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CSKA (Sofia)
Full name	PFC CSKA
Nickname(s)	Army men, The Reds
Founded	May 5, 1948
Ground	Bulgarska Armia Sofia (Capacity 22,015)
Chairman	Aleksandar Tomov
Manager	Stoycho Mladenov
League	TBI A Football Group
2006-07	A Grupa, 2nd place
Home colours 　 Away colours

PFC CSKA Sofia(Bulgarian: ПФК ЦСКА София) is the biggest and most successful football club in Bulgaria^[1]. CSKA stands for Central Sport Club of the Army (Bulgarian: Централен Спортен Клуб на Армията). Most of its home matches take place at the Bulgarska Armia (Bulgarian Army) Stadium. The club was officially founded on May 5, 1948. CSKA has won 30 League titles and 23 National cups. The club has the most League titles in the world after the Second World War and holds the greatest achievements of Bulgarian football clubs in the European tournaments (2 semi-finals in the UEFA Champions League and 1 semi-final in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup).

Contents 1 Address and team information 1.1 Official sponsor 1.2 Equipment 2 Honours 3 History 3.1 1923 - 1948 3.2 History and Achievements 3.3 Cup final scandal 4 Name 5 Bulgarian Army Stadium 6 Current lineup 6.1 Squad changes 2007/08 season 7 Famous players 8 The best 55 9 Coaches history 10 Kit 10.1 Kit manufacturers 10.2 Shirt sponsors 11 Trivia 12 Footnotes 13 External links

Address: Dragan Tzankov Boulevard 3 Bulgarska Armia 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria

Tel: 02 963-34

Fax: 02 963-3902

Vivatel

Uhlsport

Currently the team's home kit is red and away kit is white. Also the club's third kit is black. Various combinations of red and white can be seen through the years. But red remains the basic colour of the team.

• Bulgarian Championship: 30 (record)
  • 1948, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2003, 2005
• National Cup: 23 (Soviet Army Cup: 9 & Bulgarian Cup: 10)
  • 1951, 1954, 1955, 1961, 1965, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2006
• Soviet Army Cup - the unofficial tournament : 4
  • 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990
• Bulgarian Supercup: 2
  • 1989, 2006
  • Best results: European Champions' Cup (now called Champions League) Semi-finals in 1966/67 and 1981/82 seasons; UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Semi-final in 1988/89 season.
• Doubles : 15 (1951,54,55,1961,69,1972,73,1981,82,83,87,89,1990,97,2006)
• Trebles : 1 (1989)
• Quadrouples : 1 (1989)

On October 28, 1923 in Sofia the clubs Atletik Sofia (founded in 1910 as Klub Futbol) and Slava Sofia (founed in 1916)has merger to Oficerski Sporten Klub Aatletik Slava 1923(Officer's Sport Club Atletic Slava 1932, short AS-23 under the petronage of Ministry of the war which provided the equipment.^[2] In 1931 AS-23 wins Bulgarian chanpionship and The Tsar's Cup, in 1941 again The Tsar's Cup. The stadium of AS-23 has named 'Atletik park' (finished in 1938) is on the spot were is present stadium „Bulgarska Armia“.^[3]

With the partnership of Mihail Mihaylov from Shipka's direction, The AS-23, the united team of Shipka-Podeda and Spartak Orlandotsi are merge into Chavdar Sofia. The unifying protocol has sined in November 9, 1944 in Sofia. For chairman of the club has chosen gen. Vladimir Stoychev from As-23. Ivan Bashev was a secretary and the person in charge of football.^[4]

'Chavdar' plays with azure kits. The clubs stadium was 'Atletik park' renamed to 'Chavdar'. The physical training was inspected by the boxer Konstantin Nikolov.^[4] The Chavdar relegate to second division in 1947. With help from Mihail Mihaylov (who works in Minisrty of war) Chavdar has become departmental club to Central house of the troops taking the name 'CDV'. For Chairman of the club is chosen Major Ivan Mirski.

In may 1948 an agreement was signed between the football players of "Septemvri" and the team of "Chavdar" for uniting by the name "Septemvri pri CDV" (Central house of the troops). The board of the newly created club included: honorable chairman - general leutenent Georgi Damjanov, the minister of defense, chairman - general major Bojan Balgaranov; deputy chairman - colonel Tashev, Petar Mihajlov, Alexander Valchev and Ljubcho Kralev. The board included 5 more members. The contract was signed on the 5th of May and that is considered to be the birthday of the club.

First ever official game took place on May 19th 1948 against Slavia Sofia at the Junak (Bulgarian: Юнак) stadium - 1:1 The struggle for the first title started in May and finished in the beginning of September 1948.

Septemvri pri CDV(Sofia) eliminated Aprilov Gabrovo and Spartak Varna on its way to the finals.

