AEK Athens FC
Encyclopedia
AEK Athens F.C. the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek
association football club based in the city of Athens
, Greece
. Outside Greece, the club is also known as AEK Athens, however, the word Athens is not part of the club's official title.
Established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees
from Constantinople
in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War
, AEK has grown to become a fairly successful club in Greek football, winning 30 national titles (including 11 Championships
, 14 Greek Cups, 2 League Cup
and 3 Super Cups
).The team regularly appears in European (UEFA Champions League
and UEFA Europa League) competitions. AEK is a member of the European Club Association
. The club competes in the Super League Greece
.
The large Greek population of Constantinople
, not unlike those of the other Ottoman urban centres, continued its athletic traditions in the form of numerous athletic clubs. Clubs such as Enosis Tataoulon from the Tatavla
district, Megas Alexandros of Vathyriakos, Hermes ( – Ermis) of Galata
, Olympias of Therapia, and Kati Kioi of Chalcedon
existed to promote Hellenic
athletic and cultural ideals. These were amongst a dozen Greek-backed clubs that dominated the sporting landscape of the city in the years preceding World War I
. After the war, with the influx of mainly French and English soldiers to Constantinople, many of the city clubs participated in regular competition with teams formed by the foreign troops. Taxim
, Pera
and Tatavla
became the scene of weekly competitions in not only football, but of athletics, cycling, boxing and tennis.
Of the clubs in the city, though, football was dominated by Enosis Tataoulon and Hermes. Hermes, one of the more popular clubs, was formed in 1875 by the Greek community of Pera (Galata). Forced to change its name to Pera Club
in 1921, many of its athletes, and those of most other sporting clubs, fled during the population exchanges at the end of the Greco-Turkish War
, and settled in Athens and Thessaloniki
.
The founders of AEK established the club with the intention of providing athletic and cultural diversions for the thousands of predominantly Constantinopolitan and Anatolian refugees who had settled in the new suburbs of Athens (predominantly Nea Filadelfeia
, Nea Ionia
, Nea Chalkidona
, Nea Smyrni
).
GK
:N.Kitsos, DF
:Ieremiadis, DF
:T.Asderis, MF
:Kehayas, MF
:Paraskevas, MF
:Dimopoulos, MF
:Karagiannidis, FW:Baltas, FW:Milas, FW:Iliadis, FW:Georgiadis.The first match was against Aias Athinon in November 1924 and A.E.K. won it with 2–0.
AEK’s football team grew rapidly in popularity during the 1920s, eclipsing the already-established Athens-based refugee clubs (Panionios, Apollon Smyrnis
), thanks mainly to the large pool of immigrants that were drawn to the club and due, in no small part, to the political connections and wealth of several of the club’s board members. Not possessing a football ground, AEK played most of its early matches at various locations around Athens, including the grounds of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium
.
AEK’s first president, Konstantinos Spanoudis (1871–1941), a journalist
and associate of the then Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos
, petitioned the government to set aside land for the establishment of a sports ground. In 1926, land in Nea Filadelfia that was originally set aside for refugee housing was donated as a training ground for the refugees. AEK began using the ground for training (albeit unofficially) and by 1930 the property was signed over to the club. Venizelos soon approved the plans to build what was to become AEK’s home ground for the next 70 years, the Nikos Goumas Stadium
. The first home game, in November 1930, was an exhibition match against Olympiacos that ended in a 2–2 draw.
In 1928 Panathinaikos FC
, Olympiacos, and AEK began a dispute with the fledgling Hellenic Football Federation (EPO), decided to break away from the Athens regional league and form an alliance called P.O.K.
(acronym for Podosfairikes-Omades-Kentrou). During the dispute, POK organised friendly matches against each other and several continental European clubs. In 1929, though, the dispute ended and AEK, along with the other POK clubs, entered the EPO fold once again.
In 1932, AEK won their first Greek Cup title, beating Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
5–3 in the final. The team boasted a number of star football players in Kostas Negrepontis
(a veteran of the original Pera Club of Constantinople), Kleanthis Maropoulos
, Tryfon Tzanetis
, Michalis Delavinias, Giorgos Mageiras and Spyros Sklavounos.
The club’s mixed success during the 1930s was highlighted by the first Greek Championship-Cup double in 1939.
With English
coach Jack Bimby at the reins, veteran players Maropoulos, Tzanetis, Delavinias and Mageiras, along with new blood Kostas Poulis, Giorgos Goulios, and Pavlos Emmanoualidis, AEK won the Greek Cup competitions of 1949 and 1950, beating Panathinaikos 2–1 and Aris 4–0.
AEK won also the Athens regional championship of 1950, but the playoff games for the
Pan-Hellenic title were not played, due to many players being called up for a prolonged
training camp for the national team.
The early 1950s saw the addition of the next generation of star footballers in Giannis Kanakis, Andreas Stamatiadis
, and goalkeeper Stelios Serafeidis, and along with Poulis and Emmanoualidis, AEK again won the Greek Cup title of 1956, this time beating Olympiacos 2–1 in the final. 1957 saw the debut of one of the greatest forwards of the era, Kostas Nestoridis
. Having joined AEK from Panionios in 1956, Nestoridis was forced to sit out the 1956 season because of a dispute between the two clubs over his transfer. In 1958 and 1959 he finished top goal scorer in the league, but it wasn’t enough for AEK to take any titles.
in 1962, AEK went on to win the 1963 Championship.
Known affectionately as “Mimis” by the AEK supporters, Papaioannou scored twice in the 1963 playoff against Panathinaikos, levelling the scores at 3–3 and giving AEK its first post-war championship title on goal aggregate. Coached by Hungarian-German
Jenő Csaknady, the championship team also consisted of veterans Nestoridis, Serafeidis and Stamatiadis, Alekos Sofianidis, Stelios Skevofilakas
, Giorgos Petridis, Manolis Kanellopoulos, and Miltos Papapostolou.
The club followed up with Cup victories in 1964 and 1966 on papers, and with the return of Csaknady to the coach’s position in 1968, and with some great players in Kostas Nikolaidis, Giorgos Karafeskos, Panagiotis Ventouris, Fotis Balopoulos, Spyros Pomonis, Alekos Iordanou, Nikos Stathopoulos and Andreas Papaemmanouil, AEK won the championship with relative ease, and became the first Greek football club to reach the quarter-final of European Champions Cup.
The addition of goalkeeper Stelios Konstantinidis and Apostolos Toskas reinforced the team and allowed AEK to take its fifth championship title in 1971.
AEK won also the unofficial Super-Cup of 1971 beating Olympiacos 4–2 on penalty kicks,
after 2 draws of 2–2 at Piraeus and 1–1 at Nea Filadelfia (normal time).
Loukas Barlos took over the presidency of AEK in 1974, and with the help of Czech-Dutch coach Frantisek Fadrhonc
built one of the finest teams in the club’s history. The Barlos “Golden Era” saw some of the greatest players ever to have played for AEK. Christos Ardizoglou
, Giorgos Dedes
, Giorgos Skrekis, the Germans Walter Wagner
and Timo Zahnleiter
, Dionysis Tsamis, Pantelis Nikolaou, Petros Ravousis
, Serbia
n Dušan Bajević
, Takis Nikoloudis, Stefanos Theodoridis
, Christos Itzoglou, Nikos Christidis.
Captained by Papaioannou, 1976–1977 saw AEK reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup competition, the first Greek football club to do so. Beating FC Dynamo Moscow
(Russia
) 2–0, Derby County F.C.
(U.K.) 2–0 and 3–2, Red Star Belgrade
(Yugoslavia
) 2–0, and QPR
(U.K.) 3–0 and 7–6 on penalties, AEK were eventually eliminated by Gianni Agnelli
’s Juventus FC. Juventus went on to win their first European title.
It was during this period that AEK signed one of Greece’s finest strikers, Thomas Mavros
. He was an integral part of the team that reached the UEFA Cup semi finals in 1976, but it was his devastating form (top goal scorer of 1978 and 1979 – 22 and 31 goals, respectively) that helped AEK take the 1978 Championship-Cup double. The addition of former Panathinaikos FC stars Dimitris Domazos
and Kostas Eleutherakis to the AEK roster the following year saw the club cap off their most successful decade to-date by winning the 1979 Championship.
Under Loukas Barlos, the Nikos Goumas Stadium
was finally completed with the addition of the iconic “Covered Stand”, or Skepasti , which eventually became home to the most fanatic of AEK supporter groups, Original 21
. The next generation of star players, fresh out of the AEK Academy, made their debut during this period – Stelios Manolas
, Spyros Ekonomopoulos, Vangelis Vlachos
and Lysandros Georgamlis
.
With new president Michalis Arkadis and Austria
n head coach Helmut Senekowitsch
, AEK won the 1983 Greek Cup, beating PAOK FC
2–0 in the newly built Athens Olympic Stadium. Thomas Mavros and 21-year-old captain Vangelis Vlachos
were the goalscorers.
AEK also chased the elusive Championship title and it finally came in 1989. Coached by former player Dušan Bajević
, AEK clinched the title after a winning a crucial match 1–0 against Olympiacos at the Athens Olympic Stadium. Takis Karagiozopoulos scored the goal that gave AEK its first Championship in a decade.
AEK won also the Greek Super-Cup of 1989, beating Panathinaikos on penalties, (normal time 1–1).
After the 1989 triumphs, under Bajević, AEK built what was to become one of the most successful teams in its history. Led by Stelios Manolas
, the team, which included Toni Savevski
, Daniel Batista
, Vaios Karagiannis
, Vasilis Dimitriadis
, Giorgos Savvidis
, Alekos Alexandris and Refik Šabanadžović
dominated the Greek league through the 1990s with three successive Championship titles (1992, 1993, 1994). AEK also won the Greek League Cup of 1990 (beating Olympiakos 3–2).
In 1994–1995 AEK was the first Greek football club that participated in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League after defeating Scottish
champions Rangers FC; AEK was eliminated by Ajax Amsterdam
and AC Milan, who made it to the final. With Michalis Trochanas as president and Dušan Bajević as coach, the club won the 1996 Greek Cup.
Former player Petros Ravousis
took over the coaching position when Dušan Bajević defected to Pireaus-based rivals Olympiacos at the end of 1996, and led the team to its second Super-Cup (August 1996), beating Panathinaikos on penalties, and to its eleventh Cup title in 1997, again beating Panathinaikos on penalties.
By far AEK’s most successful run with titles, the period also saw AEK sign talented players in
Demis Nikolaidis
, Christos Kostis
, Vassilis Tsiartas
, Christos Maladenis, Andreas Zikos and Michalis Kasapis
. Demis Nikolaidis, in particular, an AEK fan since childhood, declined more lucrative offers from Olympiacos and Panathinaikos FC to sign for his beloved club.
During seasons 1996–1997 and 1997–1998, AEK progressed to the Quarter-Final of the European Cup Winners'
Cup.
In 1999, ex-president Dimitris Melissanidis organised a friendly match against FK Partizan
, in Belgrade
, during the height of the NATO bombing of Serbia. As a gesture of compassion and solidarity towards the embattled Serbs, the AEK players and management staff defied the international embargo and traveled to Belgrade for the match. The game ended 1–1, when after 60 minutes of play thousands of Serbia
n football fans invaded the pitch to embrace the footballers.
AEK won its twelfth Cup title in 2000 under Coach Giannis Pathiakakis, defeating Ionikos 3–0 in the final. The club continued its consistency in the Championship of 2001–02 finishing second by goal aggregate to Olympiacos, and beating Olympiakos in the Greek Cup final.
Dusan Bajevic returned as coach in the summer of 2002, a move that sparked open hostility towards Bajevic from a section of AEK supporters. Under Bajevic, AEK progressed through the qualifying rounds in the 2002 UEFA Champions League by eliminating APOEL FC
. Drawn in Group A with AS Roma, Real Madrid
, and Racing Genk, AEK drew all their games and were knocked out of the competition. Off the field, AEK's home stadium for over 70 years, Nikos Goumas Stadium
, was demolished and club president Chrysostomos Psomiadis, with the assistance of his bodyguards, allegedly assaulted team captain Demis Nikolaidis. After the altercation, and partly due to the club’s growing financial problems from mismanagement, Nikolaidis was let on free transfer by mutual consent to Atlético Madrid. Unable to cope with the negativity from a large section of AEK fans, Bajević resigned in 2004 during a match against Iraklis.
By now, on the brink of bankruptcy, and losing most of its Euro 2004 stars and experienced players to other European clubs, AEK needed a miracle to prevent it from being relegated to the Greek amateur leagues. Though both Kostas Katsouranis
and Nikos Lymperopoulos remained, Vassilis Borbokis
, Grigorios Georgatos
, Theodoros Zagorakis
, Michalis Kapsis
, Michalis Kasapis
, Michel Kreek
, Vassilis Lakis
, Vassilis Tsiartas
, and Ioannis Okkas all left the club in the wake of the troubles.
In 2003 Demis Nikolaidis and other significant AEK followers formed a supporters' club Enosis 1924 (Union 1924) in order to motivate all AEK supporters into taking up the club's shares and governance. The project was not fully realised because, in the meantime, businessmen decided to buy shares and invest money to the club. However, until today, Enosis 1924's chairman is member of the AEK F.C. board.
In 2004, on the back of strong AEK fan support, Demis Nikolaidis
, at the head of a consortium of businessmen, bought out the beleaguered club and became the new president. His primary task was to lead AEK out of its precarious financial position. The first success was an arrangement through the Greek justice system to write off most of the massive debt that previous club administrators had amassed, and to repay any remaining public debts in manageable installments.
