Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C.

Iraklis F.C.
Full name Iraklis Thessalonikis
(Greek: Ηρακλής Θεσσαλονίκης)
Nickname(s) Imitheos (The demigod)
Ghireos (The elder)
Founded 1908
Ground Kaftanzoglio Stadium,
Thessaloniki
(Capacity: 27,770)
Chairman Mavrokoridis Ioannis
Manager Fotis Gizelis
League Delta Ethniki
2010–11 Super League Greece, 11th
(16th and relegated after season was over for forgery)
Website Club home page
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours
Current season

Iraklis (Greek: Ηρακλής Θεσσαλονίκης), is a Greek football club, branch of Gymnastic Club Iraklis Thessaloniki, based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. The club used to play in the Greek Superleague and is one of the oldest clubs in Greek football and the oldest in Thessaloniki, hence the nickname Ghireos (meaning the Elder). Iraklis was a founding member of Macedonia Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation. The club has featured in all, but one, seasons of the top tier of Greek football up until 2011, when it was relegated to the amateur divisions of the Greek Football Federation.

Iraklis FC was established in 1908, as Makedonikos Gymnastikos Syllogos, to change its name to Ottomanikos Ellinikos Gymnastikos Syllogos Thessalonikis "Iraklis" in 1911. In 1914 the club's operation was accepted by the Greek courts under the name Gymnastikos Syllogos Iraklis. The club is named after Heracles (Greek: Ηρακλής), the mythical Greek demigod. Iraklis holds a string of long-standing rivalries with few other clubs; the most notable of these being with neighbours Aris and P.A.O.K., with whom they regularly contested the Thessaloniki derbies.

Before the formation of the nationwide league of Alpha Ethniki Iraklis competed in the league that was run by the Macedonia Football Clubs Association, winning it in no less than five occasions. The club has also played in five Greek Cup finals, lifting the trophy once. The club's last title was an international one, as Iraklis won the Balkans Cup in 1985.

Contents

History

Foundation

Iraklis traces its roots back in 1899 when the Omilos Filomouson (meaning Friends of Music) Club was established.[1] The club was established as a cultural union of the Greeks of Thessaloniki but in 1902 it founded a sports department.[1] Football was a new sport, at the time, but rapidly increasing in popularity, and thus the board of directors decided to line up a football team. The first match that was held by the Omilos Filomouson football team was on 23 April 1905, against a team of the Western European diaspora of the city called Union Sportive.[2] Omilos Filomouson won the match by a 3-0 scoreline.[2] Later on the club faced financial problems, but members of the club joined forces with another Greek athletic club of the city, called Olympia.[3] The result of this union was the foundation of a new club on 29 November 1908, called Makedonikos Gymnastikos Syllogos (meaning Macedonian Gymnastics Club), that gained a permission to operate by the Ottoman authorities.[1] The new club's first president was a Greek doctor, A. Maltos.[1] The name of the club had a direct reference to the ethnic tensions that toοk place in the area at that time.[1] Due to the Young Turks' revolt of 1908 and their promises for ease of ethnic tensions in the area, the club was forced to change its name.[1] Thus a new name was decided for the club, Ottomanikos Ellinikos Gymnastikos Syllogos Thessalonikis "Iraklis" (meaning Ottoman Greek Gymnastics Club of Thessaloniki "Iraklis").[1] The new name was approved, together with a new statute and a new board of directors, by a general assembly of the club on 13 April 1911.[1] After the integration of Thessaloniki in the Kingdom of Greece, the operation of the club was accepted by the Greek courts in 1914 and on 11 January 1915 Iraklis became a fully registered sports club.[1]

The first years (1908-1959)