The team reached the national finals, where it faced Levski Sofia losing 1:2 in the first match. The decisive match was on September 9th. Referee - Stephan Danchev. Team of Septemvri pri CDV: Stephan Gerenski, Borislav Futekov, Manol Manolov, Dimitar Cvetkov, Nikola Alexiev, Nako Chakmakov (captain), Dimitar Milanov, Stojne Minev, Stephan Bozkov, Nikola Bojilov, Kiril Bogdanov. Goals scored: Dimitar Milanov(2) and Nako Chakmakov. A marvellous victory 3:1. Nako Chakmakov brings the victory with a last minutes goal. That was the first significant champion year for CSKA Sofia.

The club has met much domestic and international success making it the most successful Bulgarian club in history. Through the years the club merged with "DFS Cherveno Zname" in 1962 and with "DFS Septemvri" in 1968. CSKA has won the Bulgarian championship 30 times. The club's greatest domestic triumph was an unbroken string of national victories between 1954 and 1962 (a record written in the Guinness Book of Records). CSKA Sofia presence on European scene starts with a glorious victory over Dinamo Bucharest 8:1 on oct.21st 1956. Significantly, the club also reached two times the Semi-final stage 1967 and 1982 in the UEFA European Champions Cup (today known as Champions League) and once the Semi-final stage in the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup in 1989. CSKA managed to eliminate an acting European Champion three times: Ajax Amsterdam, Nottingham Forest, and Liverpool FC respectively. In addition, CSKA eliminated over the years clubs such as Juventus FC, Real Sociedad, Monaco, Parma FC, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiakos and many others and played memorable matches with Internazionale, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Valencia CF, Barcelona CF etc. The Club is still ranked 25th in the Champions' Cup All-Time Rankings. Two players managed to win the European Golden Boot while playing in CSKA - the CSKA all-time goals record holder Petar Zhekov (in 1966, scoring 36 times) and the famous Hristo Stoichkov (in 1989 with 38 goals). CSKA “hatched” many famous players, generating various dreamteams through the decades. Most notably for their international success were the two waves of Dimitar Penev’s discoveries; the first one including Hristo Stoichkov, Luboslav Penev and Emil Kostadinov in the late 80’s and the second one - Stiliyan Petrov, Dimitar Berbatov and Martin Petrov, introduced to the first team by Penev in the late 90’s.

On June 19, 1985, the final game of the Bulgarian Cup between CSKA Sofia and city rivals Levski Sofia took place at the Vasil Levski National Stadium. During the game both teams demonstrated extremely poor sportsmanship; the match saw several brutal fights and an attack on a referee. CSKA won the game, but the players' behavior percipitated a major scandal. By decree of Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party, both teams were disbanded. CSKA Septemvriisko Zname was renamed "Sredets" and Levski-Spartak was renamed "Vitosha". Both teams were playing under these names for several years. Additionally, several major players including Kostadin Yanchev, Borislav Mikhailov, Plamen Nikolov, Emil Spasov, Emil Velev and yet unknown Hristo Stoichkov were prohibited from participating in club games for varying periods of time. In 1988 the name CSKA was restored.

CSKA has carried a plethora of names in its history. In chronological order they are:

• Септември при ЦДВ /September to Central House of the Troops/ in 1948 and 1948/49.
• Народна войска /People's Troops/ in 1950.
• ЦДНВ /CDNV - Central House of the People's Troops/ in 1951 and 1952.
• Отбор на софийския гарнизон /Team of the Sofian garrison/ in 1953.
• ЦДНА /CDNA - Central House of the People's Army/ from 1954 and until the 1961/62 season.
• ЦСКА Червено знаме /CSKA Red Flag/ between 1962/63 and 1967/68.
• ЦСКА Семптемврийско знаме /CSKA September Flag/ between 1968/69 and 1984/85.
• ЦФКА Средец /CFKA Sredets - Central Football Club Of The Army/ from 1985/86 and until 1988/89
• ЦСКА София /CSKA Sofia - Central Sports Club Of The Army/ from 1989/90.

Main article: Balgarska Armiya Stadium

The team's home stadium, "Bulgarska Armia", was completed in 1967 and stands on the same spot as its predecessor, "Atletik Park." A plan for major renovation has been adopted.

