Presented abroad

National Cup Final 15 May 2019, Sofia - Attend: Botevists - 15000, Lokomotiv Plovdiv - 5000

Background
Botev Plovdiv has maintained a strong fan base over the years. In terms of the popularity is staged as the third most supported club in Bulgaria, right after the two establishment bodies – Levski and CSKA from Sofia, which are the Bulgarian version of the Olympiakos-Panathinaikos 'prominence'.

Hardcore support of Botev Plovdiv traces roots back in mid-60s when die-hard fans started to gather themselves with flags and banners on the east side of our home stadium. The boom of activities picked in 1966/67 season as our club won its second title and thousands of Plovdivians followed the champions’ team home and away.

In the 1970s, a time of club’s decline, the radical support from the East Stand (Tribuna Iztok in Bulgarian) became more distinctive – almost separate, independent part of the Botev’s audience. This would mark the next decade as in their best days the radicals numbered about a hundreds, showing behavior influenced by the ‘British way’ – bar scarves, song refrains from pop hits (mostly Boney M’s ‘River of Babylon’, ‘Brown Girl in the Ring’, ‘Hooray! Hooray!’, the Hungarians of Omega with ‘Gyöngyhajú lány’ and etc) and arrogance. However, the tradition has remained to stand on the East of "The College$, entering through Gate 5 from the Varshava (Warsaw) Street. The nickname of Stadion Botev is the College due to fact that the Catholic College of Saint Augustine owned the pitch before the nationalization by communists in late 1940s.

After the fall of the communist regime and opening borders, the scene in Bulgaria had begun to develop faster as information what is going around Europe flowed easily and more people became aware of Mentalita Ultras.

First ultra-style group of botevists was formed in 1993 by a bunch of friends from the neighborhood of Izgrev, East Plovdiv and thus named Izgrev Boys. Same year was marked by the biggest officially registered travel of fans in Bulgaria since then. Twelve thousand botevists flooded the streets of the town of Blagoevgrad for the Cup final versus CSKA (Botev lost 0-1).

Shortly afterwards two other mobs emerged – Banda Kichuka (aka Brannik Brigades) and Bunta Sever from the residential areas of Kichuk Parish and Karshyaka respectfully. In general, mid-90s coined the reputation of the bultras as they were at the very pick of prominence, dominant force on stands and enlightening others from the Bulgarian scene at that time.

Obviously, the 'bultra' derives from Botev Ultras and it is a common alias for the extreme botevists. In other words, every bultra is a botevist, but not all botevists are bultras.


Present days
There is no unique umbrella organization embracing all fans of the Plovdiv Canaries. Presently under the banner Bultras are gathering on stands several groups but not in a way of consolidated orchestra. Simultaneously the all-Botevists formal representation is the Club of Supporters of Botev Plovdiv (KPBP), established in 2013 as an heir of previously existed centralized fan clubs.

Through last two decades a sheer number of bultra groups have arisen and faded away whilst others are still standing - Bandits, Barabas, Ludata Banda Kichuka, Brigades Trakia, Centrum Crew, Proslav, Titans, SCB, CSC, Youth Group, Bultras Assenovgrad, Bultras Haskovo. Thus the lack of homogeneity gives a multifaceted look of Botev's support which allegedly preserve it natural, away from any political interference or fashionable ephemera.

When have to manage away trips or some actions, the bultra groups interact and cooperate. Each group provides resources and manning considering where they would be more feasible and useful for the common goal i.e. performance of corteos and choreos, graffiti, propaganda, etc. Besides there are many people who considered themselves as bultra, but are not part of any group and participate sporadically in our actions. 

Skirmishes break out from time to time (especially after 2020-2021) in-between and this results in weakening the bultra unity and squandering of respect.


Tifo
The biggest problem on the stands nowadays is that Botev Plovdiv does not play at own ground, the College Stadium. Sounds a bit pathetic but it affects on the overall performance. Home stadium is a place where traditions are kept, generations merged smoothly, links tighten and the family forges itself.

Presently Botev Plovdiv is tucked away in the south suburb of Komatevo and dwarfed in size of terrace's support. The team plays at the club’s Komatevo Training Base, which hardly can accommodate 3500 spectators. In comparison, in the period 2014-2019 several times Botev had the advantage of the so-called 'bultras on tour' with over 5000 travelling supporters. Nowadays botevists are famous with the fact that their away support is bigger than the one at home.

It had started when a new vision for improvement of the stadium was presented by the directors, due to the higher targets they wanted to meet. Unfortunately, in 2014 the reconstruction works stopped - two stands partially erected while others been on ground zero level - as the main sponsor Corporate Commercial Bank (KTB) collapsed. Ever since the College Cause has lived as a testament for the botevists' Promised land.