Securing the club’s existence in the Alpha Ethniki, Nikolaidis then began a program to rebuild AEK to its former glory. He appointed experienced former player Ilija Ivić
as technical director of the club and brought back Fernando Santos as coach. The AEK fans, emboldened by Nikolaidis’s efforts, followed suit by buying season ticket packages in record numbers (over 17,000).
AEK recruited promising young players to strengthen a depleted team. Led by the experienced Katsouranis and Lymperopoulos, and featuring Brazilian Júlio César
, the club made it to the Greek Cup final for seventh time in 13 years but lost to Olympiacos
with 3–0, finished second in the Championship, and in the process, secured a place in the Third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League. For the 2006–07 season, former Real Betis
coach Llorenç Serra Ferrer
was appointed to the coaching position after Fernando Santos's contract was not renewed.
By beating Hearts over both legs (2–1 in Scotland and 3–0 in Greece), AEK progressed to the group stage of Champions-League, the club obtained a total of 8 points, having beaten AC Milan 1–0, Lille
1–0, and managing two draws with Anderlecht (1–1 in Greece and 2–2 in Belgium). AEK finished second in the Greek Super League, qualifying again for the 3rd round in the UEFA Champions League.
For the 2007/08
season AEK changed kit sponsors from adidas
to Puma
, they have played with Sevilla FC
in
the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round,the 1st leg has been played on August 15, away at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán when AEK was defeated by 2 goals and the 2nd leg played on September 3 at the Athens Olympic Stadium where AEK lost again by 1–4.
In 2008, AEK completed the signings of Brazil
ian legend Rivaldo
after he was left free from Olympiacos, Rodolfo Arruabarrena
, Charis Pappas
and Argentine striker Ismael Blanco
. Traianos Dellas
was rewarded with a new contract, keeping him at the club until summer 2009. On 25 August the Super League
and EPO decided to postpone the opening season's games due to the fire disaster in the Peloponnese
.,
After being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League
, AEK were drawn to play FC Salzburg in the UEFA Cup
. On September 20 in Athens
, AEK defeated FC Salzburg 3–0. The second leg was played in Salzburg
on October 4 AEK lost the match but still went through 3–1 on agg. On October 9 AEK were drawn in Group C in the UEFA Cup group stage along with Villarreal
, Fiorentina
, Mladá Boleslav
, and Elfsborg
. On October 25 AEK kicked off the group stage's with a 1–1 draw away to Elfsborg
, on November 29 AEK again drew 1–1,this time at home to Fiorentina
.
On December 5 AEK won Mlada Boleslav
1–0 away and on December 20
although AEK was home defeated 1–2 by Villarreal CF
, finally booked a place in the knockout stage of the UEFA Cup
, finishing third in the group. They were then drawn against Getafe CF
in the third round (phase of 32). AEK has been advanced to the third round of UEFA Cup, for second consecutive season.
On 12 February AEK parted company with Llorenç after a poor run of form and un-successful signings and replaced him with former player Nikos Kostenoglou
, on a caretaker basis, at the end of an indifferent season. The team initially finished in first place in the league, but after the court case between Apollon Kalamaria and Olympiacos for the illegal usage of a player in the 1–0 Apollon Kalamaria win earlier in the season, Olympiacos were awarded the 3 points in a court hearing, thus finishing 2 points ahead of AEK. AEK president Demis Nikolaidis
and several other managers and chairmen have been angered with the court's decision, stating that the Hellenic Football Federation knew about the usage of the illegal player prior to the game but didn't do anything about it.
Giorgos Donis was appointed head coach of AEK on May 14.
His reign at the club did not go well. It all began when AEK failed to surpass AC Omonia
in the UEFA Cup
second qualifying round, meaning there elimination from European competitions for the season. Key player Rivaldo
asked to leave the club to sign for Bunyodkor on August 27.
The league campaign started very well after a win over rivals Panathinaikos
in the opening game of the season, but poor performances and results from then on left AEK in a difficult situation. Head coach Giorgos Donis was eager to leave the club, but president Demis Nikolaidis
did not allow him to leave. Nevertheless, Nikolaidis left due to these disappointing results and after a controversy with the clubs supporters Original 21
, leaving temporarily the presidency to member of the D.C., Nikos Koulis and Takis Kanellopoulos.
However, the series of disappointing results continued, bringing anger and insecure situations for everyone in the team. The first to be hit by this wave of disappointment and with the council of the team upset, was the coach Giorgos Donis, who was asked to leave the team. On November 21, 2008, AEK hired Dušan Bajević
as head coach for the third time. However, after a while, Takis Kanellopoulos left the team, as he sparked a rivalry with Bajević.
On 4 February 2009, Nikos Thanopoulos was elected as the 41st president of AEK FC. Bajevic brought some much-needed stability to the club, and performances on the pitch improved vastly towards the end of the season, culminating in AEK's progression to the Greek Cup final against Olympiacos which was played on 2 May 2009 at Athens Olympic Stadium. AEK lost in the final 14–15 on penalties. AEK finished the regular season at 4th position, thus qualifying for the season's playoff's, in which they eventually finished second, just missing out on UEFA Champions League
qualification.
In the summer transfer period of 2010, AEK, despite being low on budget, manage to reinforce it's ranks with many notable players. Club idols Nikos Liberopoulos and Traianos Dellas
signed the last 1-year contract of their careers, and many new and experienced players signed to AEK, the most notable of whom were Papa Bouba Diop
, Cristian Nasuti
and Christos Patsatzoglou
amongst others. AEK qualified for the 2010–2011 Europa League group stage after defeating Dundee United
2–1 on aggregate.
On 7 October 2010, Manolo Jiménez took over from Dušan Bajević
at AEK Athens after he stepped down as AEK manager, agreeing to a two-year deal.
On 30th April 2011, AEK won the Greek Cup for 14th time, by defeating 3–0 Atromitos FC at the final.
To compensate the departures of Nacho Scocco, Papa Bouba Diop
, Sebastian Saja
and Ismael Blanco
in the summer of 2011 A.E.K. signed amongst others the captain of Iceland's
Eiður Guðjohnsen
and the Colombian international Fabián Vargas.
and the Byzantine Empire
.
AEK have always worn predominantly yellow shirts (striped or plain), black shorts, and yellow or black socks. The only exception has been in the unusual, but notable, Kappa
kits of the 1990s (which featured a double-headed eagle across the kit), or in recent years, mainly in European competitions, when the club has worn an all-yellow kit.
AEK's traditional away colours are all-black or all-white; on a few occasions, the club has introduced a light blue, a grey, and even a dark scarlet kit as a third kit.
AEK's current kit is manufactured by Puma
, which is contracted to supply the club's kit from 2007 to 2014. Their previous kit manufacturer were Diadora
, Kappa
, Nike
and Adidas
. AEK's first shirt sponsor was Citizen
(1982–83), followed by Nissan (1983–85), Ethniki Asfalistiki and Phoenix Asfaleies (1988–96), Geniki Bank
(1996–98), Firestone
(1999), Marfin (1999–2001), Alpha Digital
(2001–02), Piraeus Bank
(2002–04), which caused controversy
because it was situated in Pireaus – home of fierce rivals Olympiacos, TIM (2004–06), LG
with Chevrolet
on the sleeves, Forthnet
on the shorts and Diners Club
on the back (2006–09) and 2009–2010 was Diners Club
. AEK's current shirt sponsor for 2010–2012 is OPAP
and International Service on the back of the shirt with APHCA(E.PSI.PE) on the sleeves.
( – Dikefalos Aetos). When AEK was created by Greek
refugees from Constantinople
in the years following the Greco-Turkish War
and subsequent population exchange
, the emblem and colours (yellow & black) were chosen as a reminder of lost homelands; they represent the club's historical ties to Constantinople
.After all, the double-headed eagle is featured in the flag of the Greek Orthodox Church
, whose headquarters are in Constantinople, and served as Imperial emblem
under the Palaiologos
dynasty.
AEK's main emblem underwent numerous minor changes between 1924 and 1982. The design of the eagle on the shirt badge was often not identical to the design of the eagle depicted on official club correspondence, merchandise and promotional material. All designs were considered "official" (in the broadest sense of the word), however, it was not until 1982 that an identifiable, copyrighted design was established as the club's official, and shirt, badge. The emblem design was changed in 1989, and again in 1993 to the current shield design.
Nikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium
in Nea Filadelfeia
("New Philadelphia"), a northwestern suburb of Athens
, Greece
. It was used mostly for football
matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC
. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later upgrading.
Since the demolition in 2003 of one of the most historical home grounds in Greece the Nikos Goumas Stadium
– AEK’s home ground since 1930, the club plays its home games at the 70,000-capacity "Spiridon Louis
" (Athens Olympic Stadium) in Athens.
The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens, also known as OAKA, is one of the most complete European athletic complexes.
The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1991, the World Championship in Athletics in 1997, the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final
well as other important athletic and cultural events, the most significant of which remains the Summer Olympics
in 2004
.
is the most expensive,the most new and one of the biggest training centers in Greece
.There are 3 regular pitches and one in synthetic grass.The main building of the centre hosting amongst many others the team's offices,a press room and the players rooms.The training ground houses both AEK Athens first team and Reserves.AEK moved to the complex on November of 2010.
and people from the population exchange of the Minor Asia Catastrophe.Original 21
is the largest AEK Athens supporters club. The first attempt to organise AEK supporters was Gate 21 (formed in 1975), which took its name from the gate in the Nikos Goumas Stadium
, Nea Filadelfia, where the most hardcore fans gathered.AEK Athens have also many supporters worldwide,most of them Greek immigrants,in places as North America
, England
, Australia
and Cyprus
.
, AEK Athens, and Olympique Marseille. A.E.K. fans often lift banners and create choreography in support of the fellow teams. A so-called "triangle of brotherhood" has developed between the most heavily supported fan clubs of Olympique de Marseille, Livorno, and AEK Athens, namely between Commando Ultras 84, Brigate Autonome Livornesi 99, and Original 21. Their connection is mostly an ideological one.
Against neighbours Panathinaikos they contest the Athens
local football derby
. The rivalry started because of the refugee ancestry of AEK Athens fans and, by contrast, the fact that Panathinaikos was considered the classic representative of Athenian high class society.
The rivalry with Olympiacos stems from the rivalry between the two regions of Attica that the clubs are from; AEK hailing from Athens
and Olympiacos from Piraeus
. Another reason is that, although it has working class fans of its own, Olympiacos has many high class & rich supporters.
European Competitions:
– (5) Thomas Mavros
– (4) Mimis Papaioannou
– (2) Vasilis Dimitriadis
– (2) Ismael Blanco
– (2) Giorgos Dedes
– (1) Dušan Bajević
– (1) Giorgos Dedes
– (1) Henrik Nielsen – (1) Alexandros Alexandris
– (1) Vassilios Tsiartas – (1) Demis Nikolaidis
– (1) Nikos Liberopoulos – (1)
Key
Only competitive matches are counted. Wins, losses and draws are results at the final whistle; the results of penalty shootouts are not counted.
and in other countries where Greek immigrants live, for example AEK London Ontario in Canada
, AEK Waverley Wanderers SC
in Australia
, AEK Archaggelou, AEK Chanion, AEK Argous, AEK Patron and AEK Tripolis in Greece
. The club also has a football academy in Sydney
.
, and sung by Mimis Papaioannou
.
AEK Club Anthem
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
association football club based in the city of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Outside Greece, the club is also known as AEK Athens, however, the word Athens is not part of the club's official title.
Established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees
Greek refugees
Greek refugees is a collective term used to refer to the Greeks from Asia Minor who were evacuated or relocated in Greece following the Treaty of Lausanne and the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey...
from Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
, AEK has grown to become a fairly successful club in Greek football, winning 30 national titles (including 11 Championships
Super League Greece
The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
, 14 Greek Cups, 2 League Cup
Greek League Cup
The Greek League Cup, a now defunct football competition, took place only once, in the 1989-90 season. AEK Athens, is the only winner of the League Cup, by beating Panionios , Aris , Levadiakos and Olympiacos .-Final:-External links:*...
and 3 Super Cups
Greek Super Cup
-Official edition:-External links:*...
).The team regularly appears in European (UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and UEFA Europa League) competitions. AEK is a member of the European Club Association
European Club Association
The European Club Association is an organization representing football clubs in Europe- History :Formed on the dissolution of the G-14 group in January 2008, the European Club Association represents 201 clubs, made up of 103 ordinary members and 98 associated members, with at least one from each...
. The club competes in the Super League Greece
Super League Greece
The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
.
Early history
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, not unlike those of the other Ottoman urban centres, continued its athletic traditions in the form of numerous athletic clubs. Clubs such as Enosis Tataoulon from the Tatavla
Kurtulus
Kurtuluş, formerly known as Tatavla , is a cosmopolitan neighborhood of Şişli whose population consists of Turks, Greeks , Armenians , Kurds , and Jews...
district, Megas Alexandros of Vathyriakos, Hermes ( – Ermis) of Galata
Galata
Galata or Galatae is a neighbourhood in the Beyoğlu district on the European side of Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey. Galata is located at the northern shore of the Golden Horn, the inlet which separates it from the historic peninsula of old Constantinople. The Golden Horn is crossed by...
, Olympias of Therapia, and Kati Kioi of Chalcedon
Kadiköy
Kadıköy is a large, populous, and cosmopolitan district of İstanbul, Turkey on the Asian side of the Sea of Marmara, facing the historic city centre on the European side of the Bosporus...
existed to promote Hellenic
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
athletic and cultural ideals. These were amongst a dozen Greek-backed clubs that dominated the sporting landscape of the city in the years preceding World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the war, with the influx of mainly French and English soldiers to Constantinople, many of the city clubs participated in regular competition with teams formed by the foreign troops. Taxim
Taksim Square
Taksim Square situated in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey, is a major shopping, tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops and hotels. It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the central station of the Istanbul Metro network...
