OFC Sliven 2000

Honours

History

OFC Sliven 2000 was founded on February 29, 2000 after the bankruptcy of FC Sliven, but as it is the real representative club of the same-name town, it keeps the tradition started back in 1914 with the first local football club Sportist. Through the years the leading club in Sliven had different names - Asenovetz, DNA, General Zaimov, Mlada Gvardia etc.

After World War II Sliven took part in B PFG for ten years before seeing its first promotion to A PFG in season 1963/1964. Up to 2008-09, the club has played 22 seasons at the highest level of Bulgarian football (including continuously from 1974–1993). In 1983-84 FC Sliven finished on 7th place in A PFG and qualified for the UEFA Cup for 1984-85 because of reaching the semi-finals in the Soviet Army Cup; the Cup winners Levski Sofia qualified for European Cup; the finalist was not allowed to play in European competitions; where they faced FK Željezničar Sarajevo, winning the first leg 1-0 at home, but suffering a 1-5 defeat in the second leg.

FC Sliven had its biggest success in 1990, winning the Bulgarian Cup against CSKA Sofia (2-0). The goals were scored by Valeri Valkov and Yordan Lechkov. In the 1990-91 Cup Winners Cup Sliven were drawn against Juventus, losing both matches by scores of 0-2 and 1-6.

Over the next few years, the club went into a deep crisis, and was relegated to the regional football groups and bankrupted. Sliven was reborn in 2000 by establishing the Municipal Football Club (OFC) Sliven 2000, led by Yordan Lechkov. In 2005 the club finally earned promotion back to the second level of Bulgarian football. In May 2008 Sliven were promoted to the top flight winning the Eastern group of Bulgaria's second division. In 2011 the team is relegated and in early 2013 OFC Sliven withdrew from the B PFG due to financial difficulties.

Colours and nicknames

For the majority of their history FC Sliven have worn red and white colours. When the club was first founded in 1918, red was chosen to represent the blood of Bulgarian Voivodes and white was chosen to represent the freedom. After the bankruptcy of FC Sliven in 2000 the club changed its name to OFC Sliven 2000, its badge, and its colours to orange shirts with blue shorts. One of the nicknames of OFC Sliven 2000 is Voivodite which means "Slavic title that originally denoted the principal commander of a military force". It was chosen because the town Sliven is famous for its Bulgarian Haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Turks in the 19th century and is known as the "City of the 100 Voivodes", a Voivode being a leader of Haiduts.

Source: sliven-fc.com

Current squad

As of 18 June 2013 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Famous players

The following players included were either playing for their respective national teams or left good impression among the fans.

Note: For a complete list of Sliven players, see Category:OFC Sliven 2000 players.

Stadium

The stadium Hadzhi Dimitar in Sliven (15,000 seats) was built in the 50's, first big reconstructions were run in the period 1984 - 1989. Currently Hadzhi Dimitar is a part of big multifunctional sports compound, still under development - at completion featuring hotel, restaurant, 2 training grass pitches, tennis courts, swimming pool. The athletic track of Hadzhi Dimitar is meeting all requirements of IAAF for hosting international competitions. The stadium complex has the only training pitch with FieldTurf flooring in Bulgaria. The size of the official pitch is 105m x 68m. Record attendance is 30,000 people.