BOLTON'S first foray into European football will be against Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Plovdiv, a club whose links to organised crime were brutally highlighted by the assassination of their owner last night.

Georgi Iliev, a 39-year-old businessman, was shot in the chest by a sniper armed with a rifle while at a restaurant after his club's 1-0 win over OFK Belgrade secured them a place in the UEFA Cup first round.

Iliev was under investigation by police who believed he was involved in organised crime - his brother was also murdered five years ago, one of several hundred people who have been killed in Bulgarian gangland wars.

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside admitted that Plovdiv was not his first-choice destination and expressed his shock at the shooting.

He said: "It sounds unbelievable that something like that could happen and we appreciate it must be difficult for the club at this point.

"We don't know much about them as a football side. We looked at the list of five teams we could play and which we favoured and I think Plovdiv was bottom of the list.

"But so what? It's a great honour to be representing Bolton Wanderers in a European draw for the first time and whoever it is it doesn't matter.

"We will probably take 2,000 or 3,000 fans there. I don't really know where it is or how easy it is to get there - but they are probably saying 'where the hell is Bolton!"' Tweet