Aris Thessaloniki F.C.

Aris Thessaloniki Football Club is a Greek football club that premiered on the 25th of March 1914 in Thessaloniki. The colors of the team are yellow and black, reminiscent of Byzantium, where Thessaloniki has always been the second most important city of the Empire. Aris has earned 3 league titles and 1 cup in football and is considered as one the five greatest clubs in Greece and the biggest in Macedonia. The club is named after Ares, the god of war, whose image is portrayed on the club logo (as depicted in the Ludovisi Ares), always on guard to fight if necessary.

History

The beginning

The club was established by a group of 12 young friends in a coffee bar in Thessaloniki on 25th of March 1914 and given the name Aris from the god of war, aply nicknamed due to the recent Balkan War and the fact that in Greek mythology, Aris was a deity who was in conflict with Hercules, the mythological character after which Aris's rival football team, Iraklis, was named. In the beginning the club was based near the Arch and Tomb of Galerius but after the accession of two minor football clubs in 1919 and 1921 the club's base was moved near to Flemming Street. The first stadium was built where today lies Mars Field Park in Stratou Avenue. Quickly the club became very popular and soon new sections apart from football were established. The Basketball department was formed in 1922. In 1928 it was the first team which won the first Greek league.

A golden era

The leading star of Thessaloniki and untamed in the rest of Greece, Aris shone in all athletic activities just after the end of World War I. In water sports, in basketball and in track and field Aris was synonymous to being first, to being the Champion. The local championships he won were countless. Beginning in 1923, when he won his first title, until 1959, when local tournaments ceased, the club rarely finished second or third.

Only 13 years since his foundation when the golden era of his long history came. This was during 1927-28: he won the first official Championship of Greece. It was unfortunate that due to disagreements with the organizing body (EPO, which subsequently wrote them off) Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK did not take part in this championship. Instead they founded what became known as CFA (Center Football Association), an institution that the teams from Salonika and rural Greece paid for dearly. Three teams participated in the first official Greek championship: Aris, Atromitos from Athens and Ethnikos from Piraeus. Aris won both matches against Atromitos [1-3 in Athens on 24.5.1928 and again in Thessaloniki on Iraklis’ stadium on the 17.6.1928] . He won against Ethnikos at home with the same score and lost against him away 3-2 in Piraeus, in a stadium known as the Cycling Ring. Amassing 6 points and starring footballers Katranzos, Papas, Lontaridis, Zare, Aggelakis, Ioannidis, Katsaounis, K. Vikelidis, Yiakoumis, Nakopoulos and Oplopios, ARIS was crowned Champion, the first Champion in Greek football history. This success send convulsions of joy and awe across his many supporters in Thessaloniki and other towns and villages and affirmed Aris as a major football club in the conscience of sports fans across the nation.

During 1931-32 the club shone brighter then ever before, and no one could doubt his greatness or power. It is during this period that Aris became, for the first time, truly dominant in the football circuit of Greece. He became Champion of Greece for the second time and thus begun the period of his reign. This second pan-Hellenic Championship included the teams of CFA (Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK), but they are no matches for the “God of War”. He managed to amass 22 points: 9 victories in 14 matches, 4 draws and only one loss. He sat on the Champions’ throne leaving Panathinaikos to the second place.

Victories and Trophies

Before World War II and with an incentive taken by the notable Aris’ executive and member of the BOD of the International Fair of Thessaloniki Mr. Athinodoros Anastasiadis the International Exhibitions Cup was founded. Aris participated and rose to prominence in this Cup, both before and after World War II. We shall elsewhere go into more detail as regards ARIS’ successes in this and the UEFA Cup.

But let us review the international matches of the team. ARIS was the first Greek club to invite a team from abroad to play a friendly. Sporting Cub Serbia traveled to Thessaloniki on the 20th of January 1923 and was beaten by ARIS 3-1. The second team that was invited to Thessaloniki was Perister from Monastiri and following this Aris began his own trips abroad, to other countries in the Balkan region and the Middle East. Before we move on to comment on the other matches ARIS has played against teams from abroad we must, for historic reasons, point out that the first match Aris played against PAOK was during the period 1925-6 and the “yellows” won 5-2. PAOK became ARIS’ biggest opponent and from thereon until now the clashes between these two popular and historic teams are considered a unique event for the city and its sports fans.

