FC Alma-Ata (, ''Alamty Fýtbol Klýby'') was a Kazakh

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

club based in

Almaty Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...

between 2000 and 2008.

History

In 2000 the club was formed as ''FC Tsesna'' in

. Tsesna played in the Kazakhstan First Division for the first time in 2003, finishing second and earning themselves promotion to the

Kazakhstan Premier League The Kazakhstan Professional Football League (, ''Qazaqstan Premier Ligasy''), commonly referred to as the Kazakh Premier League or simply the Premier League, is a professional association football league in Kazakhstan and the highest level of the ...

. Following their promotion, the club's management changed the club's name to ''FC Alma-Ata'', finishing their debut season in 18th position under the management of Edgar Gess. The following season, first under Igor Romanov, and then Antonius Joore, the club improved its standing and finished 13th. 2006 was the club's best season; again with Antonius Joore as their manager, the club finished 5th in the league and won the

Kazakhstan Cup The Kazakhstan Cup is the main Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in Kazakhstan Football (soccer), football, run by the Football Federation of Kazakhstan. The tournament was initially founded in 1936 as a competition for club ...

for the first time. As a result of their Cup win, they qualified for the

2007–08 UEFA Cup The 2007–08 UEFA Cup was the 37th edition of the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Cup, UEFA's former second-tier club association football, football tournament. The 2008 UEFA Cup Final, final was played at the City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester, E ...

for the first time. In July 2007 Alma-Ata appointed Arno Pijpers as a consultant, whilst he continued his Kazakhstan National Team duties, in preparation for their debut

UEFA Cup The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...

matches against Slovakian side ViOn Zlaté Moravce. Alma-Ata were defeat by ViOn Zlaté Moravce 4–2 over the two legs, whilst finishing 6th in the league and reaching the Last 32 of the Cup. The 2008 season was the club's last season, as after finishing 8th in the League and as Cup runners-up, Alma-Ata declared themselves bankrupt and ceased operations, with the majority of the club's staff joining

FC Megasport Football Club Megasport (, ''«Megasport» Fýtbol Klýby'') were a Kazakh professional football club based in Almaty. The club was founded in 2005. In 2007, they Secured promotion to the Kazakhstan Premier League. At the end of 2008, they merge ...

before forming FC Lokomotiv Astana.

Names

*2000 : Founded as ''Tsesna'' *2004 : Renamed ''Alma-Ata''

Domestic history

Continental history

Honours

**Winners (1):

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

References