FC Chavdar Etropole

Chavdar

Full name	Football Club Chavdar Etropole
Founded	1922; 102 years ago (1922)
Ground	Chavdar Stadium
Capacity	5,600
Chairman	Emil Dimitrov
Manager	Krasimir Stoev
League	South-West Third League
2021–22	South-West Third League, 3rd
Home colours Away colours

FC Chavdar (Bulgarian: ФК Чавдар) is a Bulgarian football club based in Etropole, Sofia Province. Founded in 1922, they compete in the South-West Third League, the third tier of Bulgarian football.^[1] They play their home games at the Chavdar Stadium, which now boasts a capacity of 5,600. Their home colours are red and white.

Chavdar have spent the majority of their playing history between the third and fourth tiers of the Bulgarian football league system. They achieved promotion to the second tier in 2007 following a win against Botev Vratsa in the play-off.^[2] The following season, they achieved their highest league finish in club history, ending the season 3rd in the Bulgarian Second Division.^[3]

In 2009–10 season, as a second league team, Chavdar contested the Bulgarian Cup Semi-final for the only time in their history, losing 1–0 against Beroe.^[4]

The club was established in 1922 with the name "Balkan". In 1945 the club was renamed "Peyo Krinchev". Between 1957 and 1985 the club was named DFS "Etropole". Since 1985 the name is "Chavdar". The main kit-colours of the team are red and white. In his history the club participated in either the second or the third Bulgarian division. Currently the team is playing in the West B PFG. In 2007/2008 season Chavdar finishes 3rd in the Bulgarian South-West V AFG, and wins promotion for the 2008/2009 season.

The club qualified for the 1/16 finals of the Bulgarian Cup 1972–73 after defeating Botev Vratsa and for the 1/8 finals in 2007–08 after defeating PFC Haskovo and beating surprisingly elite Marek Dupnitsa with 5:3 (after penalty kicks) to make it to the 1/8 finals of the competition. There "Chavdar" was eliminated by the Kaliakra Kavarna after suffering a 2:0 loss. On 31 March 2010, Chavdar reached the semi-finals of the Bulgarian Cup for the first time in their history - the team from Etropole eliminated higher echelon Slavia Sofia after a penalty shootout (the score at the end of extra time was 0:0, the hosts won 4:2 in the kicks from the spot contest). They lost in the next round against Beroe by a score of 0:1.

The team was dissolved in 2013, but restored again in the year 2014, starting from A Regional Group, the 4th league in Bulgarian football.

• Third place in the Western "B" group: 2007/08
• Semifinalist in the National Cup tournament: this time its official name is the Cup of Bulgaria - 2009 / 10

As of 1 August 2019^[update]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  BUL Vasko Todorov 4 MF  BUL Ivaylo Stoyanov 5 DF  BUL Kaloyan Radkov 7 FW  BUL Nikolay Ivanov (captain) 8 MF  BUL Mihail Mihaylov 9 FW  BUL Nikolay Botev 10 MF  BUL Viktor Penchev 11 FW  BUL Tsvetelin Tsakovski 12 GK  BUL Boris Gruev 13 GK  BUL Borislav Ivanov 14 MF  BUL Vladimir Tachev

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 MF  BUL Martin Milkov 16 DF  BUL Vasil Banov 18 DF  BUL Aleksandar Sabev 19 DF  BUL Sotir Iliev 21 MF  BUL Aleksandar Bakalov 23 MF  BUL Stanislav Blagoev 24 MF  BUL Ivaylo Hayrilov 25 MF  BUL Francesco Gattu 73 MF  BUL Ivaylo Velichkov 77 DF  BUL Georgi Atanasov

Had international caps for their respective countries, held any club record, or had more than 100 league appearances. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries.

Name	Period
Stoycho Stoev	July 2007 – July 2009
Boris Angelov	July 2009 – June 2010
Atanas Atanasov	June 2010 – December 2011
Petar Penchev	December 2011 – June 2013
Krasimir Stoev	June 2014 –

• Official website
• Club Profile at bgclubs.eu