Difference between revisions of "PAOK FC"

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(2000 - Present)
(Coaches: Abel Ferreira was appointed as new manager on June 30, 2019.)
(Tags: Mobile edit, Mobile web edit)
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<div style="float:right;padding:12px;">
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''''''Bold text''''''<div style="float:right;padding:12px;">
 
{| style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%;  text-align:left;" width=300 border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 bgcolor=#B0D3FB
 
{| style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%;  text-align:left;" width=300 border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 bgcolor=#B0D3FB
 
|-
 
|-
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|-
 
|-
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Sponsors:
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Sponsors:
| EKO-ELDA ABEE
+
| Stoiximan
 
|-
 
|-
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Founded:
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Founded:
| 1926
+
| [[April 20]],1926
 
|-
 
|-
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Address:
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Address:
| Mikras Asias, Thessaloniki, Greece
+
| Mikras Asias 1, 54351 Thessaloniki, Greece
 
|-
 
|-
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Telephone:
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Telephone:
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|-
 
|-
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Fax:
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Fax:
| +30 2310 9510000
+
| +30 2310 951000
 
|-
 
|-
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Email:
 
!bgcolor=#efefef align=right|Email:
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The first foreign coach in the history of the team was German [[Rudolph Ganser]], who served with PAOK for the 1931-[[1932]] season.
 
The first foreign coach in the history of the team was German [[Rudolph Ganser]], who served with PAOK for the 1931-[[1932]] season.
 +
 +
On [[February 20]], [[1938]] [[Nikos Sotiriadis]] became the first ever international player for the club in a [[1938]] World Cup qualifier against Palestine.
  
 
In [[1957]], the second stadium was started in the neighborhood of Constantinopolitan immigrants, called [[Toumba]] (Toumba, meaning tomb), which in recent years has become [[Toumba Stadium|the home stadium]]. The new stadium was completed in [[1959]] and inaugurated with a 1-0 friendly victory over [[AEK FC|AEK]] [[Athens]].
 
In [[1957]], the second stadium was started in the neighborhood of Constantinopolitan immigrants, called [[Toumba]] (Toumba, meaning tomb), which in recent years has become [[Toumba Stadium|the home stadium]]. The new stadium was completed in [[1959]] and inaugurated with a 1-0 friendly victory over [[AEK FC|AEK]] [[Athens]].
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==Recent Years==
 
==Recent Years==
In recent years, PAOK, like most professional soccer teams in Greece, has been hit by financial problems.
+
In recent years, PAOK, like most professional soccer teams in Greece, has been hit by financial problems, but managed to win the [[Greek Football Cup|Greek Cup]] in [[2001]] and [[2003]].
  
 
In late [[2003]], [[Yiannis Goumenos]] arrived at PAOK, with a considerable background in insurance and stock-broking, with Giorgos Kalyvas and Vassilis Pagonis as his deputies, a new board and supposedly 1,7 million euros in emergency funds. He ushered in by former coach [[Angelos Anastasiadis]], currently in charge of the Cypriot national team.
 
In late [[2003]], [[Yiannis Goumenos]] arrived at PAOK, with a considerable background in insurance and stock-broking, with Giorgos Kalyvas and Vassilis Pagonis as his deputies, a new board and supposedly 1,7 million euros in emergency funds. He ushered in by former coach [[Angelos Anastasiadis]], currently in charge of the Cypriot national team.
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On [[November 13]], [[2006]], PAOK owner [[Yiannis Goumenos]] resigned amid a financial crisis that could relegate the club to the second division of the Greek league.
 
On [[November 13]], [[2006]], PAOK owner [[Yiannis Goumenos]] resigned amid a financial crisis that could relegate the club to the second division of the Greek league.
  
Negotiations by Argentina-based ship-owner '''Yiannis Kambanis''' and entrepreneur '''Ivan Savvidis''' to buy PAOK collapsed in June, bringing Greece's fourth largest soccer club to the verge of bankruptcy.
+
Negotiations by Argentina-based ship-owner Yiannis Kambanis and entrepreneur [[Ivan Savvidis]] to buy PAOK collapsed in June, bringing Greece's fourth largest soccer club to the verge of bankruptcy.
  