But the most talked about victory of Aris abroad was at Sofia, against Bulgarian Champion Lefsky with score 2-4. In the aftermath of this Aris toured other countries in the Balkan region, while during 1934-35 he undertook an extensive and successful tour of Turkey, Lebanon and Israel. Two ace players from Iraklis, Tsaganias and Margaropoulos joined the team for this tour. In Turkey, Aris managed a draw against Fener Bax (2-2) while at Beirut he beat the National Team of Lebanon and in Israel manages to obtain positive results, winning international recognition.

All of these with regard to the period prior to WW II. With regard to a period that gave birth to the big stars that shone in the stadiums of that era. The Vikelidis brothers, like the Andrianopoulos brothers in Olympiakos, are names often remembered. The patriarch of the family, Kostas, the unsurpassed in technique midfielder Nikoforos, the “Human Tornado” as Kleanthis used to be known, and leaving for last, but certainly not least, the “Macedonian Armored Vehicle”, the youngest of the family, Kitsos, also known as the “Terrorist” of opponent goalkeepers and by many other nicknames that were given to him by the press. Let us not forget Aggelakis, whose football shoe was carried around by his admirers, Kaltekis, Papas, the Koloniari brothers, Katrantzos, Danelian, Koublis and so many others, most of who sent their spirits to guard present day ARIS.

But there came a day when all these giants of football that made ARIS such a great team stopped playing. New stars were born and a new era begun for the team. The footballers that composed the greatest team, ARIS, the Greek National Team and Thessaloniki’s own intra-club team resigned and only few were left to help the youngsters who undertook the difficult task of leading the team to yet another triumphant period. Gotsis, Abrachamian, Magras, Sidiropoulos, Stavrakbeis, Siotis, Nikolaidis, Koloniaris and Chatzinikolaou together with the human steam-roller, Kleanthis Vikelidis, would complete the prior to WW II period of the team, as the clouds of war slowly gathered above Greece and Europe. When Greece was under German occupation all athletic activities came to a stop and only on rare occasions could ARIS amass a team to face teams composed of German soldiers. The Greek spirit characterized these matches and in most cases the Greeks, who were also playing against the referee and his favorable treatment of the Germans, beat the German squads. Regarding the referees of the era, we must mention Kostas Gikopoulos, whose fear for his own life forced him to favor overwhelmingly the Germans. But Kostas Gikopoulos committed one further, and most important, villainous deed against ARIS in 1956, when the “yellows” played against the National Team of Hungary in Charilaou. The “yellows” forced their opponents to a draw (3-3), although they were ahead for most of the match. Then, just before the final whistle and from a set position, the Magyars, playing without their big star Pouskas, brought the ball in ARIS’ quarters and managed an equalizer, exploiting the … “tolerance” of the referee.

The Third Title

In the first national championship after the war (1946) three teams competed for the title: Thessaloniki Champion Aris, Athens Champion AEK and Piraeus Champion Olympiakos. It was another moment of glory for the Thessalonikians who were proclaimed national Champions for the third time. They beat Olympiakos twice, scoring two goals and conceding none, they came to a draw with AEK in Athens and ripped it to shreds in PAOK’s stadium in Thessaloniki (score 4-1). A lot of people still remember this, the last of the championship titles of the team, and the frenzied celebrations it generated amongst the people of Thessaloniki. Local newspapers “MACEDONIA”, “THE LIGHT”, “PEOPLE’S VOICE” as well as the Athenian papers wrote triumphant headlines to mark the “yellow’s” major success, a success that was underlined by the titan efforts of Vikelidis, Tsonas, Magras, Abrachamian, Siotis, Nikolaidis, Kaftatzis, Kaftatzis II, Liakopoulos, Vasiliadis, Velliadis and Koloniaris. These semi-gods led the god of war to the Champion’s throne for the third time.

In the Heydays...

A lot of local championships took place up until 1949, when Aris won the title of the Champion of Thessaloniki again and took place in the national championship. An expedition with precedent took place and 2.000 of ARIS’ supporters traveled to Athens by ship. They boarded “TETI” which looked like a yellow carrier. Mr. Nick Kabanis organized the tour. He later undertook a formal, great and historic role in the executive branch of the team.

In the first match Aris played against Panathinaikos, who was rescued from contrition by referee Zapardas, who force the “yellows” to an unjust draw (1-1). Aris was also “slaughtered” at Karaiskaki stadium and, therefore, deprived of the title. He was also beaten by AEK in the Greek League Cup final in 1950, a title that eluded him for several years. Luck smiled to Aris, finally, in 1970 at Kaftantzoglio, when he beat PAOK and, thus, came the happy end to a flirt with the League Cup that lasted for 38 years.