, Pera
Beyoglu
Beyoğlu is a district located on the European side of İstanbul, Turkey, separated from the old city by the Golden Horn...
and Tatavla
Kurtulus
Kurtuluş, formerly known as Tatavla , is a cosmopolitan neighborhood of Şişli whose population consists of Turks, Greeks , Armenians , Kurds , and Jews...
became the scene of weekly competitions in not only football, but of athletics, cycling, boxing and tennis.
Of the clubs in the city, though, football was dominated by Enosis Tataoulon and Hermes. Hermes, one of the more popular clubs, was formed in 1875 by the Greek community of Pera (Galata). Forced to change its name to Pera Club
Beyoğluspor
Beyoğluspor is a sports club in Istanbul, Turkey. It fields teams in volleyball, basketball and football at the amateur level.-History:Since the second half of the 19th century the Greek community of Istanbul founded several sports clubs and organized sports activities such as the...
in 1921, many of its athletes, and those of most other sporting clubs, fled during the population exchanges at the end of the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
, and settled in Athens and Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
.
1924–1939
In 1924, a group of Constantinopolitan refugees (among them athletes from Pera Club and the other Constantinopolitan clubs) met at the athletic shop of Emilios and Menelaos Ionas on Veranzerou Street, in the center of Athens, and established AEK.The founders of AEK established the club with the intention of providing athletic and cultural diversions for the thousands of predominantly Constantinopolitan and Anatolian refugees who had settled in the new suburbs of Athens (predominantly Nea Filadelfeia
Nea Filadelfeia
Nea Filadelfeia is a suburb in the northern part of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filadelfeia-Chalkidona, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit....
, Nea Ionia
Nea Ionia
Nea Ionia is a northern suburb of Athens, Greece, and a municipality of the Attica region. It has a surface train station . The suburb was named after Ionia, the region in Anatolia from which many Greeks migrated in the 1920s following the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey. It is...
, Nea Chalkidona
Nea Chalkidona
Nea Chalkidona is a suburb in the northern part of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filadelfeia-Chalkidona, of which it is a municipal unit....
, Nea Smyrni
Nea Smyrni
Nea Smyrni is a southern suburb of Athens, Greece. Nea Smyrni is located about 5 km SW of downtown Athens, about 5 km SW of Kifissias Avenue, W of Vouliagmenis Avenue, about 6 km E of Piraeus, and NE of Poseidonos Avenue....
).
A.E.K. F.C. first football team
GK
Goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal...
:N.Kitsos, DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
:Ieremiadis, DF
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
:T.Asderis, MF
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
:Kehayas, MF
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
:Paraskevas, MF
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
:Dimopoulos, MF
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
:Karagiannidis, FW:Baltas, FW:Milas, FW:Iliadis, FW:Georgiadis.The first match was against Aias Athinon in November 1924 and A.E.K. won it with 2–0.
AEK’s football team grew rapidly in popularity during the 1920s, eclipsing the already-established Athens-based refugee clubs (Panionios, Apollon Smyrnis
Apollon Smyrnis
Apollon Smyrnis, officially known as GS Apollon Smyrnis , the Gymnastic Club Apollon of Smyrna, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece.The club currently compete in the Football League 2, the 3rd tier of Greek football.- History :Apollon Smyrnis is...
), thanks mainly to the large pool of immigrants that were drawn to the club and due, in no small part, to the political connections and wealth of several of the club’s board members. Not possessing a football ground, AEK played most of its early matches at various locations around Athens, including the grounds of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium
Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium
Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium is a football stadium in Athens, Greece. The stadium, has been the home of Panathinaikos FC and has played for most of the years of its existence, since its foundation back in 1908....
.
AEK’s first president, Konstantinos Spanoudis (1871–1941), a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and associate of the then Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
, petitioned the government to set aside land for the establishment of a sports ground. In 1926, land in Nea Filadelfia that was originally set aside for refugee housing was donated as a training ground for the refugees. AEK began using the ground for training (albeit unofficially) and by 1930 the property was signed over to the club. Venizelos soon approved the plans to build what was to become AEK’s home ground for the next 70 years, the Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Nea Filadelfeia , a northwestern suburb of Athens, Greece. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later...
. The first home game, in November 1930, was an exhibition match against Olympiacos that ended in a 2–2 draw.
In 1928 Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
, Olympiacos, and AEK began a dispute with the fledgling Hellenic Football Federation (EPO), decided to break away from the Athens regional league and form an alliance called P.O.K.
P.O.K.
P.O.K. stands for Podosfairikes Omades Kentrou , which is Greek for Central Football Teams, meaning the football teams of Athens...
(acronym for Podosfairikes-Omades-Kentrou). During the dispute, POK organised friendly matches against each other and several continental European clubs. In 1929, though, the dispute ended and AEK, along with the other POK clubs, entered the EPO fold once again.
In 1932, AEK won their first Greek Cup title, beating Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris Football Club , also known as God of war and the Yellows, is a Greek football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Formed in 1914, the club was a founding member of Macedonian Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, they currently compete in...
5–3 in the final. The team boasted a number of star football players in Kostas Negrepontis
Kostas Negrepontis
Konstantinos Negrepontis was a Greek football forward of the 1920s and 1930s. Born in Constantinople in 1897, he started his football career in Turkey, playing for the Pera-based Pera Club. He also played in France and Fenerbahçe S.K. for a time before eventually settling in Greece to play for...
(a veteran of the original Pera Club of Constantinople), Kleanthis Maropoulos
Kleanthis Maropoulos
Kleanthis Maropoulos was a star football player for AEK Athens FC and Greece during the 1930s and 1940s. Arguably the finest Greek football player of his period, he was affectionately known as the "Blonde Eagle of AEK"....
, Tryfon Tzanetis
Tryfon Tzanetis
Tryfon Tzanetis was a Greek football player and coach. Born in 1918 in Izmir, he was a best known as a forward for AEK Athens FC during the 1930s and 1940s, partnering Kleanthis Maropoulos in AEK's front line...
, Michalis Delavinias, Giorgos Mageiras and Spyros Sklavounos.
The club’s mixed success during the 1930s was highlighted by the first Greek Championship-Cup double in 1939.
1940–1959
Under former player Kostas Negrepontis as coach, AEK won the Greek Championship in 1940.With English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
coach Jack Bimby at the reins, veteran players Maropoulos, Tzanetis, Delavinias and Mageiras, along with new blood Kostas Poulis, Giorgos Goulios, and Pavlos Emmanoualidis, AEK won the Greek Cup competitions of 1949 and 1950, beating Panathinaikos 2–1 and Aris 4–0.
AEK won also the Athens regional championship of 1950, but the playoff games for the
Pan-Hellenic title were not played, due to many players being called up for a prolonged
training camp for the national team.
The early 1950s saw the addition of the next generation of star footballers in Giannis Kanakis, Andreas Stamatiadis
Andreas Stamatiadis
Andreas Stamatiadis is a retired footballer who played as a right winger for AEK Athens F.C. from 1950 until 1969, captain of the team in the latter years. During his career, he made 267 league appearances and scored 60 goals for AEK Athens...
, and goalkeeper Stelios Serafeidis, and along with Poulis and Emmanoualidis, AEK again won the Greek Cup title of 1956, this time beating Olympiacos 2–1 in the final. 1957 saw the debut of one of the greatest forwards of the era, Kostas Nestoridis
Kostas Nestoridis
Kostas Nestoridis , is a Greek former footballer. He debuted for the Greek National Football Team in 1951 and won 17 caps for his country, scoring 3 goals. Born in Athens of Pontian Greek heritage in 1930, his football career started at Panionios where he played until 1955...
. Having joined AEK from Panionios in 1956, Nestoridis was forced to sit out the 1956 season because of a dispute between the two clubs over his transfer. In 1958 and 1959 he finished top goal scorer in the league, but it wasn’t enough for AEK to take any titles.
1960–1979
With Kostas Nestoridis scoring goals aplenty in the early 1960s, (top goalscorer 1958–1963), and the timely signing of attacker Dimitris PapaioannouMimis Papaioannou
Dimitris "Mimis" Papaioannou was one of the star football players of AEK Athens FC. He was born in 1942 and began his career at Nea Genea in the town of Nea Nikomedia , Imathia Prefecture. He joined AEK in time for the 1963 season for the paltry sum of 140,000 drachmas...
in 1962, AEK went on to win the 1963 Championship.
Known affectionately as “Mimis” by the AEK supporters, Papaioannou scored twice in the 1963 playoff against Panathinaikos, levelling the scores at 3–3 and giving AEK its first post-war championship title on goal aggregate. Coached by Hungarian-German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Jenő Csaknady, the championship team also consisted of veterans Nestoridis, Serafeidis and Stamatiadis, Alekos Sofianidis, Stelios Skevofilakas
Stelios Skevofilakas
Stelios Skevofilakas was a Greek footballer who played for AEK Athens and Atromitos. He also earned 15 caps for the Greek national team, playing in qualifying matches for the 1966 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 1968.-External links:...
, Giorgos Petridis, Manolis Kanellopoulos, and Miltos Papapostolou.
The club followed up with Cup victories in 1964 and 1966 on papers, and with the return of Csaknady to the coach’s position in 1968, and with some great players in Kostas Nikolaidis, Giorgos Karafeskos, Panagiotis Ventouris, Fotis Balopoulos, Spyros Pomonis, Alekos Iordanou, Nikos Stathopoulos and Andreas Papaemmanouil, AEK won the championship with relative ease, and became the first Greek football club to reach the quarter-final of European Champions Cup.
The addition of goalkeeper Stelios Konstantinidis and Apostolos Toskas reinforced the team and allowed AEK to take its fifth championship title in 1971.
AEK won also the unofficial Super-Cup of 1971 beating Olympiacos 4–2 on penalty kicks,
after 2 draws of 2–2 at Piraeus and 1–1 at Nea Filadelfia (normal time).
Loukas Barlos took over the presidency of AEK in 1974, and with the help of Czech-Dutch coach Frantisek Fadrhonc
František Fadrhonc
František Fadrhonc was a football manager, who was born in Nymburk, Austria–Hungary, present day Czech Republic. He performed his coaching wonders, however, in the West, mostly in the Netherlands...
built one of the finest teams in the club’s history. The Barlos “Golden Era” saw some of the greatest players ever to have played for AEK. Christos Ardizoglou
Christos Ardizoglou
Christos Ardizoglou is a former Greek football player. He started his career with Apollon Smyrnis and won several titles in Greece with AEK Athens, for whom he played 291 matches and scored 63 goals in all competitions. His greatest moment was reaching the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 1977...
, Giorgos Dedes
Giorgos Dedes
Giorgos Dedes is a former Greek footballer.He was a fast forward player with great flexibility in his play as well as a great ball shooter. He was twice the leading scorer in the Greek championship in 1971 with 28 goals , and in 1976 with 15 goals. He started with the team of Panionios in 1961 and...
, Giorgos Skrekis, the Germans Walter Wagner
Walter Wagner (footballer)
Walter Wagner was a German football striker during the 1970s and 1980s.Wagner played for Eintracht Frankfurt between 1969 and 1971...
and Timo Zahnleiter
Timo Zahnleiter
Hans-Dieter "Timo" Zahnleiter is a German former professional football player and current manager.Zahnleiter played from 1974 until 1976 at AEK Athens FC in Greece and from 1979 until 1981 for Wormatia Worms in the 2. Bundesliga....
, Dionysis Tsamis, Pantelis Nikolaou, Petros Ravousis
Petros Ravousis
Petros Ravousis is a former Greek football defender.-Club career:He played for Levadiakos and AEK, a member of the team that won consecutive championships in 1978 and 1979 and reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals.-International career:...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n Dušan Bajević
Dušan Bajevic
Dušan Bajević is a Bosnian football manager and former Yugoslav international.-Playing career:...
, Takis Nikoloudis, Stefanos Theodoridis
Stefanos Theodoridis
Stefanos Theodoridis ; born 1950) was a Greek football defender of the 1970s era.Theodoridis played with AEK Athens FC from 1970 until 1979 and was considered one of the top defenders to have played for the club...
, Christos Itzoglou, Nikos Christidis.
Captained by Papaioannou, 1976–1977 saw AEK reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup competition, the first Greek football club to do so. Beating FC Dynamo Moscow
FC Dynamo Moscow
Dynamo Moscow is a Russian football club based in Moscow, currently playing in the Russian Premier League. Dynamo's traditional kit colours are blue and white...
(Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) 2–0, Derby County F.C.
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
(U.K.) 2–0 and 3–2, Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
(Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) 2–0, and QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
(U.K.) 3–0 and 7–6 on penalties, AEK were eventually eliminated by Gianni Agnelli
Gianni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli , better known as Gianni Agnelli , was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce, and 16.5% of its industrial investment in research...
’s Juventus FC. Juventus went on to win their first European title.
It was during this period that AEK signed one of Greece’s finest strikers, Thomas Mavros
Thomas Mavros
Thomas Mavros is a retired Greek international football player who played as a striker. He is regarded as one of the best players to play club football in Greece having scored a record number of goals there....
. He was an integral part of the team that reached the UEFA Cup semi finals in 1976, but it was his devastating form (top goal scorer of 1978 and 1979 – 22 and 31 goals, respectively) that helped AEK take the 1978 Championship-Cup double. The addition of former Panathinaikos FC stars Dimitris Domazos
Mimis Domazos
Dimitris "Mimis" Domazos , is a retired Greek footballer born in Ambelokipi, Athens. His nickname is "The General".Mimis Domazos is considered by many to be the best footballer that Greece has ever produced...
and Kostas Eleutherakis to the AEK roster the following year saw the club cap off their most successful decade to-date by winning the 1979 Championship.
