AEL 1964 FC

AEL 1964

Full name	PAE Athlitiki Enosi Larissas 1964 (Athletic Union of Larissa 1964 FC)
Nickname(s)	Vasilissa tou Kambou ("Queen of the Lowlands") Vyssini ("The Crimsons")
Founded	17 May 1964
Ground	AEL FC Arena, Larissa, Greece (Capacity: 16,118)
Chairman	Konstantinos Piladakis
Manager	Michalis Ziogas
League	Football League
2011-12	Football League, 10th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours
Current season

AEL 1964 F.C., fully the Athletic Union of Larissa 1964 (Greek: Π.Α.Ε. Αθλητική Ένωση Λάρισας 1964, Athlitiki Enosi Larissas 1964), is a Greek association football club based in the city of Larissa, capital of Greece's Thessaly region. The club is also known, unofficially, as Larissa. It is the only FC outside the two big Greek cities, Athens and Thessaloniki, to have won the Greek Championship (1988). It has also have won two Greek Cups (1985, 2007) and played in an additional two Cup finals (1982, 1984). This record places AEL amongst the top 5 of Greek Football.

The team currently competes in the Football League.

History

The club was founded as Athlitiki Enosi Larissas in 1964, the result of a merger of four local clubs – Iraklis Larissas, Aris Larissas, Toxotis Larissas and Larissaikos. It was promoted to the first division in season 1972–73, but stayed at that level for only two years. After a second promotion (1977–78) Larissa reached the cup final three times (1982, 1984, 1985) winning the last 4–1 against PAOK. After winning the 1988 championship, the club fell into decline and in 1996 was relegated in the second division after 18 successful years.But the worst was yet to come.In 2002 the club was relegated to the third division, going through bankruptcy. In 2003, the club was forced to change its name to AEL 1964 as a result of the bankruptcy. In the same year the club was saved from relegation to Delta Ethniki in the last game of the season. Next year things were much better as the club finished 2nd in Football League 2 (Greece) and was promoted to Football League (Greece) starting a fine period for Larissa. The 2004–2005 season proved to be very fruitful for the club, as it won the second division (achieving double promotion) and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Greek Cup. AEL has had some good seasons in the First Division ever since. It has been particularly successful in the Greek Cup, winning in 2007 for a second time after 23 years. It has also played in UEFA Cup 2007–08, reaching the group stage by eliminating Blackburn Rovers. In 2008–2009 season the team finished 5th in Super League and won an UEFA Europa League place, but was eliminated in the 2nd qualifying round by KR Reykjavik (1–1,0–2). In 2011 Larissa was once again relegated to Football League (Greece) after a disappointing 14th place finish.

Titles

AEL 1964 is the only countryside based team to win the Greek Alpha Ethniki (now Super League Greece) Championship, when they did so in 1988. The club also won the Greek football Cup twice: in 1985 by beating PAOK FC in the final (4–1) and in 2007 by beating Panathinaikos 2–1. Before that, AEL 1964 made the finals of the Greek Cup twice, losing in both 1982 and 1984 to Panathinaikos.

Greek Cup 2006–07 winners

AEL fans during the 2007 Greek Cup Final at the Panthessaliko Stadium on May 5, 2007.

AEL lifted the 2007 cup for the second time in their history after beating favourites Panathinaikos by a one goal margin.^[1] Two goals gave underdog AEL the Cup by stunning their opposition who were in the midst of a disappointing season both nationally and in Europe. The first goal came early in the match as at the third minute AEL won a free kick which was taken by Georgios Fotakis and headed in by striker Jozef Kozlej. Just before the end of the first half Panathinaikos won a penalty and Dimitris Papadopoulos stepped up to make the score even on the 44th minute. As the match was approaching its end Henri Antchouet scored with a strong shot after an excellent long pass from Georgios Fotakis to give AEL the lead. AEL then kept the lead, sealing a glorious day for the unlikely winners. The 11,000 AEL fans in the stadium deliriously celebrated the goal as the opposing fans felt the disappointment of having to end the season trophyless despite high expectations.