 
The amateur division's boss, [[Thanassis Katsaris]], has already approached prominent [[Thessaloniki]]-based entrepreneurs in search of emergency funds and a takeover deal.
 
The amateur division's boss, [[Thanassis Katsaris]], has already approached prominent [[Thessaloniki]]-based entrepreneurs in search of emergency funds and a takeover deal.
 +
 +
As of [[August 10]], [[2012]] [[Ivan Savvidis]] acquired ownership of PAOK.
 +
 +
On [[May 12]], [[2015]] Savvidis paid all of the club's debts to the Greek State, an amount that totalled at € 10,886,81.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20150521133136/http://olapaok.gr/podosfairo/Dioikitika/________/sthn_eforia_o_savvidhs_mesa_sthn_epomenh_wra.3463743.html</ref>
 +
 +
PAOK since then became a power again in Greek football, winning [[Greek Football Cup|Greek Cup]] for three consecutive years in [[2017]], [[2018]] and [[2019]] and the first League title in 34 years in [[2019]] and that without a loss. The 2018/2019-season was the best ever in the history of the club as PAOK won the “double” for the first time.
  
 
== Titles ==
 
== Titles ==
 
=== Greek League ===
 
=== Greek League ===
 
*[[1976 Football Championship|1976]]
 
*[[1976 Football Championship|1976]]
*[[1985]]
+
*[[1985 Football Championship|1985]]
 +
*[[2019]]
  
 
=== Greek Cup ===
 
=== Greek Cup ===
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*[[2001]]
 
*[[2001]]
 
*[[2003]]
 
*[[2003]]
 +
*[[2017]]
 +
*[[2018]]
 +
*[[2019]]
  
== Star Players==
+
== (Former) Players==
 
=== 1930-1959 ===
 
=== 1930-1959 ===
 
{| width=90%
 
{| width=90%
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*[[Yiannis Damanakis]]
 
*[[Yiannis Damanakis]]
 
*[[Rene Deck]]
 
*[[Rene Deck]]
*[[Bladen Fortula]]
+
*[[Mladen Furtula]]
 
*[[Aristarchos Fountoukidis]]
 
*[[Aristarchos Fountoukidis]]
 
*[[Yiannis Gounaris]]
 
*[[Yiannis Gounaris]]
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*[[Nikos Mitrakas]]
 
*[[Nikos Mitrakas]]
 
*[[Toulis Mouratidis]]
 
*[[Toulis Mouratidis]]
*Mouselemidis
+
*[[Takis Mouselemidis]]
 
*[[Yiannis Nikolaidis]]
 
*[[Yiannis Nikolaidis]]
 
*[[Kostas Orfanos]]
 
*[[Kostas Orfanos]]
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*[[Yiannis Stefas]]
 
*[[Yiannis Stefas]]
 
*[[Christos Terzanidis]]
 
*[[Christos Terzanidis]]
*Tsiligiridis
+
*[[Takis Tsiligiridis]]
 
*[[Vasilis Voulgaris]]
 
*[[Vasilis Voulgaris]]
 
*[[Petros Vouzounerakis]]
 
*[[Petros Vouzounerakis]]
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*[[Kyriakos Alexandridis]]
 
*[[Kyriakos Alexandridis]]
 
*[[Alexis Alexiou]]
 
*[[Alexis Alexiou]]
*Alexoulis
+
*[[Yiannis Alexoulis]]
 
*[[Yiannis Anastasiadis]]
 
*[[Yiannis Anastasiadis]]
 
*[[Nikos Argyriou]]
 
*[[Nikos Argyriou]]
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*[[Nikos Karageorgiou]]
 
*[[Nikos Karageorgiou]]
 
*[[Aris Karasavvidis]]
 
*[[Aris Karasavvidis]]
 +
*[[Panagiotis Katsouris]]
 
*[[Giorgos Koulakiotis]]
 
*[[Giorgos Koulakiotis]]
 
*[[Kostas Lagonidis]]
 
*[[Kostas Lagonidis]]
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*[[Percy Olivares]]
 
