AEL Limassol

Αthlitiki Enosis Lemesou
Full name Αthlitiki Enosis Lemesou
Greek: Αθλητική Ένωση Λεμεσου
Nickname(s) leontes (Lions)
Founded 4 October 1930
Ground Tsirion Stadium,
Limassol, Cyprus
(Capacity: 16000)
Club Titles 240 (38 football (including youth) 82 basketball, 95 volleyball, 9 cycling, 8 Bowling, 3 Handball, 3 Boating, 2 Hockey)
Chairman Andreas Sofokleous
Manager Charalambos Christodoulou
League Cypriot First Division
2010–11 7th
Home colours
Away colours

Athlitiki Enosi Lemesou (Greek: Αθλητική Ένωσις Λεμεσού), commonly known as AEL Limassol (Greek: ΑΕΛ), is a Greek Cypriot multisport club based in the city of Limassol, the port of Cyprus. Currently AEL maintains a football team, men's and women's basketball teams, a women's volleyball team and a newly established Futsal team (1st year) and women's handball team (2nd year). AEL is considered as the most successful club of the island by its fans, who cite the number of trophies in all sports[1] (240 official trophies plus some unofficial ones). The basketball branch of AEL is the only team from Cyprus to have won a European title (the European Regional Challenge Cup).

AEL FC plays in the 14000-seat Tsirion Stadium, also known as the Olympia Stadium (G.S.O). Tsirion Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Limassol, Cyprus. It is mostly used for football matches and is also the home ground of Apollon Limassol and Aris Limassol. The stadium was built in 1975 with the help of the contributor and philanthropist Petros I. Tsiros, a benefactor and humanitarian of Cyprus, thus the name of the stadium.

Contents

Greece First Division

AEL won the championship of 1967–68 and competed next season in First Division in Greece. The "Yellow" Limassol team, despite the fact that the squad had very good and talented players, but their young age would not let them meet the new conditions that they had to face so they finished in last place with 39 points, with 2 wins 1 draw and 31 losses. ael

Supporters

For the cup final of 1985 against EPA Larnaca almost 15000 AEL fans followed their team in Nicosia(record). For the cup final of 2009, 14000 AEL fans traveled to Nicosia for the game in GSP stadium. There were sold 13919 tickets at total (of which 9300 were sold in 6 hours, something unusual for Cypriot standards. Also during 2007 more than 4000 AEL supporters(record) followed their basketball team in larnaka(kitio) for the Championship final against APOEL. The main supporter group of the team is SY.F.AEL (ΣΥ.Φ. – Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων) οtherwise known as Gate 3. The latter name originated from the gate used to enter the East stand at Tsirion Stadium where AEL fans are seated. Organized fan groups of AEL also exist outside Cyprus in countries like Greece (Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Kastoria), the United Kingdom and Russia.

Victor Mousteris

Before the cup match against Olympiakos Nicosia (16 April 2003) 1 minute silence in memory of founding member and athlete of AEL, Mousteri Victor died at the age of 89 years Tuesday 15 April 2003. Victor Mousteris born in Limassol on 27 April 1914. When AEL was founded in 1930 by B. Mousteris, honoured student and an excellent player, along with seven other students and three are the formal player of AEL. He was also a member of the hockey and the water polo team of AEL. His career as an athlete was short since 1934 due to work commitments he left the active sport. But he did not abandon AEL. He became Board Member for many years and provided generous and tireless service to the biggest sporting club in Cyprus.

Victor Mousteris: "For us, AEL is something sacred, something more than a symbol, an ideal for which the struggles and sacrifices are not counted. All our efforts and actions aimed to preserve, strengthen and elevate the club to the highest rungs of the sporting dignity, progress and success.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
2 DF Dosa Júnior
4 DF Pantelis Pitsillos
5 DF Stelios Parpas (Vice-Captain)
6 DF Patrick Leugueun
7 MF Monteiro
8 MF Angelos Perikleous
10 MF Silas
11 MF Edmar
12 MF Marios Nicolaou (Captain)
14 FW Christos Andreou
15 FW Nicolas Theodorou
16 DF Nilson
No. Position Player
17 FW Cafú
19 FW Henrique
20 MF Luciano Bebê
21 DF Marco Airosa
22 GK Isli Hidi
23 DF Carlitos
27 MF Georgios Eleftheriou
29 DF Edwin Ouon (Vice-Captain)
32 GK Matías Degra
77 MF Dédé
80 FW Benjamin Onwuachi
99 FW Vouho

On loan

Out Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
MF Martinos Christofi (on loan to Enosis Neon Parekklisia)

For recent transfers, see List of Cypriot football transfers winter 2011–12.

