Ionikos F.C.

Ionikos
Full name Αθλητικός Όμιλος Ιωνικός Νίκαιας
Nickname(s) Κυανόλευκοι (Cyan-Whites)
Founded 1 June 1965 (1965-06-01)
Ground Neapolis Public Stadium
Ground Capacity 6,000
Owner Charalambos Rigakis
Chairman Charalambos Rigakis
Manager Vangelis Laiveras
League Gamma Ethniki
2016–17 Gamma Ethniki (Group 4), 2nd
Website Club website

Ionikos F.C., also known as Ionikos Nikaias (Greek: ΠΑΕ Ιωνικός Νίκαιας), is a professional football club based in Nikaia, Piraeus, Greece, currently competing in Football League 2, the Greek third division.

From 1989 to 2007 Ionikos spent 16 out of 18 seasons in Greek Super League.[1] During that span Ionikos finished as high as 5th-place in the league (on two occasions),[2][3] was a finalist in the Greek Cup,[4] and participated in the UEFA Cup.[5]

The club's colours are blue and white.

History

Foundation

Ionikos was established in 1965, from a merger of local clubs Nikaia Sports Union and Aris Piraeus, with Alex Meraklidis as new club's first president.[6] The club's early years were not easy, but, with the support of its fans, Ionikos slowly improved through the 1970s and 1980s and eventually reached the top division in 1989.[6]

The club's first promotion to the top flight was accompanied by unexpected problems—Dimitris Melissanidis withdrew as chairman, and the club needed 50 million drachmas to participate in the championship.[6] Fortunately, businessman Nikolaos Kanellakis stepped forward to provide the needed sum and become the club's new chairman.[6]

Nikos Kanellakis

Kanellakis' arrival would be the beginning of the club's greatest era—from the 1989 promotion, Ionikos would spend 16 of the next 18 seasons in the Greek top flight, up until 2007, and during that time the team would finish as high as 5th-place in the league (on two occasions), reach a Greek Cup Final, and compete in the UEFA Cup.[6]

Greek Cup Final 2000

Ionikos' UEFA Cup appearance came in the 1999–00 season—the opposition was French side Nantes, and Ionikos lost both home and away matches, 1–3 and 0–1, respectively.[6] Ionikos reached the Greek Cup Final later that same season, where they came up against traditional power AEK, and, despite a valiant Ionikos effort, AEK won the match, 3–0.[6]

On 21 April 2004 Ionikos experienced the most tragic moment of his history, when Nikolaos Kanellakis, the club's chairman for 14 years, died.[6] Hundreds of Ionikos supporters—as well as other sports fans—attended Kanellakis' funeral, where the flag of Ionikos covered the coffin of the late chairman. Nikolaos' son Christos took his father's place as chairman.

Relegation to Second League

Ionikos' long run in the top flight ended in the 2006–07 season, when the team finished in 16th-place in the Super League and was relegated back to Beta Ethniki. Ionikos has spent the last two seasons in Beta Ethniki, finishing 5th and 4th place, respectively, as the club tries to rejoin the top flight.

Stadium

Ionikos plays its home matches at Neapolis Public Stadium (Greek: Γήπεδο Νεάπολης), located in Nikaia, a suburb of Piraeus. The stadium was completed in 1965, and had its latest redevelopment in 2000.[7] It currently has a seating capacity of 4,999, but record attendance is 6,565 for a match against Olympiacos F.C. in 1990.[7]

Ionikos' organized supporters gather in Gate 3 at Neapoli Stadium.

Supporters and rivals


While Ionikos was competing in the lower divisions there were two main supporters' groups—the Association of Ionikos Nikaias Supporters and the Fan Club of Agios Georgios.[8]

On Ionikos's promotion to the top division the Association of Ionikos Nikaias Supporters Rangers Club was formed—or Rangers Club, for short—with headquarters in Elefterias Square in Korydallos.[8] Before Ionikos's first match in the top flight the Rangers Club organised a parade of 2,000 supporters from outside Rangers' headquarters to Stavros Mavrothalassitis Stadium, where Ionikos played its first three home matches of the 1989–90 season.[8] Two years later the supporters' club offices moved to Neapolis, and then in 1996 to Nikaia, before returning to Neapolis in 1999.[8] A second branch was established in Nikaia in 2004.[8]

Ionikos fans have a rivalry with the fans of the other topic club of Nikaia, Proodeftiki F.C..

Ionikos fans have rivalries too with other nearby clubs, Egaleo F.C., Atromitos F.C. and Kallithea F.C..

The Derby of Kokkinia

The football matches between Ionikos F.C. and Proodeftiki F.C. are called «The Derby of Kokkinia» or «The Derby of Nikaia».

