| Full name | Damash Guilan Sport Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Tifosis[1] Stormy clouds[2] Wearing azure Rain city's Damash[3] Azure phoenixes[4] | |||
| Founded | 1960; 65 years ago (1960) asTaj Rasht Football Club[5] | |||
| Ground | Shahid Dr. Azodi Sardar Jangal | |||
| Capacity | 15,000 25,000 | |||
| Owner | Naser Zahmatkesh[6] | |||
| Chairman | Jahangir Asgari[7] | |||
| Head Coach | Hamid Derakhshan[8] | |||
| League | Azadegan League | |||
| 2023–24 | Azadegan League,15th | |||
| Website | Official website | |||
Sport Club Damash Guilan (Persian:باشگاه ورزشی داماش گیلان,Bashgah-e Vârzeshi-ye Damash Guilân), commonly known asDamash Guilan sc, also spelledDamash Guilan, is an Iranianfootball club based inRasht,Guilan, that competes in theAzadegan League. The club was founded in 1960 asTaj Rasht Football Club (Persian:باشگاه فوتبال تاج رشت).[9]
The football team plays its home games at theShahid Dr. Azodi Stadium which has aseating capacity of 11,000. The club is also using theSardar Jangal Stadium which has a seating capacity of 15,000. The club is owned and supported by Peymam Baharvand.[10]
The club was founded asTaj Rasht Football Club in 1960. The club was one ofTaj Tehran branches at the time. From the beginning, Taj Rasht was able to attract some of the best players ofGuilan.[11]
Before the 1970s, Iran did not have an official national football league. Most clubs participated in championships of their city or province. In addition to that Taj Rasht played in theGuilan Province League until 1970.
In 1970, theLocal League was created. The league included teams from all Iran in different qualifying tournaments. Taj Rasht finished fourth inGroup A of their qualifying tournament. The club also participated in the1971–72 Local League season. Taj Rasht missed again qualification for the final stage after they achieved the last place in their group again.
In 1972, theTakht Jamshid Cup was founded as the national league and included teams from all over the country. However, Taj Rasht could not qualify and therefore played again in the Guilan Province League.
In 1975 the club changed its name for the first time. Until 1983 the club was calledAbouzar Rasht Football Club. Due to theIranian Revolution and theIran–Iraq War, the Takht Jamshid Cup was dissolved and also the lower leagues were unorganized. As a result, the club took part in regional championships and cups only irregularly.[12]
In 1983 Abouzar changed its name intoEsteghlal Rasht Football Club.Esteghlal meansindependence inPersian.[13] In 1991 theAzadegan League was formed as the top flight of Iranian football. Esteghlal Rasht took part in the league in the1991–92 season, but was relegated at the end of the season.
Due to sponsorship, the club was known asEsteghlal Gaz Rasht Football Club in1992–93 Iran Football's 2nd Division. After playing many years inIran Football's 2nd Division, they were promoted toAzadegan League in 2000. They finished 10th in2000–01 season.
In the summer of 2001, theIran Pro League was established as the professional football league of Iran, Azadegan League was declared as the second-highest professional league in theIranian football league system. All clubs from the 2000–01 Azadegan League season took participate in the2001–02 Iran Pro League. Esteghlal Rasht was relegated after an embarrassingly lost 9–2 to Aboomoslem on the last matchday of the season. They finished 13th in that season.
Due to financial problems and relegation, the Pegah Dairy Company took over the club in the summer of 2002. The club was renamed asPegah Guilan Football Club.[14][15] In 2007, however, a club calledEsteghlal Shahrdari Rasht was founded again, which could participate as a separate club in the Guilan Provincial League.[16]
Pegah managed to get promoted to the first division and finished 9th in the2003–04 season. A year later, relegation took place again. Then the club played two years in the Azadegan League. In2007 they were able to return to the Iran Pro League, known as the Persian Gulf Cup since 2006. With 15th place in the2007–08 season, Pegah was able to prevent relegation. Pegah also qualified for theFinal of theHazfi Cup this season. After Pegah won the first leg 1–0, they lost in the second leg againstEsteghlal in front of almost 100,000 spectators at theAzadi Stadium with 0–3.
In the summer of 2008, Pegah Guilan was struggling with financial problems. In October of the same year, the Aria Investment Development Company, then owned byMahafarid Amir Khosravi, took over the club. The club was renamedSport Club Damash Guilan. Damash is a small historical village inJirandeh near Rasht.
The club shuttled between the first two leagues for the following years. In the2008–09 season, they finished 17th and had to relegate to the Azadegan League. In the2009–10 season, Damash failed to Sanat Naft Abadan in the play-offs and missed promotion. A year later, the club won the title for it and managed to rise. Between 2011 and 2013, the club played two decent years in the Persian Gulf Cup and came in 7th in2011–12 and 11th in2012–13. During this time,Alireza Jahanbakhsh also made a name for himself with good performances, 10 goals in 44 matches. In the summer of 2013, he moved to the DutchEredivisie toNEC Nijmegen. Iranian football legendMehdi Mahdavikia also played for Damash between 2011 and 2012.
Starting in 2013, the club experienced difficult years and relegated at the end of the2013–14 season. Then followed two disappointing years in the Azadegan League. In the2014–15 Azadegan League season, the club only finished 6th and missed promotion. In the2015–16 season, Damash even had to relegate to theLeague 2.
