Levski honour old hero

PFC Levski Sofia are retiring their No9 shirt in memory of legendary striker Georgi Asparuhov.

Emotional decision
After a meeting of the club's board of directors yesterday, it was decided that the No9 shirt will no longer be used after the end of the current season as a tribute to 'Gundi' who died in a car accident along with Levski team-mate Nikola Kotkov on 30 June 1971.

Love and respect
Long revered by supporters of the club, a monument in memory of Asparuhov already stands outside Levski's stadium which was also named the Georgi Asparuhov stadium as a tribute to the striker and a mark of the love and respect which everyone connected with the club still feels for him.

Three championships
In his eleven years in the Bulgarian top flight, Asparuhov scored 150 goals in 245 appearances during two spells for Levski either side of two seasons spent at PFC Botev Plovdiv between 1961 and 1963. He was top scorer in the 1965 season with 27 goals and a championship winner with Levski in 1965, 1968 and 1970.

International credentials
He was honoured with a Silver Labour medal by the Bulgarian government and served his country well, scoring 19 goals in 50 international appearances, including Bulgaria's only ever goal against England at Wembley in a 1-1 draw in 1968. He also played in the 1962, 1966 and 1970 FIFA World Cup finals.

'The centre forward of my dreams'
Unusually for a player from eastern Europe in the 1960s, Asparuhov also received plenty of admiring glances from journalists, coaches and players from outside the Iron Curtain. AC Milan coach Nereo Roko declared after watching him in action: "This is the centre forward of my dreams."

National hero
Asparuhov's place in Bulgarian football history was underlined in 2000 when the striker was voted Bulgarian Player of the Century ahead of another national hero, former PFC CSKA Sofia and FC Barcelona forward Hristo Stoichkov.

Honourable service
The No9 shirt which Asparuhov wore with such pride for Levski has also been worn by crowd favourite Georgi Ivanov. 'Gonzo' was compared by many to Asparuhov for his bravery and class and earned a unique place in the heart of Levski fans for scoring 12 goals in 14 derby games against local rivals CSKA.

Final year
For its final year of service, the No9 shirt will continue to be worn by promising former Bulgarian Under-21 international Todor Kolev, but from 4 May 2003 - when the club will celebrate what would have been Asparuhov's 60th birthday - the shirt will go into retirement having served Levski as faithfully and stylishly as the club's most celebrated player.