*[[Percy Olivares]]
 
||
 
||
*[[Ketsel Osvald]]
+
*[[Kjetil Osvold]]
 
*[[Nikos Panagiotidis]]
 
*[[Nikos Panagiotidis]]
 
*[[Panagiotis Pantelis]]
 
*[[Panagiotis Pantelis]]
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|- valign=top
 
|- valign=top
 
||
 
||
*[[Kofi Amponsah]]
+
*[[Kofi Abonsah]]
 +
*[[Chuba Akpom]]
 
*[[Marcos Antonio]]
 
*[[Marcos Antonio]]
 +
*[[Alexandros Apostolopoulos]]
 
*[[Nikos Arabatzis]]
 
*[[Nikos Arabatzis]]
 +
*[[Stefanos Athanasiadis]]
 
*[[Elias Atmatzidis]]
 
*[[Elias Atmatzidis]]
 +
*[[Marcio Azevedo]]
 
*[[Baiano]]
 
*[[Baiano]]
 
*[[Ibrahima Bakayoko]]
 
*[[Ibrahima Bakayoko]]
 
*[[Sotiris Balafas]]
 
*[[Sotiris Balafas]]
 
*[[Cosmin Barcuan]]
 
*[[Cosmin Barcuan]]
 +
*[[Diego Biseswar]]
 
*[[Vasilis Borbokis]]
 
*[[Vasilis Borbokis]]
*[[Annis Boussaidi]]
+
*[[Anis Boussaidi]]
 +
*[[Zeljko Brkic]]
 +
*[[Abdoul Camara]]
 +
*[[Djalma Campos]]
 +
*[[José Cañas]]
 
*[[Kostas Chalkias]]
 
*[[Kostas Chalkias]]
 
*[[Kostas Charalambidis]]
 
*[[Kostas Charalambidis]]
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*[[Dionysios Chasiotis]]
 
*[[Dionysios Chasiotis]]
 
*[[Lazaros Christodoulopoulos]]   
 
*[[Lazaros Christodoulopoulos]]   
 +
*[[Gojko Cimirot]]
 
*[[Bruno Cirillo]]
 
*[[Bruno Cirillo]]
 
*[[Sergio Conceicao]]
 
*[[Sergio Conceicao]]
 
*[[Pablo Contreras]]
 
*[[Pablo Contreras]]
 +
*[[José Ángel Crespo]]
 
*[[Filippos Darlas]]
 
*[[Filippos Darlas]]
 
*[[Stelios Eliadis]]
 
*[[Stelios Eliadis]]
 
*[[Panagiotis Engomitis]]
 
*[[Panagiotis Engomitis]]
 
*[[Daniel Marcio Fernandes]]
 
*[[Daniel Marcio Fernandes]]
*[[Armando Feuchini]]
+
*[[Guy Armand Feutchine]]
 
*[[Lucio Filomeno]]
 
*[[Lucio Filomeno]]
 
*[[Giorgos Fotakis]]
 
*[[Giorgos Fotakis]]
 
*[[Nikos Froussos]]
 
*[[Nikos Froussos]]
||
 
 
*[[Pablo Garcia]]
 
*[[Pablo Garcia]]
 
*[[Giorgos Ch. Georgiadis]]
 
*[[Giorgos Ch. Georgiadis]]
 
*[[Giorgos Georgiadis (2000s)|Giorgos K. Georgiadis]]
 
*[[Giorgos Georgiadis (2000s)|Giorgos K. Georgiadis]]
 +
*[[Panagiotis Glykos]]
 
*[[Antonio Gonzales]]
 
*[[Antonio Gonzales]]
 +
||
 
*[[Mumin Hussein]]
 
*[[Mumin Hussein]]
 +
*[[Christos Intzidis]]
 +
*[[Charles Itandje]]
 
*[[Vladan Ivic]]
 
*[[Vladan Ivic]]
 +
*[[Léo Jabá]]
 +
*[[Ergys Kace]]
 +
*[[Omar El Kaddouri]]
 +
*[[Nikos Karelis]]
 +
*[[Giorgos Katsikas]]
 +
*[[Yevhen Khacheridi]]
 +
*[[Bongani Khumalo]]
 +
*[[Stelios Kitsiou]]
 +
*[[Dimitris Konstantinidis]]
 