Shortly after the end of the Second Balkan War Iraklis, together with the three Jewish football clubs of the city, Progrès Sportive, Alliance and French-German School Alumni Union, organised the first Thessaloniki Football Championship in January and February 1914.[2] Iraklis won Alliance 3-1, Progrès Sportive 5-1 and after winning the French-German School Alumni Union the club was proclaimed Champion of Thessaloniki.[2] On 6 April 1914 Iraklis played a match against Athinaikos Syllogos Podosfairou, that ended as a draw, the club's first match against a club outside Thessaloniki.[2] In 1914 Iraklis established, the club's youth squad, so the students of the Greek Gymnasium of the city could train in football.[2] A year later Iraklis won the second Thessaloniki Football Championship.[2] The next championship was not held due to World War I.[2] In the years followin World War I, several football clubs were established in Thessaloniki, and that led to the establishment of the Macedonia Football Clubs Association in 1923.[2] The first championship from the newly founded association was organised shortly afterwards and Iraklis lost in the tournament's final 4-1 from Aris.[2] In 1924 Iraklis played its first match against a club from outside the borders of Greece.[2] It was a match against Yugoslav club Sport Club Skopje, a contest that ended 2-1 in favour of Iraklis.[2] It was in that same year that Iraklis played its first match abroad, a 3-0 frienly win against Sport Club Bitola.[2] In 1926 Iraklis appointed Hungarian I. Sfeg as manager, the first ever foreign manager in Greece.[2] Under Sfeg's guidance Iraklis won the Championship organised by the Macedonia Football Clubs Association in 1926-27.[2][4] By winning 6-0 against the reigning champion of West Macedonia Ermis Shorovich and the champion of East Macedonia and Thrace Rodopi, Iraklis was proclaimed Champion of Macedonia and Thrace.[2] In the following years Iraklis did not have any success finishing in runner up and even lower positions in the Macedonia Football Clubs Association Championship.[2][4][5] In the 1933-34 season Iraklis won the Northern Group of the National Championship qualifying for the championship final, where the club had to compete against the champion of the Southern group Olympiacos.[4] The first leg was played in Iraklis Ground on 10 June 1934.[4] Although Iraklis took a 2-0 lead at half time Olympiacos managed to make a comeback in the second half managing to win the game by a 2-3 scoreline.[4][5] The second leg was played a week later in Pireaus and Olympiacos was proclaimed National champion by winning this match 2-1.[4][5] In the following years Iraklis faced mid table mediocrity, with the exception of the 1936-37 season, when the club was only one point short to Macedonia Football Clubs Association champions PAOK.[4] The 1938-39 season was a successful one for Iraklis, as it won both the Macedonia Football Clubs Association championship and the Northern Group of the National Championship, the second resulting the qualification of Iraklis in the National final.[4][5] In the national final Iraklis lost to AEK both away and at home (1-3 and 2-4 respectively), failing to win the silverware.[4][5] In the following season Iraklis celebrated its consecutive win in the Macedonia Football Clubs Association Championship but failed to qualify for theNational final.[4] All club football in Greece was suspended from 1941 to 1945 due to the German occupation of the country.[4] After the war period, the club was constantly competing with Aris for the Thessaloniki championship, which gave upon its winner the right to participate in the Greek championship. Iraklis participated in the 1947 Greek Cup final, where was defeated 5–0 by the dominant Greek team of that era, Olympiacos. In the 1950s, the team solidified its position among the top teams in Greece along with Olympiacos, AEK Athens, Panathinaikos, Aris and PAOK. Nevertheless, the club struggled with financial difficulties in an ailing Greek economy. Thessaloniki, where many refugees from the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922 had settled, was particularly damaged by the economic downturn. The highlight of the decade was the 1957 Greek Cup final, in which Iraklis was once again defeated by Olympiacos, 2–0.

The semi-professional Alpha Ethniki era (1959-1979)


Fanaras

Toumpoglou

Sentelidis


Kalaitzidis

Kousoulakis



Christoforidis

Pantazis

Gesios
1976 Greek Cup Final starting lineup.

In the 1960s, the format of the Greek Championship was changed to its present structure. Iraklis was, at the onset of the decade, one of the most consistent performers in the league. However, as the club endeavored to maintain a solid financial position, it became less competitive for the championship title. The organization faced another major setback as Iraklis -and Thessaloniki's only private- stadium was purchased by the state in a compulsory deal to expand the city's Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The club plays at the state-owned Kaftanzoglio Stadium ever since.