Achievements

• Super League Greece
  • Winners: 1988
  • Runners-Up: 1983
• Greek Cup
  • Winners: 1985, 2007
  • Runners-Up: 1982, 1984
• Football League
  • Winners: 1973, 1978, 2005

Records

• All-time top scorer - Michalis Ziogas – 92
• Most appearances - Giannis Galitsios – 399
• Biggest win (Home) - Larissa F.C. - Kavala - 8-2 (1981-82)
• Biggest win (Away) - Veria - Larissa F.C. - 2-5 (1987-88)
• Record home attendance – 18,493 v. Panathinaikos, 27 December 1987 (At the old home ground Alcazar Stadium)

Stadium

AEL plays at the new ground, the AEL FC Arena in Neapoli District. The new stadium's capacity is 16,118 seats and can be expanded up to 20,000, while it holds an UEFA 3-Star rating. The organized supporters Monsters and S.F. Alkazar gather in Gates 1 & 2.

Crest and colors

The emblem of the club is a wild rising horse (same as the symbol of the city), believed to be an ancient thessalian-breed horse like Alexander the Great's Bucephalus.Its colors are crimson and white.

First home kit 1964

Supporters

Monsters is the largest Larissa F.C. supporters club. The first attempt to organise Larissa's supporters was made in 31 March 1982 during a game against Diagoras F.C..30 fans that belonged to the older but old-fashioned club Ierolochites where gathered in the Gate D of the old Alcazar Stadium that was meant to be the legendary Gate-1 afterwards.Monsters club was formed as an idea of having a true and passionate support to the team without restrictions or boundaries.The fans tend to use various styles and sizes of banners and flags bearing the name and symbols of their club and follow the team since the first day everywhere in Greece and Europe.Monsters have a strong relationship with German team FC Nürnberg's supporters club called Ultras Nürnberg 1994 or just UN-94.Fans of both clubs often lift banners and create choreography in support of the fellow teams.

S.F. Alkazar (Greek: Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Αλκαζάρ) is the second bigger club of Larissa F.C. supporters.

1985-2007 Cups & 1988 Championship Lineups

Michail Agorogiannis Galitsios(c) Mitsibonas Kolomitrousis Voutiritsas Alexoulis Karapialis Tsiolis Valaoras Ziogas

1988 Greek Championship most common starting lineup (4-4-2)

Plitsis Parafestas(c) Galitsios Mitsibonas Kolomitrousis Valaoras Voutiritsas Adamczyk Andreoudis Kmiecik Ziogas

1985 Greek Cup Final starting lineup vs. PAOK F.C. (4-3-3)

Kotsolis Galitsios Dabizas(c) Föerster Venetidis Digozis Bassila Cleyton Fotakis Aloneftis Kožlej

2007 Greek Cup Final starting lineup vs. Panathinaikos F.C. (4-5-1)

Current squad

As of 30 May 2012.

AEL fans during a game against Veria in January 2008.

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 1 GK Dimitris Sotiriou 3 DF Stelios Venetidis (captain) 5 MF Kostas Chatzis 6 MF Kostas Nebegleras (vice-captain) 7 MF Dimitris Pliagas 8 MF Toni González 13 DF Naïm Aarab 14 MF Bledi Muca 15 GK Dimitri-Erind Prifti 17 FW Antonis Vouzas 18 MF Fabricio Poci 20 DF Nikos Karanikas 22 FW Dimitris Hasomeris

No. Position Player 23 DF Lazaros Fotias 24 FW Zequinha 26 DF Dimitris Kolovetsios 27 DF Alexandros Galitsios 30 GK Panagiotis Vosniadis 33 DF Thanassis Papageorgiou 44 FW Nikola Grubješić 55 DF Manolis Psomas 77 DF Panagiotis Katsiaros 79 FW Vangelis Kaounos 88 MF Antonis Tsiaras 92 MF Savas Siatravanis

Youth squad U-21 (2011-12)

AEL Fans In Kalamata during a game in February 2005

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 Tasos Papagiannis GK Antonis Konstantinou GK Vasilis Maltzaris DF Apostolos Angelis DF Nikos Karathanasis DF Kostas Koromilas DF Makis Mpourouzikas DF Vasilis Papageorgiou DF Filippos Tziolis DF Markelos Tiliopoulos DF Dimitris Christopoulos DF Petros Psomolias MF Vasilis Spanos

No. Position Player MF Thomas Tsirogiannis MF Christos Agrodimos MF Sotiris Tsiloulis MF Kostas Kamperis MF Emilios Senka FW Savas Sidiropoulos FW Dimitris Tolios FW Giannis Papaioannou FW Nikos Kritsas FW Tasos Kritikos FW Fotis Gkoudroubis FW Giorgos Ververas

For recent transfers, see List of Greek football transfers summer 2011

Out on loan

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 Christos Batavanis (to A.S. Pyrgetos) FW Joël Tshibamba (to FC Krylia Sovetov Samara)