Under Loukas Barlos, the Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Nea Filadelfeia , a northwestern suburb of Athens, Greece. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later...
was finally completed with the addition of the iconic “Covered Stand”, or Skepasti , which eventually became home to the most fanatic of AEK supporter groups, Original 21
Original 21
Original 21 is the largest AEK Athens supporters club. The first attempt to organise AEK supporters was Gate 21 , which took its name from the gate in the Nikos Goumas Stadium, Nea Filadelfia, where the most hardcore fans gathered...
. The next generation of star players, fresh out of the AEK Academy, made their debut during this period – Stelios Manolas
Stelios Manolas
Stylianos "Stelios" Manolas is a retired Greek football defender.Arguably the best football defender ever to come out of Greece, Manolas, a product of AEK Athens FC's youth academy...
, Spyros Ekonomopoulos, Vangelis Vlachos
Vangelis Vlachos
Vangelis Vlachos is a former Greek football player and current coach.Vlachos played for Panathinaikos in the Alpha Ethniki from 1985 to 1991.-Honours:AEK Athens*Greek Cup: 1983Panathinaikos...
and Lysandros Georgamlis
Lysandros Georgamlis
Lysandros Georgamlis is a former international Greek footballer and current assistant manager at AC Omonia.-Playing career:...
.
1980–1999
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n head coach Helmut Senekowitsch
Helmut Senekowitsch
Helmut Senekowitsch was an Austrian football player and later a football manager.-Club career:He played for several clubs, including SK Sturm Graz, Real Betis and FC Wacker Innsbruck.-International career:...
, AEK won the 1983 Greek Cup, beating PAOK FC
PAOK FC
P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
2–0 in the newly built Athens Olympic Stadium. Thomas Mavros and 21-year-old captain Vangelis Vlachos
Vangelis Vlachos
Vangelis Vlachos is a former Greek football player and current coach.Vlachos played for Panathinaikos in the Alpha Ethniki from 1985 to 1991.-Honours:AEK Athens*Greek Cup: 1983Panathinaikos...
were the goalscorers.
Dušan Bajevic
Dušan Bajević is a Bosnian football manager and former Yugoslav international.-Playing career:...
, AEK clinched the title after a winning a crucial match 1–0 against Olympiacos at the Athens Olympic Stadium. Takis Karagiozopoulos scored the goal that gave AEK its first Championship in a decade.
AEK won also the Greek Super-Cup of 1989, beating Panathinaikos on penalties, (normal time 1–1).
After the 1989 triumphs, under Bajević, AEK built what was to become one of the most successful teams in its history. Led by Stelios Manolas
Stelios Manolas
Stylianos "Stelios" Manolas is a retired Greek football defender.Arguably the best football defender ever to come out of Greece, Manolas, a product of AEK Athens FC's youth academy...
, the team, which included Toni Savevski
Toni Savevski
Toni Savevski is a football player from the Republic of Macedonia. Savevski is widely regarded as one of the best foreign midfielders to have played in the Greek football league....
, Daniel Batista
Daniel Batista
Daniel Batista Lima is a former Greek international football player who played as a striker. He has been given the title "Gullit of the poor" by the Italian press after and impressive display against Torino...
, Vaios Karagiannis
Vaios Karagiannis
Vaios Karagiannis is a former Greek football player and current manager of Anagennisi Karditsa.Karagiannis played almost whole his career for AEK Athens....
, Vasilis Dimitriadis
Vasilis Dimitriadis
Vasilis Dimitriadis is a Greek former footballer who played at both professional international levels as a striker.Since December 2008 he is the General Manager of AEK Athens.-Career:...
, Giorgos Savvidis
Giorgos Savvidis
Giorgos Savvidis is a former international Cypriot football midfielderand football manager.During his playing days he was regarded one of the best players in the country and was voted in the best 11 Cypriot...
, Alekos Alexandris and Refik Šabanadžović
Refik Šabanadžovic
Refik Šabanadžović is a retired Montenegrin-born Bosnian footballer.-Club career:His career began in a small Montenegrin club FK Dečić Tuzi. He was spotted there by Titograd's FK Budućnost and moved there shortly after...
dominated the Greek league through the 1990s with three successive Championship titles (1992, 1993, 1994). AEK also won the Greek League Cup of 1990 (beating Olympiakos 3–2).
In 1994–1995 AEK was the first Greek football club that participated in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League after defeating Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
champions Rangers FC; AEK was eliminated by Ajax Amsterdam
Ajax Amsterdam
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
and AC Milan, who made it to the final. With Michalis Trochanas as president and Dušan Bajević as coach, the club won the 1996 Greek Cup.
Former player Petros Ravousis
Petros Ravousis
Petros Ravousis is a former Greek football defender.-Club career:He played for Levadiakos and AEK, a member of the team that won consecutive championships in 1978 and 1979 and reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals.-International career:...
took over the coaching position when Dušan Bajević defected to Pireaus-based rivals Olympiacos at the end of 1996, and led the team to its second Super-Cup (August 1996), beating Panathinaikos on penalties, and to its eleventh Cup title in 1997, again beating Panathinaikos on penalties.
By far AEK’s most successful run with titles, the period also saw AEK sign talented players in
Demis Nikolaidis
Demis Nikolaidis
Themistoklis "Demis" Nikolaidis was the forty second president of AEK Athens F.C., and is considered one of the finest footballers Greece has ever produced. In his early childhood and teenage years he lived in the city of Alexandroupoli, in the north-east part of Greece...
, Christos Kostis
Christos Kostis
Christos Kostis is a former Greek international football player who played as a second striker.-Club career:...
, Vassilis Tsiartas
Vassilis Tsiartas
Vassilios Tsiartas is a retired Greek international football player who played as an attacking midfielder. Although he was famed for his lackadaisical playing style, his ability was never in question and he was in many ways the epitome of a player who wears the number 10 shirt...
, Christos Maladenis, Andreas Zikos and Michalis Kasapis
Michalis Kasapis
Michalis Kasapis is a former Greek football player and currently the football manager of Fokikos which competes in Greek Football League 2.-Club career:...
. Demis Nikolaidis, in particular, an AEK fan since childhood, declined more lucrative offers from Olympiacos and Panathinaikos FC to sign for his beloved club.
During seasons 1996–1997 and 1997–1998, AEK progressed to the Quarter-Final of the European Cup Winners'
Cup.
In 1999, ex-president Dimitris Melissanidis organised a friendly match against FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
, in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, during the height of the NATO bombing of Serbia. As a gesture of compassion and solidarity towards the embattled Serbs, the AEK players and management staff defied the international embargo and traveled to Belgrade for the match. The game ended 1–1, when after 60 minutes of play thousands of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n football fans invaded the pitch to embrace the footballers.
21st century
Dusan Bajevic returned as coach in the summer of 2002, a move that sparked open hostility towards Bajevic from a section of AEK supporters. Under Bajevic, AEK progressed through the qualifying rounds in the 2002 UEFA Champions League by eliminating APOEL FC
APOEL FC
APOEL F.C. is a professional football club based in Lefkosia , Cyprus and they are one of the founding members of the Cyprus Football Association. APOEL is one of the most popular football teams in Cyprus and they are the most successful with an overall tally of 21 championships, 19 cups and 12...
. Drawn in Group A with AS Roma, Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, and Racing Genk, AEK drew all their games and were knocked out of the competition. Off the field, AEK's home stadium for over 70 years, Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Nea Filadelfeia , a northwestern suburb of Athens, Greece. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later...
, was demolished and club president Chrysostomos Psomiadis, with the assistance of his bodyguards, allegedly assaulted team captain Demis Nikolaidis. After the altercation, and partly due to the club’s growing financial problems from mismanagement, Nikolaidis was let on free transfer by mutual consent to Atlético Madrid. Unable to cope with the negativity from a large section of AEK fans, Bajević resigned in 2004 during a match against Iraklis.
By now, on the brink of bankruptcy, and losing most of its Euro 2004 stars and experienced players to other European clubs, AEK needed a miracle to prevent it from being relegated to the Greek amateur leagues. Though both Kostas Katsouranis
Kostas Katsouranis
Konstantinos "Kostas" Katsouranis is a Greek footballer who currently plays for Panathinaikos FC and the Greek national team as a defensive midfielder.-Panachaiki:...
and Nikos Lymperopoulos remained, Vassilis Borbokis
Vassilis Borbokis
Vassilis Borbokis is a former Greek football player. He is the brother of former Greek football player Stefanos Borbokis, who was also a PAOK FC player...
, Grigorios Georgatos
Grigorios Georgatos
Grigoris Georgatos , also known as "Trelos Karaflos" , is a retired Greek footballer. He typically played as a defensive midfielder or attacking winger for Greek Championship club Olympiacos...
, Theodoros Zagorakis
Theodoros Zagorakis
-Kavala:Zagorakis was a defensive midfielder who usually operated on the right hand side of midfield. He started his career with Kavala, the club that also produced Zisis Vryzas, with whom he became close friends...
, Michalis Kapsis
Michalis Kapsis
Michalis Kapsis is a Greek football player who currently plays for Ethnikos Piraeus F.C.. Kapsis played for the Greek national football team at the position of central defender...
, Michalis Kasapis
Michalis Kasapis
Michalis Kasapis is a former Greek football player and currently the football manager of Fokikos which competes in Greek Football League 2.-Club career:...
, Michel Kreek
Michel Kreek
Michel Kreek is a former Dutch footballer, who played one international match for the Netherlands national football team: on February 22, 1995 in the lost friendly against Portugal.-Honours:Ajax...
, Vassilis Lakis
Vassilis Lakis
Vasilis Lakis is a Greek footballer and he was named "Turbo" for his speed on the attacking wing and making great cross in the area for the strikers.-FAS Naussa:...
, Vassilis Tsiartas
Vassilis Tsiartas
Vassilios Tsiartas is a retired Greek international football player who played as an attacking midfielder. Although he was famed for his lackadaisical playing style, his ability was never in question and he was in many ways the epitome of a player who wears the number 10 shirt...
, and Ioannis Okkas all left the club in the wake of the troubles.
In 2003 Demis Nikolaidis and other significant AEK followers formed a supporters' club Enosis 1924 (Union 1924) in order to motivate all AEK supporters into taking up the club's shares and governance. The project was not fully realised because, in the meantime, businessmen decided to buy shares and invest money to the club. However, until today, Enosis 1924's chairman is member of the AEK F.C. board.
In 2004, on the back of strong AEK fan support, Demis Nikolaidis
Demis Nikolaidis
Themistoklis "Demis" Nikolaidis was the forty second president of AEK Athens F.C., and is considered one of the finest footballers Greece has ever produced. In his early childhood and teenage years he lived in the city of Alexandroupoli, in the north-east part of Greece...
, at the head of a consortium of businessmen, bought out the beleaguered club and became the new president. His primary task was to lead AEK out of its precarious financial position. The first success was an arrangement through the Greek justice system to write off most of the massive debt that previous club administrators had amassed, and to repay any remaining public debts in manageable installments.
Securing the club’s existence in the Alpha Ethniki, Nikolaidis then began a program to rebuild AEK to its former glory. He appointed experienced former player Ilija Ivić
Ilija Ivic
Ilija Ivić is a retired Serbian footballer. Ivić works currently as Red Star Belgrade and his last job was the Technical Manager of the Greek side Olympiacos...
as technical director of the club and brought back Fernando Santos as coach. The AEK fans, emboldened by Nikolaidis’s efforts, followed suit by buying season ticket packages in record numbers (over 17,000).
AEK recruited promising young players to strengthen a depleted team. Led by the experienced Katsouranis and Lymperopoulos, and featuring Brazilian Júlio César
Júlio César da Silva e Souza
Júlio César da Silva e Souza is a Brazilian football player who is playing for Figueirense Futebol Clube. He most recently played Turkish side, Gaziantepspor, having joined them from FC Rapid Bucureşti...
, the club made it to the Greek Cup final for seventh time in 13 years but lost to Olympiacos
Olympiacos
Olympiacos F.C. , also known simply as Olympiacos, Olympiacos Piraeus or with its full name Olympiacos C.F.P. , Olympiacos Club of Fans of Piraeus, is a Greek association football club, part of Olympiacos CFP, based in Piraeus....
with 3–0, finished second in the Championship, and in the process, secured a place in the Third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League. For the 2006–07 season, former Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
coach Llorenç Serra Ferrer
Llorenç Serra Ferrer
Lorenzo Serra Ferrer is a Spanish football coach.His career was mainly associated with RCD Mallorca and Real Betis, and he also served the former in various other capacities.-Playing career:...
was appointed to the coaching position after Fernando Santos's contract was not renewed.
By beating Hearts over both legs (2–1 in Scotland and 3–0 in Greece), AEK progressed to the group stage of Champions-League, the club obtained a total of 8 points, having beaten AC Milan 1–0, Lille
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
1–0, and managing two draws with Anderlecht (1–1 in Greece and 2–2 in Belgium). AEK finished second in the Greek Super League, qualifying again for the 3rd round in the UEFA Champions League.
For the 2007/08
2007-08 in Greek football
-Coaches:Below is the list of coaches who left their teams after the start of the season.-Third Qualifying Round:* AEK'-Group Stage:* Olympiacos...
season AEK changed kit sponsors from adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
to Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
, they have played with Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
in
the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round,the 1st leg has been played on August 15, away at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán when AEK was defeated by 2 goals and the 2nd leg played on September 3 at the Athens Olympic Stadium where AEK lost again by 1–4.