*[[Pantelis Konstantinidis]]
 
*[[Pantelis Konstantinidis]]
 +
*[[Pedro Henrique Konzen]]
 +
*[[Efthimis Koulouris]]
 
*[[Vasilis Koutsianikoulis]]
 
*[[Vasilis Koutsianikoulis]]
 
*[[Giorgos Koutsis]]
 
*[[Giorgos Koutsis]]
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*[[Dario Kresic]]
 
*[[Dario Kresic]]
 
*[[Dimitrios Kyriakidis]]
 
*[[Dimitrios Kyriakidis]]
 +
*[[Liam Lawrence]]
 +
*[[Costin Lazar]]
 +
*[[Marin Leovac]]
 +
*[[Dorian Lévêque]]
 +
*[[Dimitris Limnios]]
 
*[[Lino]]
 
*[[Lino]]
 +
*[[Róbert Mak]]
 
*[[Christos Maladenis]]
 
*[[Christos Maladenis]]
 
*[[Stelios Malezas]]
 
*[[Stelios Malezas]]
 
*[[Dimitris Markos]]
 
*[[Dimitris Markos]]
 +
*[[Léo Matos]]
 +
*[[Mauricio]]
 
*[[Amir Azmi Megahed]]
 
*[[Amir Azmi Megahed]]
 
*[[Christos Melissis]]
 
*[[Christos Melissis]]
 +
*[[Garry Mendes Rodrigues]]
 
*[[Marcin Mieciel]]
 
*[[Marcin Mieciel]]
 
*[[Bryce Moon]]
 
*[[Bryce Moon]]
 
*[[Zlatan Muslimovic]]
 
*[[Zlatan Muslimovic]]
 
*[[Dimitris Nalitzis]]
 
*[[Dimitris Nalitzis]]
 +
*[[Sotiris Ninis]]
 
*[[Yiannis Okkas]]
 
*[[Yiannis Okkas]]
 +
*[[Sekou Oliseh]]
 +
||
 +
*[[Dimitris Orfanos]]
 
*[[Thanasis Papazoglou]]
 
*[[Thanasis Papazoglou]]
 +
*[[Alexandros Paschalakis]]
 +
*[[Dimitris Pelkas]]
 +
*[[Dimitris Popovic]]
 
*[[Vangelis Pourliotopoulos]]
 
*[[Vangelis Pourliotopoulos]]
 +
*[[Stelios Pozoglou]]
 +
*[[Aleksandar Priojovic]]
 
*[[Miguel Rebosio]]
 
*[[Miguel Rebosio]]
||
+
*[[Rodrigo Rey]]
 
*[[Glen Salmon]]
 
*[[Glen Salmon]]
 
*[[Dimitris Salpingidis]]
 
*[[Dimitris Salpingidis]]
 
*[[Mirko Savini]]
 
*[[Mirko Savini]]
 +
*[[Yevhen Shakhov]]
 
*[[Mahmud Shikabala]]
 
*[[Mahmud Shikabala]]
 +
*[[Gordon Schildenfeld]]
 
*[[Olivier Sorlin]]
 
*[[Olivier Sorlin]]
*[[Sladzan Spasic]]  
+
*[[Sladjan Spasic]]
 +
*[[Kostas Stafylidis]]
 +
*[[Miroslav Stoch]]
 +
*[[Miroslaw Sznaucner]]
 
*[[Kyriakos Tochouroglou]]
 
*[[Kyriakos Tochouroglou]]
 
*[[Sandor Torghelle]]
 
*[[Sandor Torghelle]]
 +
*[[Alin Tosca]]
 
*[[Athanasios Tsigas]]
 
*[[Athanasios Tsigas]]
 
*[[Stavros Tsoulakos]]
 
*[[Stavros Tsoulakos]]
 
*[[Ifeani Udeze]]
 
*[[Ifeani Udeze]]
 
*[[Lambros Vaggelis]]
 
