Officers' Sports Club Atletik-Slava 1923 (Bulgarian: Офицерски спортен клуб „Атлетик-Слава 1923“, lit. ''Officers' Sports Club Athletic-Glory 1923''), Atletik-Slava 23, or simply AS-23, was a Bulgarian army officers' football club based in the capital of Sofia.
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| Full name | Officers' Sports Club Atletik-Slava 1923 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Asisti | ||
| Short name | AS-23 | ||
| Founded | 4 November 1923 | ||
| Dissolved | 9 November 1944 | ||
| Ground | Atletik Park | ||
| Capacity | 15,000 | ||
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The club colors were black and white and its emblem was a black lion over a white shield. Home ground was what today is the Bulgarian Army Stadium. The club's motto was "Athleticism and Glory."
History edit
AS-23 was founded on 4 November 1923 following the merger of three Sofia-based football clubs: Officers' Sports Club, Athletic, and Slava. The club's first chairman was lieutenant colonel Nikola Karagyozov.
During 1930–31 season, the club won the local Sofia division. In the play-offs, AS-23 defeated Etar Veliko Tarnovo 5–0, Sila Yambol 7–0, Napredak Ruse 3–1 and won the final against Shipchenski Sokol 3–0. They managed to do a domestic double, winning the Bulgarian Cup the same year.
In the 1940–41 season, some of the key players of AS-23 were called into the army and the club finished 5th in the Sofia Elite Division, however they won the newly created tournament, the Tsar's Cup, by defeating Napredak Ruse 4–2 in the final. The club experienced financial difficulties during the early 1940s, but the anti-communist Brannik organization provided financial help, while the Ministry of War procured the sports kits, allowing the club to remain afloat.
In November 1944, following the Soviet Army's occupation of Bulgaria, the club was merged with Shipka Sofia and Spartak Poduene to form Chavdar Sofia, which ultimately laid the foundations to what is known today as CSKA Sofia.[1][2]
Stadium edit
AS-23's stadium, known as Atletik Park, was at the place of the current Stadion Balgarska Armia. On 27 January 1925, the Municipality of Sofia allotted the club land for the stadium. During the 1930s, AS-23 was officially granted the deed to the facility. In 1944, the grounds were assumed by Chavdar Sofia, and then by the Ministry of Defence.
Honours edit
- Bulgarian State Football Championship:
- Champions (1): 1931
- Bulgarian Cup:
- Winners (1): 1941
References edit
- ^ Tribunal: AS-23 is a predecessor of CSKA Sofia
- ^ "CSKA Sofia is recognized as successor to AS-23". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2012.