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Fullname: Aleksandar Antonov Tonev
aka: Aleksandar Tonev, Alexander Tonev, Alex Tonev
Born: 3 February 1990
Birthplace: Elin Pelin, Bulgaria
Signed: 12 Aug 2014 (loan from Aston Villa)
Left: 31 May 2015
Position: Midfielder, Winger
Debut: Celtic 2-1 Aberdeen, SP, 13 Sep 2014
Squad No.: 27
Internationals: Bulgaria
International Caps: ? [complete at end of career]
International Goals: ? [complete at end of career]
Biog
Alex Tonev can be seen as one of those most unfortunate of players, for whom if he didn’t have any bad luck, he’d actually have had no luck at all. He was to suffer a very difficult time at Celtic.
Tonev was brought in to Celtic at the last minute in the 2014 summer transfer window, to bolster the squad and satisfy the support looking for some fancy sounding named players who could provide entertainment.
Ironically he was out injured immediately despite having been brought as cover for the perennially injured Forrest. Tonev was out for a month and the support were exasperated.
Finally he made his debut in a match v Aberdeen, and matters were to take a turn for the worse. Tonev was to be remembered for an incident that has unfairly tarnished him without any clear evidence to prove his guilt or not, therfore should be seen as not proven and therefore innocent.
In this debut match, an Aberdeen player (Shay Logan) claimed that Tonev racially abused him during the match. Tonev strongly denied the allegations, and there were no witnesses either side to prove one way or the other. There was not even any tv evidence to prove anything. Yet, Tonev was found guilty by an SFA kangaroo court of guilt (as it is based on probability of guilt). It was a farce.
For such a strong allegation, clear evidence or witnesses should be a must, yet this was not the case here. Celtic backed him to the hilt even though they could have left him to hang out to dry being only a loan signing. Something to respect the club for. The Bulgarian FA supported his case strongly as well, giving him some firm backing.
The Aberdeen player was no angel himself as a player (charged with money laundering and drink driving in 2021), so this was all a disgrace. There was something clearly wrong in the process as the allegation has such a stigma. If no clear evidence then surely innocent till proven guilty? The balance of probabilities of guilt applied here doesn’t convince.
Tonev was banned for seven games as a punishment. It was heavy handed, and effectively his career at Celtic was over for non-footballing reasons. He likely didn’t feel comfortable in the Scottish game anymore and it likely was affected his game. The Celtic management supported him but he most probably wanted away understandably.
In any case, he hadn’t shown any value as a player.
Few were impressed but as Ronny Deila’s reign got off to a poor start, and there were a raft of non-performing transfers, so Tonev was not singled out.
He wasn’t providing anything new or valuable, and possibly was an under-developed player (not much use then as a loan player). The harshest critics found him to be hiding and avoiding responsibility in taking the ball, preferring to point to others and seemingly to move into positions where incredibly you could argue he couldn’t receive the ball (e.g. right next to an opposition player or way across the field).
It was baffling, and showed either low confidence, bad coaching or a lack of commitment. He was to some a half-hearted player on the field or simply weak. Takes time to settle in, but loan signings know that they have taken a gamble and have to hit the ground running.
Away from the off-field tribunals, if one moment encapsulated Tonev’s situation at Celtic, then the Scottish Cup semi-final v Inverness CT in April 2015 could little be bettered. Coming onto the pitch as a sub, a desperate Celtic side was staring at losing out on a possible treble run. A corner-kick was won late in the game with Tonev to take the kick. Any attacking opportunities were like gold dust at this point. His corner was a terrible aimless kick, but given a second opportunity following a rebound back to him, he shot the ball 50m way off target. Everyone held their heads in their hands and wrote him off. Celtic lost 3-2 in extra-time. Just nothing was going right for him.
Celtic had been poor in his first few months as Ronny Deila floundered but Tonev was out of the picture even before the turnaround. He wasn’t to be given much opportunity to reboot his time in the first team. Celtic did the decent thing in supporting him when they could have used the case to cut his time short and send him back down south (to the then free falling Aston Villa). Some critics were advocating this but thankfully the management ignored them.
With Mackay-Stevens and Armstrong having arrived at Celtic and hit the ground running, Tonev’s days were clearly numbered. Mackay-Stevens & Armstrong were cup-tied, which gave Tonev that last desperate chance against Inverness CT to make a name for himself, but not to be.
It would have been good to concentrate on his time playing for the first team, but that hasn’t been the case here. Everyone deserves better than what he was to endure. We can only wish that the stigma does not stick with him and ruin his future career.
