Provincial sides reign supreme

Since 1938, when the Bulgarian Cup was introduced, not a season has gone by without a Sofia side claiming either that trophy or the league title. Until now.

Capital dominance ends
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv's coronation as champions for the first time in their 68-year history and PFC Litex Lovech's victory in the cup final ended the captial's domination of Bulgarian football.  Having only previously finished runners-up in 1972/73 and claimed the cup ten years later, Plovdiv's summer appointment of Eduard Eranosyan as coach proved pivotal in breaking that hoodoo.

Triumphant return
Taking over from the man nicknamed 'hero', Dimitar Dimitrov, the 43-year-old Eranosyan introduced an attractive, and winning, brand of football. Although he was surprisingly sacked just before the spring season, he was reappointed soon after to help his team finish three points ahead of PFC Levski Sofia.

Bonev help
Eranosyan was deservedly voted coach of the year, and he was helped by the appointment of club legend Hristo Bonev as manager by owner Georgi Iliev in March. Striker Martin Kamburov's league-leading 25 goals also played a huge part. Although he won the Bulgarian Player of the Season award, he was ably supported by Nigerian striking partner Ekundaio Jayeoba and defenders Vladimir Ivanov and Kiril Kotev.

Litex changes
Meanwhile, Litex's season got off to the worst possible start with a UEFA Cup qualifying round exit against Moldovan side CSF Zimbru Chisinau. Coach Ferario Spasov was replaced by the inexperienced Dragolub Simonovic and their form up to the new year was mixed.

Petkovic arrives
Club owner Grisha Ganchev then brought in Lupko Petrovic, who guided FK Crvena Zvezda to the 1990/91 European Champion Clubs' Cup, and signed Bulgarian internationals Zdravko Zdravkov and Zoran Jankovic. The reward was a penalty shoot-out win against PFC CSKA Sofia in the cup final.

Unhappy birthday
League runners-up Levski failed to win a trophy for the first time since 1999, a disappointment on their 90th anniversary. Georgi Todorov began the season in charge, but was soon replaced by the returning Georgi Vassilev, Buglarian's most successful club coach. However, even with Vasilev and talismanic striker Georgi Ivanov, returing on a one-year loan from Stade Rennais FC, Levski ended without silverware. Stanimir Stoilov has now taken over from Vassilev.

CSKA in third
Deposed champions CSKA finished third, having begun the season by investing in Brazilian duo Leo Lima and Rodrigo Souza, who then left in October. Their 18-year-old winter signing Kostadin Hazurov became the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Bulgarian top flight.

Slavia fifth
PFC Slavia Sofia went through three coaches but finished fifth and missed out on Europe, while PFC Cherno More Varna did well to finish sixth despite financial problems. PFC Naftex Burgas had high hopes when appointing Dimitrov coach, but he did not see out a season and like PFC Lokomotiv Sofia ended in mid-table.

Relegation avoided
PFC Marek Dupnitza suffered a post-season blow when owner Stefan Milushev said he wanted to invest in a team capable of more success and left along with coach Rumen Stoyanov. Newcomers to the expanded 16-team top division PFC Rodopa Smolyan, PFC Belasitsa Petrich and PFC Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo all celebrated avoiding relegation, something PFC Spartak Varna achieved in their final game.

Nesebar bow
However, the fourth promoted side, PFC Makedonska Slava Simitli, lost Premier League with PFC Botev Plovdiv and PFC Chernomorets Burgas. PFC Beroe Stara Zagora and PFC Pirin Blagoevgrad were promoted along with top-flight debutants PFC Nesebar