The 1970s were arguably Iraklis' peak years. A solid roster was assembled, featuring several players from the club's youth ranks, including Fanaras, Nikoloudis, Zafiridis, Gesios, Papaioannou and Haliabalias. The club acquired Vassilis Hatzipanagis, an USSR national of Greek descent. Hatzipanagis who was later voted the best football player in Greek history with his unique style attracted huge audiences to Iraklis games. He had an immediate impact upon his arrival as he was involved in all 4 goals of Iraklis in Greek Cup final of 1976, a 6–5 penalty win (4–4 in regular time) against Olympiacos, either by creating goals or scoring them.

Relegation and rise (1979-2000)

The 1980s began with a scandal for Iraklis. Pellios, a player of local rival PAOK, accused a member of the Iraklis board of trying to bribe him before the second leg of the 1980 Greek Cup semifinal. The incident was very controversial, especially as Iraklis had already won the first (away) leg by 1–0. Despite the team's progress to the 1980 Greek Cup final (losing 5–2 against underdogs Kastoria) and even though finishing 8th in the final table, the team was demoted by the Greek football federation to the second division for the only time in its 100 history. Iraklis instantly returned to First division after an unforgettable 1980–81 season -even though star player of team Vassilis Hatzipanagis refused to play out of protest for the decision to relegate the historic club over controversial and unproven charges- in which the team broke all division records for the largest home and away victories and most goals scored. In 1983–84 Iraklis reached its best league position to date, finishing in third place overall. In 1985 the team won the Balkans Cup with an aggregate victory (5–4) against FC Argeş Piteşti. 17,000 fans travelled to Athens to support Iraklis in the 1987 Greek Cup final -considered the largest away crowd in Greek history-, unfortunately to see their team lose 3–1 on penalties (1–1 regular time) to OFI Crete.

The 1990s were a period of reconstruction for the club, as aging players either left the club or retired. Hatzipanagis' retirement in 1990 had a major negative impact on the team's success. Fans began calling for a change in the club's management, as club president Petros Theodoridis began selling the team's most talented players (Christos Kostis, Giorgos Anatolakis, Savvas Kofidis etc.). Iraklis competed in 1990 against Valencia in the UEFA Cup, being eliminated in overtime at Mestalla.

Modern era (2000-2011)

The team was sold in 2000 to prominent Greek businessman Evangelos Mytilineos for almost $3,000,000. The new club president's first move was the surprising sale of highly rated striker Michalis Konstantinou to Panathinaikos. Newly appointed coach Giannis Kyrastas was widely considered Greece's best, remained at the charge of the team for only one and very disappointing season. Angelos Anastasiadis was appointed as the new coach, and even though this was considered a controversial move due to his history as a member of rival club PAOK his tenure was a very successful one as the team qualified twice in a row for the UEFA Cup on a very small budget. In 2004, Mytilineos announced his desire to leave the team and therefore its sale to Giorgos Spanoudakis (a jobless friend of his from schoolyears, who didn't for sure have any credidentials to run a football club of this calibre), for just $1, although heavily in debt. Spanoudakis initiated a series of expensive and unsuccessful deals (Nikos Machlas, Cezary Kucharski, Giuseppe Signori), driving the team close to bankruptcy. He later tried to get rid of the team by selling it to yet another unknown businessman named Dimitris Houlis. After a 5 month period where Houlis controlled the team, The Greek football commission finally annulled the transfer, raising questions in the media regarding its handling of the previous one between Mytilinaios and Spanoudakis too.

In 2004, Savvas Kofidis, famous as a player of the team in 1980s, became its manager. In 2005–06, he led Iraklis to an acclaimed 4th place finish, playing effective and attractive football but with debts of almost $8,000,000 to players, coaches and the state, Spanoudakis started the 2006/7 season attempting to reconcile Iraklis finances by selling Joël Epalle and Panagiotis Lagos, who were instrumental in the previous year's success. Next year Kofidis resigned as manager of a considerably weakened team after Iraklis lost 7 and drew 2 of his first nine games in Greek Super League and additionally was eliminated from the UEFA Cup in extra time by Wisła Kraków. Eventually the 2006–07 season ended with in a hard breaking fashion as the team gained its survival to Greek Super League only in the last matchday, after breaking an 39 matches unbeaten home run of Skoda Xanthi.

