Plamen Nikolov (footballer, born 1985)

Plamen Nikolov
Personal information
Full name Plamen Venelinov Nikolov
Date of birth (1985-06-12) 12 June 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Pleven, Bulgaria
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
Spartak Pleven
Levski Sofia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Spartak Pleven 51 (1)
2006–2012 Litex Lovech 107 (4)
2012 → Tom Tomsk (loan) 10 (0)
2012–2013 Tom Tomsk 30 (1)
2014 Litex Lovech 5 (0)
2014–2015 Botev Plovdiv 42 (0)
2016–2017 Cherno More 41 (2)
2017 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 15 (0)
2018–2022 Litex Lovech 108 (7)
Total 409 (15)
International career
2009–2011 Bulgaria 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Plamen Venelinov Nikolov (Bulgarian: Пламен Венелинов Николов; born 12 June 1985) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as a defender.

Career

Spartak Pleven

Nikolov was born in Pleven. After emerging through Levski Sofia's youth system, he made his professional debut in the second level with Spartak Pleven, the club from his home town. He made his team début on 7 August 2004, in an 0–0 draw against Rilski Sportist Samokov. On 6 October 2004 Nikolov scored his first goal in a 6–0 drubbing of amateur side Botev Lukovit of Bulgarian Cup.

Plamen quickly became part of the main team and for two seasons earned 53 appearances, scoring two goals.

Litex Lovech

In June 2006, Nikolov agreed a deal to sign for Litex Lovech for an undisclosed fee. He has made his debut for Litex in Rilski Sportist match on 13 August 2006 as an 85th-minute substitute. During his first season in Litex, Nikolov found regular starting positions in defence hard to find. He played only 5 matches in the domestic league.

In 2007–08 A PFG season coach of Litex Miodrag Ješić decided to put Nikolov into the starting line-up as center back. In this season, he earned 22 appearances playing in the A PFG, scored one goal. In the Bulgarian Cup, he played three matches, and in the UEFA Cup, he played 6 matches. Nikolov also won his first trophy in his career - the Bulgarian Cup. In the final against Cherno More he played 90 minutes.

In the 2008-09 season Nikolov won Bulgarian Cup for the second time. On 25 October 2010, he was sent off in the 2:1 home win against Levski Sofia after an altercation with Darko Tasevski.

FC Tom Tomsk

In February 2012 Nikolov signed for FC Tom Tomsk on loan until the end of the season, before joining the club permanently in the summer of the same year.

Return to Litex Lovech

In January 2014 Nikolov re-signed for Litex Lovech.[2]

Botev Plovdiv

On 30 July 2014 Plamen Nikolov signed a contract with Botev Plovdiv until the end of the season.[3] Four days later he made a debut for the club during the 2:1 win over Cherno More Varna.[4]

Nikolov quickly became a key player for Botev Plovdiv and took part in a lot of important games, including the 0-2 away win over the local rivals Lokomotiv Plovdiv.[5] On 16 May, Nikolov was sent off with a direct red card after a conflict with Toni Silva from CSKA Sofia, who was also sent off. Despite his absence in the final 35 minutes Botev won the game with 3-2.[6]

On 17 June, Nikolov extended his contract with Botev until the end of 2015–16 season.[7]

Nikolov terminated his contract on mutual agreement and left Botev Plovdiv in January 2016.[8]

Lokomotiv Plovdiv

On 10 July 2017, Nikolov signed with Lokomotiv Plovdiv.[9]

Career statistics

As of 21 May 2017
Club Season League Cups Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Spartak Pleven 2004–05 27 1 1 1 0 0 28 2
2005–06 24 0 2 0 0 0 26 0
Total 51 1 3 1 0 0 54 2
Litex Lovech 2006–07 5 0 0 0 1 0 6 0
2007–08 22 1 4 0 6 0 32 1
2008–09 20 2 5 0 3 0 28 2
2009–10 27 1 3 0 2 0 32 1
2010–11 21 0 5 0 5 0 31 0
2011–12 12 0 2 0 4 0 18 0
Total 107 4 19 0 21 0 147 4
Tom Tomsk 2011–12 10 0 0 0 - - 10 0
2012–13 27 1 1 0 - - 27 1
2013–14 3 0 0 0 - - 3 0
Total 40 1 1 0 0 0 41 1
Litex Lovech 2013–14 5 0 2 0 0 0 7 0
Total 5 0 2 0 0 0 7 0
Botev Plovdiv 2014–15 23 0 3 0 - - 26 0
2015–16 19 0 2 0 - - 21 0
Total 42 0 5 0 0 0 47 0
Cherno More 2015–16 14 0 - - - - 14 0
2016–17 27 2 3 0 - - 30 2
Total 41 2 3 0 0 0 44 2
Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2017–18 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career Total 286 8 33 1 21 0 340 9

Honours

Litex Lovech

References

  1. ^ "Състав на "Черно море" за сезон 2016/2017" (in Bulgarian). Cherno More official website. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Официално: И Пламен Николов подписа с оранжевите" (in Bulgarian). pfclitex. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Ботев привлече Пламен Николов".
  4. ^ "ПФК Ботев Пловдив - Официален сайт".
  5. ^ Ботев сгази Локо в калта на Лаута
  6. ^ "Ботев с първа победа в плейофите след атрактивно 3:2 над ЦСКА". Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  7. ^ Пламен Николов поднови договора си с Ботев
  8. ^ Ботев се раздели с още един младок
  9. ^ "Локомотив подписа договори с Пламен Николов и Янко Ангелов" (in Bulgarian). lokomotivpd.com. 10 July 2017.