Few things went right for Tonev at Celtic, as if it was all cruelly pre-scripted to be so. Celtic treated him well, and we wished him a bright restart when he returned down south. Few were left convinced he had the talent to really make it at the top anywhere, let alone in the Scottish Premiership.
Post-Celtic
He moved to Frosinone and Crotone in Serie A in Italy, and after a spell with Botev Plovdiv back in Bulgaria he retired from the senior game in 2020.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2014-15 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 14 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
Scottish League
Pictures
KDS
Aleksandar Tonev: Celtic player wants to ‘move on’ from racism ban
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30522692
Celtic’s Aleksandar Tonev says he wants to put his ban for racial abuse behind him as the club continue to consider their options over the winger.
The 24-year-old lost an appeal against the seven-match suspension for abusing Aberdeen defender Shay Logan.
BBC Scotland understands that the Scottish champions are unlikely to take the Scottish FA decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“All I can do is move on from this now,” said Tonev in a statement.
“I have made my case all along that I never used the words I was accused of using.
“I say again that I did not do this, I know what I am and I am not a racist.
“I want everyone to understand that, most of all the Celtic fans, who have been a great support to me since coming to the club.”
An October hearing revolved around Englishman Logan’s complaint that Tonev had used the word “black” while swearing at him during a Scottish Premiership match at Celtic Park in September.
Court of Arbitration for Sport
Is an international quasi-judicial body established to settle disputes related to sport.
Its headquarters are in Lausanne (Switzerland) and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne.
The decision to ban the on-loan Aston Villa midfielder was upheld on Tuesday by an SFA appeal tribunal, after Celtic manager Ronny Deila had vowed to take the case as far as possible to clear the Bulgarian.
However, it now appears that the Glasgow club will not take the matter to the highest sporting court and instead are considering other options.
“A lot has happened in the last few months,” added Tonev. “It has been a very difficult time for me and everyone involved.
“I know what happened and I know that I will definitely recover from this as a stronger person.”
The Bulgarian Football Association said it would continue to offer its full support to Tonev, adding: “Even though we are not aware of all the details during the investigation, we still believe in Tonev’s innocence.”
Tonev served the first of his seven-match suspension before Celtic appealed and the next match for which he is eligible is against Ross County on 24 January.
Aleksandar Tonev statement
By: Newsroom Staff on 17 Dec, 2014 16:55
http://www.celticfc.net/news/7321
ALEKSANDAR Tonev has today issued a statement following Tuesday’s appeal ruling.
He said: “A lot has happened in the last few months. It has been a very difficult time for me and everyone involved. All I can do is move on from this now.
“I have made my case all along that I never used the words I was accused of using. I say again that I did not do this, I know what I am and I am not a racist.
“I want everyone to understand that, most of all the Celtic fans, who have been a great support to me since coming to the Club. I know what happened and I know that I will definitely recover from this as a stronger person.”
Aleksandar Tonev verdict: The damning conclusion. What SFA judicial panel said about the Celtic star
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2876921/Aleksandar-Tonev-verdict-damning-conclusion-SFA-judicial-panel-said-Celtic-star.html
Aleksandar Tonev was banned for seven matches for allegedly calling Aberdeen defender Shay Logan a ‘black c***’
Tonev’s appeal against the ban was thrown out by an SFA Judicial Panel
Sportsmail details exactly how the case panned out
Two separate bodies ruled that Tonev had offered an ‘inherently improbable account’ of what happened.
By John Greechan For The Scottish Daily Mail
Published: 20:30 EST, 16 December 2014 | Updated: 20:39 EST, 16 December 2014
7 shares
Don’t touch me you black c***. Six words likely to cause offence to any right-minded person. Six words at the heart of a case that has ended with Celtic’s on-loan Aston Villa winger Aleksandar Tonev being hit with a seven-match ban.
It has taken one SFA Judicial Panel Disciplinary Tribunal and one Appellate Tribunal – the latter chaired by an extremely senior legal figure – three months to reach a verdict on whether or not Tonev directed this abusive phrase at Aberdeen defender Shay Logan.
The lengthy ‘Written Reasons’ released on the recommendation of the appeal body yesterday cover every known cough and spit of the moment in question, as well as covering most of the complicated legal arguments on either side.
