# FC Samtredia

FC Samtredia (Georgian: სკ სამტრედია), commonly known as Samtredia, is a Georgian professional football club based in the city of Samtredia.
Following the 2024 season, the club was relegated to Erovnuli Liga 2, the 2nd tier of Georgian football. Their home ground is the Erosi Manjgaladze Stadium.
In 2016, Samtredia won the league and the Super Cup.

## Pre-Independence
### Soviet League Era

Established in 1936, Samtredia spent years in the Georgian SSR Championship before the club eventually obtained the right to participate in the Soviet Second League, the third tier of the Soviet football system. Lokomotivi Samtredia finished their season as runners-up several times and even won the league twice, although they eventually failed to win the knockout stages of the competition against winners of two other SSR Countries.
| Season | League | Pos | Notes |
| 1973 | II, zone 4 | 12 | |
| 1974 | II, zone 3 | 9 | |
| 1975 | II, zone 1 | 10 | |
| 1976 | II, zone 1 | 13 | |
| 1977 | II, zone 4 | 12 | |
| 1978 | II, zone 4 | 8 | |
| 1979 | II, zone 4 | 2 | |
| 1980 | II, zone 9 | 1 | Play-off, lost |
| 1981 | II, zone 9 | 2 | |
| 1982 | II, zone 9 | 2 | |
| 1983 | II, zone 9 | 4 | |
| 1984 | II, zone 9 | 4 | |
| 1985 | II, zone 9 | 10 | |
| 1986 | II, zone 9 | 7 | |
| 1987 | II, zone 9 | 1 | Play-offs, lost |
| 1988 | II, zone 3 | 8 | |
| 1989 | II, zone 9 | 4 | |
Below are the all-time results during the 17 consecutive seasons in the Soviet Second League.
| M | W | D | L | GF–GA |
| 626 | 300 | 121 | 205 | 992-813 |
Following the 1989 season, the Samtredian team as well as all other Georgian clubs withdrew from their relevant Soviet leagues after Georgian Football Federation broke ties with the Soviet Football Federation and formed an independent championship.

## After Independence
### Early years

Right after Georgia's independence, Sanavardo Samtredia became a member of the new national top tier, the Umaglesi Liga.
While twice, in 1993/94 and 1995/96, they finished in 4th, in 1994/1995 the club ended the season in 2nd which gave them qualification for the preliminary round of the UEFA Cup.
The debut in European competition turned out unsuccessful. Soon they fell from the top flight followed by relegation from Pirveli Liga as well.

### Recent Times

In 2014/15 Samtredia reached the final of the David Kipiani Cup. In the previous rounds they had knocked out four opponents, including favourites Dinamo Batumi, Torpedo Kutaisi and Chikhura, but they weren't able to upset the odds again against Dinamo Tbilisi.
The most fruitful period for Samtredia was in the mid-2010s, when they finished amongst the top three teams of Umaglesi Liga for three consecutive seasons. Moreover, in 2016, under head coach Giorgi Tsetsadze, they became champions for the first time in their history after a victory over Chikhura Sachkhere in the championship playoffs. Samtredia completed the season with the double after they beat Georgian Cup holders Torpedo Kutaisi in the Super Cup game.
In 2019, the club competed in Liga 2, although they returned to the Erovnuli Liga after one season. Manager Kakhaber Kacharava, who guided Samtredia back to the top flight, had to quit the club in September 2020 after just one point earned in their last five league games and a shock cup defeat from Liga 3 minnows Tbilisi City.
New head coach Giorgi Mikadze steered Samtredia away from the relegation zone, but in February 2021 he was replaced by Giorgi Tsetsadze, who had once brought the club to their only champion's title. His second tenure lasted eight months, though. The team lost the relegation struggle and finished bottom of the table.
Just like the previous case three years earlier, it took Samtredia a year to move back to the top flight. Under Giorgi Shashiashvili the team beat their rivals for a playoff spot and qualified for decisive matches for the third time in the last five years. Another victory over Sioni completed their successful league campaign in 2022.
Samtredia spent the next two seasons fighting for survival. In 2023, they cruised to a narrow play-off victory over Gareji, but a year later suffered a third relegation in seven years.

