Spartak unveils Nikita Simonyan monument at home stadium

Spartak unveiled a monument to Nikita Simonyan at its home stadium before its Russian Premier League round 11 match against Rubin, Sport-Express reported.

October 12 marked the centenary of the former player's and coach's birth.

As a Spartak player, Simonyan won the Soviet championship four times, in 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1958. He won the Soviet Cup in 1950 and 1958.

As coach, he led Spartak to league titles in 1962 and 1969 and Soviet Cup victories in 1963, 1965 and 1971.

He also played for Krylya Sovetov and coached Ararat Yerevan, Chornomorets Odesa and the Soviet national team. Simonyan died on November 23 last year and was buried at Vagankovskoye Cemetery.