In 2008, AEK completed the signings of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian legend Rivaldo
Rivaldo
Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira , commonly known simply as Rivaldo , is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for São Paulo, on loan from Mogi Mirim, as an attacking midfielder and sometimes as a supporting striker.He most notably played five years with Spanish club FC Barcelona, with whom he...
after he was left free from Olympiacos, Rodolfo Arruabarrena
Rodolfo Arruabarrena
Rodolfo Martín Arruabarrena is a former Argentine football left back. His last club was Universidad Católica in the Primera División de Chile...
, Charis Pappas
Charilaos Pappas
Charilaos Pappas, is a Greek footballer currently playing for Panetolikos.-Club career:He began his career in Panserraikos, Greece. In January 2003, he moved to Thessaloniki signed for Apollon Kalamarias FC. In 2003/04, Pappas' ten goals were a major factor in Kalamaria's winning promotion to the...
and Argentine striker Ismael Blanco
Ismael Blanco
Ismael Blanco is an Argentine professional football player who plays for the Mexican Primera División team, San Luis F.C.-Argentina:Blanco started his career with Colón in 2002...
. Traianos Dellas
Traianos Dellas
Traianos Dellas is a Greek international footballer currently playing as a centre back for AEK Athens in the Greek Super League...
was rewarded with a new contract, keeping him at the club until summer 2009. On 25 August the Super League
Super League Greece
The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
and EPO decided to postpone the opening season's games due to the fire disaster in the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
.,
After being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, AEK were drawn to play FC Salzburg in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. On September 20 in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, AEK defeated FC Salzburg 3–0. The second leg was played in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
on October 4 AEK lost the match but still went through 3–1 on agg. On October 9 AEK were drawn in Group C in the UEFA Cup group stage along with Villarreal
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
, Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
, Mladá Boleslav
FK Mladá Boleslav
FK Mladá Boleslav is a Czech football club from Mladá Boleslav.- Recent times :The team was promoted to Gambrinus liga for the first time in its history in 2004 and in their first top-flight season fought against relegation, eventually finishing in 14th place...
, and Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...
. On October 25 AEK kicked off the group stage's with a 1–1 draw away to Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...
, on November 29 AEK again drew 1–1,this time at home to Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
.
On December 5 AEK won Mlada Boleslav
FK Mladá Boleslav
FK Mladá Boleslav is a Czech football club from Mladá Boleslav.- Recent times :The team was promoted to Gambrinus liga for the first time in its history in 2004 and in their first top-flight season fought against relegation, eventually finishing in 14th place...
1–0 away and on December 20
although AEK was home defeated 1–2 by Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
, finally booked a place in the knockout stage of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, finishing third in the group. They were then drawn against Getafe CF
Getafe CF
Getafe Club de Fútbol is a Spanish La Liga football club based in Getafe, a city in the Madrid metropolitan area, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.In the top level since 2004-05, it holds home games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez....
in the third round (phase of 32). AEK has been advanced to the third round of UEFA Cup, for second consecutive season.
On 12 February AEK parted company with Llorenç after a poor run of form and un-successful signings and replaced him with former player Nikos Kostenoglou
Nikos Kostenoglou
Nikolaos "Nikos" Kostenoglou is a former Greek football player and current football manager of Greek club AEK Athens F.C..Kostenoglou started his career as a football player at Xanthi FC the year 1989, and was transferred in 1994 at AEK....
, on a caretaker basis, at the end of an indifferent season. The team initially finished in first place in the league, but after the court case between Apollon Kalamaria and Olympiacos for the illegal usage of a player in the 1–0 Apollon Kalamaria win earlier in the season, Olympiacos were awarded the 3 points in a court hearing, thus finishing 2 points ahead of AEK. AEK president Demis Nikolaidis
Demis Nikolaidis
Themistoklis "Demis" Nikolaidis was the forty second president of AEK Athens F.C., and is considered one of the finest footballers Greece has ever produced. In his early childhood and teenage years he lived in the city of Alexandroupoli, in the north-east part of Greece...
and several other managers and chairmen have been angered with the court's decision, stating that the Hellenic Football Federation knew about the usage of the illegal player prior to the game but didn't do anything about it.
Giorgos Donis was appointed head coach of AEK on May 14.
His reign at the club did not go well. It all began when AEK failed to surpass AC Omonia
AC Omonia
Athletic Club Omonoia Nicosia is a professional football club that plays in the Cyprus capital city Nicosia. The club was established in 1948 and became a member of the Cyprus Football Association in 1953...
in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
second qualifying round, meaning there elimination from European competitions for the season. Key player Rivaldo
Rivaldo
Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira , commonly known simply as Rivaldo , is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for São Paulo, on loan from Mogi Mirim, as an attacking midfielder and sometimes as a supporting striker.He most notably played five years with Spanish club FC Barcelona, with whom he...
asked to leave the club to sign for Bunyodkor on August 27.
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
in the opening game of the season, but poor performances and results from then on left AEK in a difficult situation. Head coach Giorgos Donis was eager to leave the club, but president Demis Nikolaidis
Demis Nikolaidis
Themistoklis "Demis" Nikolaidis was the forty second president of AEK Athens F.C., and is considered one of the finest footballers Greece has ever produced. In his early childhood and teenage years he lived in the city of Alexandroupoli, in the north-east part of Greece...
did not allow him to leave. Nevertheless, Nikolaidis left due to these disappointing results and after a controversy with the clubs supporters Original 21
Original 21
Original 21 is the largest AEK Athens supporters club. The first attempt to organise AEK supporters was Gate 21 , which took its name from the gate in the Nikos Goumas Stadium, Nea Filadelfia, where the most hardcore fans gathered...
, leaving temporarily the presidency to member of the D.C., Nikos Koulis and Takis Kanellopoulos.
However, the series of disappointing results continued, bringing anger and insecure situations for everyone in the team. The first to be hit by this wave of disappointment and with the council of the team upset, was the coach Giorgos Donis, who was asked to leave the team. On November 21, 2008, AEK hired Dušan Bajević
Dušan Bajevic
Dušan Bajević is a Bosnian football manager and former Yugoslav international.-Playing career:...
as head coach for the third time. However, after a while, Takis Kanellopoulos left the team, as he sparked a rivalry with Bajević.
On 4 February 2009, Nikos Thanopoulos was elected as the 41st president of AEK FC. Bajevic brought some much-needed stability to the club, and performances on the pitch improved vastly towards the end of the season, culminating in AEK's progression to the Greek Cup final against Olympiacos which was played on 2 May 2009 at Athens Olympic Stadium. AEK lost in the final 14–15 on penalties. AEK finished the regular season at 4th position, thus qualifying for the season's playoff's, in which they eventually finished second, just missing out on UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualification.
Traianos Dellas
Traianos Dellas is a Greek international footballer currently playing as a centre back for AEK Athens in the Greek Super League...
signed the last 1-year contract of their careers, and many new and experienced players signed to AEK, the most notable of whom were Papa Bouba Diop
Papa Bouba Diop
Pape "Papa" Bouba Diop is a Senegalese footballer who plays for West Ham United in the Football League Championship and the Senegal national team. His preferred position is defensive midfield but can also play as a centre back, where he previously played at Lens...
, Cristian Nasuti
Cristian Nasuti
Cristian Nasuti is an Argentine football defender.Nasuti started his career with Club Atlético Platense in the Argentine 2nd division in 2001. He was spotted by River Plate and signed for the club in 2003...
and Christos Patsatzoglou
Christos Patsatzoglou
Christos Patsatzoglou is a Greek international football who plays for PAS Giannina F.C. in the Greek Super League.-Early career:...
amongst others. AEK qualified for the 2010–2011 Europa League group stage after defeating Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
2–1 on aggregate.
On 7 October 2010, Manolo Jiménez took over from Dušan Bajević
Dušan Bajevic
Dušan Bajević is a Bosnian football manager and former Yugoslav international.-Playing career:...
at AEK Athens after he stepped down as AEK manager, agreeing to a two-year deal.
On 30th April 2011, AEK won the Greek Cup for 14th time, by defeating 3–0 Atromitos FC at the final.
To compensate the departures of Nacho Scocco, Papa Bouba Diop
Papa Bouba Diop
Pape "Papa" Bouba Diop is a Senegalese footballer who plays for West Ham United in the Football League Championship and the Senegal national team. His preferred position is defensive midfield but can also play as a centre back, where he previously played at Lens...
, Sebastian Saja
Sebastián Saja
Diego Sebastián Saja is an Argentine football who plays for Racing Club de Avellaneda as a goalkeeper.-San Lorenzo:...
and Ismael Blanco
Ismael Blanco
Ismael Blanco is an Argentine professional football player who plays for the Mexican Primera División team, San Luis F.C.-Argentina:Blanco started his career with Colón in 2002...
in the summer of 2011 A.E.K. signed amongst others the captain of Iceland's
Iceland national football team
The Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
Eiður Guðjohnsen
Eiður Guðjohnsen
Eiður Smári Guðjohnsen is an Icelandic footballer who currently plays for AEK Athens F.C. in the Superleague Greece. He has previously played for Premier League club Chelsea and FC Barcelona of Spain, having made his name with Bolton Wanderers. He was the captain of the Iceland national team until...
and the Colombian international Fabián Vargas.
Colours and Kit
The colours of yellow and black were adopted from AEK's connections with ConstantinopleConstantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
.
AEK have always worn predominantly yellow shirts (striped or plain), black shorts, and yellow or black socks. The only exception has been in the unusual, but notable, Kappa
Kappa (company)
Kappa is an Italian company specialized at the manufacture of sporting clothes and accessories, that started as a sock and underwear manufacturer in 1916 in Turin.-Logo:...
kits of the 1990s (which featured a double-headed eagle across the kit), or in recent years, mainly in European competitions, when the club has worn an all-yellow kit.
AEK's traditional away colours are all-black or all-white; on a few occasions, the club has introduced a light blue, a grey, and even a dark scarlet kit as a third kit.
AEK's current kit is manufactured by Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
, which is contracted to supply the club's kit from 2007 to 2014. Their previous kit manufacturer were Diadora
Diadora
Diadora is an Italian football, tennis, running, cycling, rugby, athletic shoe, clothing, and fashion accessory manufacturer with locations in Italy, the United States, and Hong Kong.-History:...
, Kappa
Kappa (company)
Kappa is an Italian company specialized at the manufacture of sporting clothes and accessories, that started as a sock and underwear manufacturer in 1916 in Turin.-Logo:...
, Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
and Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
. AEK's first shirt sponsor was Citizen
Citizen Watch Co.
is the core company of a Japanese global corporate group based in Tokyo, Japan. The company was originally founded as Shokosha Watch Research Institute in 1918 and is currently known as the manufacturer of CINCOM precision lathe machine tools as well as CITIZEN watches. The trade name originated...
(1982–83), followed by Nissan (1983–85), Ethniki Asfalistiki and Phoenix Asfaleies (1988–96), Geniki Bank
Geniki Bank
Geniki Bank is a Greek financier group that provides complete banking and financing services. It was founded in 1937.The bank is traded at the Athens Stock Exchange since 26 January 1963...
(1996–98), Firestone
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
(1999), Marfin (1999–2001), Alpha Digital
Alpha TV
Alpha TV is a Greek terrestrial channel . The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on entertainment programs. The studios are located near Athens...
(2001–02), Piraeus Bank
Piraeus Bank
Piraeus Bank Group is a Greek bank founded in 1916 that went through a period of state ownership and management before it was privatised in December 1991. Since then, it has continuously grown in size and activities...
(2002–04), which caused controversy
because it was situated in Pireaus – home of fierce rivals Olympiacos, TIM (2004–06), LG
LG Group
LG Corp. is the second-largest South Korean conglomerate company following Samsung, and it is headquartered in the LG Twin Towers in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. LG produces electronics, chemicals, and telecommunications products and operates subsidiaries like LG Electronics, LG Display,...
with Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
on the sleeves, Forthnet
Forthnet
Forthnet S.A. is a Greek Internet Service Provider established in October 1995 by Minoan Lines SA and theFoundation for Research & Technology - Hellas , also known as FORTH....
on the shorts and Diners Club
Diners Club
Diners Club International, founded as Diners Club, is a charge card company formed in 1950 by Frank X. McNamara, Ralph Schneider and Matty Simmons...
on the back (2006–09) and 2009–2010 was Diners Club
Diners Club
Diners Club International, founded as Diners Club, is a charge card company formed in 1950 by Frank X. McNamara, Ralph Schneider and Matty Simmons...
. AEK's current shirt sponsor for 2010–2012 is OPAP
OPAP
OPAP – Greek Organisation of Football Prognostics S.A. is a public company based in Athens, Greece that exclusively operates and manages numerical lottery and sports betting games in Greece.OPAP is Europe's biggest betting firm...
and International Service on the back of the shirt with APHCA(E.PSI.PE) on the sleeves.
Crest
In 1924, AEK adopted as their emblem the image of a double-headed eagleDouble-headed eagle
The double-headed eagle is a common symbol in heraldry and vexillology. It is most commonly associated with the Byzantine Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. In Byzantine heraldry, the heads represent the dual sovereignty of the Emperor and/or dominance of the Byzantine Emperors over both East and...
( – Dikefalos Aetos). When AEK was created by Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
refugees from Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in the years following the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
and subsequent population exchange
Population exchange between Greece and Turkey
The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey was based upon religious identity, and involved the Greek Orthodox citizens of Turkey and the Muslim citizens of Greece...
