Dunav Ruse

FC Dunav (, officially named ''"Дунав от Русе"'') is a Bulgarian professional football club based in Ruse, which currently competes in the Second League, the second tier of the Bulgarian football league system.

Part of a larger sports branch, Dunav were established on February 16, 1949, as a merger of two local football clubs in the city, Dinamo and Rusenets. Nicknamed ''The Dragons'' (), Dunav's home colours are sky blue and white. Named after the Danube River, on the banks of which the city of Ruse is situated, the club plays its home matches at the local Gradski stadion, which has a seating capacity of 13,000 spectators.

Among the club's most notable achievements are a final in the Bulgarian championship in 1937, a First League fourth place in 1975, 1989 and 2017, and four domestic cup finals in 1938, 1939, 1941 and 1962 respectively. The club's most recent top flight participation has been during the 2019–20 season.

History

Domestic

Over the course of its history, the club carried a variety of different names such as Sava, Napredak, Levski, Varush, Angel Kanchev, Rakovski, Rusenets, Dinamo, Spartak, DNA, Torpedo and Partizanin. Dunav played in the A Group over a number of seasons between 1937 and 1940, 1951, 1956, 1958–67, 1968–73, 1974–77, 1984–86, 1988–91 and 1996–98, before being relegated again.

Following years of several movements between lower divisions, a decent squad, established by playing manager Engibar Engibarov at the time, eventually won the Cup of Bulgarian Amateur Football League in 2003–04 and for the next season they finally gained promotion to the B PFG after a long-term absence in the amateur divisions. It was to be their first appearance in professional football since the club was relegated from the A Group in 1991.

From January 5, 2006, until October 2 of the same year, Dunav were managed by Ferario Spasov. He acquired some well-known footballers and loaned talented players from Litex Lovech in an unsuccessful attempt to reach the first division again.

The 2009–10 season in the B Group was very narrow for the club as the dream of reaching the A Group almost became a reality. Dunav finished the first half of the season in first place, leaving behind the teams of Kaliakra Kavarna and Nesebar. The second half of the season started very well and the team was in a row with a couple of very significant wins, but they won only one game in their last 7 matches and eventually failed to gain promotion to the top flight.

In the following years, Dunav again failed to impress and was mostly seen as a middle table club in the final ranking of the B Group. In 2010–11, the club was left by some of its good players, as a result of ongoing financial difficulties in the team. Dunav subsequently withdrew from the B Group in February 2011, after being unable to reduce its financial debts to the municipality and a majority of its squad players. A few days later, the club announced bankruptcy and was dissolved.

In 2011, Dr. Simeon Simeonov established a new entity under the name Dunav 2010, which was approved by the BFU to start from the lowest levels of Bulgarian football. The team obtained license and after several court decisions in the following months, it regained the traditions and history of its predecessor. In 2015, the club won the Bulgarian Amateur Cup and was promoted to the second division.

In 2016, Dunav 2010 became champions of the 2015-16 B Group and were promoted to the top flight for the first time since 1991, 25 years after their last participation. They completed in the debut season of the newly renamed Bulgarian First League. Their first year in the BFL was an instant success, as they finished fourth and qualified for Europa League.

Ever since, Dunav's financial situation has been very unstable, despite the club playing in the top tier.

During the winter break of the 2019–20 season, Dunav owners stated that the team might face administrative relegation if a new income source is not provided on time.
However, the club continued to participate in the top tier until the very end of the 2019-20 season, finishing 13'th in the league, proceeding to relegation Group B in the company of fellow top tier Botev Plovdiv ( losing 3–1 at Plovdiv), FC Arda ( winning 2–0 at Kardjali) and Botev Vratsa ( losing 3–1 at Ruse, Bulgaria). As a result, finishing 4'th in the group ( last place), qualifying for the relegation playoffs. In a group, competing against Botev Vratsa ( drawing 0–0 at Vratsa) and Tsarsko Selo ( winning 1–0 at Rousse), finishing second in the group. Second place meaning a Relegation play-off final against the third from the Second Professional Football League (Bulgaria), where Dunav lost 4–1 to FC Montana, thus being relegated.
However, Dunav's financial situation and poor ownership led to the club being taken over by the fans' association and academy coaches, announcing on 4 August 2020 that Dunav will compete in the Third League.

After two seasons in the third level, Dunav managed to promote to the Second League, at the end of the 2021–22 season.

European

On an international basis, Dunav's debut entry in the European club competitions dates back to the 1975-76 UEFA Cup, where they were drawn against Roma of the Italian Serie A. Dunav were subsequently eliminated after a 2–0 defeat in Rome and a notable 1–0 win over the Italian team in Ruse. In 2017, they managed to secure a spot in the first qualifying round of the Europa League after a prolonged period of European absence, but were eliminated by Irtysh Pavlodar after an overall 0–3 loss in both legs.

