AEL Limassol

Infobox Football club


clubname = Αθλητική Ένωσις Λεμεσού
fullname = Αθλητική Ένωσις Λεμεσού
Athletic Union of Lemesos
nickname = "Λέοντες" (Lions), ΙΣΟΒΙΤΕΣ, Originals
founded = 1930
hometown = Limassol, Cyprus
ground = Tsirion Stadium
capacity = 16,000
chairman = flagicon|Cyprus Ζαχαρίας Κούντουρος
manager = flagicon|Cyprus Andreas Michaelides
league = Cypriot First Division
season = Club Titles
position = 205
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A. E. Lemesos (Athlitiki Enosis Lemesou - AEL, _el. Αθλητική Ένωσις Λεμεσού - ΑΕΛ, Athletic Union of Lemesos) is a Greek Cypriot multisport club based in the city of Lemesos, Cyprus'. AEL maintains not only the football team (something very common in the country), but tries to give equal opportunities to all sports.

At present, AEL maintains football, basketball, volleyball, Handball, Bawling and Cycling teams that participate in their corresponding domestic leagues as well as in international competitions.

Football team

AEL FC is a cypriot football club and one of the founding members of the Cyprus Football Association. The club has participated in all first division leagues except the 1996-97 period [cite web|url=http://www.ael-limassol.net/history_en.html|title=Club History|accessdate=2008-05-26] .

Stadium

AEL FC plays in the 14,400 seater, 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 generous contributor and great philanthropist, Mr. Petros Tsiros, thus the name of the stadium.

Supporters

AEL has very dedicated followers. The main supporter group is SY.F.AEL ( _el. ΣΥ.Φ.ΑΕΛ Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων ΑΕΛ) otherwise known as Gate 3. The latter name originated from the gate used to enter the East stand at Tsirion Stadium where AEL fans are sitted.

Current squad

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= Women Volleyball Team (Tranbunker Danoi ΑΕΛ) =

= 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.

= 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 June 11, 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 oyal Navy which were then Mediterranean Champions. Apart from the Cypriot Championships, AEL won the Mediterranean Naval Cup.

References

External links

* [http://www.aelarena.com TV AEL ARENA ]
* [http://www.ael.eu.com AEL Official Website]
* [http://www.eka-ael.com/ EKA AEL Official Website]
* [http://www.geocities.com/athens/parthenon/8766 AEL classic web page. Syfael Eksarxeion-Marijuana Club]
* [http://www.syfael.com Official SY.F.AEL Website]
* [http://www.ael-limassol.net Unofficial news and forum of AEL Website]
* [http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/club.php?id=545 national-football-teams]
* [http://www.ael1930.com The Yellow House Online]