FC Svetkavitsa is a Bulgarian football club based in Targovishte, which currently competes in Bulgaria's third tier, the North-East Third League. They play their home matches at the localDimitar Burkov Stadium. Svetkavitsa have competed in the second division for a record 49 seasons, playing more second-flight league games than any other Bulgarian team. Svetkavitsa played in the top tierfor the first time in the 2011-12 season. They were relegated after winning just one of their 30 games. In 2013, the club was dissolved due to economic problems, but it was refounded the same year. Since then, the club has been mostly competing in the Bulgarian third tier.
History
Svetkavitsa was founded on 6 July 1922 by the merger of Levski and Botev, two neighborhood teams in Targovishte and have played at their current home ground, Dimitar Burkov Stadium, since 1971. In 1961–62 season the club was promoted for the first time to the B PFG. Svetkavitsa's most notable achievement came in 1974, when they finished runners-up in second division. In 1987 the club's form dropped, and they were relegated to V AFG finishing last. Svetkavitsa regained second-flight status in 1989 after a two-year absence. The team finished the 2010–11 season in fourth place in the B PFG, their highest finish in the league since 1973–74, and claimed a spot in the play-offs for promotion to A PFG. Svetkavitsa defeated Etar Veliko Tarnovo 3–1 on 17 June to earn promotion to the A PFG. It would be Svetkavitsa's debut appearance in the top league since the 1948 founding of the competition. Their first top-flight season ended poorly, with the team managing a single win, against FC Kaliakra Kavarna. Svetkavitsa finished last and was relegated to the B PFG. The following season, the team finished in fourth place in the second league, four points behind second-placed FC Lyubimets, who qualified for promotion. For the 2013-14 season, the team decided to cancel their participation in the second league, for financial reasons. The team was dissolved in 2013, but refounded in 2014 starting from First Regional. Svetkavitsa finished second in the V AFG for the 2013-14 season. The next season was not as successful, finishing 8th. For the 2015-16 season, Svetkavitsa managed a 4th-place finish. In 2016-17 season, the team managed an 8th-place finish, 4 points behind Lokomotiv Ruse, who qualified for promotion playoffs. Svetkavitsa then finished 7th for the 2017-18 season. The team improved its performance for the next season, finishing eventually third in the promotion groups of the North-East Group.
The club's record appearance maker is Boris Stoyanov, who made 544 appearances between his debut in 1962 and retirement in 1980, and the club's record goalscorer is Dimo Valev, who scored 105 goals in 289 games between 1959 and 1973.