, the emblem and colours (yellow & black) were chosen as a reminder of lost homelands; they represent the club's historical ties to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
.After all, the double-headed eagle is featured in the flag of the Greek Orthodox Church
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
, whose headquarters are in Constantinople, and served as Imperial emblem
Byzantine heraldry
For most of its history, the Byzantine Empire did not know or use heraldry in the West European sense. Various emblems were used in official occasions and for military purposes, such as banners or shields displaying various motifs such as the cross or the labarum...
under the Palaiologos
Palaiologos
Palaiologos , often latinized as Palaeologus, was a Byzantine Greek noble family, which produced the last ruling dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. After the Fourth Crusade, members of the family fled to the neighboring Empire of Nicaea, where Michael VIII Palaiologos became co-emperor in 1259,...
dynasty.
AEK's main emblem underwent numerous minor changes between 1924 and 1982. The design of the eagle on the shirt badge was often not identical to the design of the eagle depicted on official club correspondence, merchandise and promotional material. All designs were considered "official" (in the broadest sense of the word), however, it was not until 1982 that an identifiable, copyrighted design was established as the club's official, and shirt, badge. The emblem design was changed in 1989, and again in 1993 to the current shield design.
Shirt Sponsors and Manufacturers
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1976–82 | Adidas Adidas Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport... |
— |
| 1982–83 | Citizen | |
| 1983–85 | Zita Hellas | Nissan Nissan Motors , usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn .... |
| 1985–89 | Ethniki Asfalistiki | |
| 1989–93 | Diadora Diadora Diadora is an Italian football, tennis, running, cycling, rugby, athletic shoe, clothing, and fashion accessory manufacturer with locations in Italy, the United States, and Hong Kong.-History:... |
|
| 1993–95 | Basic | Phoenix Asfaleies |
| 1995–96 | Kappa Kappa (company) Kappa is an Italian company specialized at the manufacture of sporting clothes and accessories, that started as a sock and underwear manufacturer in 1916 in Turin.-Logo:... |
Ethniki Asfalistiki |
| 1996–98 | Geniki Bank Geniki Bank Geniki Bank is a Greek financier group that provides complete banking and financing services. It was founded in 1937.The bank is traded at the Athens Stock Exchange since 26 January 1963... |
|
| 1999 | Firestone Firestone Tire and Rubber Company The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company... |
|
| 1999–00 | Marfin Investment Group Marfin Investment Group Marfin Investment Group is a Greek investment company created in 1998 as Marfin Α.Ε.Π.Ε.Υ.. It has acquired several companies and has changed name several times since. In 2001 it acquired Piraeus Prime Bank and was renamed Marfin Bank... |
|
| 2000–01 | Nike Nike, Inc. Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area... |
|
| 2001–02 | Alpha Digital Alpha TV Alpha TV is a Greek terrestrial channel . The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on entertainment programs. The studios are located near Athens... |
|
| 2002–04 | Piraeus Piraeus Bank Piraeus Bank Group is a Greek bank founded in 1916 that went through a period of state ownership and management before it was privatised in December 1991. Since then, it has continuously grown in size and activities... |
|
| 2004 | TIM | |
| 2005–06 | Adidas Adidas Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport... |
|
| 2006–07 | LG | |
| 2007–12 | Puma PUMA AG Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two... |
|
| 2009–10 | Diners Club | |
| 2010–12 | OPAP OPAP OPAP – Greek Organisation of Football Prognostics S.A. is a public company based in Athens, Greece that exclusively operates and manages numerical lottery and sports betting games in Greece.OPAP is Europe's biggest betting firm... |
Stadium
- Main articles: Nikos Goumas StadiumNikos Goumas StadiumNikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Nea Filadelfeia , a northwestern suburb of Athens, Greece. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later...
, Olympic Stadium (Athens)Olympic Stadium (Athens)The Olympic Stadium "Spiros Louis" , is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. It is named after the first modern Olympic marathon race winner in 1896, Spiros Louis.-History:...
Nikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
in Nea Filadelfeia
Nea Filadelfeia
Nea Filadelfeia is a suburb in the northern part of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filadelfeia-Chalkidona, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit....
("New Philadelphia"), a northwestern suburb of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It was used mostly for football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC
AEK Athens FC
AEK Athens F.C. , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece. Outside Greece, the club is also known as AEK Athens, however, the word Athens is not part of the club's official title.Established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees...
. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later upgrading.
Since the demolition in 2003 of one of the most historical home grounds in Greece the Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Nea Filadelfeia , a northwestern suburb of Athens, Greece. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later...
– AEK’s home ground since 1930, the club plays its home games at the 70,000-capacity "Spiridon Louis
Spiridon Louis
Spyridon Louis was a Greek water-carrier who won the first modern-day Olympic marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics, thereby becoming a national hero....
" (Athens Olympic Stadium) in Athens.
The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens, also known as OAKA, is one of the most complete European athletic complexes.
The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1991, the World Championship in Athletics in 1997, the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final
2007 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2007 UEFA Champions League Final was an association football match between A.C. Milan of Italy and Liverpool F.C. of England on 23 May 2007 at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2006–07 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA...
well as other important athletic and cultural events, the most significant of which remains the Summer Olympics
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in 2004
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
| Stadium Name | Capacity | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Nikos Goumas Stadium Nikos Goumas Stadium Nikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Nea Filadelfeia , a northwestern suburb of Athens, Greece. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later... |
original: 37.000 (24.729 with seats) |
1928–03 |
| Athens Olympic Stadium Olympic Stadium (Athens) The Olympic Stadium "Spiros Louis" , is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. It is named after the first modern Olympic marathon race winner in 1896, Spiros Louis.-History:... |
69.618 | 1985–87, 2004–present |
Training Facility
AEK Athens training complex in SpataSpata
Spata , is a town east of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Spata-Artemida, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit....
is the most expensive,the most new and one of the biggest training centers in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.There are 3 regular pitches and one in synthetic grass.The main building of the centre hosting amongst many others the team's offices,a press room and the players rooms.The training ground houses both AEK Athens first team and Reserves.AEK moved to the complex on November of 2010.
Supporters
AEK Athens has a large fanbase,the majority of AEK supporters are refugees or have refugee decent from ConstantinopleConstantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and people from the population exchange of the Minor Asia Catastrophe.Original 21
Original 21
Original 21 is the largest AEK Athens supporters club. The first attempt to organise AEK supporters was Gate 21 , which took its name from the gate in the Nikos Goumas Stadium, Nea Filadelfia, where the most hardcore fans gathered...
is the largest AEK Athens supporters club. The first attempt to organise AEK supporters was Gate 21 (formed in 1975), which took its name from the gate in the Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium
Nikos Goumas Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Nea Filadelfeia , a northwestern suburb of Athens, Greece. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens FC. It was named after a one-time club president, Nicholas Goumas, who contributed to its building and later...
, Nea Filadelfia, where the most hardcore fans gathered.AEK Athens have also many supporters worldwide,most of them Greek immigrants,in places as North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
Supporters Friendships
There is a strong relationship between AS LivornoA.S. Livorno Calcio
Associazione Sportiva Livorno Calcio is an Italian football club based in Livorno, Tuscany. The club was formed in 1915 and currently plays in Italian Serie B. The team's colors are dark red or maroon...
, AEK Athens, and Olympique Marseille. A.E.K. fans often lift banners and create choreography in support of the fellow teams. A so-called "triangle of brotherhood" has developed between the most heavily supported fan clubs of Olympique de Marseille, Livorno, and AEK Athens, namely between Commando Ultras 84, Brigate Autonome Livornesi 99, and Original 21. Their connection is mostly an ideological one.
Rivalries
AEK Athens' biggest rivalries are with Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, and PAOK.Against neighbours Panathinaikos they contest the Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
local football derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. The rivalry started because of the refugee ancestry of AEK Athens fans and, by contrast, the fact that Panathinaikos was considered the classic representative of Athenian high class society.
The rivalry with Olympiacos stems from the rivalry between the two regions of Attica that the clubs are from; AEK hailing from Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and Olympiacos from Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
. Another reason is that, although it has working class fans of its own, Olympiacos has many high class & rich supporters.
Honours and achievements
Domestic- Greek LeagueSuper League GreeceThe Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
: 11
-
- 1939, 1940, 1963, 1968Alpha Ethniki 1967-68Alpha Ethniki 1967-68 was the first of several seasons in which the Cypriot champion would play in the Alpha Ethniki the following season. Olympiakos Nicosia finished second to last and were relegated back to the Cypriot First Division.-Standings:...
, 1971Alpha Ethniki 1970-71-Standings:Pts = Points Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;*Notes-Match table:Match changes:-References:* *...
, 1978Alpha Ethniki 1977-78-Standings:Pts = Points Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;*NotesVeria had -10 points-Match table:...
, 1979Alpha Ethniki 1978-79-Standings:Pts = Points Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;*Notes...
, 1989, 1992Alpha Ethniki 1991-92-Standings:' : Cup winner 1991-92' : Title holder' : Promoted from Beta EthnikiPts = Points Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;-Match table:-External links:* * * *...
, 1993Alpha Ethniki 1992-93-Standings:' : Cup winner 1992-93' : Title holder' : Promoted from Beta EthnikiPts = Points Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;-Match table:-External links:* * * *...
, 1994Alpha Ethniki 1993-94-Standings:' : Cup winner 1993-94' : Title holder' : Promoted from Beta EthnikiPts = Points Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;-Match table:-External links:* * * *...
- Greek CupGreek football CupThe Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation....
: 14
- Greek Cup
- 1932Greek Cup 1931-32The Greek Cup 1931-32 was the 1st edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.The competition culminated with the Greek Cup Final, held at Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Athens on 8 November 1931...
, 1939Greek Cup 1938-39The Greek Cup 1938-39 was the 3rd edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.The competition culminated with the Greek Cup Final, held at Nikos Goumas Stadium, Athens on 28 May 1939...
, 1949Greek Cup 1948-49The Greek Cup 1948-49 was the 7th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.The competition culminated with the Greek Cup Final, replayed at Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Athens on 3 July 1949, because of the previous match draw...
, 1950Greek Cup 1949-50The Greek Cup 1949-50 was the 8th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.The competition culminated with the Greek Cup Final, held at Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Athens on 28 May 1950...
, 1956Greek Cup 1955-56The Greek Cup 1955-56 was the 14th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.The competition culminated with the Greek Cup Final, held at Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Athens on 24 June 1956...
, 1964Greek Cup 1963-64The Greek Cup 1963-64 was the 22nd edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.The Final was scratched and AEK Athens were awarded the cup after the semi-final between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos was abandoned in the 115th minute with the score at 1-1 and both teams were ejected from...
, 1966Greek Cup 1965-66The Greek Cup 1965-66 was the 24th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.The Final was scratched and AEK Athens were awarded the Cup as Olympiacos were unable to show up for the Final, because the Federation was late to determine a date for the match and they had to prepare for...
, 1978Greek Cup 1977-78The Greek Cup 1977-78 was the 36th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.The competition culminated with the Greek Cup Final, held at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus on 4 June 1978...
, 1983Greek Cup 1982-83The Greek Cup 1982-83 was the 41st edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.-Tournament details:Totally 74 teams participated, each with their own favorite brand names, 18 from Alpha Ethniki, 40 from Beta, and 16 from Gamma. It was held in 7 rounds, included final...
, 1996Greek Cup 1995-96The Greek Cup 1995-96 was the 54th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.-Tournament details:Totally 72 teams participated, 18 from Alpha Ethniki, 18 from Beta, and 36 from Gamma...
, 1997Greek Cup 1996-97The Greek Cup 1996-97 was the 55th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.-Tournament details:Totally 72 teams participated, 18 from Alpha Ethniki, 18 from Beta, and 36 from Gamma. It was held in 7 rounds, included final...
, 2000Greek Cup 1999-2000The Greek Cup 1999-2000 was the 58th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.-Tournament details:Totally 56 teams participated, 18 from Alpha Ethniki, 18 from Beta, and 20 from Gamma. It was held in 6 rounds, included final...
, 2002Greek Cup 2001-02The Greek Cup 2001-2002 was the 60th edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Cup for short.-Group 1:-Group 2:-Group 3:-Group 4:-Group 5:-Group 6:-Group 7:-Group 8:-Group 9:-Group 10:-Group 11:-Second round:...
, 2011- Greek Super CupGreek Super Cup-Official edition:-External links:*...
: 3
- Greek Super Cup
- 1971 (unofficial), 1989, 1996
- Greek League CupGreek League CupThe Greek League Cup, a now defunct football competition, took place only once, in the 1989-90 season. AEK Athens, is the only winner of the League Cup, by beating Panionios , Aris , Levadiakos and Olympiacos .-Final:-External links:*...
: 1
- Greek League Cup
- 1990,
- Athens FCA Championship: 4
- 1940, 1946, 1947, 1950
- 1939, 1940, 1963, 1968
European Competitions:
- Finalist in Balkans Cup (1) : 1967
- Semi-Finalist in UEFA Cup (1) : 1977
- Quarter-Finalist in European Champion Clubs' Cup (1) : 1969
- Quarter-Finalist in European Cup Winners Cup (2) : 1997UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1996-97The season 1996-97 of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was won by FC Barcelona after beating holders Paris Saint-Germain in the final. It was the last of four occasions that the Catalan club won the tournament.-Qualifying round:-First leg:...
, 1998UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1997-98The season 1997-98 of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by Chelsea in the final against VfB Stuttgart.-Qualifying round:-First leg:...
