FC Metalist Kharkiv

USSR competitions

The team has played under the following names: KhPZ (1925–1940), Dzerzhinets (1947–1952), Avanhard/Avangard (1956–1965), Metalist/Metallist (since 1965).

FC Metalist Kharkiv was initially founded on 11 December 1925 as KhPZ, when a local locomotive construction facility (Kharkiv Steam-locomotive Factory, today the Malyshev Factory) provided funding and allowed use of its land to start a football club. Ten years later, the club won the city of Kharkiv championship, which allowed the club to enter the USSR Cup in the following season. Following World War II, the club under the name Dzerzhinets resumed playing in local competitions, promoting itself to the Second Group (Soviet Second Division) in 1947 only to be demoted three seasons later. In the first post-war decade the club was completely overshadowed by its city rival FC Lokomotyv Kharkiv which was member of the Soviet Lokomotiv sports society.

In 1956, Metalist as Avanhard returned to the Soviet Second League B replacing its city rivals Lokomotyv Khakriv. Soon thereafter it was promoted first to Soviet First League in 1958, and later to the Soviet Top League in 1960. The club stayed in Top League for 4 seasons, but was demoted to First League in 1963, continuing its decline with demotion to Second League. In 1978, the club was promoted to the Soviet First League and two years later, the club finished third in the competition narrowly missing promotion to the top flight. The following season, the club improved on their previous performance and won the Soviet First League outright to earn a spot in Soviet Top League. The club sustained 10 seasons of the Soviet Top League with several successes on the domestic front. In 1983, Metalist was the runner-up in the USSR Cup (losing 1–0 to Shakhtar Donetsk) and a few years later in 1988 would win the cup, beating Torpedo Moscow 2–0. As a result, Metalist Kharkiv earned a trip to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Metalist only advanced to the last sixteen of the competition, beating Yugoslavian side Borac Banja Luka and losing to the Dutch club Roda JC.

Ukrainian Premier League

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the formation of an independent Ukraine, Metalist joined the inaugural season of the Ukrainian Premier League in 1992. The club finished in fifth place, an achievement it would never top until the 2006–07 season, finishing in fifth place three more times since, the most notable coming during the 2001–02 season. The club finished with 40 points, on a par with Metalurh Zaporizhzhya and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk for a three-way tie. Metalist was expected to take fourth place (and subsequently compete in the UEFA Cup) by virtue of having the best three-way, head-to-head record among the three teams (which is the official tie-breaker to be used in domestic competitions), but following a protest by Metalurh Zaporizhzhya and an arbitrary decision by PFL (the administrative body of the UPL), Metalurh Zaporizhzhya was awarded fourth place on the grounds that it had better head-to-head records independently against either side.

Following unsuccessful protests from Metalist, a disheartened management, team and fan base would see the club finish bottom in the following season and earning a demotion to the Ukrainian First League. However, the club would return to the UPL after one season and following a financial crisis and a takeover of the club by UkrSibbank owner Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, steady investment would see Metalist show improvement and balanced performance. Yaroslavsky sold the club to new owner Serhiy Kurchenko late in December 2012. Kurchenko left Ukraine in February 2014 following the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and his current whereabouts are unknown.

European competitions

In the 2006–07 season, Metalist finished third place in the league, qualifying for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup, their second appearance in a UEFA competition. They were drawn against English club Everton. The first leg, away at Goodison Park, ended in a 1–1 draw while Everton won the second leg 3–2, eliminating Metalist.

Metalist's next European competition was the 2008–09 UEFA Cup. The club beat Beşiktaş 4–2 on aggregate in the first round to qualify for the group stage, where they were grouped with Galatasaray, Olympiacos, Hertha BSC and Benfica. Metalist finished top of the group, beating Galatasaray, Olympiacos and Benfica, whilst drawing 0–0 with Hertha. In the round of 32, Metalist defeated Italian club Sampdoria 3–0 on aggregrate, setting up for an all-Ukrainian round of 16 tie against Dynamo Kyiv. After losing in Kiev 1–0, Metalist won the return leg 3–2, but were eliminated on the away goals rule.