Players

Current squad

As of 16 July 2016

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

No. Position Player
Albania GK Aleksi Leco
Greece GK Zikos Manis
Greece GK Stavros Iosipou
Greece DF Stathis Provatidis
Greece DF Giorgos Kritikos
Greece DF Stavros Vourloumis
Greece DF Michalis Nikolakopoulos
Greece DF Dimitris Pantelidis
Greece DF Christos Meimaroglou
No. Position Player
Greece DF Vasilis Michelis
Greece MF Spyros Papaspyros
Greece MF Ilias Kyriakidis
Greece MF Michalis Katsikias
Greece MF Panagiotis Simitsis
Greece MF Aggelos Katsavrias
Greece FW Stamatis Sapalidis
Greece FW Michalis Papadopoulos

Former Players

Managers

Oleg Blokhin is one of the biggest coach in history of Ionikos F.C.

Ionikos F.C. managers from 1992.

1992–93 Greece Nikos Alefantos
Germany Gerhard Prokop
Greece Sokratis Gemelos
1993–94 Greece Sokratis Gemelos
1994–95 Bulgaria Hristo Bonev
Ukraine Oleg Blokhin
1995–96 Ukraine Oleg Blokhin
1996–97 Ukraine Oleg Blokhin
Greece Sokratis Gemelos
Poland Jacek Gmoch
1997–98 Poland Jacek Gmoch
1998–99 Uruguay Sergio Markarián
1999-00 Greece Kostas Polichroniou
Greece Sokratis Gemelos
Ukraine Oleg Blokhin
2000–01 Ukraine Oleg Blokhin
2001–02 Ukraine Oleg Blokhin
Greece Sokratis Gemelos
2002–03 France Jean-Michel Cavalli
Poland Jacek Gmoch
2003–04 Serbia Miloje Klajevic
Greece Vangelis Vlachos
2004–05 Greece Vangelis Vlachos
2005–06 Greece Sakis Tsiolis
2006–07 Greece Sakis Tsiolis
Portugal Inacio Augusto Soares
Greece Giannis Chatzinikolaou
2007–08 Uruguay Jorge Barrios
Greece Giorgos Vazakas
Greece Nikos Anastopoulos
2008–09 Greece Nikos Goulis
2009–10 Greece Stratos Voutsakelis
Greece Vasilis Vouzas
2010–11 Greece Giorgos Benos
Greece Giannis Petrakis
Greece Nikos Maronitis
2011–12 Greece Nikos Maronitis
2012–13 Greece Nikos Frousos

Honours and achievements

Greek Cup

Piraeus Cup

Beta Ethniki

Delta Ethniki

UEFA Cup

Season-by-season

Since 1965–66:

Club records

Alpha Ethniki / Super League

Last Update 19 Μay 2009

Beta Ethniki

Individual records

Appearances

Player Matches
Greece Giannis Xanthopoulos
318
Greece Giorgos Daraklitsas
290
Greece Nikolaos Frousos
217
Syria Mohammad Nasser Afash
196
Liberia Oliver Makor
164

Goals

Player Goals
Greece Kostas Kottakis
top scorer
Greece Nikolaos Frousos
64
Scotland Craig Brewster
45
Liberia Oliver Makor
43
Greece Giannis Xanthopoulos
24

Crest and colors

The emblem of the club is a resting star and its colors are blue and white.

Original & Alternative strips & colours

Original kit

Ionikos's first home colours 1965
Ionikos's first away colours 1965
Ionikos's first Goalkeeper kit 1965

Kit evolution

1965
1978
1980
1989
1991
1993
1997
1999
2001–03
2003 (2nd kit)
2004
2005
2007–09
2008 (2nd kit)

Kit manufacturers and sponsors

Period Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor
1992–93 Lotto Energized
1993–96 None
1996–98 Telestand
1998–00 Casino Xanthi
2000–04 Puma Filmnet
2004–05 Mitre Sports International Nectar S.A.
2005–09 OPAP
2009–11 Puma
2011–12 A.Hilios Pydroblasting

Notable former Managers & Players

Former Managers

European matches

Season Competition Round Club Home Away
1999-00 UEFA Cup 1st Round France FC Nantes Atlantique 1–3 0–1

References

  1. ↑ "Greece – Final Tables 1959–1999". rsssf.com. 2003-08-03.
  2. ↑ "Greece −1997/98". rsssf.com.
  3. ↑ "Greece 1998/99". rsssf.com.
  4. ↑ "Greek Cup Finals". Hellenic Football Federation.
  5. ↑ "UEFA Europa League Season 1999–2000 First Round". UEFA.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "History". Ionikos F.C.
  7. 1 2 "Neapoli Stadium". Stadia.gr.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rangers History". Rangers Club.
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