On 13 July 2007, Spanoudakis eventually resigned and the team passed to the hands of a consortium of local businessmen, with prominent Greek singer Antonis Remos (a life long fan of the team) as their leader.Today the new owners are trying to stabilize the team financially having already paid the debts to Giuseppe Signori (almost 1,000,000 $) and to other players and lenders from the past.

On 4 May 2011 Iraklis were relegated back to Football League (Greece) after failing to obtain a license to participate in 2011-12 Superleague. On 19 May 2011, the Disciplinary Committee of the competition found Iraklis guilty of forgery during the winter transfer window. Therefore the club was automatically placed in the last position.[6] That is a unique case as Iraklis have never finished in a relegation spot but have been relegated twice. On 26 September, however, the Professional Sports Committee stripped Iraklis from its professional licence and demoted it to the Delta Ethniki.

Crest and Colours

Iraklis crest has changed through times. The original club logo was a capital Η (Eta), the first letter of the word Iraklis (Ηρακλής) in Greek, surrounded by a circle. Currently it depicts the demigod Heracles resting upon his club, a scene inspired by Farnese Hercules statue, itself a copy of a statue crafted by Lysippos in the fourth century BC.[7] After the 2000 takeover of the club by Evangelos Mytilinaios, the logo was changed once again to a more "modern" looking one. During the 2008-2009 season the club used a special logo, created especially for its centenary.

Throughout the entire club's history its colours were blue and white, to resemble the colours of the Greek flag, given the fact that Iraklis was established while Thessaloniki was a part of the Ottoman Empire . The team is known in Greece as Kianolefki (Greek: "Κυανόλευκοι"), meaning the Blue-Whites. Iraklis' away colours are usually either white or orange. Traditionally, the Iraklis shirt is blue and white stripes, but through the years this was changed often to all blue, all white, chess-like, and hooped, among others.

Stadium

The first ground of Iraklis was placed in the centre of Thessaloniki, nearby the White Tower.[8] Its construction was funded by the members of G.S. Iraklis, but, after Thessaloniki became a part of Greece, the club was ousted from its owned ground, so a park could be created in its place.[8] In 1915 Iraklis rented an area in the centre of Thessaloniki for a ten years period, but the club was unable to use its facilities until 1919, due to World War I.[8] In 1927 the club renewed the contract for the use of the area, but in 1930, newly founded Aristotle University of Thessaloniki tried to take the ownership of the field.[8] For almost two decades the ground was used by both the athletes of Iraklis and the students of the university, intill in the 1950s the university managed to get the ownership of the ground, so it could demolish it to construct a square, that is nowadays known as Platia Chimiou.[8] On 6 November 1960 Iraklis played its first match in Kaftanzoglio Stadium, to record a 2-1 win against M.G.S.S. Thermaikos Thessalonikis.[9] Kaftanzoglio is the home ground of Iraklis until nowadays. There are plans for Iraklis to construct a new 22,000 seat stadium, in a club owned area in the eastern extremities of the city, in Mikra.[10] The training facilities, including three football fields and a gym, and the administration building of Iraklis FC are nowadays placed in the area that the club's new stadium is planned to be built.[11]

Supporters

Iraklis was well supported right from the start of its establishment. Even though the football section wasn't the most popular among club loyals in the very first years, it soon became the "flag" of the association as football became more and more popular. In 70s and 80s, the club attracted crowds of around 10.000 people, to reach a peak in the 1983-84 season with an average attendance of 16,559.[12] In the 90s, following Hatzipanagis' retirement and the general fall in attendances in Greek football, crowds in Kaftanzoglio deteriorated to a modest average of 3,000.[13] A record low attendance was recorded during the '90s, as in a match against Paniliakos there were only 384 tickets sold.[14] A brief increase in attendance was recorded after the purchase of the club by Evangelos Mytilineos, reaching a peak in the 2001-2002 season with an average of 6,790.[15] On 24 January 1971 Iraklis set the highest attendance record for any football match in Alpha Ethniki, with 45,634 tickets sold in the club's contest against Panathinaikos.[16] In the 1987 Greek Cup final a crowd of 17,000 Iraklis fans travelled to Athens, to watch Iraklis lose in penalties against OFI.[17]

