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Iraklis is deeply rooted into the years. It is the oldest sports
club in Greece. And its colors, light blue and white, vividly resemble of the official Greek colours.
The history
of the Club begins in 1899, when the Club of the «Fans of the Arts» was created. The Club was not a sporting one, but rather
one of literature and music. In 1903, the members of the Club decided to include sports with their activities. They created
a gym and founded the department of swimming and cycling. However, it was football, a new sport of that era that «stole» the
athletes' hearts.
The first official game was held in April 23, 1905, but later the club started facing financial
problems. Three years later, in 1908, an historical land-mark for Iraklis, everything changed. The club partnered with the
club of «Olympia» and the unification of powers resulted in the birth of Iraklis. The complete name of the club at the time
had been: «Ottoman Hellenic club of Thessaloniki - «Iraklis». The football department was the first created. The first achievements
were not far away.
In 1914 Iraklis was facing housing problems since the club's income had been minimum and came only
out of the members funding. However, the club managed, thanks to its dynamics, to overcome obscurities, while its facilities
became the «core» of sports for the city of Thessaloniki. Iraklis is undividedly united to the city history and it is suffice
to say that many great football players and then special city personalities have worn the historical shirt with the emblem
of the «semigod» on their chest.
Since the football club of Iraklis was founded football stared gaining in popularity
throughout Greece. During the first Greek Championship Games after the War, the blue and white team made many victories and
was a model-team for that era.
As years go by Iraklis continues to be included among the top football teams. The beginning of the
20's was marked by national events, but this did not stop the Club from becoming the «multi-victory» team of the «Panthracian»
games in 1923. The first junior teams are being established at the same year.
Iraklis' history, after War World II,
includes the participation in five Greek Cup Finals (1947, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1987). 1976 is the year that will remain deeply
engraved in the memories of all Iraklis' fans. In June 9,1976, in New Philadelphia, the «white-blue» team won Olympiakos during
a penalty shoot-out (6-5, 4-4 during regular time and overtime) and won the Greek Cup.
That was the roster of Les Sannon's
Iraklis for that historical game: Fanaras, Sendelidis, Xanthopoulos, Christoforidis, Kalaitzidis, Toumboglou, Koussoulakis,
Amtonijevic, Chatzipanagis, Gessios (116' Pondikis), N. Pantazis (80' Machoukatidis). The goals of the triumphant victory
were scored by Chatzipanagis (25', 111'), Koussoulakis (72') and Gessios (115'). Next day, when the players of the blue/white
team returned to Thessaloniki, were welcomed as heroes by more than 100.000 cheering fans.
In 1976, Iraklis participated
to the European Cup of Cups, while it has participated six times in the UEFA Cup (1962, 1964, 1989, 1990, 1996, 2000). In
addition to that, during the 2000 - 2001 season, it qualified for the first time in its history to the second round of the
tournament.
In 1985, Iraklis won the Balkan Cup, beating the Romanian team Arges Pitesti by 4-1.
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1928: Iraklis wins the Thessalonica football championship
1933: Participates in the Greek Cup semi-finals
1934: Finishes runner-up in the national championship
1935: Balkan Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria
Team: Sideropoulos,
Katrantzopoulos, Ribas, Cboumis, Baltasis, Vikelidis, Kasimatis, Symeonidis, Christodoulou, Mygiakis, Kourantis
Stadium:
Yiunak
1938: Conquers the Thessalonica football championship
1939: Finishes in second place in the national championship
1947: Participates in the national championship and
ends up in the second place
1951: Third in the national championship
1957: Plays in the Greek Cup final
1958: Reaches the semi-finals of the Greek Cup
1961: Knocked out of the Greek Cup in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, also takes part (as Greece's first representative) in the then-UEFA Cup
1971: Reaches semi-finals of the Greek Cup
1975: Reaches semi-finals of the Greek Cup
1976: Wins the Greek Cup
1980: Participates in the Greek Cup final
1985: Wins the Balkans Cup
1987: Greek Cup runner-up
1989: Participates in the UEFA Cup
1990: Participates in the UEFA Cup
1996: Participates in the UEFA Cup
1998: Participates in the Greek Cup semi - finals
2000: Participates in the UEFA Cup, reaching for the
first time ever the second round, beating French outfit Gueugnon
2001: Wins the fifth position in the Greek National
Division's Championship and plays in the Greek Cup semi-finals
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