Malavan
- Leagues Played
- Irán - 1. divízia 183 Irán - Pro liga 123 Iránsky pohár 13
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- Malavan U23
Malavan
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Wikipedia - Malavan F.C.
Malavan Bandar Anzali Football Club (Persian: باشگاه فوتبال ملوان بندر انزلى, Bashgah-e Futbal-e Milâvan Bendâr Anzeli) is an Iranian football club based in Bandar-e Anzali, Iran. It currently won Iran's second football league, the Azadegan League and came back to Persian Gulf Pro League after they were relegated in the 2015–16 season. The team is known to have some of the most passionate fans in Iranian football, and is one of the successful teams that is not based in Tehran. This team is one of the most successful Iranian teams in the Hazfi Cup. Malavan has reached the Hazfi Cup final 7 times and won 3 titles.
The club forms the football part of the multisport Malavan Sport and Cultural Club. Malavan was previously owned by the Iranian Navy.
History
Establishment
Bahman Salehnia created the team in 1968 along with some young athletes from the port city of Anzali. After some time, the Iranian Navy decided to become the team's main sponsor and owner.
Early years
The club never really had great success in the league but they were able to become the best non-Tehran based club and finishing third in the 1977 and 1989. Malavan has won the Hazfi Cup on 3 occasions. In 1986 Malavan participated in Asian Club Championship but after beating Saunders SC in first round they withdrew from tournament due to the Iran–Iraq War.
Iran Pro League
In 2003 Malavan was relegated to the Azadegan League, they only stayed one year in the lower league as they were immediately promoted back to the Iran Pro League. Since then, they have been one of the most stable teams of the league in recent years where they only had few coaches during their history and always finished in mid table and challenge the big teams. They finished 12th in the 2008–09 and 2009–10 season. In 2010–11 season they finished 8th and reached the final of Hazfi Cup but lost to Persepolis. In the 2013–14 Iran Pro League season Malavan achieved a surprising 7th-place finish in the league, their highest ever.
Relegation
In July 2015 Malavan hired famous Iranian coach Amir Ghalenoi who had won several league titles with Esteghlal and Sepahan. Player such as Arash Afshin, Hossein Mahini and Shahab Karami joined the squad to serve their conscription period. In Ghalenoi's first game in charge, Malavan defeated the Hazfi Cup holders, Zob Ahan 1–0. After only three games Ghalenoi left the club and was replaced by former Persepolis manager Hamid Estili.
On 13 May 2016 after a 2–0 loss to Siah Jamegan, who were behind Malavan before the match started, the clubs was relegated to the Azadegan League for the second time in their history.
Before the start of the 2016–17 season it was announced that controversial manager Mohammad Mayeli Kohan had been named Malavan's manager. Despite achieving good results and being in or near a promotion spot the entire season, Mayeli Kohan was involved in several confrontations with the supporters, which led to many supporters boycotting the team's games.