Due to very great financial difficulties, the club was close to being dissolved in March 2016. The Guilan Football Organization, therefore, took over the rights to the club and so Damash could end the season. After relegation, the club should be renamedShahr-e Baran Football Club, which led to major protests from fans. Damash then kept his name.[17]
In 2019 Damash sensationally reached theHazfi Cup Final againstPersepolis in theFoolad Arena inAhvaz. The game turned into a scandal as the stadium was filled with over 30,000Perespolis supporters hours before kick-off. As a result, the approximately 1,000 Damash fans could not enter the stadium and the kick-off was delayed by a few hours. In the end, Damash lost to Persepolis 0–1.[18]
After three years in theLeague 2, Damash returned to the Azadegan League. The club replacedKaroon Arvand Khorramshahr for the2019–20 season.[19]
The nameDamash goes back to a historical village inJirandeh near Rasht. In 2016, Damash adopted theLilium ledebourii, a typical plant from this region, in its logo.
Traditionally, Damash Guilan plays its home games at theShahid Dr. Azodi Stadium which has a seating capacity of 11,000.[20] The stadium was opened in 1990 and is owned by the club. The stadium was renovated from 2009 to 2011. It is also the traditional home venue of the local rivalSepidrood.
Furthermore, Damash plays some of its home games at theSardar Jangal Stadium which has a seating capacity of 15,000. The stadium was opened in 2007 and is owned by Sepidrood.
Matches betweenMalavan ofBandar-e Anzali and the two teams fromRasht, Damash Guilan, andSepidrood Rasht are known asEl Guilano.
Within Rasht, Damash has a minor rivalry withPAS Guilan. Damash then has a bigger rivalry withNassaji Mazandaran fromQaem Shahr.
The table below chronicles the achievements of Damash Guilan in various competitions since 1970.
| Season | Division | League | Position | Hazfi Cup | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–71 | 1 | Local League | 4th (Region C) | Not held | |
| 1971–72 | 1 | Local League | 3rd (Region A) | ||
| 1991–92 | 1 | League 1 | 11th | Relegated | |
| 1992–93 | 2 | League 2 | 8th | ||
| 1995–96 | 2 | League 2 | 7th (Group A) | ||
| 1996–97 | 2 | League 2 | |||
| 1997–98 | 2 | League 2 | 5th (2nd Round) | ||
| 1998–99 | 2 | League 2 | 2nd (Group 1) | ||
| 1999–00 | 2 | League 2 | 2nd (2nd Round) | Promoted | |
| 2000–01 | 1 | League 1 | 10th | ||
| 2001–02 | 1 | IPL | 13th | Round of 16 | Relegated |
| 2002–03 | 2 | League 1 | 2nd | Promoted | |
| 2003–04 | 1 | IPL | 9th | Quarter-Final | |
| 2004–05 | 1 | IPL | 16th | Quarter-Final | Relegated |
| 2005–06 | 2 | League 1 | 1st (Group A) | ||
| 2006–07 | 2 | League 1 | 1st (Group A) | Round of 32 | Promoted |
| 2007–08 | 1 | PGC | 15th | Final | |
| 2008–09 | 1 | PGC | 17th | Round of 32 | Relegated |
| 2009–10 | 2 | League 1 | 2nd (Group B) | Quarter-Final | |
| 2010–11 | 2 | League 1 | 1st (Group A) | Quarter-Final | Promoted |
| 2011–12 | 1 | PGC | 7th | Quarter-Final | |
| 2012–13 | 1 | PGC | 11th | Semi-Final | |
| 2013–14 | 1 | PGC | 15th | Quarter-Final | Relegated |
| 2014–15 | 2 | League 1 | 6th (Group B) | Round of 32 | |
| 2015–16 | 2 | League 1 | 19th | Round of 64 | Relegated |
| 2016–17 | 3 | League 2 | 5th (2nd Round) | did not enter | |
| 2017–18 | 3 | League 2 | 3rd (2nd Round) | Quarter-Final | |
| 2018–19 | 3 | League 2 | 2nd (Group A) | Final | Promoted |
| 2019–20 | 2 | League 1 | 12th | Round of 32 | |
| 2020–21 | – | No Participation | |||
| 2021–22 | 4 | League 3 | 3rd | did not enter | Promoted |
| 2022–23 | 3 | League 2 | 3rd | did not enter | Promoted |
| 2023–24 | 2 | League 1 | 14th | did not enter |
Notes:
ThePersian Gulf Pro League was formerly known as Iran Pro League (IPL) and Persian Gulf Cup (PGC)
TheAzadegan League was the highest division between 1991 and 2001
TheLeague 2 was formerly known as Iran 2nd Division
TheLeague 3 was formerly known as Iran 3rd Division
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
For recent transfers, seeList of Iranian football transfers winter 2018–19.
|
|
| # | Pos. | Name | Career | League | Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forward | Afshin Chavoshi | 2008–09 2010–15 | 40 | 3 | 43 |
| 2 | Midfielder | Reza Mahdavi | 2008–09 2010–14 2016– | 16 | 3 | 19 |
| 3 | Defender | Ali Nazifkar | 2008–09 2010–14 | 17 | 1 | 18 |
| 4 | Midfielder | Ali Amiri | 2009–11 | 12 | 3 | 15 |
| 5 | Forward | Amin Motevaselzadeh | 2012–14 | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| # | Pos. | Name | Career | League | Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midfielder | Mostafa Hajati | 2008–14 2015– | 152 | 7 | 159 |
| 2 | Midfielder | Reza Mahdavi | 2008–09 2010–14 2016– | 147 | 8 | 155 |
| 3 | Midfielder | Hadi Sohrabi | 2008–11 2012– | 125 | 9 | 134 |
| 4 | Defender | Ali Nazifkar | 2008–09 2010–14 | 121 | 7 | 128 |
| 5 | Forward | Afshin Chavoshi | 2008–09 2010–15 | 111 | 6 | 117 |
Last updated: May 16, 2016.
Bolded players are currently on the Damash squad.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
| League competitions | |
|---|---|
| Cup competitions | |
| Defunct competitions | |
| National teams | |
| Lists and categories | |
| |