Current staff

Technical staff
Director of Football Rui Paulo Silva Júnior
Head coach Charalambos Christodoulou
Assistant coach Dionysis Dionysiou
Goalkeeping coach Andreas Mavris
Physical fitness coach Sotiris Charalambous
Team manager Giorgos Evripidou
Sports Physiologist Giorgos Panayiotou
Physiologist Evaggelos Nicolaou
Masseur Stefanos Aristodimou
Assistant Masseur Andreas Giorgallis
Assistant Masseur Giannis Loutsios

Notable former players

Managerial history

AEL Limassol – managers

Presidential history

Name From To
Σταύρος Πίττας 1930 1932
Κρίτων Τορναρίτης 1932 1934
Γιάγκος Λιμανίτιτης 1934 1953
Νίκος Σολομωνίδης 1953 1971
Νίκος Κούντας 1971 1976
Γεώργιος Τορναρίτης 1976 1982
Λώρης Λυσιώτης 1982 1996
Δημήτρης Σολομωνίδης 1996 2002
Γιώργος Φραντζής 2002 2003
Ακης Ελληνας 2003 2005
Αγις Αγαπίου 2005 2006
Μάριος Ηροδότου 2006 2008

Honours

1941, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1968
1997
1939, 1940, 1948, 1985, 1987, 1989
1953, 1968, 1985
1953, 1955, 1956

U21 football team titles

1940, 1951, 1960, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2008

U17 football team titles

2005, 2006, 2007, 2011
1997
Name From To
Σταύρος Πίττας 1930 1932
Κρίτων Τορναρίτης 1932 1934
Γιάγκος Λιμανίτιτης 1934 1953
Νίκος Σολομωνίδης 1953 1971
Νίκος Κούντας 1971 1976
Γεώργιος Τορναρίτης 1976 1982
Λώρης Λυσιώτης 1982 1996
Δημήτρης Σολομωνίδης 1996 2002
Γιώργος Φραντζής 2002 2003
Ακης Ελληνας 2003 2005
Αγις Αγαπίου 2005 2006
Μάριος Ηροδότου 2006 2008
AEL Limassol – managers

Basketball team (Proteas EKA AEL)

see full article Proteas EKA AEL

Women's basketball team (KV Imperial AEL)

Women Basketball Team Titles
Championship titles: 9 (1993, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009,2010,2011)
Cup titles: 9 (1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2009,2010, 2011)
Super Cup titles: 5 (1998, 2006, 2007,2008, 2009)
Women U21 Basketball Team Titles
Championship titles: 8 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2008)
Women U17 Basketball Team Titles
Championship titles: 1 (2005)
Cup titles: 1 (2005)

KV Imperial AEL roster

Number Name Position Height (m)
Αννα Μιχαήλ Center 1.75
Ερση Κυριάκου Centre 1.82
Κάλια Παπαδοπούλου Play Maker 1.66
Χριστιάνα Μενελάου Play Maker 1.59
Αφροδίτη Σαρκά Shooting Guard 1.69
Λουκία Λάρκου Shooting Guard 1.71
Στάλω Φαίδωνος Forward 1.76
Δωρίνα Ιωαννίδου Forward 1.70
Γιάννα Κλεάνθους Forward 1.70
Marija Petrovic Shooting Guard 1.75
Andrea Pinter Guard 1.74
Ancuta Stoenescu Guard 1.71
Andrea Gardenale Forward 1.96
Gardner-Combs Andrea Center 1.91
Betty Lennox Center 1.59
Petros Antoniou Coach
Χρίστος Σπύρου Assistant Coach

Women volleyball team (Tranbunker Danoi ΑΕΛ)

Fullname Tranbunker Danoi ΑΕΛ
Nicknames Βασίλισσα (Greek)
Queen (English)
Tranbunker Danoi ΑΕΛ founded 1976
Team Colors Yellow With Blue
Arena Nicos Solomonidis
Arena Nickname Το κλουβί (Greek)
The Cage (English)
Arena Capacity 3000
Women Volleyball Team Titles
Championship titles: 27 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006)
Cup titles: 27 (1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
Super Cup titles: 10 (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Women U21 Volleyball Team Titles
Championship titles: 9 (1987, 1988, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008)
Cup titles: 3 (2000, 2002, 2004)
Women U17 Volleyball Team Titles
Championship titles: 9 (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006)
Cup titles: 1 (2000)

A Founding member of the Cyprus Volleyball Federation in 1976, AEL's women team has dominated in the Cypriot volleyball. The team's achievements are phenomenal; Out of the 32 seasons played so far in Cyprus since the commencement of the women's volleyball league, the team won the Championship 27 times. Out of the 31 cups they won it 27 times, 24 consecutive times, from 1980 until 2003. Also they have won the Championship 15 consecutive times, from 1977 until 1991. They have also the amazing records of winning the Double 12 times from 1980 until 1991 and 9 times from 1993 until 2001. In the past the club had also a men's team for 10 years which participated in the Cypriot Championship.

