'Stan' Petrov: Ancraophobia, burger vans, kicking leukaemia for final goodbye

Among the grey hair and swelled stomachs of the Central Warwickshire Over-35s Premier Division One Cup 2015 Final, there was one smile that shone more than most.

"It will go next to my UEFA Cup medal - every medal is valuable through my career and this will definitely go there," said Stiliyan Petrov, who remained loyal to the Wychall Wanderers' veteran Sunday league team - which pays £3 a game for the privilege of playing - despite being poached by non-league giants.

"After my treatment people told me I wouldn't play football again but now I can kick a ball again - even at this level - and win something."

The winner of silverware in his native Bulgaria and Scotland played a starring role in the 6-0 defeat of Aston Manor, just a day after a bone marrow test had given him the all-clear from leukaemia. It marked the end of a grueling course of chemotherapy, medication, and a strict diet.

Now, at 37 and after overcoming an illness which forced his retirement in 2013 as a hugely popular captain of Aston Villa, Petrov has been running the midfield during the club's preseason preparations; giving fans one final farewell.

Unorthodox beginnings

Petrov's talents as a footballer were evident early on, but if he didn't overcome the peculiar ancraophobia as a child, his success at Celtic may have never happened.

"When I was a little boy I was afraid of strong winds," he said on Russell Howard's Good News. "For some reason every time there was a strong wind I'd just run home, close all the windows and not go out."

Not the best initiation for playing in Dingwall and Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, but an occult cure involving a witch, river, and three bullets blasting out of a bowl saw an end to his air anxiety.

But after an odd beginning to his story, the rest was a breeze. Petrov was picked up by CSKA Sofia from his local side and went on to represent the Bulgarian powerhouse for three seasons - picking up a league title, two domestic cups, and earning international recognition.

Showing vision not characteristic in the rest of his management, John Barnes then took the young Petrov to Celtic, where he featured prominently in a season that saw success in the League Cup. Things weren't as seamless as they appeared for the 19-year-old playing out of position at right-back, however, as he struggled to settle away from Bulgaria.

In an unorthodox solution that was transformative for the midfielder's career, a Scottish friend had an offbeat idea to ensure he assimilated in Glasgow.

"He had a burger van and encouraged me to work behind the bar because it meant I had to communicate with people ordering food," he revealed in 2006.

"Some of the customers used to stare, thinking, 'That looks like Stiliyan Petrov, but it can't be.' But soon I started to understand things better. It meant I could get involved in the dressing-room banter."

In 2006, after plundering 10 winners medals and becoming affectionately known as "Stan" by his large fan base in Parkhead, Petrov reunited with his old Celtic manager Martin O'Neill at Aston Villa for £6.5 million.

An honorary Brummie

It was a positive time at Aston Villa. American businessman Randy Lerner was spilling his coins into the Villa Park coffers; Olof Mellberg and Martin Laursen forged an at-times impenetrable partnership at the back and were ably backed up by Gary Cahill; Luke Moore and Gabriel Agbonlahor were some homegrown youngsters coming through, and were later complemented by the record signing of Ashley Young from Watford.

Although Petrov struggled to emulate his goalscoring exploits south of the border, he assumed a statesman-like role in the midfield. His passion, drive, and ability to control matches soon won over the Holte End; he didn't require witches and bullets to curate magic - just a bad clearance from Roy Carroll:

Following two consecutive sixth-placed Premier League finishes, captain Laursen announced his retirement and Gareth Barry left in 2009. As the reigning Fans' and Players' Player of the Year, Petrov was the automatic choice to don the armband.

"It's a great honour, it's a great club and one with a long tradition and history," he said upon being made skipper.

"It's great to be a captain and to lead the team out. People say that the captaincy doesn't make a difference, but it does."

In his first season as the team's commander, he steered the side to another sixth-placed finish, the League Cup final, and semi-finals of the FA Cup. It was the last season of stability at Villa though; the broken lines between the boardroom and coaching staff were beginning to show.

Petrov received his shock diagnosis of acute leukaemia in March 2012 after complaining of a cold following a match against Arsenal. It officially drew a line under his playing days 14 months later.

For one-and-a-half years, Villa Park marked the 19th minute with applause and chanting of his name - a homage to his retired shirt number - until he called a stop to it, mournfully saying "we all have to move on."

Much of the former midfielder's efforts turned to the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation, an organisation that funds research into the disease and helps those inflicted by it.

It was when he was ill that he displayed one of his attributes that most adhered him to the local community. He stoically played on, buying the kits for Warwickshire Sunday veteran side Wychall and lining up alongside the men who had cheered his name from the Villa Park stands. At odds with an era blighted with avarice and disloyalty, this humble man from Bulgaria embraced the unfashionable core of the Midlands and is prone to slipping out flat vowels that are typical to the Brummie accent.

"The most amazing thing is the impact he has on people who talk to him," said Wanderers secretary John Busst. "He gets such enjoyment from playing a competitive game."

Return

Petrov pulled on his boots to take the pitch for Aston Villa again, making two appearances in warmup matches for the 2016-17 campaign. Nearly middle-aged and over three years since announcing his retirement, Stan's return brought some hope to an outfit beleaguered by the departed Lerner's absent style of ownership, and a club preparing for its first season out of the top flight in 28 years.

On Wednesday, club manager Roberto Di Matteo announced Petrov wouldn't be offered a playing contract at Aston Villa.

"Stiliyan is an inspiration to all of us," said the new gaffer. "I have spoken to him and explained my thoughts and offered him the chance to remain at the club.

"Stiliyan is going to discuss this with his family before coming back to us."

Considering his popularity from those who traveled to Austria's Grazer AK and Worcester City and chanted Stan's name, it's widely hoped the Bulgarian-turned-local-lad will get a job for life in the backroom team.