The most prominent supporter's club of Iraklis is Aftonomi Thira 10 (meaning Autonomous Gate 10), a fan club with a total of 15 branches in Northern Greece (2 in Thessaloniki, also in Kavala, Kilkis, Kozani, Nea Moudania, Trilofos, Valmada, Stratoni, Chalastra, Serres, Florina, Lagadas, Alexandreia, Nea Michaniona).[18] The club is known for holding an antiracist stance, as it participates in the Ultras Antiracist Festival.[19] Other activities of the club, include the publication of a magazine and the conduct of an annual festival.[20][21] Other minor supporters' clubs are SFISE, Blue Boys, A.P.A.T.S.I. and Iraklis Fan Club of Athens.[22] Iraklis' supporters hold ties with the supporters of FSV Mainz and Rayo Vallecano as those have shown their support during Iraklis' supporters rallies against Superleague's refusal to grant Iraklis a license to participate in the 2010-2011 Superleague season.[23]

Ownership and finances

Until 1979 Greek football was semi-professional and football clubs were run by a board and a president appointed by its respective multi-sport clubs, of which it was considered a branch.[24] In that season the football branch of Iraklis became an S.A. owned by local businessmen Tertilinis and Pertsinidis.[25] In the 1983-84 season Iraklis was bought by Giorgos Theodorides who remained at the helm of the club for almost 18 years.[25] From the beginning of the 1999-2000 season there were demonstrations by the supporters of Iraklis, asking for the resignation of Theodoridis from his presidential seat and the sale of his stocks.[26] On 11 February 2000 Greek business magnet Evangelos Mytillineos bought the stocks of Theodoridis for a reported 1,18 billion drachmas.[27] On 27 January 2003, two days after a 3-1 away defeat of Iraklis against OFI, Mytilineos gave a press conference in which he announced his withdrawal from Iraklis' affairs, due to his disgust with the establishment of Greek football.[27] Shortly afterwards the ownership of the club was passed to businessman Giorgos Spanoudakis and until 2006 the club had accumulated a debt of 8 million €, partly due to Mytilineos' not the taxes of the players' contract and partly due to Spanoudakis handling of the club's affairs.[27] After a takeover of the club, in 2005, by businessman Dimitris Khoulis failed, Spanoudakis continued having the ownership of Iraklis.[27] In 2007 Spanoudakis declared the club's inability to repay its debts to the players and tried to hand Iraklis' stocks to Cypriot businessman Pheevos Morides.[28][29] After the latter failed to fulfill his promises the deal was cancelled.[30][31] Greek singer Antonis Remos, a prominent supporter of Iraklis, expressed his interest to undertake the club's fortunes, but he moved back when Spanoudakis asked 500,000 € to pass the club's ownership.[32] On 10 July 2007 Iraklis' administration building was set on fire by supporters in an attempt to express their discontent for the cancellation of the club's takeover from Antonis Remos.[33] A few days later a deal was reached and Remos took over Iraklis.[34]

Summers 2010 and 2011 authorisation issues and reactions

At 2010 summer Ioannis Takis took charge as new chairman.1 June announced to Iraklis that he did not take the permission to play at next season's Greek Superleague. That summer, Iraklis's fans rallied for the permission in Thessaloniki for more than 10 days. Also there were 2 rallies in Athens and other important places in Greece like Malgara and Tempi. Finally on 25 June, Iraklis received permission to play in Greek Superleague for the 2010–11 season.

On 4 May 2011 Iraklis were relegated back to Football League (Greece) after failing to obtain a license to participate in 2011-12 Superleague. On 19 May 2011, the Disciplinary Committee of the competition found Iraklis guilty of forgery during the winter transfer window. Therefore the club was automatically placed in the last position.[6] That is a unique case as Iraklis have never finished in a relegation spot but have been relegated twice. On 26 September, however, the Professional Sports Committee stripped Iraklis from its professional licence and demoted it to the Delta Ethniki.