Honours

Domestic

* First League:
** Fourth place: 1974–75, 2016–17
*Bulgarian Cup:
** Runners-up: 1961–62
* Second League:
** Winners (6): 1950, 1954, 1957, 1968, 1974, 2015–16
* Third League:
** Winners (2): 2014–15, 2021–22
* A Regional Group:
** Winners (1): 2010–11
* Cup of Bulgarian Amateur Football League:
** Winners (2 times – record): 2004, 2015

League positions

ImageSize = width:1600 height:65
PlotArea = left:10 right:10 bottom:30 top:10
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/07/1949 till:01/07/2026
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:2 start:1950

Colors =
id:First_tier value:green legend:First_tier
id:Second_tier value:white legend:Second_tier
id:Third_tier value:red legend:Third_tier
id:Fourth_tier value:yellow legend:Fourth_tier
id:Fifth_tier value:blue legend:Fifth_tier
id:Does_not_exist value:black legend:Does_not_exist

PlotData=
bar:Position width:16 color:white align:center
from:01/07/1949 till:01/07/1950 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/1949 till:01/07/1950 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B"
from:01/07/1950 till:01/07/1951 shift:(0,-4) text:12
from:01/07/1950 till:01/07/1951 color:green shift:(0,14) text: " A"
from:01/07/1951 till:01/07/1952 shift:(0,-4) text:16
from:01/07/1952 till:01/07/1953 shift:(0,-4) text:8
from:01/07/1951 till:01/07/1953 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B"
from:01/07/1953 till:01/07/1954 shift:(0,-4) text:9
from:01/07/1953 till:01/07/1954 color:red shift:(0,14) text: " V"
from:01/07/1954 till:01/07/1955 shift:(0,-4) text:
from:01/07/1954 till:01/07/1955 color:black shift:(0,14) text:
from:01/07/1955 till:01/07/1956 shift:(0,-4) text:12
from:01/07/1955 till:01/07/1956 color:green shift:(0,14) text: " A"
from:01/07/1956 till:01/07/1957 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/1956 till:01/07/1957 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B"
from:01/07/1957 till:01/07/1958 shift:(0,-4) text:11
from:01/07/1958 till:01/07/1959 shift:(0,-4) text:6
from:01/07/1959 till:01/07/1960 shift:(0,-4) text:8
from:01/07/1960 till:01/07/1961 shift:(0,-4) text:8
from:01/07/1961 till:01/07/1962 shift:(0,-4) text:10
from:01/07/1962 till:01/07/1963 shift:(0,-4) text:11
from:01/07/1963 till:01/07/1964 shift:(0,-4) text:5
from:01/07/1964 till:01/07/1965 shift:(0,-4) text:14
from:01/07/1965 till:01/07/1966 shift:(0,-4) text:7
from:01/07/1966 till:01/07/1967 shift:(0,-4) text:15
from:01/07/1957 till:01/07/1967 color:green shift:(0,14) text: " A Group"
from:01/07/1967 till:01/07/1968 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/1967 till:01/07/1968 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B Group"
from:01/07/1968 till:01/07/1969 shift:(0,-4) text:13
from:01/07/1969 till:01/07/1970 shift:(0,-4) text:10
from:01/07/1970 till:01/07/1971 shift:(0,-4) text:11
from:01/07/1971 till:01/07/1972 shift:(0,-4) text:9
from:01/07/1972 till:01/07/1973 shift:(0,-4) text:6
from:01/07/1968 till:01/07/1973 color:green shift:(0,14) text: " A Group"
from:01/07/1973 till:01/07/1974 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/1973 till:01/07/1974 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B Group"
from:01/07/1974 till:01/07/1975 shift:(0,-4) text:4
from:01/07/1975 till:01/07/1976 shift:(0,-4) text:9
from:01/07/1976 till:01/07/1977 shift:(0,-4) text:16
from:01/07/1974 till:01/07/1977 color:green shift:(0,14) text: " A Group"
from:01/07/1977 till:01/07/1978 shift:(0,-4) text:4
from:01/07/1978 till:01/07/1979 shift:(0,-4) text:3
from:01/07/1979 till:01/07/1980 shift:(0,-4) text:11
from:01/07/1980 till:01/07/1981 shift:(0,-4) text:9
from:01/07/1981 till:01/07/1982 shift:(0,-4) text:4
from:01/07/1982 till:01/07/1983 shift:(0,-4) text:7
from:01/07/1983 till:01/07/1984 shift:(0,-4) text:2
from:01/07/1977 till:01/07/1984 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B Group"
from:01/07/1984 till:01/07/1985 shift:(0,-4) text:13
from:01/07/1985 till:01/07/1986 shift:(0,-4) text:16
from:01/07/1984 till:01/07/1986 color:green shift:(0,14) text: " A Group"
from:01/07/1986 till:01/07/1987 shift:(0,-4) text:3
from:01/07/1987 till:01/07/1988 shift:(0,-4) text:2
from:01/07/1986 till:01/07/1988 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B Group"
from:01/07/1988 till:01/07/1989 shift:(0,-4) text:6
from:01/07/1989 till:01/07/1990 shift:(0,-4) text:12
from:01/07/1990 till:01/07/1991 shift:(0,-4) text:15
from:01/07/1988 till:01/07/1991 color:green shift:(0,14) text: " A Group"
from:01/07/1991 till:01/07/1992 shift:(0,-4) text:6
from:01/07/1992 till:01/07/1993 shift:(0,-4) text:12
from:01/07/1993 till:01/07/1994 shift:(0,-4) text:9
from:01/07/1994 till:01/07/1995 shift:(0,-4) text:3
from:01/07/1995 till:01/07/1996 shift:(0,-4) text:17
from:01/07/1991 till:01/07/1996 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B Group"
from:01/07/1996 till:01/07/1997 shift:(0,-4) text:3
from:01/07/1996 till:01/07/1997 color:red shift:(0,14) text: " V"
from:01/07/1997 till:01/07/1998 shift:(0,-4) text:14
from:01/07/1997 till:01/07/1998 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B"
from:01/07/1998 till:01/07/1999 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/1999 till:01/07/1999 color:red shift:(0,14) text: " V"
from:01/07/1999 till:01/07/2000 shift:(0,-4) text:4
from:01/07/2000 till:01/07/2001 shift:(0,-4) text:11
from:01/07/2001 till:01/07/2002 shift:(0,-4) text:10
from:01/07/2002 till:01/07/2003 shift:(0,-4) text:15
from:01/07/1999 till:01/07/2004 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B"
from:01/07/2003 till:01/07/2004 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/2003 till:01/07/2004 color:yellow shift:(0,14) text: Regional
from:01/07/2004 till:01/07/2005 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/2004 till:01/07/2005 color:red shift:(0,14) text: " V"
from:01/07/2005 till:01/07/2006 shift:(0,-4) text:6
from:01/07/2006 till:01/07/2007 shift:(0,-4) text:5
from:01/07/2007 till:01/07/2008 shift:(0,-4) text:5
from:01/07/2008 till:01/07/2009 shift:(0,-4) text:5
from:01/07/2009 till:01/07/2010 shift:(0,-4) text:3
from:01/07/2005 till:01/07/2010 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B Group"
from:01/07/2010 till:01/07/2011 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/2010 till:01/07/2011 color:yellow shift:(0,14) text: "Regional"
from:01/07/2011 till:01/07/2012 shift:(0,-4) text:6
from:01/07/2012 till:01/07/2013 shift:(0,-4) text:2
from:01/07/2011 till:01/07/2013 color:red shift:(0,14) text: " V
from:01/07/2013 till:01/07/2014 shift:(0,-4) text:13
from:01/07/2013 till:01/07/2014 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B"
from:01/07/2014 till:01/07/2015 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/2014 till:01/07/2015 color:red shift:(0,14) text: " V
from:01/07/2015 till:01/07/2016 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/2015 till:01/07/2016 color:white shift:(0,14) text: " B"
from:01/07/2016 till:01/07/2017 shift:(0,-4) text:4
from:01/07/2017 till:01/07/2018 shift:(0,-4) text:12
from:01/07/2018 till:01/07/2019 shift:(0,-4) text:11
from:01/07/2019 till:01/07/2020 shift:(0,-4) text:12
from:01/07/2016 till:01/07/2020 color:green shift:(0,14) text: " First League"
from:01/07/2020 till:01/07/2021 shift:(0,-4) text:5
from:01/07/2021 till:01/07/2022 shift:(0,-4) text:1
from:01/07/2020 till:01/07/2022 color:red shift:(0,14) text: " 3rd"
from:01/07/2022 till:01/07/2023 shift:(0,-4) text:6
from:01/07/2023 till:01/07/2024 shift:(0,-4) text:9
from:01/07/2024 till:01/07/2025 shift:(0,-4) text:6
from:01/07/2025 till:01/07/2026 shift:(0,-4) text:
from:01/07/2022 till:01/07/2026 color:white shift:(0,14) text: "2nd"