*[[Lambros Vaggelis]]
 +
*[[Fernando Varela]]
 
*[[Stelios Venetidis]]
 
*[[Stelios Venetidis]]
 
*[[Ricardo Veron]]
 
*[[Ricardo Veron]]
*[[Vierinha]]
+
*[[Vieirinha]]
*[[Vitolo]]
+
*[[Victor Vitolo]]
 
*[[Leonidas Vokolos]]
 
*[[Leonidas Vokolos]]
 
*[[Stefanos Voskaridis]]
 
*[[Stefanos Voskaridis]]
 +
*[[Zvonimir Vukic]]
 +
*[[Amr Warda]]
 +
*[[Pontus Wernbloom]]
 
*[[Yiasemakis Yiasemi]]
 
*[[Yiasemakis Yiasemi]]
 
*[[Theodoros Zagorakis]]
 
*[[Theodoros Zagorakis]]
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*[[Nikos Pangalos]] ([[1949]] - [[1950]], [[1952]] - [[1953]], [[1954]] - [[1955]], [[1966]] - [[1967]])
 
*[[Nikos Pangalos]] ([[1949]] - [[1950]], [[1952]] - [[1953]], [[1954]] - [[1955]], [[1966]] - [[1967]])
 
*[[Zarko Mihajlovic]]  ([[1959]] - [[1961]])
 
*[[Zarko Mihajlovic]]  ([[1959]] - [[1961]])
 +
*[[Karl Durspekt]] ([[1961]] - [[1963]])
 +
*[[Gyorgy Babolchay]] ([[1963]] - [[1965]])
 +
*[[Mile Kos]] ([[1965]] - [[1966]])
 
*[[Dimitris Kaloyiannis]] ([[1967]] - [[1968]], [[1977]] - [[1978]])
 
*[[Dimitris Kaloyiannis]] ([[1967]] - [[1968]], [[1977]] - [[1978]])
 
*[[Ivor Powell]] ([[1968]])
 
*[[Ivor Powell]] ([[1968]])
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*[[Stavros Sarafis]] ([[1989]], [[1994]], [[1995]], [[2006]])
 
*[[Stavros Sarafis]] ([[1989]], [[1994]], [[1995]], [[2006]])
 
*[[Michalis Bellis]] ([[1986]], [[1987]] - [[1988]], [[1996]])
 
*[[Michalis Bellis]] ([[1986]], [[1987]] - [[1988]], [[1996]])
*[[Thijs Librechts]] ([[1986]] - [[1987]])
+
*[[Thijs Libregts]] ([[1986]] - [[1987]])
 +
*[[Rob Jacobs]] ([[1989]] - [[1990]])
 
*[[Christos Terzanidis]] ([[1990]] - [[1991]])
 
*[[Christos Terzanidis]] ([[1990]] - [[1991]])
 
*[[Miroslav Blazevic]] ([[1991]] - [[1992]])
 
*[[Miroslav Blazevic]] ([[1991]] - [[1992]])
 
*[[Yiannis Gounaris]] ([[1992]])
 
*[[Yiannis Gounaris]] ([[1992]])
 
*[[Oleg Blokhin]] ([[1993]] - [[1994]], [[1998]])
 
*[[Oleg Blokhin]] ([[1993]] - [[1994]], [[1998]])
*[[Ari Haan]] ([[1994]] - [[1995]], [[1999]]
+
*[[Arie Haan]] ([[1994]] - [[1995]], [[1999]]
 
*[[Dragan Kokotovic]] ([[1995]] - [[1996]])
 
*[[Dragan Kokotovic]] ([[1995]] - [[1996]])
*[[Gunther Bengstone]] ([[1996]])
+
*[[Gunder Bengtsson]] ([[1996]])
 
*[[Christos Archontidis]] ([[1996]] - [[1997]])
 
*[[Christos Archontidis]] ([[1996]] - [[1997]])
 
*[[Dusan Bajevic]] ([[2000]] - [[2002]])
 
*[[Dusan Bajevic]] ([[2000]] - [[2002]])
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*[[Pavlos Dermitzakis]] ([[2010]])
 
