Malavan Bandar Anzali Football Club (, Bāšgāh-e Futbāl-e Malavān-e Bandar-e Anzali) is an Iranian football club based in Bandar-e Anzali, Iran. It won Iran's second league, the Azadegan League and came back to Persian Gulf Pro League after being relegated in the 2015–16 season. The team is known for having some of the most passionate fans in Iranian football, and is one of the country's most successful teams based outside Tehran. It is one of the most successful Iranian teams in the Hazfi Cup, reaching the final 7 times and winning 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 Malavan competed in the 1972–73 Iran 2nd Division, advancing through regional stages before finishing third in the four-team final round behind Taj Ahvaz and Taj Abadan. The two clubs above Malavan did not enter the inaugural 1973–74 Takht Jamshid Cup after the Iranian Football Federation prohibited identically named clubs from competing alongside Taj Tehran, and Malavan was included among the new league's participants. Before the club entered the Takht Jamshid Cup, the names Artemis, Malavan and Bayandor were considered. Malavan was ultimately chosen, and the club was renamed Malavan Bandar Pahlavi.

Following the club's fifth-place finish in the inaugural 1973–74 Takht Jamshid Cup, where it was the highest-placed club from outside Tehran, the Iranian Football Federation selected the Malavan squad to represent Iran at the 1974 RCD Cup in Pakistan. The selection was made in recognition of the club's performance during its debut national league campaign. Managed officially by Iran national coach Danny McLennan, with Bahman Salehnia serving as captain and player, the team finished as runners-up after defeating Pakistan 2–1 and losing 1–0 to Turkey.

Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the restoration of the city's former name, Bandar-e Anzali, the team’s name was renamed as Malavan Bandar Anzali.

The club finished third in the 1977 and 1989 editions of the Takht Jamshid Cup. 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 stayed one year in the lower league before they were immediately promoted back to the Iran Pro League. 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 7th-place finish in the league.

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.

Return to Pro League with Zare 2020-2021 season marked the return of two retired homegrown players, Maziar Zare and Pejman Nouri, the former as the new head coach and the latter as the general manager of the club. In his first season, Zare lead the team to the semi-final of the domestic cup, despite failing to win promotion. In the 2021-2022 season, Zare led the team back to the Pro League by winning the Azadegan League with record points, marking the return of Malavan to the top flight after six years.

El Gilano

The match between Malavan and Damash or Sepidrood is known as the Gilan Derby or El Gilano. This match is one of Iran's most important and heated derby's. Malavan hold the record for most wins in the derby with four since the start of the Iran Pro League in 2001. Malavan also holds the largest margin of victory when they defeated Damash 3–0 in 2005 and again in 2013. The derby is also known for its fan violence.

Season-by-season The table below chronicles the achievements of Malavan in various competitions since the beginning of Iranian Pro league in 2001. Year Division Position Hazfi Cup 2001–02 Pro League 12th Quarter-finals 2002–03 Pro League 14th Round of 16 2003–04 Azadegan League 2nd Quarter-finals 2004–05 Pro League 7th Quarter-finals 2005–06 Pro League 11th Quarter-finals 2006–07 Pro League 14th Quarter-finals 2007–08 Pro League 16th Round of 16 2008–09 Pro League 12th Quarter-finals2009–10 Pro League 12th Quarter-finals 2010–11 Pro League 8thFinal 2011–12 Pro League 15th Fourth Round 2012–13 Pro League 13th Round of 16 2013–14 Pro League 7th Quarter-finals 2014–15 Pro League 13th Round of 162015–16 Pro League 14th Quarter-finals2016–17 Azadegan League 4th Quarter-finals2017–18 Azadegan League 6th Quarter-finals2018–19Azadegan League11thFourth Round2019–20Azadegan League15thThird Round2020–21Azadegan League11thSemi-finals2021–22Azadegan League1st Third Round2022–23Pro League12thRound of 16

For details on seasons, see List of Malavan F.C. seasons

Honours National titles Azadegan League Winners (1): 2021–22 Runner-up (1): 2003–04 Hazfi Cup Winners (3): 1975–76, 1986–87, 1990–91 Runner-up (5): 1987–88, 1988–89, 1991–92, 2010–11, 2024–25

Minor titles Vahdat Cup Third place (1): 1982 RCD Cup Runner-up (1): 1974

Club officials

Presidents Sources:

NameYearsRashid Sazmand1996–06Saadollah Pourtahmasbi2006–09Ardeshir Pournemat2009–11Bahman Salehnia2011–12Sadegh Deroudgar2012–14Hossein Gholami2014–15Ahmad Donyamali2015–17Mehran Nasiri2017–18Pejman Nouri2019–23Arash Fahmide2023–present

Current coaching staff Source:

Position NameHead coach Maziar ZareAssistant coach Eurico PinhalGoalkeeping coach Mohammad Ali Hassani SefatDoctor Babak SayyadTechnical director Ghafour JahaniTeam manager Hossein Gholami

Head coaches Below is a list of Malavan coaches from 1968 until the present day. Firouz Karimi carries the honor of being the first Iranian head coach to assume the title without rising from the Malavan football school.

NameNationalityYearsBahman Salehnia20 May 1968 – 5 February 1997Nosrat Irandoost5 February 1997 – 15 December 2000Mohammad Ahmadzadeh15 Dec 2000 – 2 July 2002Bahman Salehnia15 May 2002 – 2 July 2004Nosrat Irandoost2 July 2004 – 5 July 2006Mohammad Ahmadzadeh5 July 2006 – 1 January 2010Farhad Pourgholami1 January 2010 – 29 September 2012Mohammad Ahmadzadeh29 September 2012 – 28 May 2013Dragan Skočić28 May 2013 – 1 June 2014Nosrat Irandoost1 June 2014 – 8 October 2014Stevan Mojsilović8 October 2014 – 5 December 2014Firouz Karimi6 December 2014 – 1 June 2015Hamid Estili10 August 2015 – 20 February 2016Mohammad Ahmadzadeh1 March 2016 – 15 July 2016Mohammad Mayeli Kohan22 July 2016 – 27 May 2017Nader Dastneshan28 May 2017 – 1 June 2018Farhad Pourgholami1 June 2018 – 28 October 2018Mohammad Ahmadzadeh31 October 2018 – 7 June 2020Akbar Misaghian7 June 2020 – 1 September 2020Maziar Zare1 September 2020 – 18 May 2023Mehdi Tartar26 June 2023 – present

Players

First-team squad

U25

Reserve Squad

Notes

References Malavan FC stats at persianleague.com (archived)

External links Persian League- Latest Iran League News – Iran Football News