Current squad

As of 30 November 2011 (2011 -11-30) 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
GK Giorgos Papadopoulos
GK Theodoros Kofos
GK Giorgos Athanasiadis
DF Dimitrios Fitas
DF Alexandros Poptsis
DF Panteleimon Pozidis
DF Ilias Michailidis
DF Dimitrios Iraklis
DF Dimitrios Triantafyllidis
DF Konstantinos Koutsiolis
DF Emmanouil Koulioudis
MF Alexandros Mavridis
MF Alexandros Karandreas
No. Position Player
MF Andreas Krystallis
MF Apostolos Stergianas
MF Charalabos Iordanidis
MF Konstantinos Mikros
MF Ilias Galanis
MF Ilias Petanidis
MF Giorgos Hatzis
MF Charalabos Sarafoglou
MF Simeon Kasidis
FW Kosmas Tsilianidis
FW Giorgos Papastergiou
FW Pavlos Sapanidis

Managerial history

 
Name Nat. Years
Vasilis Spirogiannis 2011–
Giorgos Paraschos 2011
Marinos Ouzounidis 2010–11
Jozef Bubenko 2010
Savvas Kofidis 2009–10
Oleh Protasov 2009
Makis Katsavakis 2008–09
Ángel Pedraza 2008
Ivan Jovanović 2007
Jozef Bubenko 2007
Savvas Kofidis 2005–07
Sergio Markarian 2004–05
Mats Jingblad 2004
Eugène Gerards 2003–04
Ivan Jovanović 2002
Angelos Anastasiadis 2001–02
Ioannis Kyrastas 2000
Angelos Anastasiadis 1999–00
Mats Jingblad 1999
 
Name Nat. Years
Kiril Dojčinovski 1998
Giorgos Paraschos 1997–98
Alketas Panagoulias 1997
Vasilis Antoniadis 1996–97
Dušan Mitošević 1994–96
Thijs Libregts 1991–94
Telis Batakis 1990–91
Agne Simonsson 1988–90
Nikos Alefantos 1988
Kostas Aidiniou 1988
Christos Archontidis 1987–88
Diethelm Ferner 1986–87
Nikos Alefantos 1986
Telis Batakis 1985–86
Friedel Rausch 1983–85
Telis Batakis 1983
Apostol Chachevski 1981–83
 
Name Nat. Years
Telis Batakis 1980–81
Kostas Karapatis 1980
Antoni Brzeżańczyk 1978–79
Kostas Karapatis 1978
Michalis Belis 1977–78
Les Shannon 1975–76
Ljubiša Spajić 1974–75
Ilias Zahariades 1972–73
Lakis Petropoulos 1971–72
Ljubiša Spajić 1969–72
Kostas Karapatis 1967–69
Milošević 1965–66
Ratomir Čabrić 1964–65
Silvester Takač 1963–64
Mrnek 1962–63
Aleksandar Tomašević 1961–62
Panos Markovic 1959–61

Notable former players

League top scorers

Player Nationality Goals
Dimitris Gesios 74
Daniil Papadopoulos 64
Michalis Konstantinou 63
Fanis Tountziaris 62
Vassilis Hatzipanagis 62

Most league appearances

Player Nationality Matches
Daniil Papadopoulos 419
Makis Sentelidis 312
Babis Xanthopoulos 283
Vassilis Hatzipanagis 281
Zaharias Haliabalias 280

Greek Golden Player - UEFA Jubilee Awards

Top foreign league goalscorer

Player Nationality Goals
Michalis Konstantinou 63

Foreigner leading in league appearances

Player Nationality Appearances
Ivan Jovanović 271

Records and statistics

Records

League statistics

Positioning in Greek league

1960s Position 1970s Position 1980s Position 1990s Position 2000s Position 2010s Position
1959–60 9th 1969–70 6th 1979–80 8th 1 1989–90 5th 1999-00 6th 2009–10 10th
1960–61 8th 1970–71 5th 1980–81 - 1990–91 5th 2000–01 5th 2010–11 11th 2
1961–62 9th 1971–72 9th 1981–82 6th 1991–92 9th 2001–02 6th 2011–12
1962–63 6th 1972–73 8th 1982–83 8th 1992–93 6th 2002–03 7th 2012–13
1963–64 12th 1973–74 7th 1983–84 3rd 1993–94 6th 2003–04 8th 2013–14
1964–65 11th 1974–75 8th 1984–85 5th 1994–95 6th 2004–05 7th 2014–15
1965–66 12th 1975–76 8th 1985–86 4th 1995–96 4th 2005–06 4th 2015–16
1966–67 9th 1976–77 12th 1986–87 6th 1996–97 13th 2006–07 13th 2016–17
1967–68 13th 1977–78 9th 1987–88 6th 1997–98 6th 2007–08 10th 2017–18
1968–69 11th 1978–79 6th 1988–89 4th 1998–99 9th 2008–09 10th 2018–19

1 Demoted to second division due to a match fixing scandal in a cup game against PAOK FC.
2 Demoted to fourth division (amateur division) because the Professional Sports Committee stripped Iraklis from its professional licence.

