Football team apologises after conducting a minute’s silence for player who is still alive

A football club in Bulgaria has apologised after conducting a minute's silence for a former player who is still alive.

As fans of the beautiful game will tell you, teams usually hold a minute's silence before matches to honour former players or victims of tragic events.

In Arda Kardzhali's case, however, the top flight team wrongly honoured the passing of former player Petko Ganchev, 78, who was out and about in town.

The two sets of players conducted a minute's silence for a former player who is still alive (Diema Sport)

Before their 1-1 draw with Levski Sofia on Sunday (16 March), the two sets of players lined up on the centre circle to bow their heads for 60 seconds.

Then an hour into the game, Arda put out a shock club statement.

"The management of PFC Arda would like to express a huge apology to the former Arda player Petko Ganchev and his relatives after the club received wrong information about his death," it read.

"We wish Petko Ganchev many more years of good health and to enjoy the success of Arda."

Ganchev later explained that his phone kept buzzing when he was driving back home.

The club wrongly honoured the passing of former player Petko Ganchev, 78 (Diema Sport)

He told TV station bTV: “This time, I was about ten minutes late for the game against Levski because I had some work to do.

“As I was driving home, my phone started ringing a lot but I was driving and I didn’t dare to answer.

“I entered the garden and my wife greeted me in tears. She said, ‘Petko, Petko, they’ve announced on TV that you’ve passed away!’

“I couldn’t understand what she was saying or what had happened.”

Ganchev added to Bulgarian website BLITZ: "Then two of my friends called me. Being buried alive is quite stressful, really."

Arda Kardzhali issued an apology an hour into the game (Facebook/PFC Arda)

The former footballer, who played for Arda for five years, said that 'the situation was not easy at all'.

"It is normal to spread a rumour here in the village, but they announced it in front of the whole football audience of Bulgaria," he continued.

"So many people called me - relatives, friends, acquaintances and not so big acquaintances. The situation was not pleasant, but in the end we have to be positive."

Amid the off-the-pitch drama, on the field, Arda was able to finish the game with 26-time league champions Levski Sofia to a 1-1 draw.

That result left the team fifth in the league table, 12 points behind leaders Ludogorets.

This means that Arda are still in contention to finish in the European spots.