coollogo_com_42461317.gif

History

HOME
NEWS
GALLERY
FAN CLUB
LINKS
PTOLEMAIDA

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.


info_years.jpg

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.

  • 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
  • Escati Free Counter
    You are Visitor No:

    View Counter Stats