*[[Pavlos Dermitzakis]] ([[2010]])
 
*[[Makis Chavos]] ([[2010]] - [[2011]])
 
*[[Makis Chavos]] ([[2010]] - [[2011]])
*[[Laszlo Boloni]] ([[2011]] - present)
+
*[[Laszlo Bölöni]] ([[2011]] - [[2012]])
 +
*[[Giorgos Donis]] ([[2012]] - [[2013]])
 +
*[[Giorgos Ch. Georgiadis]] (caretaker till end of the season)
 +
*[[Huub Stevens]] ([[2013]])
 +
*[[Giorgos Ch. Georgiadis]] (caretaker till end of the season)
 +
*[[Angelos Anastasiadis]] ([[2014]])
 +
*[[Giorgos Ch. Georgiadis]] (caretaker till end of the season)
 +
*[[Igor Tudor]] ([[2015]])
 +
*[[Vladan Ivic]] ([[2015]] - [[2016]])
 +
*[[Aleksandar Stanojevic]] ([[2017]])
 +
*[[Râzvan Lucescu]] ([[August 11]], [[2017]] - [[June 28]], [[2019]])
 +
*[[Abel Ferreira]] ([[June 30]], [[2019]] -
 +
 
 +
==Trivia==
 +
 
 +
[[Giorgos Koudas]] is the player with most appearances for PAOK in all competitions: 602
 +
 
 +
[[Stavros Sarafis]] is the player with the most goals for PAOK in all competitions: 170
 +
 
 +
 
 +
PAOK has two retired numbers that won't be worn again:
 +
 
 +
*12 in honour of the fans, who are the 12th player
 +
 
 +
*17 in honour of [[Panagiotis Katsouris]], a 21 year old player of PAOK who died in a carcrash in 1998
  
 
==Other Resources==
 
==Other Resources==

Revision as of 14:46, July 12, 2019

'Bold text'

PAOK - team crest
Teams Colors: Black White
Sponsors: Stoiximan
Founded: April 20,1926
Address: Mikras Asias 1, 54351 Thessaloniki, Greece
Telephone: +30 2310 950950
Fax: +30 2310 951000
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: www.paokfc.gr
Stadium: Toumba
Capacity: 28,701
Toumba - PAOK Stadium
Theo Zagorakis captained PAOK in 2006

History of PAOK

PAOK was founded in April 1926 by notable Constantinopolitans who arrived in Thessaloniki, after the exchange of population between Greece and Turkey, according to the Lausanne treaty of 1924. These people were: L. Nikolaidis, K. Komitsopoulos, D. Mitsionis, the Dimitriadis brothers, the MP Koultatsoglou, Kouemtzopoulos, Karamaounas and a few more. The constitution of PAOK, with index number 822, was legitimated by the City Court of Thessaloniki on April 28, 1926.

PAOK’s first emblem, adopted in 1926, was a four-leaved clover and a horse shoe. The leaves were green with the letters PAOK marked on each of them, a symbol devised by Kostas Koemtzopoulos who took the idea from a packet of cigarettes he smoked.

The decision to merge with the club AEK Thessaloniki can also be considered to be of historic importance. Until 20th March 1929 the two clubs were rivals, competing against each other although both had been established by refugees from Constantinople. It was the Chairman of AEK, Dr. Karamaounas, who brokered the merger between Thessaloniki’s two refugee teams. The main figures behind the idea and its implementation were Fanourios Vyzantios and Pantelis Kalpaktsoglou who had defected from AEK Thessaloniki, which had been established in 1924-25 by the first wave of refugees who had come to Thessaloniki from Constantinople in 1922. Certain members of AEK Thessaloniki headed south to the capital upon the merger to found the modern-day team AEK.

Following the merger with AEK in 1929, PAOK changed its emblem. The new emblem became the Two-headed Eagle, which remains to this day, and symbolizes the arrival of the club and the return to the roots and heritage of the refugees (Byzantium and Constantinople). The Eagle holds a sword and a crown with its two heads looking East and West. The difference between this emblem and that of AEK Athens (which is also the symbol of the Eastern Orthodox Church) is that the eagle on PAOK’s emblem has its wings folded signifying mourning for expulsion from the homeland.