Best positioning
Demoted to second division
Demoted to fourth division (amateur division)
Worst positioning

Total league record

As of 18 April 2010
League Seasons GP W D L GF GA GD
Alpha Ethniki/Superleague 50 1596 602 433 561 2019 1911 +108
Beta Ethniki 1 38 26 6 6 99 22 +77

GP:games played; W:games won; D:gamed drawn; GF:goals for; GA:goals against; GD:goal difference

Head to head record against city rivals

As of March 5, 2011

Competition Played Iraklis Draw PAOK
Greek League 102 23 41 38
Competition Played Iraklis Draw Aris
Greek League 99 30 39 30

Highest attendances

Opponent Stadium Date Attendance
Panathinaikos Kaftanzoglio Stadium 24 January 1971 45.530
Panathinaikos Kaftanzoglio Stadium 12 February 1984 41.700
PAOK Kaftanzoglio Stadium 13 February 1972 38.752
Panathinaikos Kaftanzoglio Stadium 23 May 1982 37.297
Panathinaikos Kaftanzoglio Stadium 23 September 1973 37.169

Statistics in Europe

Iraklis' matches in Europe

Season Competition Round Club Home Away
1961–62 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1st Round Bye
2nd Round Novi Sad 2–1 1–9
1963–64 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1st Round Real Zaragoza 0–3 1–6
1976–77 Cup Winners' Cup 1st Round APOEL 0–0 0–2
1989–90 UEFA Cup 1st Round FC Sion 1–0 0–2
1990–91 UEFA Cup 1st Round Valencia 0–0 0–2 (aet)
1993–94 Intertoto Cup Group Stage
(Group 8)
Dynamo Dresden 1–1
Wiener 2–4
Aarau 0–1
Beitar Jerusalem 2–1
1995–96 Intertoto Cup Group Stage
(Group 12)
Vorwärts 0–3
Spartak Plovdiv 0–0
Eintracht Frankfurt 1–5
Panerys Vilnius 3–1
1996–97 UEFA Cup 2nd Qual. Round APOEL 0–1 1–2
1997–98 Intertoto Cup Group Stage
(Group 12)
Ried 1–3
FC Merani Tbilisi 2–0
Torpedo Moscow 1–4
Floriana 1–0
1998–99 Intertoto Cup 2nd Round Naţional Bucureşti 3–1 0–3
2000–01 UEFA Cup 1st Round Gueugnon 1–0 0–0
2nd Round Kaiserslautern 1–3 3–2
2002–03 UEFA Cup 1st Round Anorthosis 4–2 (a) 1–3
2006–07 UEFA Cup 1st Round Wisła Kraków 0–2 (aet) 1–0

UEFA club competitions' record

As of 22 February 2008
Competition Pld W D L GF GA
UEFA Champions League 0 0 0 0 0 0
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 2 0 1 1 0 2
UEFA Cup 14 5 2 7 13 19
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 4 1 0 3 4 19
UEFA Intertoto Cup 12 4 2 6 14 23
Total 32 10 5 17 31 63

Achievements

Regional

National[4][5]

International

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Η Γέννηση του Συλλόγου" (in Greek). Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής official site. 22 March 2010. http://www.iraklis.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=509:2010-03-22-16-39-19&catid=98:2010-03-14-15-46-52&Itemid=194. Retrieved 3 february 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Η ιστορία του τμήματος μέρος Α'" (in Greek). Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής official site. 24 February 2010. http://www.iraklis.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=471:2010-02-24-20-31-01&catid=97:2010-03-14-14-38-20&Itemid=208. Retrieved 2 February 2011. 
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