FC Chita

Football club infobox
clubname = Chita


fullname = Football club Chita
nickname =
founded = 1974
ground = Lokomotiv Stadium, Chita
capacity = 12,500
chairman = Aleksandr Nagibin
manager = Sergey Muratov
league = Russian Second Division,
"East" Zone
season = 2007
position = 3rd
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_unknown|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_unknown|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FFFFFF

FC Chita is a Russian football club based in Chita and playing in the Russian Second Division.

The club was founded in 2006 as a result of reorganization of FC Lokomotiv Chita which was excluded from the First Division. FC Chita was immediately admitted to the Second Division.

Colours (Home) all red. (Away) all black

History

Before 1974

Chita was first represented in the Soviet league in 1937, when DKA played in Group D. After one more occasional appearance in 1946 (by Dynamo), the city was represented in the league since 1957. Many different names were used for the Chita team:
*"DKA" before 1945
*"Dynamo" in 1946–1956
*"OSK" in 1957
*"SKVO" in 1957–1959
*"SKA" in 1960 and 1967–1973
*"Zabaykalets" in 1961–1966

The best league result was SKA's victory in zone 6 in 1967 and their 7th position in subsequent Class B final tournament.

Lokomotiv

In 1974 FC Lokomotiv Chita was founded. Sources disagree on whether Lokomotiv is a continuation of previous Chita clubs. [cite web |title=Chita |url=http://www.klisf.info/numeric/index.app?cmd=comm&lang=en&id=312286883331167963917059629418 |publisher=KLISF |accessdate=2006-11-17] [cite web |title=Club squads |url=http://www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?84031 |publisher=Sport-Express |accessdate=2006-11-17 |language=Russian] Lokomotiv played in the Soviet Second League in 1974–1977 and in 1984–1991.

After the dissolution of USSR, Lokomotiv entered the Russian First Division. They played there until 2005. Lokomotiv's best results were 3rd position in the Eastern zone in 1992 and 8th position in the nationwide league in 1995, 1997, and 2000. Lokomotiv were the only club which stayed in the First Division for the first 14 years of its existence.

2006 exclusion

On 14 February 2006 Lokomotiv and Alania Vladikavkaz were denied professional licences by Professional Football League and excluded from professional football for juridicial irregularities. [cite web |title=Alania and Lokomotiv Chita are excluded from First Division |url=http://news.sport-express.ru/online/ntext/12/nl122681.html |publisher=Sport-Express |date=14 February 2006 |accessdate=2006-11-17 |language=Russian] On 22 February PFL decided to replace Alania and Lokomotiv with Lada Togliatti and Mashuk-KMV Pyatigorsk, the runners-up in the Second Division. [cite web |title=PFL press releases |url=http://www.pfl.ru/DESIGN.2001/0206.HTM |publisher=Professional Football League |date=22 February 2006 |accessdate=2006-11-17 |language=Russian] The Russian Football Union did not endorse the exclusion and on 28 February decided to keep Alania and Lokomotiv in the First Division, giving them another chance to fulfill the league requirements. [cite web |title=Alania and Lokomotiv Chita stay professional |url=http://www.sovsport.ru/news/default.asp?id=215785 |publisher=Soviet Sports |date=28 February 2006 |accessdate=2006-11-17 |language=Russian] Consequently, on 6 March PFL decided to extend the First Division from 22 to 24 clubs, including Alania, Lokomotiv, Lada, and Mashuk-KMV. [cite web |title=24 teams in First Division, including Alania and Lokomotiv Chita |url=http://news.sport-express.ru/online/ntext/12/nl125799.html |publisher=Sport-Express |date=6 March 2006 |accessdate=2006-11-17 |language=Russian]

However, on 20 March the Russian Football Union finally decided to exclude Alania and Lokomotiv from the league. This decision was announced by the Professional Football League on 21 March, five days before the start of the First Division. [cite web |title=Returning to where it started: 22 clubs in First Division |url=http://www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?118571 |publisher=Sport-Express |date=22 March 2006 |accessdate=2006-11-17 |language=Russian |author=Konstantin Alekseyev]

Lokomotiv underwent reorganization, were renamed FC Chita and on 4 April were admitted into the Russian Second Division. [cite web |title=PFL press releases |url=http://www.pfl.ru/DESIGN.2001/0406.HTM |publisher=Professional Football League |date=4 April 2006 |accessdate=2006-11-17 |language=Russian]

References

External links

* [http://www.fc-chita.ru/ Official website] ru icon
* [http://lokomotiv.chita.ru Fans' website] ru icon