Ground Bagh Shomal Stadium Owner Tabriz Municipality Arena/Stadium Yadegar-e Emam Stadium Founded 1969 | Ground Capacity 25,000 Chairman Mir Masoum Sohrabi Manager Farhad Kazemi | |
Full name Machine Sazi Tabriz Football Club Nickname(s) Yaşıl Maşın (The Green Machine) Leagues Azadegan League, Persian Gulf Pro League | ||
Machine Sazi Tabriz Football Club (Persian: باشگاه فوتبال ماشینسازی تبریز) more commonly known as Machine Sazi is an Iranian football club based in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, Iran who currently play in the Persian Gulf Pro League. The team is owned by Tabriz Municipality following a takeover in 2014. Machine Sazi were promoted to the Persian Gulf Pro League in 2016 after a 19-year absence from the top flight of Iranian football.
Contents
- Establishment
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
- Dabiri Takeover
- Persian Gulf Pro League
- First Team Squad
- Club stadium
- Club Chairman
- Honours
- References
The club competes in the Tabriz derby with rivals Tractor Sazi. Machine Sazi also has friendly rivalries with teams Gostaresh Foolad, Shahrdari Tabriz and have a friendship with Torpedo Moscow.
Establishment
In 1969, Machine Sazi Tabriz Industrial Group decided to create a new football team by the name of Machine Sazi. Machine Sazi Tabriz football club played its first official match in 1970. The club became one of the most heavily supported teams in Tabriz after a couple of years.
In 1973, the Takht Jamshid Cup was established. The Takht Jamshid Cup, was Iran's first ever nationwide football league and Machine Sazi entered the league in its first year of establishment in 1973. The club participated in Takht Jamshid Cup between 1973 and 1977.
1980s
Like most sporting clubs in Iran, the Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War severely limited the team's activities. From 1979 to 1980 the club participated in almost no meaningful competitions. In 1980 the Tabriz Football League and Tabriz Hazfi Cup was established. Machine Sazi participated in the Tabriz Football League and Tabriz Hazfi Cup between 1980 and 1988. Machine Sazi was the most successful Tabriz Football League club, winning seven championship titles and finishing two times as runners-up. The club also won the Tabriz Hazfi Cup six times. After the war the local and provincial leagues were scrapped in favor of nationwide leagues.
1990s
After the war, the Azadegan League was established as Iran's national league. Machine Sazi was promoted to the Azadegan League in 1994. They stayed in the Azadegan League for two season and the club finished 8th the following year. But, in 1997 the club was relegated to the 2nd Division. Machine Sazi played in the 2nd Division between 1997 and 2001 until the Iran Pro League was formed.
2000s
With the launch of Iran Pro League in 2001, Machine Sazi were placed into the Azadegan League. After a 3rd-place finish in the new Azadegan League's inaugural season, Machine Sazi had a string of mid table finishes. In the 2007–08 season the club finished 11th in the Azadegan League and was relegated to 2nd Division but following the Iranian Football Federations' decision to increase the number of teams in the league to 28, Machine Sazi remained in the Azadegan League.
The club had a mixed start to the 2008–09 season in the Azadegan League. 2008 heralded major changes for Machine Sazi, as the terrible state of the club's finances was revealed; they were unable to pay wages and had massive debts. After a drop in form, recording 10 losses in 12 matches, Asghar Etebari was sacked as manager and was replaced by Sirous Bayrami. In March 2008 Javad Shahlaei resigned as chairman and Farhad Sedaghat was elected chairman by the club council. Seyed Javad Mousavi was brought in as the new club manager. Machine Sazi finished 13th in the 2008–09 Azadegan League season. Thus, being relegated to 2nd Division.
Dabiri Takeover
On 25 April 2009 the club was bought by businessman Shahram Dabiri who invested heavily in the club. After a year in the 2nd Division, Machine Sazi bought the licence of a club in the Azadegan League and was allowed to compete in the 2010–11 edition of the league. Following a 3rd-place finish in 2012 which almost brought the club back to the Iran Pro League, the club was again relegated to the 2nd Division in 2013. Machine Sazi escaped relegation to the 3rd Division the following year via a relegation play–off.
Persian Gulf Pro League
Following Machine Sazi's dismal 2013–14 season the team was taken over by the Municipality of Tabriz who introduced Gholamreza Baghabadi as the new chairman.
In June 2015 Machine Sazi replaced Shahrdari Tabriz in the 2015–16 Azadegan League as East Azerbaijan's representative. In winter of 2016 Rasoul Khatibi was named head coach of Machine Sazi and the club began the push for promotion to the Persian Gulf Pro League. On 10 May 2016 after a 3–0 win against Mes Rafsanjan, Machine Sazi confirmed their promotion to the Persian Gulf Pro League after a 19-year absence from the top flight of Iranian football. Machine Sazi managed to draw 1–1 with Iranian and Asian giants Esteghlal at the Azadi Stadium in week 5.
Khatibi was fired midway through the season for Machine's bad performances and was replaced with Farhad Kazemi.
First Team Squad
As of July 1, 2016.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
For recent transfers, see List of Iranian football transfers summer 2016.
Club stadium
Before the construction of Sahand Stadium, Machine Sazi played all of its matches at Bagh Shomal Stadium, which currently has a capacity of 25,000. They occasionally play big games at Sahand Stadium. Football academy and training ground of Machine sazi is Marzdaran Stadium.