DFCSS
Puma

Hall of Fame - Nemsadze

Georgi had wandered Europe plying his trade as a talented midfielder before arriving at Dens in the summer of 2000, he'd started his career with Dinamo Tbilisi and subsequently turned out for Iberia Tbilisi, Guria Lanchkhuti, Shevardeni Tbilisi, FC Homburg, Trabzonspor, Grasshopper Zurich, Reggiana and Lokomotivi Tbilisi, and along the way he'd amassed nearly fifty caps for his native Georgia - a total that would rise to 69 by the end of his career. At the time a national record.

His first appearance for the Dark Blues came at a training camp in Italy as Ivano Bonetti and his squad got acquainted, his first public outing in Scotland came at Starks Park, Kirkcaldy where over 700 Dundee fans travelled to get a first view of 'The Tayzurri', Nemsadze played well that night but it was a few days later at Grimsby where those of a Dark Blue persuasion got the chance to see what he was really capable of, with Dundee trailing two-one he picked up a pass from Javier Artero and simply danced through a packed penalty area, beating four players (one of them twice) before slotting the ball home as if scoring a wonderful goal was the easiest thing in the world.

Those who had journeyed south to see the game spread the word that something exciting was happening at Dens and over 2000 headed from Tayside to Fir Park to see 'Bonetti's Blues' beat Motherwell on the opening day of the season.

The following week Raymond Travers wrote in Scotland on Sunday after Nemsadze's home debut against Dunfermline "The Georgian's close control was such that one wondered if he had wiped his boots with glue rather than polish" and his skills would thrill Dundee fans for the next three years.

Dundee's results didn't often enough match the skills on display, but that first season at Dens provided a feast of football for Dundee supporters and Georgi was mostly at the heart of it.

He seemed to have a sense of moment too - showing his best as provider when Juan Sara scored a derby hat-trick, and when he set Claudio Caniggia up for a last minute debut goal.

Those cameos though couldn't match the moment when Georgi wrote his name into Dundee's history in giant letters with one of the best derby goals of all time. Barry Smith and Claudio Caniggia were involved too as he jinked from the half way line down the right of the Tannadice pitch before beating Alan Combe with the most delightful of chips to send over 5000 Dundee fans into ecstatic celebration.

The following season brought a serious injury which kept him out for months, but he returned before the end of the season and was fit and raring to go as Jim Duffy took over the managerial reins at the start of season 2002-03. The second half of that campaign would bring another highlight of his time at Dens, the Club's first Hampden appearance since the 1995 League Cup Final provided the perfect stage for Nemsadze as Dundee took on Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup semi final.

Not since 1964 had the Dark Blues graced a Scottish Cup Final but they booked their place in the final and a UEFA Cup place after Georgi's low shot from the edge of the box slid home just inside the post.

Having secured that European place the start of season 2003-04 saw Dundee heading for Albania, a country no Scottish team had ever gone to and won. The few who ignored the scare headlines about the destination to back the Dark Blues on their first European trip since the mid 1970s would see Nemsadze in his natural environment - with a little more room to play than in the SPL Georgi dazzled, providing a wonderful ball for Steve Lovell's opener and dictating the tempo of the game throughout.

The following round provided a trip to Serie A country for two thousand fans but Dundee didn't perform as they could and the European adventure was over.

The Dark Blues were ticking along nicely in the top half of the SPL but then came the bombshell of administration, and while the fans fought to ensure the survival of the club there was nothing they could do to keep the star players, Georgi one of the victims as Dundee cut costs big time.

The man with the dancing feet has retained his affection for the Club despite that blow as has his son Vajiko who is carrying on the family footballing heritage as a midfielder for Dinamo Tblisi - it's where his dad started his career and where he went back to after leaving Dens, Vajiko has expressed a desire to one day wear the Dark Blue - if he's half as good a player as his dad then that would be a dream come true for the Dens support.

Website designed and developed by Brightshore Media Ltd
www.brightshoremedia.com
www.brightshoremedia.com