Manchev takes Bulgarian award

PFC CSKA Sofia's Vladimir Manchev was named as Bulgaria's Player's Player of the Season last night.

Top scorer
The A PFG's top scorer in the 2001/02 season just edged out PFC Levski Sofia striker Georgi Ivanov to win the prestigious award and was delighted to accept the honour at a ceremony in Sofia."It is an honour for me to receive this award," Manchev said. "It was clear that Georgi Ivanov and I were the main challengers for this award.

'I respect Gonzo'
"I respect Gonzo [Ivanov] both as a person and as a very good footballer, who is Levski's best player and has many times defeated my team all by himself. However, it seems as though the fact that I scored more goals in the championship and in the Bulgarian Cup tournament was decisive for the choice. I am extremely flattered by the fact that more than 700 professional players in Bulgaria decided that I was the best player this season."

Spasov honoured
Meanwhile, PFC Litex Lovech coach Ferario Spasov was awarded Players' Coach of the Season award in a season where he was the only coach of a top-three side to keep his job for the whole season. Emil Gargorov of PFC Lokomotiv Sofia was voted Players' Young Player of the Season.

Players' votes
Stanimir Dimitrov of PFC Nafteks was awarded the Cavalier of Fair Play award, while Stanimir Stoilov of Levski won the Overall Contribution award. For the first time in Bulgaria, all awards were decided by the votes of the members of the Association of Professional Players.

Players' Team of the Season
Lukic (CSKA), Topuzakov (Levski), Kirilov (Litex), Ivanov (CSKA), Bachkov (PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv), Jelenkovic (Litex), Nikolov (PFC Slavia Sofia), Dimitrov (Nafteks), Velizar Dimitrov (PFC Marek), Manchev (CSKA), Ivanov (Levski).