Svetoslav Todorov

Svetoslav Todorov (Template:Langx; born 30 August 1978) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as a second striker. Todorov is the all-time top scorer for Litex Lovech in the Bulgarian A Football Group. He made 41 appearances for the Bulgaria national team, scoring seven goals. He is currently an academy coach at Crystal Palace.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Club career

Early career

After being part of the youth system since the age of 6,<ref name="svetoslavivanovtodorov2020">Template:Cite news</ref> Todorov began his career at Bulgarian First Division club Dobrudzha Dobrich in 1996–97, scoring twice in twelve appearances.<ref name=Hogg>Template:Cite book</ref> He then joined Second Division champions Litex Lovech where he scored 34 goals in 70 league games over four seasons (two of them title winning). He managed a career-high 19 league goals during the 1999–2000 season, being overtaken as the top goalscorer by Mihail Mihaylov on the last match day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Todorov captained the team over the course of the autumn part of the 2000–2001 campaign. He scored his first European goals during the summer of 1999, in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, all three of them coming against Polish team Widzew Łódź.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During his time in Bulgaria he had a clean disciplinary record and was sent off only once (on 13 May 2000, in a 1–0 away loss against Spartak Varna in an A PFG match).<ref>"А" ПФГ, XXVI КРЪГ Template:Webarchive</ref> His form attracted attention from English clubs and after trials with Preston North End and West Ham United, he joined West Ham in January 2001.<ref name=WestHam>Template:Cite news</ref>

West Ham United

Todorov joined West Ham in January 2001 for a fee of £500,000, rising to £2 million depending on appearances.<ref name=WestHam /> He made his debut in a 3–0 defeat at Liverpool and scored his first goal for the club in his third game, a 3–2 FA Cup defeat at home to Tottenham,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=sbase>Template:Cite web</ref> and then scored his first league goal for the club against Middlesbrough.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, following manager Harry Redknapp's departure from the club in May 2001, Todorov found himself out of favour and he played just eight games under new manager Glenn Roeder in the 2001–02 season.<ref name=sbase />

Portsmouth

Todorov signed for Portsmouth in March 2002 for £750,000, joining director of football, Harry Redknapp, who had signed him for West Ham; Redknapp described him as, "...a very intelligent footballer [who] will bring good competition in the striking department."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was sent off for violent conduct in his second appearance for Portsmouth in a 2–0 defeat away at Preston and made only one further appearance in the 2001–02 season.<ref name=sbase /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He became a regular in the first team in the 2002–03 season, making 45 league appearances and scoring 26 goals, including a hat-trick in the final game of the season against Bradford City, as Portsmouth won the Football League First Division championship and were promoted to the Premier League.<ref name=sbase /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was the First Division's top scorer, overhauling Nottingham Forest's David Johnson with his hat-trick on the final day of the season; Redknapp said, "Todorov has had a great season. He is leading scorer in the First Division after today's goals. I bought him from my old club West Ham and he got a lot of stick at first... He has done marvellously, proving what a great player he is."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Todorov signed a new three-year contract with Portsmouth in July 2003.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Days before the start of the club's debut Premiership season, Todorov severely damaged a cruciate knee ligament in a training accident.<ref name=BBC0904>Template:Cite news</ref> He required surgery on his knee and was expected to miss the rest of the 2003–04 season.<ref name=BBC0904 /> He made a comeback in the Portsmouth reserve side in February 2004<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and returned to the first team in an away game at Liverpool. He made only the one appearance for Portsmouth in the Premiership during the 2003–04 season and required further surgery on his knee in May 2004, causing him to miss the Euro 2004 championships in the summer of 2004<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the entire 2004–05 season.<ref name=sbase /> He was given a new contract in August 2005 and, having played very little in the previous two seasons, was offered to other clubs on loan to regain fitness.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, he remained with Portsmouth and was used mostly as a substitute during the 2005–06 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He scored the winning goal against West Bromwich Albion in manager Harry Redknapp's second game on returning to Portsmouth in December 2005<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and scored crucial goals against West Ham,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Blackburn Rovers<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Sunderland<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as Portsmouth battled against and survived relegation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

After scoring twice for Portsmouth in the opening three games of the 2006–07 season, Todorov joined Wigan Athletic in August 2006 on a season-long loan.<ref name=wigan>Template:Cite news</ref> Wigan manager, Paul Jewell, described him as "..a pure striker who lives to put the ball in the net."<ref name=wigan /> However, he made only five appearances for Wigan, without scoring, and returned to Portsmouth in January 2007.<ref name=sbase /> He made one further appearance in the 2006–07 season, as a substitute against Fulham in March 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Charlton Athletic

Having fallen down the pecking order at Portsmouth in the 2006–07 season, Todorov joined relegated side Charlton Athletic in July 2007 on a free transfer in a one-year deal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His first league goal for Charlton came against London rivals Crystal Palace in September 2007,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but after suffering a knee injury in a match against Plymouth in October 2007, Todorov was ruled out of the remainder of the 2007–08 season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He signed a new one-year contract in June 2008,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but was not offered a new contract at the end of the 2008–09 season.<ref name="Charlton hold contract talks">Template:Cite news</ref>

