of Georgian league system.

## History

Founded in 1938, during World War II the club was disbanded, but later they resumed participation in low leagues of the republican championship.
Since 2002 Chikhura has been financed by the Georgian businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The club spent many years in lower divisions before getting promoted to Umaglesi Liga in 2012. The league gained a stable and decent member, known as a tough rival for championship title candidates. From the outset the club proved they were going to challenge the best teams. In 2013 Chikhura knocked out top flight sides Shukura, Dila and Sioni and reached David Kipiani Cup final. Despite the defeat from Dinamo Tbilisi, they qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1st round. This was the first season that Chikhura Sachkhere appeared in European Competition with their first opponent being Liechtenstein's Cup-winners Vaduz.
From now until 2020 the club started regularly taking part in UEFA Europa League competitions, missing out just one season in between. In almost each case this provincial team with relatively negligent financial resources, which played their matches mostly in far-away Tbilisi, could afford to show a fighting spirit against their far stronger opponents. In this regard Chikhura drew attention and respect from Georgian fans during the European campaign regardless of who they supported in the domestic league. According to the statistics, the club achieved better results in away games.
In 2014 Chikhura eliminated Turkish club Bursaspor in the second round of Europa League competition. This remains one of the most memorable successes in the club's history.
In 2016 Chikhura won White Group of the league by finishing six points clear of Dinamo Tbilisi and took part in championship play-offs, where they were beaten by Samtredia. This was the closest point to champion's title the club have ever reached in their history.
The next season Chikhura finally reaped the fruits of their efforts. After reaching the finals or semifinals of the Cup for five successive seasons, they clinched their first title. Goalkeeper Dino Hamzić, who did not concede a single goal during the entire campaign, was named man of the match.
Giorgi Gabedava became another player, who was awarded following the 2018 season. He won in four nominations, including as the best striker of the season and top scorer with the latter shared with Budu Zivzivadze. In the summer the club made headlines yet again, this time after their victory over Beitar Jerusalem and a home draw with Maribor Ljubljana.
2019 marked the beginning of the crisis. While thrashed by Aberdeen in Europa league, Chikhura failed to achieve anything noteworthy either in Erovnuli Liga or the Cup and with several key players departed, head coach Samson Pruidze left the club. The former Torpedo Kutaisi right-back had trained Chikhura for twelve seasons, an absolute record in national football history since the independence, which made him a legend among this generation of Georgian managers.
In 2020 Chikhura played all home games in Tbilisi and in the worst result in years finished in the drop-zone. Although the club avoided an automatic relegation, they suffered a defeat in both play-off games from in-form Samgurali. Following this season defender Shota Kashia, who had spent eight seasons in Chikhura, including last six years as a captain, parted ways with the club.
Chikhura's woes stretched into the next four years, when they ended up at rock bottom of second, third and fourth leagues. However, after the 2022 season the club avoided relegation due to disqualification of another team from Liga 3.

## Statistics
### Domestic

    Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GF GA P Cup Europe Notes Manager 1993–94 2nd West 13 263221 167011 Relegated 1995–96 19 3810325 6212433 Relegated 2001–02 3rd West 2002–03 Promoted 2003–04 2nd 6 3015510 412950 Round of 32 2004–05 8 3012711 383543 Round of 32 2005–06 1 342464 873478 Round of 16 Promoted 2006–07 1st 12 265615 134621 Quarter-finals Relegated 2007–08 2nd East 5 271278 403743 Round of 32 2008–09 2 301974 562164 Round of 16 Samson Pruidze 2009–10 2nd 6 281477 412849 Quarter-finals 2010–11 4 322066 582566 Round of 16 promotion play-off, lost 2011–12 1 14824 251526 Round of 16 Promoted 2012–13 1st 4 321769 493857 Runner-up 2013–14 4 3213712 565046 Runner-up Europa League 2nd QR 2014–15 5 3013710 393646 Semi-finals Europa League 3rd QR 2015–16 4 301767 532657 Semi-finals 2016 2 14932 291530 Semi-finals Europa League 1st QR 2017 5 3617415 475455 Winner Europa League 1st QR 2018 4 3619710 543364 Round of 16 Europa League 2nd QR 2019 5 36121113 484447 Round of 16 Europa League 2nd QR 2020 9 183411 184013 Semi-finals Play-off, relegated Vakhtang Turmanidze 2021 2nd 10 362430 249810 Round of 16 Relegated Vakhtang Turmanidze, Mirian Mikadze 2022 3rd 16 300129 191191 Second round Vladimer Zabakhidze 2023 16 302127 231017 First round Relegated 2024 4th 15 282026 201176 First round Relegated Mirian Mikadze 2025 5th TBD

### European competitions

| Competition | P | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| UEFA Europa League | 22 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 19 | 26 |
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away |
| 2013–14 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Vaduz | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| 2013–14 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q | Thun | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| 2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Horizont Turnovo | 3–1 | 1–0 |
| 2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q | Bursaspor | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | 3Q | Neftchi Baku | 2–3 | 0–0 |
| 2016–17 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Zimbru Chișinău | 2–3 | 1–0 |
| 2017–18 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Rheindorf Altach | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| 2018–19 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Beitar Jerusalem | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| 2018–19 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q | Maribor | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| 2019–20 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q | Fola Esch | 2–1 | 2–1 |
| 2019–20 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q | Aberdeen | 1–1 | 0–5 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Chikhura Sachkhere won 4–1 on penalties.

## Honours

* Erovnuli Liga
** Runners-up (1): 2016
* Georgian Cup
** Winners (1): 2017
** Runners-up (2): 2012–13, 2013–14
* Georgian Super Cup
** Winners (1): 2013
* Pirveli Liga
** Winners (2): 2005-06 and 2011-12

## Stadium

The team's home ground is the 2,000-seat Central stadium, although in recent years they played home games at Ivantsminda stadium, situated in six km from the district center.

## Name

The club have had different names throughout their history, including "Spartaki", "Kolmeurne", "Peikari".
Chikhura is the name of a river in Sachkhere.