10 Championship Manager Cult Heroes

10. Anatoli Todorov

Where better to start than with, the youthful Bulgarian goal machine that was Anatoli Todorov?

As an Eastern European footballing aficionado, I would always keep a keen eye on the leagues and teams of the region. My favourite Bulgarian team was Litex Lovech (mostly because of their wonderful orange and green kit), and my otherwise trivial search of their players was turned on its head with the discovery of this beauty.

Making his mark in the 03/04 version of the game, Todorov had speed, creativity and finishing ability up the ying-yang, was available for as good as nothing and performed consistently at all levels. You usually had to wait for a work permit, sure, but was it worth the wait? You bet your eyes it was. 

In the real (pfft, what even is reality?) world, Anatoli Todorov is still plying his trade in the nether regions of Bulgarian football, although now he does so for Septemvri Sofia. He started his career with the same club, and it would seem it'll end there. In the CM world Todorov was a striker's striker, but in reality he is a creative(ish) midfielder. 

Only 30, there's still time for him to reach his potential, except there isn't really time.