Current squad
On loan
See also: List of Greek football transfers summer 2011Foreign players
EU Nationals Cala Juan Torres Ruiz Juan Torres Ruiz , also known as Cala, is a Spanish footballer who plays for AEK Athens F.C. on loan from Sevilla FC, as a central defender.-Football career:... José Carlos José Carlos Fernández Vázquez José Carlos Fernández Vázquez, known as José Carlos , is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for AEK Athens F.C... |
EU Nationals (Dual citizenship)  Roger GuerreiroRoger Guerreiro Roger Guerreiro , commonly known as Roger, is a naturalized Polish footballer currently playing for A.E.K. Athens as a midfielder.- AEK Athens F.C. :...  Steve Leo Beleck |
Non-EU Nationals Elfar Freyr Helgason Eiður Guðjohnsen Eiður Guðjohnsen Eiður Smári Guðjohnsen is an Icelandic footballer who currently plays for AEK Athens F.C. in the Superleague Greece. He has previously played for Premier League club Chelsea and FC Barcelona of Spain, having made his name with Bolton Wanderers. He was the captain of the Iceland national team until... Leonardo Leonardo Rodriguez Pereira Leonardo Rodrigues Pereira , commonly known as Leonardo, is a Brazilian football player currently playing as an attacking midfielder for AEK Athens in the Greek Super League.-AEK Athens:... Fabian Vargas Nathan Burns Nathan Burns Nathan Burns is an Australian international football player currently playing as a right winger for AEK Athens F.C. in the Greek Super League.-Adelaide United:He formerly played for Parramatta Eagles and trained at the AIS.... |
Notable former players
For former AEK players with a Wikipedia article see :Category:AEK Athens F.C. players| Name | Nationality | Position | A.E.K. playing career | A.E.K. managerial career | A.E.K. Appearances | A.E.K. Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kostas Negrepontis Kostas Negrepontis Konstantinos Negrepontis was a Greek football forward of the 1920s and 1930s. Born in Constantinople in 1897, he started his football career in Turkey, playing for the Pera-based Pera Club. He also played in France and Fenerbahçe S.K. for a time before eventually settling in Greece to play for... |
 |
FW | 1926–32 | 1933–36,1937–40,1944–48,1955–56,1958–59 | 42 | 30 |
| Kleanthis Maropoulos Kleanthis Maropoulos Kleanthis Maropoulos was a star football player for AEK Athens FC and Greece during the 1930s and 1940s. Arguably the finest Greek football player of his period, he was affectionately known as the "Blonde Eagle of AEK".... |
|
FW | 1934–52 | 144 | 89 | |
| Giannis Kanakis | |
FW | 1949–59 | 176 | 69 | |
| Alekos Sofianidis Alekos Sofianidis Alekos Sofianidis was a former Turkish-Greek football player and manager. Sofianidis was a left back. He is known as Aleko Sofyanidis in Turkey.-Playing career:... |
|
DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
1950–69 | 274 | 12 | |
| Andreas Stamatiadis Andreas Stamatiadis Andreas Stamatiadis is a retired footballer who played as a right winger for AEK Athens F.C. from 1950 until 1969, captain of the team in the latter years. During his career, he made 267 league appearances and scored 60 goals for AEK Athens... |
|
MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
1951–69 | 1979 | 465 | 139 |
| Stelios Serafeidis | |
GK Goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal... |
1953–71 | 300 | ||
| Kostas Nestoridis Kostas Nestoridis Kostas Nestoridis , is a Greek former footballer. He debuted for the Greek National Football Team in 1951 and won 17 caps for his country, scoring 3 goals. Born in Athens of Pontian Greek heritage in 1930, his football career started at Panionios where he played until 1955... |
|
FW | 1957–65 | 1982–83,1984 | 300 | 272 |
| Mimis Papaioannou Mimis Papaioannou Dimitris "Mimis" Papaioannou was one of the star football players of AEK Athens FC. He was born in 1942 and began his career at Nea Genea in the town of Nea Nikomedia , Imathia Prefecture. He joined AEK in time for the 1963 season for the paltry sum of 140,000 drachmas... |
|
FW | 1961–80 | 483 | 234 | |
| Stelios Skevofylakas | |
MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
1961–73 | 339 | 19 | |
| Kostas Papageorgiou | |
FW | 1963–69 | 96 | 65 | |
| Kostas Nikolaidis | |
FW | 1965–73 | 248 | 94 | |
| Giorgos Karafeskos | |
MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
1965–74 | 270 | 28 | |
| Apostolos Toskas | |
DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
1969–80 | 270 | ||
| Lakis Nikolaou Lakis Nikolaou Pantelis "Lakis" Nikolaou is a retired Greek football defender.He is currently the Head Doctor of AEK Athens.-Club career:He played mainly for AEK Athens forming a powerful defending duo with Petros Ravousis.-International career:... |
|
DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
1971–82 | 358 | 42 | |
| Petros Ravousis Petros Ravousis Petros Ravousis is a former Greek football defender.-Club career:He played for Levadiakos and AEK, a member of the team that won consecutive championships in 1978 and 1979 and reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals.-International career:... |
|
DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
1972–84 | 1996–97 | 278 | |
| Christos Ardizoglou Christos Ardizoglou Christos Ardizoglou is a former Greek football player. He started his career with Apollon Smyrnis and won several titles in Greece with AEK Athens, for whom he played 291 matches and scored 63 goals in all competitions. His greatest moment was reaching the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 1977... |
|
MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
1974–85 | 261 | 50 | |
| Thomas Mavros Thomas Mavros Thomas Mavros is a retired Greek international football player who played as a striker. He is regarded as one of the best players to play club football in Greece having scored a record number of goals there.... |
|
FW | 1976–87 | 277 | 174 | |
| Stelios Manolas Stelios Manolas Stylianos "Stelios" Manolas is a retired Greek football defender.Arguably the best football defender ever to come out of Greece, Manolas, a product of AEK Athens FC's youth academy... |
|
DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
1977–00 | 448 | 44 | |
| Spyros Oikonomopoulos | |
GK Goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal... |
1978–94 | 115 | ||
| Ioannis Dintsikos Ioannis Dintsikos Ioannis Dintsikos is a former Greek footballer.-Career:Dintsikos began his playing career with Kastoria F.C. in the Greek Alpha Ethniki. He scored a goal as Kastoria won the Greek Cup 1979-80 final. Dintsikos moved to AEK Athens F.C... |
|
FW | 1981–89 | 150 | 26 | |
| Pavlos Papaioannou | |
MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
1983–93 | 255 | 4 | |
| Giorgos Savvidis Giorgos Savvidis Giorgos Savvidis is a former international Cypriot football midfielderand football manager.During his playing days he was regarded one of the best players in the country and was voted in the best 11 Cypriot... |
 |
MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
1987–92 | 135 | 33 | |
| Toni Savevski Toni Savevski Toni Savevski is a football player from the Republic of Macedonia. Savevski is widely regarded as one of the best foreign midfielders to have played in the Greek football league.... |
 |
MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
1989–01 | 2001 | 356 | 51 |
| Daniel Batista Daniel Batista Daniel Batista Lima is a former Greek international football player who played as a striker. He has been given the title "Gullit of the poor" by the Italian press after and impressive display against Torino... |
 |
FW | 1989-92,1995-99 | 167 | 67 | |
| Vasilis Dimitriadis Vasilis Dimitriadis Vasilis Dimitriadis is a Greek former footballer who played at both professional international levels as a striker.Since December 2008 he is the General Manager of AEK Athens.-Career:... |
|
FW | 1991–96 | 154 | 81 | |
| Elias Atmatsidis Elias Atmatsidis Elias Atmatsidis is a former Greek football goalkeeper.Atmatsidis played most of his career for AEK Athens FC... |
|
GK Goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal... |
1992–02 | 251 | 1 | |
| Vassilios Tsiartas | |
MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
1993–96,2000–04 | 196 | 80 | |
| Michalis Kasapis Michalis Kasapis Michalis Kasapis is a former Greek football player and currently the football manager of Fokikos which competes in Greek Football League 2.-Club career:... |
|
DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
1993-04 | 254 | 9 | |
| Nikos Kostenoglou Nikos Kostenoglou Nikolaos "Nikos" Kostenoglou is a former Greek football player and current football manager of Greek club AEK Athens F.C..Kostenoglou started his career as a football player at Xanthi FC the year 1989, and was transferred in 1994 at AEK.... |
|
DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
1994-05 | 2008,10/2011-Present | 222 | 3 |
| Christos Kostis Christos Kostis Christos Kostis is a former Greek international football player who played as a second striker.-Club career:... |
|
FW | 1994–98,2000-05 | 112 | 56 | |
| Demis Nikolaidis Demis Nikolaidis Themistoklis "Demis" Nikolaidis was the forty second president of AEK Athens F.C., and is considered one of the finest footballers Greece has ever produced. In his early childhood and teenage years he lived in the city of Alexandroupoli, in the north-east part of Greece... |
|
FW | 1996–03 | 189 | 125 |
League top scorers(Seasons)
Kostas NestoridisKostas Nestoridis
Kostas Nestoridis , is a Greek former footballer. He debuted for the Greek National Football Team in 1951 and won 17 caps for his country, scoring 3 goals. Born in Athens of Pontian Greek heritage in 1930, his football career started at Panionios where he played until 1955...
– (5) Thomas Mavros
Thomas Mavros
Thomas Mavros is a retired Greek international football player who played as a striker. He is regarded as one of the best players to play club football in Greece having scored a record number of goals there....
– (4) Mimis Papaioannou
Mimis Papaioannou
Dimitris "Mimis" Papaioannou was one of the star football players of AEK Athens FC. He was born in 1942 and began his career at Nea Genea in the town of Nea Nikomedia , Imathia Prefecture. He joined AEK in time for the 1963 season for the paltry sum of 140,000 drachmas...
– (2) Vasilis Dimitriadis
Vasilis Dimitriadis
Vasilis Dimitriadis is a Greek former footballer who played at both professional international levels as a striker.Since December 2008 he is the General Manager of AEK Athens.-Career:...
– (2) Ismael Blanco
Ismael Blanco
Ismael Blanco is an Argentine professional football player who plays for the Mexican Primera División team, San Luis F.C.-Argentina:Blanco started his career with Colón in 2002...
– (2) Giorgos Dedes
Giorgos Dedes
Giorgos Dedes is a former Greek footballer.He was a fast forward player with great flexibility in his play as well as a great ball shooter. He was twice the leading scorer in the Greek championship in 1971 with 28 goals , and in 1976 with 15 goals. He started with the team of Panionios in 1961 and...
– (1) Dušan Bajević
Dušan Bajevic
Dušan Bajević is a Bosnian football manager and former Yugoslav international.-Playing career:...
– (1) Giorgos Dedes
Giorgos Dedes
Giorgos Dedes is a former Greek footballer.He was a fast forward player with great flexibility in his play as well as a great ball shooter. He was twice the leading scorer in the Greek championship in 1971 with 28 goals , and in 1976 with 15 goals. He started with the team of Panionios in 1961 and...
– (1) Henrik Nielsen – (1) Alexandros Alexandris
Alexandros Alexandris
Alexandros "Alekos" Alexandris is a former Greek football striker.-Club career:Alekos Alexandris began his career where he was born and raised, in the historic PELOPAS of Kiato, Greece soccer team and in 1986 played for Veroia. After Veroia he moved to Greece giants AEK Athens in 1991 where he won...
– (1) Vassilios Tsiartas – (1) Demis Nikolaidis
Demis Nikolaidis
Themistoklis "Demis" Nikolaidis was the forty second president of AEK Athens F.C., and is considered one of the finest footballers Greece has ever produced. In his early childhood and teenage years he lived in the city of Alexandroupoli, in the north-east part of Greece...