The first section to be founded was soccer. Later on, in 1928, other sections were also founded such as basketball, volleyball, athletics, swimming, water polo, boxing and cycling.

The soccer team was put in the second division of the local championship of Thessaloniki. The following year, it was promoted to the first division, after beating Iraklis, who were the champions of Thessaloniki, 1-0. From this point on, the football team was established as one of the top Greek teams with a great and fanatical crowd all over Greece and beyond. The first stadium was built in the area of the University of Thessaloniki.

The first foreign coach in the history of the team was German Rudolph Ganser, who served with PAOK for the 1931-1932 season.

On February 20, 1938 Nikos Sotiriadis became the first ever international player for the club in a 1938 World Cup qualifier against Palestine.

In 1957, the second stadium was started in the neighborhood of Constantinopolitan immigrants, called Toumba (Toumba, meaning tomb), which in recent years has become the home stadium. The new stadium was completed in 1959 and inaugurated with a 1-0 friendly victory over AEK Athens.

The 1970s saw PAOK develop into a contender. Englishman, Les Shannon, coached a team made up of Giorgos Koudas, Stavros Sarafis, Dimitris Paridis, Achilleas Aslanidis, Neto Guerino, Christos Terzanidis and others, nearly winning the championship in 1973. Three years later, PAOK handily won the title that eluded them in 1973. Meanwhile, PAOK also won the Cup: in 1972 and 1974, the latter under Ulsterman Billy Bingham.

Giorgos Koudas retired in 1984. The following season, PAOK won their second league title. Kostas Iosifidis has the distinction of having been a member of both 1976 and 1985 teams.

Recent Years

In recent years, PAOK, like most professional soccer teams in Greece, has been hit by financial problems, but managed to win the Greek Cup in 2001 and 2003.

In late 2003, Yiannis Goumenos arrived at PAOK, with a considerable background in insurance and stock-broking, with Giorgos Kalyvas and Vassilis Pagonis as his deputies, a new board and supposedly 1,7 million euros in emergency funds. He ushered in by former coach Angelos Anastasiadis, currently in charge of the Cypriot national team.

PAOK's acute financial straits, which have shown no sign of recovery, were dealt a further blow last month when a former coach at the club, Austrian Rolf Fringer, filed a case with soccer's international governing body for back wages owed to him by the Thessaloniki team (he is reportedly owed 200,000 euros).

On November 13, 2006, PAOK owner Yiannis Goumenos resigned amid a financial crisis that could relegate the club to the second division of the Greek league.

Negotiations by Argentina-based ship-owner Yiannis Kambanis and entrepreneur Ivan Savvidis to buy PAOK collapsed in June, bringing Greece's fourth largest soccer club to the verge of bankruptcy.

The amateur division's boss, Thanassis Katsaris, has already approached prominent Thessaloniki-based entrepreneurs in search of emergency funds and a takeover deal.

As of August 10, 2012 Ivan Savvidis acquired ownership of PAOK.

On May 12, 2015 Savvidis paid all of the club's debts to the Greek State, an amount that totalled at € 10,886,81.[1]

PAOK since then became a power again in Greek football, winning Greek Cup for three consecutive years in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and the first League title in 34 years in 2019 and that without a loss. The 2018/2019-season was the best ever in the history of the club as PAOK won the “double” for the first time.

Titles

Greek League

Greek Cup

(Former) Players

1930-1959

1960-1979

1980 - 1999

2000 - Present

Coaches

Trivia

Giorgos Koudas is the player with most appearances for PAOK in all competitions: 602

Stavros Sarafis is the player with the most goals for PAOK in all competitions: 170


PAOK has two retired numbers that won't be worn again:

  • 12 in honour of the fans, who are the 12th player

Other Resources

External Links

Fan Forums

  • https://web.archive.org/web/20150521133136/http://olapaok.gr/podosfairo/Dioikitika/________/sthn_eforia_o_savvidhs_mesa_sthn_epomenh_wra.3463743.html