Additionally the bultra performance still bears scars of the 10-year war against club’s previous owner who put the club almost to the brink of existence as an institution. This mini civil war reflected on botevists cohesion and deteriorated the achievements that were gained in the 90s. Generally, the Botev Plovdiv followers preserve old school football manners - orgy, sporadic singing (then hangover sleeping), no politics. Thus, a Bultras Fight Club has been found with aim to motivate young bultra generations to keep on sporting and away from drugs and indolences.


Mentality
The ideology of the Plovdiv Botevism generally is called Urban Order. It corresponds with the mentality of the Plovdivians as citizens of a place with millennium history and heirs of empires and peoples. With a mindset delivered by the so-called cultura trimona (comes from Trimontium, the Roman name of Plovdiv) the botevists have forged an ideological claim of "urban order and entertainment". It stands for a common apprehension to distinguish themselves from non-Plovdivers and glory-hunters, predominantly fans of Sofia’s fat cats. Cultura Trimona is a narrative of mentality, a folklore with some of its plots barely believable as ‘Sofia is eager to diminish Plovdiv, always, while other Bulgarians are nerds and wannabees who are starving 'to live like Plovdivians'. So you may encounter such mentality almost everywhere you find a true Plovdivian, born and bred - a little flamboyant, a little vulgar, partially sceptic and enough perky. It is reinterpreted at their work, at their amusements, garment styles they prefer and even what weather they admire. Obviously it marks their football as well.


Rivalries & Friendships
Abroad, Aris - same golden and black colors of the teams and respectively those of the local city rivals (white-black). Additionally, the cities of Thessaloniki and Plovdiv are twins, have similar custom and manners, second biggest in their countries, both share same hatred towards the capitals and big cats there. 

Years ago, bultras established good relations with the lads from Slask Wroclaw and Dinamo Minsk. Additionally have some contacts on a personal basis with PSV and Inter Milano groups.

Domestically, in Bulgaria bultras' friends are Spartak Varna and Neftochimic Burgas. Many bultras appreciate and respect boys from Minyor Pernik as well.

The biggest enmity is with Lokomotiv from Plovdiv and Levski and CSKA from Sofia. Historically Levski Sofia is the eternal enemy on and off the pitch, but indeed treat them respectfully as adversary because of showing dignity in front of troubles and bad times for their club.

Since decades, it has been a tradition to visit the Thessalonian derbries with PAOK and Iraklis. There bultras are always warm welcomed by the famous Super 3 organisation. Unfortunately, one of these presences was marked by a tragedy - the assassination of Tosko Bozadzhiyski, a victim of blind fanatic violence on January 5, 2020.

Tosko was happy in Thessaloniki that Sunday afternoon. Previous day he had travelled to see Aris’ victory 4-2 in the derby with PAOK. While he was sitting and drinking his coffee, near Thessaloniki’s Concert Hall, a PAOK hooligan group identified him by the badges he was wearing. These PAOK hooligans were at least 20, had masks and crowbars. They attacked with intensity and what follows is frightening even reporting it. Seriously injured, Tosko was desperately trying to escape the ambush. But he fell in front of a car that literally passed over him, cutting the thread of his life. A few hours later during PAOK-Aris basketball match in Pylaia, his death became a slogan of PAOK’s fans. It was a disgusting – while supporting a team to celebrate a confirmation of a murder. The worst and most tragic version of fan’s violence. 

There is much sadness and anger for the loss of an young life, but also a fear that the powerful law of silence will prevail again. That there would be a cover-up of the case in a chain that pulls its links from organized fanatic violence and ends up with the owners of PAOK and their relationships with the local authorities. 

Of the twenty attackers, only two were arrested. One of the indicts is alleged to have a close family relationship with a high police officer linked to the PAOK boss Ivan Savvidis' circle in Thessaloniki and Macedonia. Savvidis is a notorious Greek businessman from Georgian origin, one of Balkans's wealthiest men (according to Forbes, his fortune is estimated to $1.4 billion) and suspected of laundering money of the former Soviet Russia's secret services. Dimitris Tsakos, the lawyer of Ivan Savvides in the "gun enter" case - on March 2018, the match in Thessaloniki PAOK-AEK was interrupted by the Ivan Savvidis’s intrusion with a gun to the football field - is also the lawyer of one of the defendants for the murder.

The car passing over the victim was driven by a 31-old woman, girlfriend of one of the attackers. Based on investigation, the car was rented (or bought) in the name of a known PAOK fan, 53-old Grammatikopoulos, also known by a case of a bomb attack on a shop.

This terrific crime has dealt a heavy blow to the whole bultras as Tosko was a key figure and talented organiser. The tragedy stands as a cornerstone in the life of Botevism.