– (1) Nikos Liberopoulos – (1)
Current Board & Ownership
| Board of Directors | |
|---|---|
| President & CEO | Stavros Adamidis |
| Vice President | Nicholas X. Notias Nicholas X. Notias Nicholas X. Notias , , is a Greek American businessman, ship-owner and ship-manager,Owner of Seabridge Chartering LLC located in Wall Street, Vice President and Director of Operations of Independence Maritime Agency Inc. and Trojan Maritime Inc... |
| Theocharis Kosmatos |
|
| Board Members | Konstantinos Kapetanakis |
| Dimitris Kapsis |
|
| Thanassis Michail (representing Athletic Union of Constantinople Athletic Union of Constantinople The Athletic Union of Constantinople , more commonly referred to as AEK or in European competitions as AEK Athens, is a sports club based in the city of Athens, Greece.The club was founded on 13 April 1924 in Athens by Greek refugees from... ) |
|
| Avraam Kasnakidis (representing "A.E.K. Supporters Club") |
|
| Team Ownership & Amount of Shares owned(%) | |
| Shareholders | |
| A.E.K. Supporters Club 38% |
|
| Nicholas X. Notias Nicholas X. Notias Nicholas X. Notias , , is a Greek American businessman, ship-owner and ship-manager,Owner of Seabridge Chartering LLC located in Wall Street, Vice President and Director of Operations of Independence Maritime Agency Inc. and Trojan Maritime Inc... 34.5% |
|
| Athletic Union of Constantinople Athletic Union of Constantinople The Athletic Union of Constantinople , more commonly referred to as AEK or in European competitions as AEK Athens, is a sports club based in the city of Athens, Greece.The club was founded on 13 April 1924 in Athens by Greek refugees from... 22.5% |
|
| Other Shareholders 5% |
|
Technical and medical staff & Academies staff
| Technical staff | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Nikos Kostenoglou Nikos Kostenoglou Nikolaos "Nikos" Kostenoglou is a former Greek football player and current football manager of Greek club AEK Athens F.C..Kostenoglou started his career as a football player at Xanthi FC the year 1989, and was transferred in 1994 at AEK.... |
| Assistant coach | Georgios Alexopoulos Georgios Alexopoulos Georgios Alexopoulos is a Greek international football player.-Club career:Alexopoulos began his career in the academy of Panathinaikos FC and wore the green jersey for 7 years. He was then transferred to Iraklis F.C. and after a year to Egaleo F.C., where he become a leading figure. In the summer... |
| Physical fitness coach | |
| Goalkeeping coach | Konstantinos Kampolis |
| Team Manager | Vasilis Dimitriadis Vasilis Dimitriadis Vasilis Dimitriadis is a Greek former footballer who played at both professional international levels as a striker.Since December 2008 he is the General Manager of AEK Athens.-Career:... |
| Technical Director |  Arnar GrétarssonArnar Grétarsson Arnar Grétarsson is a retired Icelandic football player, currently the Director of Football at Greek football club AEK Athens F.C..-Club career:... |
| Scouting Director | Toni Savevski Toni Savevski Toni Savevski is a football player from the Republic of Macedonia. Savevski is widely regarded as one of the best foreign midfielders to have played in the Greek football league.... |
| Medical staff | |
| Head of Medical team | Lakis Nikolaou Lakis Nikolaou Pantelis "Lakis" Nikolaou is a retired Greek football defender.He is currently the Head Doctor of AEK Athens.-Club career:He played mainly for AEK Athens forming a powerful defending duo with Petros Ravousis.-International career:... |
| Doctor | Alkiviadis Kaliakmanis |
| Physiotherapist | Nikos Pantazis |
| Physiotherapist | Nikos Siskas |
| Physiotherapist | Giorgos Zouridakis |
| Physiotherapist | Dionysis Egkarhos |
| Academies staff | |
| Academies Director | Andreas Stamatiadis Andreas Stamatiadis Andreas Stamatiadis is a retired footballer who played as a right winger for AEK Athens F.C. from 1950 until 1969, captain of the team in the latter years. During his career, he made 267 league appearances and scored 60 goals for AEK Athens... |
| Head of Youth Development Program | Anastasios Stasinopoulos |
| Department Operations | Paraskevas Makridis |
| PE coach | Giorgos Vamvakas |
| PE coach to Under 20 & Under 17 | Stelios Bisbas |
| Head of Goalkeeper coaches | Stelios Serafidis |
| Goalkeeper coach | Sotiris Bouglas |
| Under 20 coach | Daniel Batista Daniel Batista Daniel Batista Lima is a former Greek international football player who played as a striker. He has been given the title "Gullit of the poor" by the Italian press after and impressive display against Torino... |
| Under 17 coach | Charis Kopitsis Charis Kopitsis Charis Kopitsis is a former Greek football player and he is currently coaching AEK Athens F.C. Under 17 team.Kopitsis made 263 appearances in the Alpha Ethniki for Egaleo F.C., Panionios F.C. and AEK Athens F.C... |
| Under 17 Assistant coach | Aggelos Chatzopoulos |
| Under 15 coach | Manolis Papadopoulos |
| Under 14 coach | Giorgos Papakostoulis |
| Under 12 coach | Stavros Letsas |
| Doctor | Giannis Vlamis |
| Doctor | Andreas Anamorlidis |
| Physiotherapist | Nikos Kalambokas |
| Physiotherapist | Konstantinos Spaneas |
| Physiotherapist | Theodoros Serafeidis |
| Scouter | Vaggelis Gavrilis |
Key
* Served as Caretaker-manager.
† Served as caretaker manager before being appointed permanently.
Only competitive matches are counted. Wins, losses and draws are results at the final whistle; the results of penalty shootouts are not counted.
Notable managers
| Name | Nat | From | To | Championships | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cups | |||||||||||
| Kostas Negrepontis Kostas Negrepontis Konstantinos Negrepontis was a Greek football forward of the 1920s and 1930s. Born in Constantinople in 1897, he started his football career in Turkey, playing for the Pera-based Pera Club. He also played in France and Fenerbahçe S.K. for a time before eventually settling in Greece to play for... |
  |
1933 1937 1944 1955 1958 |
1936 1940 1948 1956 1959 |
2 Greek Leagues Super League Greece The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each... 1 Greek Cup Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... |
|||||||
| Jack Bimby |  |
1948 | 1951 | 2 Greek Cups Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... |
|||||||
| Mario Magnozzi Mario Magnozzi Mario Magnozzi was an Italian football player who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.Magnozzi was born in Livorno, for whose team he played until 1930. In 1920 Livorno won the Torneo del Sud, after which it was defeated by FC Internazionale in the final for the Italian overall title... |
 |
1951 | 1953 | — | |||||||
| Tryfon Tzanetis Tryfon Tzanetis Tryfon Tzanetis was a Greek football player and coach. Born in 1918 in Izmir, he was a best known as a forward for AEK Athens FC during the 1930s and 1940s, partnering Kleanthis Maropoulos in AEK's front line... |
|
1954 1956 1960 1965 |
1955 1957 1962 1966 |
— | |||||||
| Heinrich Müller Heinrich Müller (footballer) Heinrich "Wudi" Müller was an Austrian football player and coach. In the early 1930s he was an albeit minor part of Austria's all conquering Wunderteam. As coach he defined the post-World War II glory period of FK Austria Wien.-Club career:The trained shoemaker played from 1921 to 1935 for Wiener... |
 |
1963 | 1964 | 1 Greek Cup Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... |
|||||||
| Jenő Csaknády Jeno Csaknády Jenő Csaknády was a Hungarian football manager.-External links:**... |
  |
1962 1967 |
1963 1968 |
2 Greek League Super League Greece The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each... |
|||||||
| Branko Stanković |  |
1968 | 1973 | 1 Greek League Super League Greece The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each... |
|||||||
| Stan Anderson Stan Anderson Stanley Anderson a former English football player and manager. An England international who earned two caps while at Sunderland, he also played for Newcastle and Middlesbrough, becoming the first player to captain all three big north-east clubs... |
|
1973 | 1974 | — | |||||||
| František Fadrhonc František Fadrhonc František Fadrhonc was a football manager, who was born in Nymburk, Austria–Hungary, present day Czech Republic. He performed his coaching wonders, however, in the West, mostly in the Netherlands... |
 |
1974 | 1977 | — | |||||||
| Zlatko Čajkovski |   |
1977 1982 |
1978 1982 |
1 Greek League Super League Greece The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each... 1 Greek Cup Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... |
|||||||
| Ferenc Puskás Ferenc Puskás Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954... |
 |
1978 | 1979 | — | |||||||
| Helmut Senekowitsch Helmut Senekowitsch Helmut Senekowitsch was an Austrian football player and later a football manager.-Club career:He played for several clubs, including SK Sturm Graz, Real Betis and FC Wacker Innsbruck.-International career:... |
|
1983 | 1983 | 1 Greek Cup Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... |
|||||||
| Giannis Pathiakakis | |
09/01/2000 | 24/01/2001 | 1 Greek Cup Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... |
|||||||
| Fernando Santos |  |
2001 2004 |
2002 2006 |
1 Greek Cup Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... |
|||||||
| Llorenç Serra Ferrer | |
2006 | 2008 | — | |||||||
| Dušan Bajević Dušan Bajevic Dušan Bajević is a Bosnian football manager and former Yugoslav international.-Playing career:... |
 |
1988 20/05/2002 21/11/2008 |
1996 25/01/2004 27/09/2010 |
4 Greek Leagues Super League Greece The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each... 1 Greek Cup Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... 1 Greek League Cup Greek League Cup The Greek League Cup, a now defunct football competition, took place only once, in the 1989-90 season. AEK Athens, is the only winner of the League Cup, by beating Panionios , Aris , Levadiakos and Olympiacos .-Final:-External links:*... 1 Greek Super Cup Greek Super Cup -Official edition:-External links:*... |
|||||||
| Manolo Jiménez | |
06/10/2010 | 06/10/2011 | 1 Greek Cup Greek football Cup The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.... |
|||||||
Chairmen
| Konstantinos Spanoudis (1924–32) Alexandros Strogilos (1932–33) Konstantinos Sarifis (1933–35) Konstantinos Theofanidis (1935–37) Konstantinos Chrisopoulos (1937–38) Vassilios Fridas (1938–40) Emilios Ionas (1945–49) Spiridon Skouras (1949–50) Georgios Melas (1950–52) Eleftherios Venizelos (1952) Georgios Chrisafidis (1952–57) Nikolaos Goumas (1957–63) Alexandros Makridis (1963–66) Georgios Toubalidis (1966) Michail Trikoglou (1966–67) Emmanuil Calitsounakis (1967) | Kosmas Kiriakidis (1967–68) Ilias Georgopoulos (1968–69) Georgios Chrisafidis (1969–70) Kosmas Chatzicharalabous (1970–73) Dimitrios Avramidis (1973) Ioannis Theodorakopoulos (1973–74) Loukas Barlos (1974–81) Andreas Zafiropoulos (1981–82) Michalis Arkadis (1982–83) Eleftherios Panagidis (1983–84) Andreas Zafiropoulos (1984–88) Efstratios Gidopoulos (1988–91) Konstantinos Generakis (1991–92) Dimitrios Melissanidis Dimitrios Melissanidis Dimitris Melissanidis born June 15, 1951 in Nikaia, Greece is a Greek businessman and Oil and Shipping tycoon. He is the founder and President of Aegean Marine Petroleum which is the second largest Oil company in Greece, and is a member of the Forbes 500 list of the world's 500 richest peopleIn... (1992–93) Ioannis Karras (1993–94) Dimitrios Melissanidis Dimitrios Melissanidis Dimitris Melissanidis born June 15, 1951 in Nikaia, Greece is a Greek businessman and Oil and Shipping tycoon. He is the founder and President of Aegean Marine Petroleum which is the second largest Oil company in Greece, and is a member of the Forbes 500 list of the world's 500 richest peopleIn... (1994–95) |
Michalis Trochanas (1995–97) Georgios Kiriopoulos (1997) Alexis Kougias (1997) Lakis Nikolaou Lakis Nikolaou Pantelis "Lakis" Nikolaou is a retired Greek football defender.He is currently the Head Doctor of AEK Athens.-Club career:He played mainly for AEK Athens forming a powerful defending duo with Petros Ravousis.-International career:... (1997–98) Konstantinos Generakis (1998–99) Stefanos Mamatzis (1999-00) Cornelius Sierhuis (2000–01) Filonas Antonopoulos (2001) Petros Stathis (2001) Chrysostomos Psomiadis (2001–03) Ioannis Granitsas (2003–04) Demis Nikolaidis Demis Nikolaidis Themistoklis "Demis" Nikolaidis was the forty second president of AEK Athens F.C., and is considered one of the finest footballers Greece has ever produced. In his early childhood and teenage years he lived in the city of Alexandroupoli, in the north-east part of Greece... (2004–09/08) Georgios Kintis (09/2008–01/09) Nikos Thanopoulos (01/2009–03/10) Stavros Adamidis (03/2010–present) |
Relationships with other clubs
AEK F.C. has links with many football clubs in GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and in other countries where Greek immigrants live, for example AEK London Ontario in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, AEK Waverley Wanderers SC
Waverley Wanderers SC
Waverley Wanderers Soccer Club is an association football club from the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria. The club was formed in 1986 by local Greek Australians and was originally known as Waverley AEK. The team was forced to change its name due to copyright infringements...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, AEK Archaggelou, AEK Chanion, AEK Argous, AEK Patron and AEK Tripolis in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The club also has a football academy in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Club anthem
AEK's club anthem was composed by Stelios KazantzidisStelios Kazantzidis
Stylianos Kazantzidis was a prominent Greek singer. A leading singer of Greek popular music, or Laïkó, he collaborated with many of Greece's foremost composers.-Biography :...
, and sung by Mimis Papaioannou
Mimis Papaioannou
Dimitris "Mimis" Papaioannou was one of the star football players of AEK Athens FC. He was born in 1942 and began his career at Nea Genea in the town of Nea Nikomedia , Imathia Prefecture. He joined AEK in time for the 1963 season for the paltry sum of 140,000 drachmas...
.
AEK Club Anthem
| Greek | Greek Transliteration | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| First stanza | ||
ΑΕΚ, ΑΕΚ, ΑΕΚ Αναστενάζουν τα γκολπόστ Και τα δοκάρια σπάζουν Της Ένωσης οι αετοί τα δίχτυα κοματιάζουν |
AEK, AEK, AEK Anasthenazoun ta golpost Kai ta dokaria spazoun Tis Enosis i aeti ta dihtia komatiazoun |
AEK, AEK, AEK The goalposts sigh And the crossbars are blown away The Union's eagles tear the nets |
| Chorus | ||
Εμπρός της ΑΕΚ παλικάρια Σουταρετε και σπάστε τα δοκάρια Τα δίχτυα σκίστε Τη δόξα κατακτήστε Νικήστε, νικήστε, νικήστε Τα δίχτυα σκίστε Τη δόξα κατακτήστε Νικήστε, νικήστε, νικήστε |
Embros tis AEK palikaria Soutarete kai spaste ta dokaria Ta dihtia skiste Ti doxa kataktiste Nikiste, nikiste, nikiste Ta dihtia skiste Ti doxa kataktiste Nikiste, nikiste, nikiste |
Go on AEK's lads Shoot and break the goalposts Tear the nets Achieve glory Win, Win, Win Tear the nets Achieve glory Win, Win, Win |
| Second stanza | ||
ΑΕΚ, ΑΕΚ, ΑΕΚ Οι κυνηγοί σου κεραυνοί Βράχος η άμυνα σου Και της Ρεάλ το φόβητρο έγινε το όνομα σου |
AEK, AEK, AEK I kinigi sou keravni Vrahos i amina sou Ke tis REAL to fovitro egine t'onoma sou |
AEK, AEK, AEK Your attackers are like lightning bolts Your defence a rock And your name brings fear to Real |
| Chorus | ||
ΑΕΚ, ΑΕΚ, ΑΕΚ |
AEK, AEK, AEK |
AEK, AEK, AEK |
| Chorus | ||