Malavan legend Bahman Salehnia dies at 86
Bahman Salehnia, a cult hero among the fans of Persian Gulf Pro League club Malavan FC, passed away at the age of 86 in the early hours of Thursday.
Salehnia founded the northern Iranian club in his hometown of Bandar Anzali in 1968 and went on to serve as the head coach until 1997. He returned to Malavan bench for a second spell from 2002 to 2004.
An assistant to former Iran head coach Frank O’Farrell in the 70s, Salehnia steered Malavan to six Iranian cup finals – a record for any head coach in the history of the competition – lifting the trophy on three occasions in 1976, 1987, and 1991.
Malavan’s best-ever finish in the Iranian top flight also came under Salehnia, when he guided the club to the third place in the Takht Jamshid League table at the end of the 1977-78 season.