2014–15 B Group Explained

Competition:Bulgarian B Group
Season:2014–15
Promoted:Montana
Pirin Blagoevgrad
Relegated:Botev Vratsa
Chernomorets
Rakovski
Spartak Varna
League Topscorer:Yanaki Smirnov (22 goals)
Matches:239
Total Goals:586
Prevseason:2013–14
Nextseason:2015–16

The 2014–15 B Group was the 59th season of the Bulgarian B Football Group, the second tier of the Bulgarian football league system.

Team changes from 2013–14

Movement between A PFG and B PFG

At the end of last season the first two teams of the second division of Bulgarian football were promoted to the top division - A PFG. These were Marek Dupnitsa and Haskovo 2009.

Because of the changes made in the number of teams in A PFG for this season the bottom four teams in A Group at the end of the last one were relegated to B Group for season 2014–2015. These were Chernomorets Burgas, Neftochimic Burgas, Pirin Gotse Delchev and Lyubimets 2007.

Movement between B PFG and V AFG

The four V AFG champions - Sozopol (South-East), Benkovski Byala (North-East), Pirin Blagoevgrad (South-West) and Lokomotiv Mezdra (North-West) - were promoted to B PFG because of their standings in their respective groups the previous season.

Further pre-season changes

On June 16 Benkovski Byala sent an official letter to the Bulgarian Football Union and declined to participate in the 2014–15 B PFG, citing financial problems.[1] On the next day media reports suggested that three additional clubs had not met the license criteria in the initial investigation by the BFU - Lyubimets, Neftochimic and Pirin Gotse Delchev. All three clubs were in danger of being refused a spot in the group, while the 2nd placed teams in the 2013/14 V AFG were preparing themselves to make bids to replace them.[2]

On June 19 the BFU confirmed Benkovski's withdrawal and officially invited FC Master Burgas to take their spot as the 2nd placed team in the Southeast V AFG.[3] On June 22, the club announced it had accepted the invitation, and in addition would change its name to FC Burgas and switch colours from red and white to blue and white.[4] On June 30, the BFU announced the final list of participants for the 2014–15 season after a six-hour session. Lyubimets, Neftochimic and Pirin Gotse Delchev were all denied a professional license for the following season due to outstanding debts and would have to compete in the V AFG or fold. The group was kept at 16 teams with the addition of Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa (2nd place in Northwest V AFG), Septemvri Simitli (2nd place in Southwest V AFG) and Vereya Stara Zagora (3rd place in Southeast V AFG). Vereya was chosen ahead of Oborishte Panagyurishte (3rd placed in Southwest V AFG) because of its higher coefficient and better infrastructure.[5]

Stadia and locations

TeamCityStadiumCapacity
Saint Peter align=center 3,000
Energetik align=center 3,000
align=center 32,000
Balgarovo align=center 3,000
align=center 18,037
align=center 12,500
align=center 12,000
align=center 5,000
8,000
align=center 11,000
Pirin align=center 2,000
Legia align=center 3,000
Struma align=center 8,000
align=center 3,000
8,000
Trace Arena 1,000

League table

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankScorerClubGoals[6]
1 Yanaki Smirnov22
2 Miroslav Antonov18
3 Atanas IlievDobrudzha Dobrich17
4 Petar AtanasovRakovski13
5 Georgi KirilovBotev Galabovo12
6 Nikolay TsvetkovLokomotiv 2012 Mezdra11
7 Antoniy BalakovLokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa10
8 Deyan HristovChernomorets Burgas9
Sergey GeorgievMontana9
Martin ToshevPirin Blagoevgrad9
11 Vladimir KaptievPirin Razlog8
Updated on 24 May 2015

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Бенковски се отказа от участие в Б група. Bulgarian. www.sportal.bg. 16 June 2014. 17 February 2015.
  2. Web site: Б група може да стартира с намален състав. Bulgarian. www.sportal.bg. 17 June 2014. 17 February 2015.
  3. Web site: Мастер Бс ще играе в Б група. Bulgarian. www.sportal.bg. 20 June 2014. 17 February 2015.
  4. Web site: Мастер Бургас си смени името. Bulgarian. www.gong.bg. 22 June 2014. 17 February 2015.
  5. Web site: Окончателно: Три отбора от "Б" група без лиценз. Bulgarian. www.sportal.bg. 30 June 2014. 17 February 2015.
  6. Web site: Голмайсторите в "Б" Група . sportal.bg . Bulgarian . 2015-05-11 . 2015-04-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150426152752/http://www.sportal.bg/statistics_players_stats.php?champ=26&season=126&team=0&order=score . dead .