History
The Soviet period
FC Torpedo Kutaisi were founded in 1946 on the base of Kutaisi Automotive Plant.[clarification needed] In 1949 the club became the winner of the Georgian SSR Championship. In 1959 Torpedo merged with FC Locomotive Kutaisi, although preserved their name.
Three years later Torpedo Kutaisi took part in the Soviet Top League for the first time.[1] Many famous Georgian football players began their career in this club, among them Revaz Dzodzuashvili, Anzor Kavazashvili, Sergo Kutivadze, Givi Nodia, Manuchar Machaidze, Murtaz Khurtsilava. In addition, when Dinamo Tbilisi won UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1980–81, five footballers were the ex-players of FC Torpedo Kutaisi - Tamaz Kostava, Otar Gabelia, Nodar Khizanishvili, Tengiz Sulakvelidze and Ramaz Shengelia.
Torpedo spent one season in the Soviet Second league in 1988. The club also was represented for twenty years in the First league and for 14 more seasons between 1971 and 1990 in the Top league, the first tier of the Soviet football.
| Div. |
MP |
W |
D |
L |
GF–GA
|
| 2nd league |
34 |
25 |
7 |
2 |
76-24
|
| 1st league |
746 |
338 |
169 |
239 |
1037-818
|
| Top league |
443 |
107 |
129 |
207 |
402-659
|
1990s and 2000s: Ups and downs
When the Georgian National Championship started in 1990, the club changed its name into FC Kutaisi, but after three years restored the old name. The last years of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st were the most successful years in the club's history. During 1999–2002 the club won five domestic titles. Many players from "FC Torpedo Kutaisi" were represented in the Georgia national football team, including Valeri Abramidze, Sevasti Todua, Malkhaz Asatiani, Levan Silagadze, Revaz Kemoklidze.[2] Besides, several famous managers such as Jemal Kherkhadze, David Kipiani, Revaz Dzodzuashvili, Otar Gabelia, Vladimir Gutsaev worked at the club both as a head coach and in the staff.
After the 2004–05 season, the three-times league champions and two-times cup winners went bankrupt. They sustained a heavy 5–0 defeat in their last game in Borisov, Belarus against BATE Borisov in the first qualifying round of 2005–06 UEFA Cup. Shortly afterwards, new football club "FC Kutaisi Torpedo" was founded, but not being the successor of FC Torpedo Kutaisi, they inherited no titles.[citation needed] "FC Kutaisi Torpedo" was participating in the Georgian Premier League during two seasons, 2005–06 and 2006–07, but due to financial reasons they left the top league and began playing in Pirveli Liga.
2010-2016: Road back to the success
Torpedo returned to Umaglesi Liga three years later, after winning the second division in 2009/10.
In June 2010 the newly promoted club signed a sponsorship deal with Wissol Petroleum, which was later renewed. The business relations between the sides lasted until December 2013.[3]
In the first season Torpedo reached the final of David Kipiani Cup where the winner was decided in penalty shoot-out. Gagra better converted from the spot and won the title for the first time in their history.[4]
In the next two seasons Torpedo added two bronze medals to their tally, but a big moment came in 2016 when they won a first Cup title in 15 years. The team eliminated four rivals, including Dinamo Tbilisi in the semifinal, and prevailed over Merani Martvili in the final stage.[5]
In 2016, FC Torpedo was sold by the local municipality at auction, won by businessman Zaal Chachava, who was declared president of the club.[6]
Two months before the Cup victory Kakha Chkhetiani, the ex-Torpedo player for six seasons and later assistant manager for three years, had taken charge of the club. Taking into account plans for new investments, he pledged to carry on with successful run and make a championship challenge next year.
2017-18: More titles
Torpedo won the league for the first time in 15 years in the most emotional circumstances. A title battle continued until the dying seconds of the final game in late November. With two matches to go, Dinamo seemed comfortably sitting on the top, four points clear of second-placed Torpedo. While the former was held to a goalless draw at Saburtalo, Kutaisi won their game, and the rivals had their last fixture in Tbilisi with the gap reduced now to two points. Torpedo were supposed to win in order to secure the title, while their opponents needed just a draw. The team had a 1–0 advantage when Dinamo were awarded a spot kick in the last minute of the game. However, with the penalty saved by goalkeeper Roin Kvaskhvadze, the dramatic win saw Torpedo crowned champions of Georgia.[7]
Six days later Torpedo had a chance to achieve the double by winning the Cup for the second time in a row, although they lost on penalties to Chikhura.