When the competition was re-branded as the Europa League for the 2009–10 season, Metalist beat Croatian side HNK Rijeka 4–1 on aggregate in the third qualifying round before losing 2–1 on aggregate to Austrian side Sturm Graz, despite holding them 1–1 in Graz. The following season, they finished second in Group I behind Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, thus qualifying for the round of 32 where they were thrashed 6–0 on aggregate by Bayer Leverkusen. They reached the quarter-finals the following season, beating Olympiacos on away goals in the round of 16, but falling to Sporting CP. The following season, they then faced Bayer Leverkusen again—after beating Leverkusen 2–0 on 22 November 2012, Metalist finished above the side on head-to-head points (13), as they both finished on 13 points and had played out a goalless draw at the BayArena. In the round of 32, Metalist then faced English club Newcastle United. After holding them to a goalless draw at St James' Park in the first leg on 14 February, Shola Ameobi's penalty sent Newcastle through 1–0 on aggregate.

In August 2013, UEFA disqualified Metalist from all 2013–14 UEFA competitions.

Stoppage in 2016 and creation of two clubs with similar name

On 22 April 2016, the FFU Committee announced that Metalist would not be allowed to participate in professional competitions because of its debts to its players. On 16 May 2016, the FFU Appeal Committee left in force the decision of the FFU Football Clubs Attestation Committee of 22 April 2016 and refused in issuing attestation for the next season for the club by declining its appeals.

In July 2016, a team named "SK Metalist Kharkiv" started playing in the Kharkiv Oblast Championship. "SK Metalist Kharkiv" is owned (by the same man under who's watch Metalist Kharkiv was expelled from the professional league's) Serhiy Kurchenko. In 2016 Kharkiv Oblast Championship, the club competed under the name UPhC Olimpik – SC Metalist and placed the last place. Please, note that UPhC Olimpik is a team of the Kharkiv State College of Physical Culture 1.

In August 2016, a new club called "FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv" applied for the 2016–17 Ukrainian Football Amateur League where it competes as FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv and headed by Oleksandr Pryzetko. The owner of FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv is the company TOV Avanhard Kharkiv. TOV Avanhard Kharkiv is controlled by businessman and Kharkiv City Council deputy for Petro Poroshenko Bloc "Solidarity" Oleksandr Davtyan and his family. The club wants to play in the professional Ukrainian Second League as soon as possible.

Stadium

As Metalist Stadium was one of the venues for UEFA Euro 2012, the management decided to reconstruct and expand the arena and turn it into a modern recreational and leisure facility. In May 2008, Metalist Arena was the venue for 2008 Ukrainian Cup Final.

Domestic

Ukrainian Premier League:

Soviet / Ukrainian First League:

Championship of the Ukrainian SSR:

Soviet / Ukrainian Cup:

Soviet League Cup:

Soviet / Ukrainian Super Cup:

International

United Tournament:

Rivalry

Metalist Kharkiv supporters biggest rivalry centred on Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. Despite this fans of both clubs marched in support of a "united Ukraine" in Kharkiv during the April 2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine.

A group of Metalist Kharkiv Ultras named "Sect 82" had a violent rivalry with Dynamo Kyiv. "Sect 82" was (at least until September 2013) allied with FC Spartak Moscow Ultras. (In 2014 "Sect 82" morphed into the Azov Battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine.)

Squad

Players

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Administration and coaches

Player records

Still active players in bold.

Top goalscorers

As of 6 December 2016

Most appearances

As of 25 May 2014

UEFA Team ranking

Last update: May 5, 2016
Source: [1]

European history

Metalist Kharkiv participates in European competitions since 1988 after playing its first against Borac Banja Luka. From 2007 to 2014, however, the club continuously participated on annual basis with variable successes. This ended when Metalist failed to qualify.

Best results: