Bulgarian record-holder Manolov dies

Former Bulgaria defender Manol Manolov has died at the age of 83, following a short illness, with PFC CSKA Sofia left to mourn one of their greatest players, who won a national record 12 league titles.

Incredible haul
Manolov died on Tuesday morning, having been a significant figure in Bulgarian football for much of his life. He will always be associated with CSKA, having played for the club from its formation in 1948 until 1962, winning a dozen league titles (in 1948, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962) as well as four editions of the now defunct Soviet Army Cup (in 1951, 1954, 1955 and 1961).

Coaching successes
In total, he played 239 league games for CSKA, scoring eight times, and also scored once in 57 appearances for Bulgaria, playing at the 1952, 1956 and 1960 Olympics, winning a bronze medal in 1956. He moved into coaching with PFC Beroe Stara Zagora in 1965 before rejoining CSKA in 1969, and leading them to three more league titles and two more Soviet Army Cups. He won the Bulgarian Cup in a second spell at CSKA in 1985, and also coached PFC Slavia Sofia in the 1980s.

Stoichkov mentor
Manolov left his mark in more ways than one, when Hristo Stoichkov – perhaps the most celebrated player in Bulgarian history – moved to CSKA in 1984 at the coach's request. The striker later said: "Manol Manolov aided my development by bringing me to a big club like CSKA. I will never forget him."