September 27 – Bulgaria’s Spartak Varna owner Pavlin Nikolov has followed through on his promise and withdrawn from financing of the club after nearly 50 Spartak fans disrupted the team’s training session on Thursday and attacked head coach Kyriakos Georgiou.
According to various sources, Spartak’s head coach was punched in the face during the fan invasion. The training was immediately terminated.
Nikolov (pictured) had warned fans earlier this week that unless they stopped their abuse and threats towards Georgiou and the club’s management he would stop picking up the bills.
Minutes after the fans stormed the training ground. Nikolov released an official statement saying he was ending funding for the club.
“After the vandalism today of a handful of people – part of FC Spartak fans – who did not respect everything I have done for the growth of the club in recent years, I have taken the following decision,” said the statement.
“I am ending the financing of the team in the efbet League. The responsibility for the fact that Spartak will not continue in the elite division rests with this small group of ‘fans’, who today demonstrated a disregard for moral norms and the law. From now on, I will focus my efforts entirely on the development of the club’s academy, in order to build a new generation of football players and coaches that Spartak Varna can be proud of again! Thanks to all the real Spartakians for the support”, Nikolov concluded.
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1727429385labto1727429385ofdlr1727429385owedi1727429385sni@o1727429385fni1727429385