SOFIA (AFP) - The management of Bulgarian football champions Levski Sofia rejected Wednesday the resignations of club coach Stanimir Stoilov and executive director Nasko Sirakov, sports radio Gong reported.

"Stoilov and Sirakov will stay," managing board chairman Georgy Markov was cited as saying.

The club's two managing bodies -- the board of managers and the supervising council -- voted unanimously to keep the two men, Markov also said.

Stoilov and Sirakov tabled their resignations on Monday after Levski lost to arch rivals CSKA Sofia in the capital's derby at the weekend.

A posting on Levski's official website said that owner Todor Batkov had asked the two officials to step down.

But the news sparked a wave of protests by supporters who raised a banner in front of the club's headquarters on Wednesday reading: "Stoilov, Sirakov - we are with you."

Levski, the Bulgarian league champion for the past two seasons, currently rank fourth, 11 points behind leaders CSKA, with 38 points.