Foreign players

International players

Squad Changes for 2011/12 season (Winter Transfers)

In:

• Yohann Lasimant (free transfer)
• Jorge Pina (free transfer)
• Bledi Muca (from Oikonomos Tsaritsani F.C. )
• Fabricio Poci (from Platanias F.C. )
• Roddy Kambala (free transfer )
• Panagiotis Vosniadis (from Anagennisi Giannitsa F.C. )
• Nikola Grubješić (free transfer)
• Manolis Psomas (from Levadiakos F.C. )
• Vangelis Kaounos (from Ethnikos Asteras F.C. )

Out:

• Luís Boa Morte (to Orlando Pirates )
• Chrisostomos Michailidis (to Panionios )
• Césinha (to Moreirense F.C. )
• Matias Iglesias (to Atromitos F.C.)
• Ibrahim Tall (to FC Lausanne-Sport)
• Cyril Kali (to Veria F.C.)
• Alexandros Karachalios (to Diagoras F.C. )
• Romeu (Released)
• Manthos Fallagas (to Anagennisi Karditsa F.C. )
• Giorgos Saitiotis (Career End)

Coaching and medical staff

Position	Staff
Head Coach	Michalis Ziogas
Assistant Coach	Thanasis Koutsaftikis
Youth Team Coach	Theodoros Stergiadis
Technical Director	Andreas Bonovas
General Manager	Mimis Tsakmakidis
Goalkeeping Coach	Theodoros Kyriakoulis
Fitness Coach	Giorgos Pidoulas
Team Doctor	Antonis Tsagalis
Team Physiotherapist	Giorgos Zacharis
Assistant Physiotherapist	Ilias Pappas
Assistant Physiotherapist	Odysseas Pagias
Chief Scout	TBA
Team Kit Manager	Christos Triantafyllou

Managerial history

Name Season Matches Alexander Petrovic 1964-65 30 Dionysis Minardos 1965-66 30 Alexandros Vogas 1966-67 32 Giourkas Seitaridis 1967-68 30 Lefteris Papadakis 1968-69 26 Theodoros Sirganis 1968-69 8 Giannis Helmis 1969-70 13 Theodoros Sirganis 1969-70 14 Apostolos Chabibis 1969-70 7 Christos Kletsas 1970-71 3 Kostas Ziogas 1970-71 6 Giorgos Tsalopoulos (†) 1970-71 1 Kostas Polychroniou 1970-71 13 Kostas Polychroniou 1971-72 38 Stefan Karamfilovic 1972-73 38 Ivan Kochev 1973-74 34 Ivan Kochev 1974-75 5 Dan Georgiadis (†) 1974-75 15 AEL 1964 FC 1974-75 1 Ivan Kochev 1974-75 13 Lakis Progios 1975-76 5 Horacio Morales 1975-76 4 Nikos Alefantos 1975-76 3 Horacio Morales 1975-76 26 Giorgos Petridis 1976-77 14 Giorgos Tsalopoulos (†) 1976-77 2 Antonis Georgiadis 1976-77 8 Vangelis Balopoulos 1976-77 14 Pavlos Grigoriadis 1977-78 13 Giannis Zafiropoulos 1977-78 25 Milan Ribar 1978-79 34 Kostas Polychroniou 1979-80 34

Name Season Matches Antonis Georgiadis 1980-81 34 Antonis Georgiadis 1981-82 34 Jacek Gmoch 1982-83 34 Walter Skocik 1983-84 30 Andrzej Strejlau 1984-85 30 Andrzej Strejlau 1985-86 26 Kostas Tsakos 1985-86 4 Jacek Gmoch 1986-87 28 Jacek Gmoch 1987-88 29 Horacio Morales 1987-88 1 Vladimír Táborský 1988-89 30 Marcin Bohinek 1989-90 34 Marcin Bohinek 1990-91 5 Nikos Alefantos 1990-91 4 Hristo Bonev 1990-91 25 Hristo Bonev 1991-92 34 Hristo Bonev 1992-93 34 Jacek Gmoch 1993-94 10 Sotiris Koukouthakis 1993-94 1 Christos Archontidis 1993-94 23 Vassilis Daniil 1994-95 34 Ioannis Matzourakis 1995-96 5 Kostas Siavalas, Leonidas Efstathiou 1995-96 1 Andreas Michalopoulos 1995-96 28 Giorgos Foiros 1996-97 17 Kostas Siavalas, Dimitris Simeonidis 1996-97 2 Christos Archontidis 1996-97 3 Kostas Siavalas, Dimitris Simeonidis 1996-97 12 Kazimierz Kmiecik 1997-98 8 Zoran Babović 1997-98 26 Zoran Babović 1998-99 15