The Super Cup was another title claimed by Torpedo in an opening match of the new 2018 season in February. Chikhura Sachkhere took the lead in 76th min, but Kutaisi equalized ten minutes later with Levan Kutalia scoring in the stoppage time.[8] This was their first Super Cup victory in history.
Torpedo retained 18 players from the champion's squad for the 2018 season. While the club finished 3rd in the league, they once again encountered Liga 2 side Gagra in the Cup final held in Batumi. Torpedo were behind by two goals, but Milos Lacny scored twice and eventually the team won on penalties.[9]
As champions, Torpedo played eight games in UEFA competitions this season. They knocked out two opponents and advanced to Europa League play-off, where Ludogorets Razgrad claimed the victory.
Summing up the season in December, the Georgian Football Federation named Roin Kvaskhvadze the best goalkeeper, whilst Mamuka Kobakhidze and Mate Tsintsadze won nominations respectively as best defender and midfielder. In addition to them, Oleksandr Azatskyi, another central defender, was included in Erovnuli Liga team of the season.[10]
Since 2019: Decline
2019 began with yet another success. In the Super Cup Torpedo defeated Saburtalo and won the fifth title within 26 months.[11]
In March Torpedo's unbeaten run consisting of 27 games came to an end.[12] Much worse was to come, though. Financial difficulties hit hard the club again, which led to the exit of twelve players by July. The fans held several rallies, demanding the resignation of Zaal Chachava. In an interview captain Roin Kvaskhvadze described the general situation around the team as unbearable and appealed for help. No wonder a fixture on UEFA Europe league turned out unsuccessful.[13]
In the league one win in 15 matches brought Torpedo close to the drop zone. Unless the problem was solved, the relegation seemed one possibility with dissolution or expulsion to a lower league being other ones. In late August Zaal Chachava announced his departure from Torpedo,[14] although an overall condition was so complicated that in October the club played against Saburtalo with eleven U18 players, including 13-year-old goalkeeper Soso Kopaliani.[15]
Largely at the expense of points picked up earlier this season, Torpedo stayed in the league, but Kakha Chkhetiani, who had spent 39 months at the helm, bade farewell to the club in December.[16]
After a series of negotiations with investors interested in buying the club, an agreement was reached in February 2020. New owner Fabrizio Mannini announced that a new era was about to begin in Torpedo's history,[17] although his tenure lasted one season only.
For two more consecutive years Torpedo had to face the drop. In 2021, a massive fan support helped the team dramatically overturn a two-goal deficit after a first-leg play-off defeat from Merani Martvili.[18]
In September 2021, Torpedo were purchased at auction by New Vision University.[19] With financial stability restored and head coach Kakha Chkhetiani back for a third spell now, the team gradually improved its performance and in 2022 ended a four-year trophy drought by clinching the national Cup for the fifth time.[20] In May 2023, Steve Kean was appointed as a head coach who led the team to the first league title in last five years.[21]
Rivalry
In the Soviet times Torpedo Kutaisi was the second strongest Georgian club with most talented players regularly taken away by Dinamo Tbilisi. After the independence Torpedo became the first to break the ten-year hegemony of Dinamo in Umaglesi Liga. For four successive years between 1999 and 2002 they won five titles in the league and in the Cup combined. By this period the relationship between the best clubs of Eastern and Western Georgia had become tense. Fierce rivalry on the pitch was aggravated on the stands where skirmishes were not unusual. They resumed after Torpedo's reemergence among the leaders following roughly a decade-long absence.
In 2014 the match in Kutaisi was abandoned as a result of clashes between the fans. Some property was also damaged and the police reported ten detentions.[27] The next year some disturbances erupted during the away game in Tbilisi.[28]
Fans angrily react in cases when a player leaves one club for the other. In 2018-2020 Levan Kutalia, Giorgi Kukhianidze, Roin Kvaskhvadze, Giorgi Kimadze, Tornike Kapanadze, Nodar Kavtaradze, Omar Migineishvili as well as managers Kakha Chkhetiani and Shalva Gongadze all moved to Dinamo.[29] So did Budu Zivzivadze some time earlier, although he made a way back afterwards.
At any rate, most of the fans realize that Dinamo and Torpedo desperately need each other as strong rivals and healthy competition between them would only contribute to a better quality of Erovnuli Liga.
Mikheil Lobjanidze
Steve Kean