European record

Matches

Players

Current squad

'

''For recent transfers, see Transfers winter 2024–25 and Transfers summer 2025.''

Notable players

Had international caps for their respective countries, held any club record, or have more than 100 league appearance. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries.

;Bulgaria
* Diyan Angelov
* Miroslav Budinov
* Diyan Dimov
* Engibar Engibarov
* Yordan Filipov
* Kostadin Hazurov
* Nikola Hristov
* Georgi Iliev
* Ismail Isa
* Birsent Karagaren
* Ivaylo Kirilov
* Branimir Kostadinov
* Martin Kovachev
* Svetoslav Kovachev

* Martin Lukov
* Blagoy Makendzhiev
* Iliya Milanov
* Mihail Milchev
* Miroslav Mironov
* Anatoli Nankov
* Yuliyan Nenov
* Ivan Paskov
* Petar Patev
* Boyan Peykov
* Ivaylo Radentsov
* Georgi Sokolov
* Georgi Velinov
* Nikola Yordanov

;Africa
* Eliseé Sou
* Samuel Inkoom
;Asia
* Samir Ayass
* Nuriddin Davronov
* Iskandar Dzhalilov
* Igor Kislov

Past/Current seasons

References

*

External links

*

{{First Professional Football League (Bulgaria)

Dunav Ruse
Ruse, Bulgaria
Dunav Ruse
1949 establishments in Bulgaria
Phoenix clubs (association football)