In:

• Georgi Chilikov - from C.D. Nacional
• Todor Yanchev - from Randers FC
• José Rui - from C.D. Nacional
• Quido Lanzaat - back from MSV Duisburg
• Marquinos - from Belasitsa Petrich
• Kevin Amuneke - from Vitória Setúbal
• Nikola Vujadinović - from Radnički Pirot
• José Luis Garcés - from C.F. Os Belenenses
• Claudinei Alexandre Aparecido - Nei - from Naval 1º de Maio
• Filipe Machado - from União de Leiria

Out:

• Tiago Silva - to K.R.C. Genk
• Eugen Trică - to CFR Cluj
• Evgeni Yordanov - to Amkar Perm
• Jose Emilio Furtado - to F.C. Penafiel
• Guillaume Dah Zadi - to Changchun Yatai - on loan
• Rosen Kolev - to Reading F.C.
• Daniel Morales - to Lokomotiv Plovdiv
• Mihail Alexandrov - to Borussia Dortmund
• Oliver Kovačević - free transfer
• Kevin Amuneke - to IFK Norrköping

1950s Ivan Kolev Georgi Naidenov Dimitar Milanov Manol Manolov 1960s Nikola Tzanev Petar Zhekov Hristo Marinchev Stefan Bozhkov Kiril Rakarov Boris Gaganelov Dimitar Yakimov

1970s Stoyan Yordanov Asparuh Nikodimov Bozhil Kolev Dimitar Marashliev Georgi Denev Dimitar Penev Tzonyo Vasilev 1980s Georgi Velinov Georgi Slavkov Iliya Valov Hristo Stoichkov Emil Kostadinov Georgi Dimitrov Luboslav Penev Radoslav Zdravkov Stoycho Mladenov Spas Dzhevizov Plamen Markov

1990s Bernardo Redin Ivaylo Andonov Trifon Ivanov Yordan Letchkov Anatoli Nankov Martin Petrov Stilian Petrov Milen Petkov 2000s Dimitar Berbatov Hamilton Ricard Benoit Cauet Vladimir Manchev Radoslav Zabavnik Emil Gargorov Tiago Silva Hristo Yanev

An extended team of the best 55 players for 55th anniversary of CSKA. Players are ordered by number which they played.

• No 1 - Georgi Velinov, Stefan Gerenski, Stoyan Yordanov, Georgi Naydenov, Yordan Filipov
• No 2 - Ivan Vasilev, Ivan Zafirov, Kiril Rakarov, Dimitar Tsvetkov, Borislav Futekov
• No 3 - Boris Gaganelov, Trifon Ivanov, Georgi Iliev - Michael, Manol Manolov, Kiril Stankov
• No 4 - Tsonyo Vasilev, Georgi Enisheynov, Nikola Kovachev, Hristo Marinchev, Georgi Tsvetkov
• No 5 - Stefan Bozhkov, Georgi Dimitrov - Dzheki , Panteley Dimitrov, Radoslav Zdravkov, Bozhil Kolev
• No 6 - Nikola Aleksiev, Dimitar Penev, Boris Stankov, Gavril Stoyanov, Plamen Markov
• No 7 - Tsvetan Atanasov, Tsvetan Yonchev, Emil Kostadinov, Dimitar Milanov, Stefan T. Stefanov
• No 8 - Kiril Bogdanov, Georgi Dimitrov - Chervenia, Asparuh Nikodimov, Hristo Stoichkov, Nako Chakmakov
• No 9 - Spas Dzhevizov, Petar Zhekov, Panayot Panayotov, Lyuboslav Penev, Nikola Tsanev
• No 10 - Nikola Bozhilov, Georgi Denev, Ivan Kolev, Lachezar Tanev, Dimitar Yakimov
• No 11 - Dimitar Marashliev, Stoycho Mladenov, Vasil Romanov, Stoyne Minev, Krum Yanev

1950–1964 Krum Milev 1964–1965 Grigoriy Pinaychev 1965–1969 Stoyan Ormandzhiev 1969–1975 Manol Manolov 1975–1977 Sergi Yotsov 1977–1979 Nikola Kovachev 1979–1982 Asparuh Nikodimov 1982–1983 Stefan Bozhkov, Boris Stankov 1983–1984 Apostol Chachevski, Manol Manolov 1984–1985 Manol Manolov 1985–1986 Sergi Yotsov 1986–1990 Dimitar Penev 1990–1992 Asparuh Nikodimov 1992–1993 Tsvetan Yonchev 1993–1994 Gjoko Hadžievski

1994–1995 Bozhil Kolev, Spas Dzhevizov 1995–1996 Plamen Markov, Georgi Vasilev 1996–1997 Georgi Vasilev 1997–1998 Georgi Vasilev, Petar Zehtinski 1998–2000 Dimitar Penev 2000 Spas Dzhevizov, Aleksandar Stankov 2000–2001 Enrico Catuzzi 2001 Asparuh Nikodimov 2001–2002 Luigi Simoni 2002–2004 Stoycho Mladenov 2004–2005 Ferario Spasov 2005–2006 Miodrag Ješić 2006–2007 Plamen Markov 2007– Stoycho Mladenov

