Full name | OFC Vihren Sandanski |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | The gladiators |
Founded | May 24, 1925 |
Ground |
Sandanski Stadium, Sandanski |
Capacity | 6 000 |
Chairman | |
Manager | Todor Mechev |
League | Third League |
2015–16 | South-Western V Group, 6th |
OFC Vihren (Bulgarian: Вихрен Сандански) is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Sandanski, currently playing in the Third League. The club's home ground is the Sandanski Stadium in Sandanski with a capacity of 6,000. Vihren Sandanski's team colours are green and white.
Currently the team's home kit is green and the away kit is white. Various combinations of green and white have been used through the years, but green remains the basic colour of the team.
The club was founded on 24 May 1925. It has carried the names Ustrem, Gotse Delchev, Yane Sandanski and Cherveno zname throughout its history. Until the 2004/05 season, the team participated in either the second or the third Bulgarian division, but gained a promotion to the Bulgarian A PFG for the 2005/06 season. In the first year of A PFG, FC Vihren's owner decided to bring players from other country. His first signing was the ex-FC Porto player Jose Furtado. He was from the Portugal G.D. Tourizense for free. Brazilian player Serginio Dias, and Portuguese players Mauro Alexandre and Nuno Almeida were just a few players who signed for FC Vihren after Furtado. The team coach was named Petar Zhekov. Vihren finished season 2005/06 on 10th place in A PFG with 30 points. In season 2007-08, FC Vihren's owner Konstantin Dinev decided to bring Portuguese coach Rui Dias. With the club from Sandanski signed also eight Portuguese and two Brazilian players. But three months later, Rui Dias was discharged for poor results. Again the team finished on 10th place. Season 2008/09 started excellent with a 1-0 win against Bulgarian Vice-champion Levski Sofia. In the 4th round, the club defeated Lokomotiv Sofia. In January 2008,with Vihren signed notable Greek players Christos Maladenis and Dimitrios Zografakis. In the end of the season the team finished in 14th place and were relegated to B PFG.