Name Season Matches Nikos Argyroulis 1998-99 14 Paris Meintanis 1998-99 2 Leonidas Efstathiou 1998-99 3 Nebojša Ličanin 1999-00 19 Takis Parafestas 1999-00 15 Nikos Argyroulis 2000-01 8 Giannis Alexoulis 2000-01 9 Michalis Ziogas 2000-01 13 Vangelis Vouroukos 2001-02 21 Kostas Siavalas 2001-02 9 Takis Sourlatzis 2002-03 3 Christos Gkatas 2002-03 22 Horacio Morales 2002-03 5 Takis Parafestas 2002-03 8 Takis Parafestas 2003-04 38 Giorgos Donis 2004-05 30 Giorgos Donis 2005-06 30 Giorgos Donis 2006-07 30 Giorgos Donis 2007-08 30 Marinos Ouzounidis 2008-09 36 Marinos Ouzounidis 2009-10 23 Giannis Papakostas 2009-10 7 Giannis Papakostas 2010-11 12 Kostas Katsaras 2010-11 2 Jørn Andersen 2010-11 3 Nikos Kostenoglou 2010-11 13 Chris Coleman 2011-12 12 Nikos Kotsovos 2011-12 1 Božidar Bandović 2011-12 3 Nikos Kehagias 2011-12 6 Michalis Ziogas 2011-12 14

Notable former players

European competition history

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away
1983–84	UEFA Cup	1st Round	Budapest Honvéd	2–0	0–3 (a.e.t.)
1984–85	Cup Winners' Cup	1st Round	Siófok	2–0	1–1
		2nd Round	Servette	2–1	1–0
		Quarter finals	Dynamo Moscow	0–0	0–1
1985–86	Cup Winners' Cup	1st Round	Sampdoria	1–1	0–1
1988–89	European Cup	1st Round	Neuchâtel Xamax	2–1	1–2 (0–3 p)
2006–07	Intertoto Cup	3rd Round	Kayserispor	0–0	0–2
2007–08	UEFA Cup	1st Round	Blackburn Rovers	2–0	1–2
		Group Stage (Group A)	Everton		1–3
			Zenit St. Petersburg	2–3
			AZ Alkmaar		0–1
			Nuremberg	1–3
2009–10	Europa League	2nd Qual. Round	KR Reykjavík	1–1	0–2

UEFA Team Ranking 2011/2012

Rank	Country	Team	Points
159		ADO Den Haag	10.103
160		SK Brann	9.935
161		AEL 1964 FC	9.920
162		FC Sheriff Tiraspol	9.849
163		Brøndby IF	9.505

As of May 16, 2012.^[2]

League history statistics

• Point system: 1959–60 to 1972–73: 3–2–1. 1973–74 to 1991–92: 2–1–0. 1992–93 onwards: 3–1–0.

Training Facilities

AEL 1964 FC has its own training facilities in the area of the village Dendra, near Tyrnavos. Those facilities cover over 30,000 square meters, have multisport purposes for all of the team's athletes and among the others include :

• 3 football fields (1 used by the first team, with 1.500 seats capacity and 1 for the U21 team's official matches.)
• 1 football field with artificial turf.
• Hosting area for the First and Reserves teams.
• Gym.
• Saunas.
• Rooms for tactical purposes.
• Press room.
• Changing rooms.
• Offices.
• Parking services.

Sponsors

The main sponsor of Larissa F.C. is OPAP – Pame Stoixima, Greek Organisation of Football Prognostics S.A. (Greek: Ο.Π.Α.Π. – Οργανισμός Προγνωστικών Αγώνων Ποδοσφαίρου Α.Ε.)

Sponsorship

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Larissa FC

Official Sites

• Official site
• Team Stats
• Larissa TV channel from Goal4Replay.net (English) (Greek)

Fan clubs

• Monsters Fan Club
• Athens Fan Club
• Alkazar Fan Club
• Vissinokippos Fan Club
• Οπαδικό forum της Λάρισας
• Larissa FC Forum
• AEL FANS
• Vissini.gr NEWS
• ΑΕΛ.gr NEWS
• ΛΕΣΧΗ ΦΙΛΩΝ ΑΕΛ