• 1948-?: ?
• ?-1991: Adidas
• 1991-1992 (Season's 1st part): Abm Pro
• 1991-1992 (Season's 2nd part): Umbro
• 1992-1994: Erreà
• 1994-1995: Lotto
• 1995-1996: Puma
• 1996-2001: ?
• 2001-2002: Lotto
• 2002-?: ?
• 2007-2008: Uhlsport

• 1948-1990: No sponsor
• 1990-1996: Sintofarm
• 1996-?: Multigroup
• 2001-2002 (Bulgarian Championship): No sponsor
• 2001-2002 (UEFA Cup): Sintofarm
• 2007-2008: Vivatel

• The first ever coach of CSKA Sofia Konstantin Nikolov - Zamorata was a heavyweight boxfighter.
• During the first years of the club the ball for the kick-off has been often dropped by plane over the field
• Even nowadays sometimes the team comes on field accompanied by a Bulgarian army march due to the club's army origin and heritage
• CSKA Sofia enjoys a symbiotic relationship with FC Liverpool.
• CSKA Sofia has always played in 1st and never in lower division
• CSKA Sofia holds the biggest win in APFG (Bulgarian A Professional Football Group) 12:0 over Torpedo Ruse
• The stand for the most loyal team supporters is the North terrace and it's known as "Sektor G"
• CSKA Sofia has been marked several times in the Guinness World Records
• The club stadium is nicknamed "The army"
• Scottish writer Irvine Welsh appeared on Slavi's Show with a CSKA Sofia fan club T-shirt
• There are over 1000 trophies in the CSKA Museum of glory in 29 sports. About one hunderd of them are football trophies and awards.
• CSKA Sofia holds the largest number of football records in Bulgarian football
• Petar Zhekov has scored 144 goals for CSKA during 1968-1975
• CSKA Sofia won all possible domestic trophies during season 1988-89 : Champion title, Cup of Bulgaria, Cup of the Soviet army, Bulgarian supercup and the Republic spartakiada cup.
• CSKA Sofia is famous for winnig a lot of friendly international tournaments. Recently the club is co-promoter of Play Station tournament in Soifa.
• Dimitar Yakimov was often called "the poet of football" due to his great football techniques
• Dimitar Penev was honnored as "The coach of 20th century" for Bulgaria
• The famous offensive trio of CSKA - Hristo Stoichkov, Emil Kostadinov and Luboslav Penev have played a major role in the Bulgaria national team success in the 90's.
• According to the National fan club data CSKA Sofia has 785 fan clubs at home and abroad, with around 180 000 members
• The music group Ladytron features a song called "CSKA Sofia" on their 2001 album 604

• Official website
• Official forum
• CSKA Sofia Ultimate Internet Fan Club

Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, 2007-08 v • d • e
Belasitsa Petrich | Beroe | Botev Plovdiv | Cherno More Varna | Chernomorets 919 Burgas | CSKA Sofia | Levski Sofia | Litex Lovech | Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Lokomotiv Sofia | Marek Dupnitsa | Pirin Blagoevgrad | Slavia Sofia | Spartak Varna | Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo | Vihren Sandanski
UEFA Cup 2007-08 v • d • e
Advanced to the Knockout Stage Aberdeen • AEK Athens • Anderlecht • Atlético Madrid • Basel • Bayer Leverkusen • Bayern Munich • Benfica • Bolton Wanderers • Bordeaux • Brann • Everton • Fiorentina • Galatasaray • Getafe • Hamburg • Helsingborg • Marseille • Nuremberg • Panathinaikos • PSV Eindhoven • Rangers • Rosenborg • Slavia Prague • Spartak Moscow • Sporting Braga • Sporting CP • Tottenham Hotspur • Villarreal • Werder Bremen • Zenit St-Petersburg • Zürich Eliminated in Group Stage Aalborg BK • Aris • Austria Vienna • AZ • Copenhagen • Dinamo Zagreb • Elfsborg • Hapoel Tel Aviv • Larissa • Lokomotiv Moscow • Mladá Boleslav • Panionios • Red Star Belgrade • Rennes • Sparta Prague • Toulouse Eliminated in First Round AIK • Ajax • Anorthosis Famagusta • Artmedia Bratislava • BATE Borisov • Belenenses • Blackburn Rovers • CSKA Sofia • Club Brugge • Dinamo Bucharest • Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk • Dyskobolia Grodzisk • Empoli • Groningen • Häcken • Hammarby • Heerenveen • Erciyesspor • Lens • Litex Lovech • Lokomotiv Sofia • Metalist Kharkiv • Midtjylland • Odense • Paços Ferreira • Palermo • Rabotnički • Rapid Bucharest • Rapid Vienna • Red Bull Salzburg • Sampdoria • Sarajevo • Sion • Sochaux • Standard Liège • Tampere United • Twente • União Leiria • Vålerenga • Zaragoza