Aleksandar Tonev (left) was deemed an unreliable witness by the SFA Judicial Panel
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Aleksandar Tonev (left) was deemed an unreliable witness by the SFA Judicial Panel
Here, Sportsmail details exactly how the case panned out – and how two separate bodies ruled that Tonev had offered an ‘inherently improbable account’ of what happened.
THE INCIDENT
Celtic v Aberdeen, September 13, 2014. According to referee Bobby Madden, who gave evidence, he was approached by Aberdeen captain Mark Reynolds and ‘advised that Mr Logan had been subjected to a racist comment by Mr Tonev’.
The report from the initial hearing on October 30 continues: ‘One minute later, Mr Logan approached him, intimated that he had been called “a black c***” and pointed to Mr Tonev who was wearing number 27.
‘The referee indicated that Mr Logan’s demeanour was “somewhere between upset and angry” … he was then shown video footage of the match and confirmed that at the 56th minute he could be seen in conversation with Mr Logan.’
Tonev is alleged to have called Aberdeen defender Shay Logan (pictured) a ‘black c***’
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Tonev is alleged to have called Aberdeen defender Shay Logan (pictured) a ‘black c***’
THE PROSECUTION
Logan gave evidence admitting he’d committed a foul on Tonev around the 52nd minute, for which he held up his hand in apology. The gesture could be seen on the video evidence.
The players came together in the penalty box moments later and, according to the Panel chairman’s report: ‘Almost immediately after this Mr Tonev said to Mr Logan: “Don’t touch me you black c***”.
‘Mr Logan, at first, just looked at him and then he made some comment along the lines of: “Are you sure?” and Mr Tonev replied: “Yes, yes”.
‘Mr Logan indicated he wanted to get the attention of someone, either the referee or his captain. He saw his captain and went over to speak to him. He informed Mark Reynolds of what had been said; this was within one minute of the offensive remark being made, and as soon as there was no real danger of the opponent scoring. Thereafter, at the first opportunity he spoke to the referee and informed him of the racist remark made by Mr Tonev.’
Logan also said he reported the incident to Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes later in the game, after Aberdeen had scored. Later in the game, he also spoke to Tonev and ‘asked him if he still thought that he was “a black c***” and stated that he would “see him in the tunnel.”’
Asked if he could have been mistaken, Logan replied ‘one million per cent no’, adding that he would never try to tarnish a fellow pro and that he ‘knew what the word black sounds like’, having been racially abused earlier in his career.
The report adds: ‘He confirmed that he spoke to Mr John Collins, the assistant manager of Celtic who had asked him if he was 100 per cent sure about the comment and he said “one million per cent”.’
Celtic have insisted they will stand by Tonev who does protest his innocence
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Celtic have insisted they will stand by Tonev who does protest his innocence
Logan also stressed: ‘I know it will have a damaging effect on the player but I would never choose to put that on anyone unless it was true.’
Various video clips were shown of Mr Logan speaking to Reynolds and to the referee, not celebrating after the Aberdeen goal and speaking to McInnes.
None of the witnesses – Reynolds, Madden, McInnes and Aberdeen football operations manager Steve Gunn, who all had conversation with Logan – claimed to have heard the exchange between the defender and Tonev.
THE DEFENCE
Tonev, who declined the offer of a Bulgarian translator, was represented by Solicitor Advocate Liam O’Donnell, while Celtic assistant manager John Collins was allowed to remain in the room after opening the evidence for the defence.
Collins said McInnes had advised him, during the match, of the incident between Tonev and Logan. The Celtic No 2 then met with Logan after the game to ask if there was ‘any chance that the racist phrase had not been said’.
When Logan said he was sure, Collins spoke to Tonev, ‘who appeared to be shocked and bemused when the allegation was put to him. Mr Collins had said to Mr Tonev that he should apologise if he had said something “in a moment of madness”. However Mr Tonev was adamant that he had not made the remark complained of.’
Tonev himself said that, after he’d been taken hold of by Logan in the penalty area, he told him to ‘get your hands off me.’ He denied calling him ‘a black c***.’
Furthermore, according to the chairman’s report: ‘Mr Tonev stated that he did not know what the word c*** meant and denied ever saying it. He stated that there was no further discussion between the players on the pitch. ‘
Celtic’s counsel argued that Logan could have misheard Tonev, something that the Aberdeen man denies
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Celtic’s counsel argued that Logan could have misheard Tonev, something that the Aberdeen man denies
When cross-examined by SFA compliance officer Tony McGlennan, Tonev admitted he had heard the word c*** before on the training field at Aston Villa and that, while he did not know what it meant, he knew it was a form of abuse.