Litex Lovech

Todorov joined his former club Litex Lovech as a free agent on 16 July 2009. On 8 August 2009, he marked his return to the TBI A Football Group with a goal after coming on as a substitute for Ivelin Popov – wrapping up a 5–0 away win against Lokomotiv Mezdra with an 89th-minute strike.<ref>Литекс тръгна с 5:0 в Мездра, Тоди се завърна с гол Template:Webarchive</ref> On 25 October 2010, Todorov scored a last-minute goal against Levski Sofia to help his team to a 2–1 home win.<ref>Отново много екшън и драма на Литекс – "Левски", шампионите излизат на върха</ref> In January 2011, he was chosen by the Litex fans as the 2010 Best Club Player for the Year.<ref>Тоди стана №1 в Литекс</ref> On 12 July 2011, he netted twice to help his team to a 2–1 away win against Montenegrin side Mogren in the first leg match of the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase.<ref>Светльо Тодоров: заслужено победихме, мачът в Ловеч ще е тежъкTemplate:Dead link</ref> Todorov left the club after the end of the 2011–12 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Hoverla Uzhhorod

In late August 2012, Todorov signed a one-year contract with newly promoted Ukrainian Premier League club Hoverla Uzhhorod.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He made his debut for FC Hoverla Uzhhorod on 31 August 2012, in the 2–1 home win over Tavriya Simferopol and played the last match of his professional career on 24 November, in the 5–1 away loss against Shakhtar Donetsk.<ref>Svetoslav Todorov player profile and match log</ref> He left the club in January 2013<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and later announced his retirement.

International career

He used to be part of the Bulgaria U21 team.<ref name="svetoslavivanovtodorov2020"/> Todorov made his debut for Bulgaria on 10 March 1998, in the 0:2 loss against Argentina in a friendly match.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was in manager Hristo Bonev's plans for the 1998 World Cup, but missed out due to an injury.<ref name="svetoslavivanovtodorov2020"/> For the same reason, he was unable to participate in Euro 2004.

Personal life

Todorov is married to Severina and they have a son.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His father, Ivan Manolov, is also a football manager and represented Dobrudzha Dobrich in his playing days.<ref name="svetoslavivanovtodorov2020"/> Todorov's younger brother, Pavlin, is a former professional footballer and current manager as well.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cupTemplate:Efn		League cupTemplate:Efn		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Dobrudzha Dobrich	1996–97	A PFG	12	2	0	0	–		–		–		12	2
Litex Lovech	1997–98	A PFG	19	9			–		–		–		19	9
	1998–99		12	2	3	0	–		0	0	–		15	2
	1999–2000		26	19	3	3	–		4	3	–		33	25
	2000–01		13	4	3	9	–		–		–		16	13
	Total		70	34					4	3	0	0
West Ham United	2000–01	Premier League	8	1	1	1	0	0	–		–		9	2
	2001–02		6	0	1	0	1	0	–		–		8	0
	England		14	1	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	17	2
Portsmouth	2001–02	First Division	3	1	0	0	0	0	–		–		3	1
	2002–03		45	26	1	0	2	0	–		–		48	26
	2003–04	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		1	0
	2004–05		0	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		0	0
	2005–06		24	4	2	0	1	0	–		–		27	4
	2006–07		4	2	0	0	0	0	–		–		4	2
	Total		77	33	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	83	33
Wigan Athletic (loan)	2006–07	Premier League	5	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		5	0
Charlton Athletic	2007–08	Championship	7	2	0	0	2	1	–		–		9	3
	2008–09		13	1	0	0	0	0	–		–		13	1
	Total		20	3	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	22	4
Litex Lovech	2009–10	A PFG	11	2	0	0	–		2	0	1	0	14	2
	2010–11		25	8	4	2	–		1	0	1	0	31	10
	2011–12		20	10	4	2	–		6	3	0	0	30	15
	Total		56	20	8	4	0	0	9	3	2	0	75	27
Hoverla Uzhhorod	2012–13	Ukrainian Premier League	9	0	1	0	–		–		–		10	0
Career total			263	93	23	17	6	1	13	6	2	0	307	117

International

Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Todorov goal.

List of international goals scored by Svetoslav Todorov<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	29 March 2000	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Template:Fb	1–0	4–1	Friendly
2	7 October 2000	Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Template:Fb	3–0	3–0	2002 World Cup qualifier
3	27 March 2003	Stadion Mladost, Kruševac, Serbia and Montenegro	Template:Fb	2–1	2–1	Friendly
4	7 June 2003	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Template:Fb	2–2	2–2	Euro 2004 qualifier
5	12 November 2005	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Template:Fb	5–0	6–2	Friendly
6				6–2
7	9 May 2006	Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan	Template:Fb	1–0	2–1	2006 Kirin Cup

Honours

• Champion of Bulgaria 1998, 1999, 2010, 2011
  • Bulgarian Supercup 2010

External links

• Svetoslav Todorov player profileTemplate:Dead link at cafc.co.uk
• Template:Soccerbase
• BBC profile Template:Webarchive
• Bulgaria – Record International Players
• Template:NFT player
• Template:FFU