## Seasons
### Domestic leagues

| Season | Div | Pos | Top goalscorer | Goals | Cup |
| 1990 | 1st | 12$_{/18}$ | | | Round of 32 |
| 1991 | 1st | 18$_{/20}$ | | | – |
| 1991/92 | 1st | 15$_{/20}$ | | | Round of 16 |
| 1992/93 | 1st | 10$_{/17}$ | | | Round of 16 |
| 1993/94 | 1st | 4$_{/10}$ | | | Round of 16 |
| 1994/95 | 1st | 2$_{/16}$ | Gia Jishkariani | 18 | Quarterfinals |
| 1995/96 | 1st | 4$_{/16}$ | Zurab Ionanidze | 23 | Semifinals |
| 1996/97 | 1st | 14$_{/16↓}$ | | | Round of 16 |
| 1997/98 | 2nd | 2$_{/14}$↑ | | | Quarterfinals |
| 1998/99 | 1st | 8$_{/16}$ | | | Round of 16 |
| 1999/2000 | 1st | 7$_{/8}$ | | | Round of 32 |
| 2000/01 | 1st | 12$_{/12}$↓ | | | Round of 32 |
| 2001/02 | 2nd | 10$_{/11}$ | | | Round of 32 |
| 2002/03 | 2nd | 16$_{/16}$ | | | Round of 32 |
| 2003/04 | 2nd | 14$_{/16}$ | | | Round of 32 |
| 2007/08 | 2nd | 8$_{/10}$ | | | 1st Round |
| 2008/09 | 2nd | 1$_{/11}$↑ | | | Round of 16 |
| 2009/10 | 1st | 7$_{/10}$ | Zaur Khachiperadze | 11 | Round of 16 |
| 2010/11 | 1st | 10$_{/10}$↓ | Giga Kverenchkhiladze | 4 | Round of 32 |
| 2011/12 | 2nd, A | 3$_{/8}$ | Papuna Shatirishvili | 3 | Round of 32 |
| 2012/13 | 2nd | 5$_{/12}$ | Zaur Khachiperadze | 9 | Round of 16 |
| 2013/14 | 2nd | 1$_{/14}$↑ | Zviad Kantaria | 11 | Round of 32 |
| 2014/15 | 1st | 6$_{/16}$ | Tornike Kapanadze | 7 | Runners-up |
| 2015/16 | 1st | 2$_{/16}$ | Budu Zivzivadze | 16 | Quarterfinals |
| 2016 | 1st | 1$_{/14}$ | Budu Zivzivadze | 11 | Quarterfinals |
| 2017 | 1st | 3$_{/10}$ | Davit Rajamashvili | 8 | Round of 16 |
| 2018 | 1st | 9$_{/10}$↓ | Giorgi Pantsulaia | 6 | Round of 16 |
| 2019 | 2nd | 2$_{/10}$↑ | Guram Samushia | 15 | Round of 16 |
| 2020 | 1st | 7$_{/10}$ | Nijat Gurbanov | 4 | Round of 16 |
| 2021 | 1st | 10$_{/10}$↓ | Nikola Prelčec | 4 | Round of 32 |
| 2022 | 2nd | 3$_{/10}$↑ | Dato Kirkitadze | 8 | Round of 32 |
| 2023 | 1st | 9$_{/10}$ | Zurab Nachkebia Aleksandar Mishov | 8 | Round of 32 |
| 2024 | 1st | 10$_{/10}$↓ | Daniel Owusu | 5 | Round of 16 |

### European record

| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 1995–96 | UEFA Cup | PR | FK Vardar | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 |
| 2016–17 | UEFA Europa League | 1QR | Gabala | 2–1 | 1–5 | 3–6 |
| 2017–18 | UEFA Champions League | 2QR | Qarabag | 0–1 | 0–5 | 0–6 |
| 2018–19 | UEFA Europa League | 1QR | Tobol | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 |

## Current squad

As of 10 March 2025
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 | GEO | Beka Kurdadze |
| 3 | DF | GEO | Juba Dvalishvili |
| 4 | DF | GEO | Levan Kaladze |
| 6 | MF | TJK | Murodali Aknazarov |
| 8 | MF | ARG | Eric Barrios |
| 9 | FW | GEO | Tornike Kapanadze |
| 10 | MF | BRA | Alexsandro Faisca |
| 11 | FW | BRA | Guilherme Vintem |
| 12 | GK | GEO | Giorgi Bediashvili |
| 14 | DF | ARG | Ruben Gauto |
| 15 | DF | GEO | Giorgi Kveladze |
| 17 | DF | GEO | Luka Elbakidze |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | DF | GEO | Levan Kakubava (captain) |
| 20 | MF | GEO | Malkhaz Chitaishvili |
| 21 | FW | ARG | Lautaro Duarte |
| 22 | DF | GEO | Giorgi Mchedlishvili |
| 23 | GK | GEO | Demetre Meparishvili |
| 24 | MF | GEO | Beka Pilpani |
| 27 | FW | RUS | Asad Asadov |
| 33 | MF | GEO | Giorgi Chkhaidze |
| 35 | MF | GEO | Shakro Beria |
| 37 | MF | GEO | Giuli Manjgaladze |
| 40 | DF | BRA | Claudinei |

## Managers

| Name | From | To |
| Levan Anjaparidze | January 2011 | July 2011 |
| Koba Mikadze | August 2011 | October 2011 |
| Gia Bendeliani | October 2011 | September 2012 |
| Leri Megeneishvili (1) | September 2012 | December 2012 |
| Dato Chelidze | January 2013 | June 2013 |
| Ucha Sosiashvili | July 2013 | December 2013 |
| Gela Sanaia | January 2014 | October 2014 |
| Giorgi Tsetsadze (1) | October 2014 | September 2018 |
| Giorgi Daraselia | September 2018 | December 2018 |
| Kakhaber Kacharava | January 2019 | August 2020 |
| Giorgi Mikadze | August 2020 | January 2021 |
| Giorgi Tsetsadze (2) | February 2021 | October 2021 |
| Leri Megeneishvili (2) | October 2021 | January 2022 |
| Giorgi Shashiashvili | February 2022 | April 2023 |
| Dimitar Kapinkovski | April 2023 | August 2024 |
| Vladimer Kakashvili | August 2024 | December 2024 |
| Mikheil Ashvetia | January 2025 | |

## Honours
### League

* Umaglesi Liga/Erovnuli Liga
** Winners: 2016
** Runners-up: 1994–95, 2015–16
** Bronze medals: 2017
* Pirveli Liga/Erovnuli Liga 2
** Winners: 2008–09, 2013–14
** Runners-up: 1997–98, 2019
** Third place: 2011–12 (A Group), 2022

### Cup

* Georgian Cup
** Runners-up: 2014–15
* Georgian Super Cup
** Winners: 2017

## Sponsors

Since 2019 Archi development company has been a general sponsor of FC Samtredia.

## Name

Throughout their history Samtredia have also been named Lokomotivi, Sanavardo, Juba and Iberia with the current name regained in 2006.
Samtredia literally means a place where pigeons reside and comes from Georgian word mtredi - pigeon.