Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Badge of the Day #88 (Levski-Spartak)


 

 
This most recent addition to the still-growing collection, having arrived from Hungary, features Levski-Spartak, as they were between 1969-85, the result of a merger of Levski & Spartak Sofias, the only name from Bulgarian football that’s ever really exerted anything of a romantic attraction.
A striking presence in the European club competitions throughout the 1970s & early 80s (not least as 6 times each winners of both the Bulgarian League & Cup), & Panini’s sticker albums, one recalls the name of Levski-Spartak being summarily & tragically extinguished by the Bulgarian authorities, with the club subsequently re-presented as ‘Vitosha’, following their part in the disturbances that marred the Cup Final, versus fierce rivals CSKA, in 1985, before reverting to their original ‘Levski’ in 1989.
Levski-Spartak, however, remains THE name to be treasured, as now will be the badge representing it, a bona fide hauntological object of a particular vintage with distinct ‘Ostalgic’ properties. The halved design of the crest of course references the ‘Levski’ & ‘Spartak’ aspects of the equation, with appropriately identifying Cyrillic initial characters, in perfect modern-minimalist fashion: a classic, to be sported with pride & a certain knowing cool.
Here’s an image of the delightful envelope the badge arrived in, too, in all its Hungarian-stamped glory.

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