FC Metalist Kharkiv

Metalist Kharkiv
Full nameФутбо́льний Клуб Металі́ст Ха́рків
Football Club Metalist Kharkiv
Nickname(s)Zhovto-syni (Yellow-blue)
Founded11 December 1925; 98 years ago (1925-12-11)
GroundOSC Metalist
Capacity40,003
OwnerOleksandr Yaroslavskyi
Head coachAndriy Anishchenko
LeagueUkrainian First League
WebsiteClub website
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Football Club Metalist Kharkiv, also known as Football Club Metalist Kharkov or FC Metalist Kharkov (Ukrainian: Футбо́льний Клуб Металі́ст Ха́рків [metɐˈl(j)ist ˈxɑrkiu̯]), is a Ukrainian professional football club based in Kharkiv that plays in the Ukrainian First League during the 2023–24 season. It was revived five years after the original FC Metalist Kharkiv ceased operations. Founded in 1925, FC Metalist Kharkiv had worked its way up the rungs of the Soviet football system, eventually being promoted to the Soviet Top League in 1960. After a difficult period which included relegation, Metalist was promoted to the Top League again in 1982, where it remained until the league's dissolution.

The club won the Soviet Cup once, and were also runners-up once. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, they have also won silver medals in the 2012–13 Ukrainian Premier League and six bronze medals in the Ukrainian Premier League, starting from the 2006–07 season. Their home was the Metalist Stadium, a multi-use facility with a capacity of 40,003. The stadium was originally built in 1926 and was expanded to host Euro 2012 football matches. Metalist ceased operations in 2016 due to insolvency. Metalist owed in salary to its players €32 million with €5 million to Cleiton Xavier in particular.[1][2][3] It was removed from the Ukrainian Premier League after owner Serhiy Kurchenko absconded in February 2014, following the 2014 Ukrainian revolution.

Following the demise of Metalist Kharkiv in 2016, two new clubs were created in Kharkiv with variations of the Metalist club name. Since July 2016, a team named "SK Metalist Kharkiv" has been playing in the Kharkiv Oblast Championship,[4] whose owner is Metalist owner Serhiy Kurchenko.[5] In August 2016, another club named "FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv" began to operate in the Ukrainian Amateur Football League[6] with the stated intention of competing in the (professional) Ukrainian Second League as soon as possible.[6] "FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv" is owned by a company not linked with the original FC Metalist Kharkiv.[7][6]

In October 2017, a Ukrainian court confiscated (the original) Metalist Kharkiv from Kurchenko and placed it under state property.[8] At the time the club did not participate in any official sanctioned competitions.[8] Also in July 2020, former FC Metalist sports director Yevhen Krasnikov created FC Metal Kharkiv which has since participated in the Ukrainian Second League. Earlier on 5 May 2020, Oleksandr Yaroslavskyi announced that he wishes to take care of the debts of the liquidated Metalist.[9][10][11][12] The return of Yaroslavskyi to football arose some criticism connected with politics of the city of Kharkiv.[13] After winning the Second League in June 2021, it was confirmed that Metal will be renamed to Metalist and the old FC Metalist Kharkiv logo will be returned to the club, along with its brand and history.[14]

Following a season in the Ukrainian Premier League, in 2023 the revived Metalist was relegated back to the second tier where it struggled in performance as well as dealing with legal proceedings to claim back the Metalist heritage by paying off old debts.[15]

  1. ^ Металіст заборгував гравцям 32 млн євро Archived 26 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. champion.com.ua. 23 September 2021
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference zn200205 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference nashigroshi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference mkkrl1617 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "СК "Металлист" vs "Металлист 1925": что это за клубы и чем они отличаются". 20 August 2016. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b c (in Russian) In Kharkov, presented the team "Metalist 1925" Archived 12 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine, SQ (25 August 2016)
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference founders2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b (in Ukrainian) The court returned the Metalist FC to the state property Archived 1 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine, The Ukrainian Week (3 October 2017)
  9. ^ Циганик розповів, яким чином Ярославський хоче повернути Металіст Archived 26 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. sport.ua. 5 May 2020
  10. ^ Справжній Металіст. Що вже зараз робить Ярославський, щоб повернути клуб собі? Archived 26 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. footballhub.com.ua. 4 May 2020
  11. ^ Ярославський планує викупити борги "Металіста" і воскресити клуб Archived 26 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. lb.ua. 5 May 2020
  12. ^ Yevhenia Motorevska. Антикризовик Ярославський: що відомо про харківського бізнесмена Archived 26 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. www.slidstvo.info. 23 March 2020
  13. ^ Деолігархізація навпаки: як Харків хочуть перетворити на "заповідник" олігархів Archived 26 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. 24tv.ua. 7 June 2021
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference metalu-v-metalist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Может прекратить существование? У Металлиста проблемы с долгами Archived 9 November 2023 at the Wayback Machine. sport.ua. 9 November 2023