Franchise Notes: Bulgarian Side CSKA Sofia Appeals To Fans For Donations

Bulgarian football club CSKA Sofia, "champions of Bulgaria 31 times, have issued a desperate plea" to its supporters to "cough up emergency funding to avoid being expelled from the country's top division over mounting debts." The club said in a statement, "Today, we're launching a campaign to collect funds to save the licence of CSKA." The statement added that the required amount is 1M levs ($557,000) (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 3/27). ... The FA said on Friday that EPL side Hull City has been fined $44,700 for "failing to control their players during a 1-1 draw against Leicester City this month." The fine relates to an incident in the 68th minute when Hull players "surrounded referee Jonathan Moss after defender Alex Bruce was booked for a challenge on Leicester's Riyad Mahrez" (REUTERS, 3/27).