The “green” squad:
Goalkeepers: 1. Stoyan Stavrev, 99. Plamen Kolev
Defence: 2. Ivan Spahiev, 3. Petar Kolev, 11. Stoyan Zhelev, 15. Ivo Ivanov, 24. Pavel Kovachev
Midfield: 6. Lyudmil Kirov, 16. Dimitar Andonov, 23. Milen Tanev, 25. Zhelyo Zhelev, 26. Ivelin Kostov, 28. Simeon Minchev, 29. Ivan Tanchovski
Forward: 7. Zdravko Todorov, 9. Zahari Dimitrov, 10. Danail Mitev, 18. Ivan Tonchev

PFC Beroe is not signing with Kaliakra (Kavarna) top scorer Georgi Stanchev. The player had been training with the team till the end of last year, but the team executives finally decided not to use his services. It is well-known that Stanchev had been deprived of the right to play for six months and 4 matches. Later, his punishment was reconsidered and reduced to four months. Nevertheless, Stanchev is not going to be a part of the “green” team.

The footballers who missed the first training today were the foreign players: goalkeeper Daniel Bekono and defender Marcel Elame (Kamerun), Isaac Kwakye (Ghana), Croatians Vanja Dzaferovic and Victor Spisic and Estonian midfielder Eduard Ratnikov. Nigerian player Dino Eze will terminate his contract with PFC Beroe tomorrow and it is expected that he will be found guilty for the several desertions he made during first half-season. The team executives are considering his disciplinary dismissal.

PFC Beroe’s preparation for the new half-season will be organized in five stages. First one comprises of the period 9-18th January and will be held in Stara Zagora as Beroe players are to train once a day. It is expected that foreign players will join the team in the next couple of days together with those who will stay on a probation period. From January 19th to 29th the first preparation camp of the “greens” in Kavarna will take place. The week of January 30th - February 5th Beroe players will spend in Stara Zagora, whereas the period February 6th - 19th will be spent on a camp near Turkish resort Antaliya beside the city of Side. Six friendly games are provided for the period. The last part of the preparation process will be held locally in Stara Zagora beginning February 20th and ending March 3rd.

During the preparation period the “green” team is going to play twelve friendly games, as the first scrimmage is expected to be against a foreign team and take place on January 22nd in Obrochishte. On Jan 25th a friendly against Dobrudzha (Dobrich) will be played in Albena. January 27th will be the date of the scrimmage against a team from Kazakhstan being on camp in Bulgaria. The game will be played in Obrochishte. On their way back from Kavarna Beroe footballers will play against the team of Nesebar which is currently competing in Bulgarian East “B”group. On February 1st, in Kolyo Ganchevo, Zagore or Kolarovo, will take place a game against Maritsa (Plovdiv). Two days before the beginning of the camp in Turkey, there will be a clash against the feeder team of AKB Minyor (Radnevo). During the stay in Turkey, PFC Beroe will play against the fifth in Austrian championship team of Pashing Superfund (Feb 8th), Latvia’s champion Metalurgs Liepaya (Feb 11th), Belarusian BATE Borisov (Feb 14th), Luch Energia (Vladivostok, Russia) [Feb 17th], Rostov (Rostov-Na-Donu, Russia). On February 22nd, in Nova Zagora, a friendly against the local Zagorets will be played. The official presentation of the team will be held in Stara Zagora on February 25th, as a foreign team will be invited. PFC Beroe executives remind that short-term changes during the preparation process are possible. The official web site of PFC Beroe www.beroe.bg will be informing you on all the scrimmage teams and dates.

The Beroe players are going to stay at the five-star ‘Admiral’ hotel which possesses all possible facilities. There is a fitness centre, a swimming pool which will be useful as this early stage of the preparation of the players. The training sessions and the two friendlies will be played at the pitch in Obrochishte.

The opponents for the friendlies in the first stage of the preparations are also clear. The first match of the players in 2006 will be against Farul (Constantsa, Romania) on 25th January. On 28th January there is a match against the third in Kazakh championship Kayrat KTZ (Alma Aty, Kazakhstan).

‘The greens’ are due to return in Stara Zagora on 31st January. On a pitch in the city or the nearby villages depending on the climatic conditions a friendly against Maritsa (Plovdiv) is going to be played on 1st February. A friendly against the third-tier Lokomotiv (Stara Zagoza) is scheduled for 3rd February and on the next day a match against AKB Minyor (Radnevo).

The Beroe players are going to stay at the five-star ‘Admiral’ hotel which possesses all possible facilities. There is a fitness centre, a swimming pool which will be useful as this early stage of the preparation of the players. The training sessions and the two friendlies will be played at the pitch in Obrochishte.

The opponents for the friendlies in the first stage of the preparations are also clear. The first match of the players in 2006 will be against Farul (Constantsa, Romania) on 25th January. On 28th January there is a match against the third in Kazakh championship Kayrat KTZ (Alma Aty, Kazakhstan).

‘The greens’ are due to return in Stara Zagora on 31st January. On a pitch in the city or the nearby villages depending on the climatic conditions a friendly against Maritsa (Plovdiv) is going to be played on 1st February. A friendly against the third-tier Lokomotiv (Stara Zagoza) is scheduled for 3rd February and on the next day a match against AKB Minyor (Radnevo).

Beroe won the Bulgarian title once in 1986 and the Balkans Cup four times in 1968, 1969, 1982 and 1984 (the tournament’s most successful team in this respect). The team’s most famous players are the current manager Petko Petkov, Petar Zhekov, Tenyo Minchev, Kancho Kasherov and many others.

Beroe have had some success in Europe, such as the 1:0 defeat of Juventus in a Cup Winners’ Cup first-leg in 1979 and a 3:0 win over Athletic Bilbao in 1973. Moreover, Beroe is the only Bulgarian football club that has a positive record of the matches played in European club competitions.

Beroe also have one of the most passionate and devoted fans in the country and despite the team’s mediocre performances in the recent seasons Beroe always lead the attendance charts.