Tranbunker Danoi ΑΕΛ Roster

Number Player
1 Marina Christophorou
11 Mayia Deprova
3 Marina Pepekou
4 Skevi Ioannidou
5 Oxana Pavlou
6 Sotia Papakyriakou
9 Marina Isova
10 Cesara Ruxadoyu
2 Manolina Costantinidou
14 Josephine Socratous
15 Dora Yiallouri
16 Tania Tomihova
Coach Roula Katchambi

Bowling team

The bowling club was founded in 1999 and the same year became a member of the Limassol District Federation. In 2001, the team participated in the Cypriot Championship as one of the two representatives of the Limassol District Federation. In 2003 the team won its first trophy by winning the Limassol District Federation Cup and in 2006 its first Championship by winning the Limassol District Federation Championship. The home of the team is the Galaktika Bowling Center.

Player
Christos Krassas
Nikolas kleanthous
Michalis Perikleous
Georgios Georgiou
Andros Kalogirou
Demetris Demetriou
Panikos Kleanthous
Bowling Team Titles
Limassol Championship: 3 (2006, 2008, 2009)
Limassol Cup: 5 (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)

Cycling team

The cycling team was founded in 2001 and the same year became a member of the Limassol District Federation. The first men's cycling team consisted of the following : Ομηρος Χριστοφόρου, Παντελής Τίμινης, Μιχάλης Τσουλόφτας, Ηρόδοτος Κυριάκου, Σωτήρης Σκουταρίδης, Δημήτρης Αραούζος

Cycling Team Titles
General – Road cup: 3 (2004, 2005, 2006)
Men – Road cup: 3 (2004, 2005, 2006)
Masters 1 – Road cup: 1 (2006)
Masters 2 – Road cup: 2 (2004, 2005)

Defunct sports departments

Apart from the currently active sports departments, AEL had in the past some other sports departments, which today are defunct. Despite this, these currently not active departments had all won titles for AEL when they were active.

Field hockey

In the past AEL Limassol had a field hockey team which is currently not active. The team had plenty of victories led by its star player Renos Antoniadis. In 1931, AEL won the Cup in a match which was played in Larnaca. One year later, the team became Cypriot Champions. The team consisted of the following players: Antoniadis, Pareas, Frangos, Christophides, Michaelides, Kalogirou, Victor Mousteris, Anastasiadis and Williamson. However, there were no further hockey competitions in Cyprus afterwards, as the other teams hockey teams of the era closed down their hockey departments because of financial problems.

Handball

Another AEL sport department that currently does not exist is the handball. The team was active for a small period of time but that did not stop the team from adding another trophy to the hundreds that AEL won in various other sports. On 11 June 1989, a day after the football team of the club won the Cypriot Cup, the handball team won the Cypriot Cup in handball by beating Youth Centre Larnaca 23–19 in the final which was played in Lefkotheo Indoor Hal, Nicosia.

Men's volleyball

AEL maintains 3 teams for women's volleyball but does not currently have a men's Volleyball team.

Waterpolo

AEL was also active in maritime sports, especially those that needed team articipation. AEL pioneered in Regattas in 1932, 1933 and 1934 in the Cyprus Regatta Games. The members of the team were Nearchos Pieris, Christakis Dixon, Andreas Araouzos, Sotiris Antoniades and Maximos Morides. The club had also a waterpolo team which was unbeaten Cypriot Champions. The team achieved a noted victory against a selected team of the Royal Navy which were then Mediterranean Champions. Apart from the Cypriot Championships, AEL won the Mediterranean Naval Cup.

References

  1. ^ [http://www.ael-limassol.net/ael/about/%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%85%CF%84%CF%8C%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%B1/ 240 trophies

External links

AEK  · AEL  · Alki  · Anagennisi  · Anorthosis  · APOEL  · Apollon  · Aris  · Enosis  · Ermis  · Ethnikos  · Nea Salamis  · Olympiakos  · Omonia
League competitions
Cup competitions
National teams
Men · U-21 · U-19 · Futsal · Women
Lists and categories
AEL Limassol – current squad