View source for Boncho Genchev

{{short description|Bulgarian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{family name hatnote|Lyubomirov|Genchev|lang=Bulgarian}}
{{Infobox football biography
 | name = Boncho Genchev
 | image =
 | fullname = Boncho Lyubomirov Genchev
 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|7|7|df=y}}
 | birth_place = [[General Toshevo]], Bulgaria
 | height = 1.80 m
 | position = [[Attacking midfielder]]
 | currentclub = 
 | youthyears1 = 1974–1981 | youthclubs1 = [[FC Sportist General Toshevo|Sportist General Toshevo]]
 | years1 = 1981–1982 | clubs1 = [[PFC Dobrudzha Dobrich|Dobrudzha Dobrich]] | caps1 = 6 | goals1 = 0
 | years2 = 1982–1983 | clubs2 = [[PFC Litex Lovech|Osam Lovech]] | caps2 = 18 | goals2 = 2
 | years3 = 1983–1986 | clubs3 = [[FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa|Lokomotiv GO]] | caps3 = 85 | goals3 = 13
 | years4 = 1987–1991 | clubs4 = [[F.C. Etar|Etar]] | caps4 = 115 | goals4 = 37
 | years5 = 1991–1992 | clubs5 = [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting CP]] | caps5 = 2 | goals5 = 0
 | years6 = 1992–1995 | clubs6 = [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] | caps6 = 61 | goals6 = 6
 | years7 = 1995–1997 | clubs7 = [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]] | caps7 = 66 | goals7 = 10
 | years8 = 1997–1998 | clubs8 = [[PFC CSKA Sofia|CSKA Sofia]] | caps8 = 32 | goals8 = 20
 | years9 = 1999–2001 | clubs9 = [[Hendon F.C.|Hendon]] | caps9 = 52 | goals9 = 9
 | years10 = 2001–2002 | clubs10 = [[Carshalton Athletic F.C.|Carshalton Athletic]] | caps10 = 11 | goals10 = 1
 | years11 = 2006–2007 | clubs11  = [[Hendon F.C.|Hendon]] | caps11 = 18 | goals11 = 0
 | totalcaps = 493 | totalgoals = 114
 | nationalyears1 = 1990–1996 | nationalteam1 = [[Bulgaria national football team|Bulgaria]] | nationalcaps1 = 12 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 2016 | managerclubs1 = [[OFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo|Etar Veliko Tarnovo]]
}}
'''Boncho Lyubomirov Genchev''' ({{langx|bg|Бончо Любомиров Генчев}}; born 7 July 1964) is a Bulgarian retired professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as an [[attacking midfielder]], and a current manager.

He started in his home country in the lower leagues before moving to [[FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa|Lokomotiv Gorna]] and [[F.C. Etar|Etar]]. After one year in Portugal with [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting]], he went to England in 1992 and played in the [[Premier League]] with [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] and in the [[Football League]] for [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]].

After a short spell in Bulgaria with [[PFC CSKA Sofia|CSKA Sofia]], he played non-league football in England during three years, for [[Hendon F.C.|Hendon]] and [[Carshalton Athletic F.C.|Carshalton Athletic]].

Genchev appeared with [[Bulgaria national football team|Bulgaria]] at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994 World Cup]] and [[UEFA Euro 1996|Euro 1996]] tournaments.

==Club career==
Born in [[General Toshevo]], [[Dobrich Province]], Genchev started playing with [[PFC Dobrudzha Dobrich]], switching to [[PFC Litex Lovech]] in 1982 for another sole season. In the following year he established himself in the [[Bulgarian A Football Group]], with [[FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa]] and [[F.C. Etar]], where he played three 1/2 and four 1/2 years respectively.

After 22 league goals for Etar in two seasons combined, 27-year-old Genchev moved abroad, signing with [[Sporting Clube de Portugal]] in the summer of 1991 alongside compatriot [[Ivaylo Yordanov]], who previously had succeeded him at Lokomotiv GO. Unlike the [[Forward (association football)|forward]], he had virtually no impact with the [[Lisbon]] side, leaving after one [[1991–92 Primeira Divisão|sole season]] and two [[Primeira Liga]] matches.

Genchev revived his career in England, where he played for [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] and [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]], his three years with the ''Blues'' being spent in the [[Premier League]] (with [[1994–95 FA Premier League|relegation in the last one]]), where he netted a total of six times. He then signed for Luton Town, who were relegated from Division One in his first season there, and were beaten in the Division Two playoff semi-finals in his second season.