According to the Written Reasons: ‘Tonev was clear that he had not used the phrase “black c***” during the match. The first time he was aware of the phrase being used was when Mr John Collins spoke to him.
‘He had played football with many black players and would not use language of this kind. He accepted that there was no place for racism in football.’
CLOSING ARGUMENTS
McGlennan argued that, if Logan had been unsure of exactly what he’d heard, he would not have taken the complaint to his captain, the referee and his manager. Logan was described as a ‘reliable and credible witness’.
O’Donnell argued that it was ‘one player’s word against the other’, urged the panel to treat both witnesses as credible – and ‘conclude that it was likely that Mr Logan had misheard the purported remark’.
He also pointed to ‘an inconsistency between Mr Logan’s evidence and his written statement, on the issue of a subsequent discussion between the players on the pitch’.
THE VERDICT – AND SENTENCE
According to the official summation of the chairman: ‘The tribunal found Mr Logan to be an impressive witness. He gave his evidence in a careful and measured manner.
‘He gave clear and unequivocal evidence that Mr Tonev had used the language complained of and that it had been targeted at him following an otherwise unremarkable on the field incident.
‘His evidence of his immediate reaction to the comments and his subsequent action in reporting them was in all material respects consistent with the evidence of Madden, Reynolds, McInnes, and Gunn, as well as the video evidence. The tribunal had no difficulty in finding that he was both a credible and reliable witness.
‘Mr Tonev gave his evidence in a guarded and hesitant manner. His evidence amounted to a denial that the words used by him had included the phrase “black c***”.
‘His evidence on his understanding of the language said to have been used, was particularly unsatisfactory. In chief examination his evidence was to the effect that he did not know what the word “c***” meant. On cross examination he explained that he had heard the term in his time at Aston Villa but did not know what it meant. He then accepted that he was aware that it was term of abuse.
Winger Tonev is currently on loan from Premier League side Aston Villa
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Winger Tonev is currently on loan from Premier League side Aston Villa
‘The impression was of a witness giving a less than a full account of his actual understanding; and seemed to the tribunal to be an inherently improbable account. On the central issue in the case we were unable to accept him as either credible or reliable.
‘We found on the balance of probabilities that Mr Tonev did say to Mr Logan “Don’t touch me you black c***”.’
The panel had intended to hand Tonev a nine-match ban but, taking into account his previous good record, reduced the punishment to seven matches.
THE APPEAL
The Right Honourable Lord Bonomy chaired the three-man body, joined by James Hastie and Alan Dick, at the appeal hearing at Hampden on December 4.
Richard Keen QC, acting for Tonev, argued that standard ‘balance of probabilities’ couldn’t be applied to such a serious case and argued for a greater burden of proof, citing two historical cases as precedent.
Keen further said that ‘a number of questions remained to be addressed, such as how the weather conditions may have affected Logan’s ability to hear what was said, the fact that the appellant is Bulgarian and that English is not his first language, and the unusual and improbable nature of the complaint.’
Tonev’s lawyer also appealed against the length of the suspension, arguing that the offence – if proven – was at the lower end of the scale, necessitating only a four-match ban.
In response, Aidan O’Neill QC submitted that ‘the case was simple and straightforward and invited the Appellate Tribunal to apply common sense and their experience of football (in the case of two members of the Tribunal) in deciding whether the Disciplinary Tribunal had erred.’
He also said no-one should be distracted by the confusion over Tonev’s understanding of the word c***, arguing: ‘What really mattered was the element of racism reflected in the use of the word “black” with which, as could be seen from paragraph 28 of the Written Reasons, he was plainly familiar.’
O’Neill also insisted that the balance of probabilities was sufficient in such a case, citing precedent and adding: ‘The circumstances of this complaint did not bear comparison with a case where murder had to be proved.’
The Appellate Tribunal found that the original panel ‘took account of all relevant evidence, and left out of account irrelevant considerations (such as the weather conditions), in deciding whether the case had been made out on the balance of probabilities and were particularly conscious that a determination of excessive misconduct could only be made if that standard was satisfied.
‘But in the end the crucial finding in the case was the finding that Logan was not only a credible witness but more particularly that he was also a reliable witness. ‘Clear and entirely adequate reasons for making that finding and for concluding on the balance of probabilities that the appellant committed the alleged misconduct are set out in the Written Reasons.#
The appeal body upheld the original verdict and sentence – and recommended that the entire findings of both bodies be published, putting an end to ‘ill-informed speculation’ about the case.