In 1997, after five years in England, Genchev returned to his country, with [[PFC CSKA Sofia]], winning the top scorer accolade in [[A PFG 1997–98|his debut campaign]] — although the club could only finish third – and the [[Bulgarian Cup]] in his second. After that, he returned, at nearly 35, to England, playing non-league football for [[Hendon F.C.|Hendon FC]] and [[Carshalton Athletic F.C.|Carshalton Athletic]], and retiring three years after.

Four years later, Genchev came out of retirement and rejoined Hendon,<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/09/25/nl_stars_feature.shtml I’ll have a bag of chips and one of those World Cup stars please]; [[BBC]], 25 September 2007</ref> scoring his first goal in his second spell on 14 March 2007 against [[Hayes F.C.|Hayes FC]], in the [[Middlesex Senior Cup]]. He retired for good in the following year, later going on to work for Ipswich as an international ambassador.<ref>[http://www.where-are-they-now.co.uk/footballer/GUENTCHEV+Bontcho/4091 GUENTCHEV, Bontcho]; Where Are They Now</ref>

In 2016, Genchev become the new manager of [[OFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo]], but on 7 March of that year he was announced as chairman of the zonal council of the [[Bulgarian Football Union]] in [[Veliko Tarnovo|the city]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnevnik.bg/sport/2016/03/07/2718203_boncho_genchev_poe_posta_na_trifon_ivanov_v_bfs-veliko/|title=Бончо Генчев пое поста на Трифон Иванов в БФС-Велико Търново|trans-title=Boncho genchev took over for Trifon Ivanov at BFU-Veliko Tarnovo|publisher=[[Dnevnik (Bulgarian newspaper)|Dnevnik]]|language=bg|date=7 March 2016|access-date=12 March 2016}}</ref>

==International career==
During six years, Genchev played 12 times for [[Bulgaria national football team|Bulgaria]], without scoring. He represented the nation at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]], replacing [[Nasko Sirakov]] for the second half of the [[Single-elimination tournament|round-of-16]] match against [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]] and scoring in his [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shootout]] attempt.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/06/sports/world-cup-94-bulgaria-has-winning-touch-at-shootout-time.html|title=World Cup '94; Bulgaria has winning touch at shootout time|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=6 July 1994|access-date=16 July 2015}}</ref>

Genchev was also picked for the squad at [[UEFA Euro 1996]], playing one minute in the 1–0 group stage win against [[Romania national football team|Romania]].

==Personal life==
After his first retirement, Genchev ran a café/bar in [[West Kensington, London]] called 'Strikers', but it ceased trading shortly afterwards.<ref>[http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/a-slice-of-bulgaria-in-london/id_4759/catid_32 A slice of Bulgaria in London]; The Sofia Echo, 27 June 2002</ref>

Two of his sons, [[Lyubomir Genchev|Lyubomir]] and Yavor, played for [[Lowestoft Town F.C.|Lowestoft Town]] in the [[Isthmian League]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/14151528|title=Lubo Guentchev agrees Lowestoft Town deal|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|date=14 July 2011|access-date=30 October 2012}}</ref> and later joined their father at [[OFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo]].

==Honours==
'''Etar'''
*[[Bulgarian A Football Group]]: [[1990–91 A PFG|1990–91]]

'''Bulgaria'''
* [[FIFA World Cup]] fourth place: 1994

'''Individual'''
*[[Bulgarian A Football Group]]: Top scorer [[1997–98 A PFG|1997–98]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{ForaDeJogo}}
*{{Soccerbase}}
*{{NFT player|24084}}
*{{FIFA player|168221}}
*{{Eu-Football.info|6659}}

{{Bulgaria Squad 1994 World Cup}}
{{Bulgaria Squad 1996 UEFA Euro}}
{{Bulgarian A Professional Football Group top scorers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Genchev, Boncho}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from General Toshevo]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Dobrich Province]]
[[Category:Bulgarian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players]]
[[Category:FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa players]]
[[Category:FC Etar (Veliko Tarnovo) players]]
[[Category:PFC CSKA Sofia players]]
[[Category:Primeira Liga players]]
[[Category:Sporting CP footballers]]
[[Category:Premier League players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Ipswich Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Luton Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Hendon F.C. players]]
[[Category:Carshalton Athletic F.C. players]]
[[Category:Bulgaria men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1996 players]]
[[Category:Bulgarian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]
[[Category:Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal]]
[[Category:Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Bulgarian football managers]]
[[Category:20th-century Bulgarian sportsmen]]