That magical evening the goal by Manolis Keramidas broke an almost forty year old tradition and on that magical evening the “yellows” sang as in one voice: “They come back to me, the golden years, one by one”.

Recent Years

Titles have eluded Aris in recent years, and Aris was even demoted to the Second Division twice, due to bad management. Aris has always immediately returned to the National 1st Division, however, and throughout the years the club has managed to play European football by qualifying for the UEFA Cup tournament on several occasions. Aris managed to end 4rth at the last two Superleague seasons and participated three times in the last five Greek Cup finals. In 2008, Aris had a successful year at the UEFA Cup competition, qualifying over Real Zaragoza and eliminated in group stages playing against Bayern Munich, Sporting Braga, Bolton Wanderers and Red Star Belgrade. The “yellows” fans also take pride in the fact that Aris was the main domestic club of Greece's Euro 2004 goal scoring hero Angelos Charisteas. In December, 2006 the club's board decided to create an organisation called [http://www.arismembers.gr/ Aris Members Club] , (Λέσχη Φίλων Άρη), in order to give Aris supporters the opportunity to participate in the club's management by buying no par value shares. According to the plan each member will have the right to vote in the board elections for president as well as to run as candidate. In order to be involved in the elections fans must also financially support the club.

upporters

Aris has a relatively big fanbase for Greek standards and it is the fifth most supported club in Greece. The fanbase is spread across all the economic classes in the city and the greater region of Macedonia. The biggest rivalry is against the arch-rival PAOK . Another traditional rival is of course the Athenian clubs Olympiacos Piraeus, Panathinaikos and AEK Athens. Its supporters are organised in many fan clubs, the most important of them being "Super 3" and "Ierolohites".

Crest and Colours

The emblem of the team is a resting Ares (Greek: Άρης - Aris), the Olympian god of war, as depicted in the Ludovisi Ares. The colors of the team are yellow and black, reminiscent of the Byzantine Empire, under which Thessaloniki was always the second most important city.

Feeder clubs

* Aris Petroupolis
* Aris Kozanis

Current squad

"As of July 19 2008"

Club officials

Board of Directors

*President: Lambros Skordas
*Vice-President: Nikolaos Vogiatzis
*Vice-President: Athanassios Athanassiadis
*Managing Director: Georgios Eleftheroudis
*General Manager: Ioannis Kontis
*Director of Football: Georgios Koltsidas

Coaching Staff

*Manager: flagicon|Spain Enrique Hernandez
*Assistant Manager: flagicon|Spain Ruben Selles
*Coach: flagicon|Spain Xavi Tamarit
*Goalkeeping Coach: flagicon|Brazil Ribeiro Diaz Wellerson
*Fitness Coach: flagicon|Spain David Rodriguez
*Chief Scout: flagicon|Greece Theodoros Dalkidis
*Director of Youth Football: flagicon|Greece Theodoros Dalkidis
*Director of Youth Academy: flagicon|Albania Arthur Lekbelo

Medical Staff

*Club Doctor: Dr. Evangellos Pantazis
*Assistant Club Doctor: Dr. Ioannis Giannoulis
*First Team Physiotherapist: Konstantinos Siggounas

Notable players

;Albania
*flagicon|Albania Mirel Jiosa
*flagicon|Albania Arthur Lekbelo
*flagicon|Albania flagicon|Greece Kristi Vangjeli

;Austria
*flagicon|Austria Gilbert Prilasnig

;Belgium
*flagicon|Belgium Fabricio Silvani
*flagicon|Belgium Nordin Jbari

;Bosnia and Herzegovina
*flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina Nikola Nikić
*flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina flagicon|France Sanel Jahic

;Cameroon
*flagicon|Cameroon Joel Epalle
*flagicon|Cameroon Dorge Kouemaha
*flagicon|Cameroon Eugene Fomumbod

;Chile
*flagicon|Chile Mario Caceres

;Ivory Coast
*flagicon|Ivory Coast flagicon|France Gilles Domoraud

;Croatia
*flagicon|Croatia Josip Šimić
*flagicon|Croatia Ivan Durdek

;Czechoslovakia
*flagicon|Czechoslovakia Lumir Mistr

;Denmark
*flagicon|Denmark Ole Skoboe

;Ethiopia
*flagicon|Ethiopia Yilma Katama

;France
*flagicon|France Patrick Valéry
*flagicon|France Derek Decamps

;Germany
*flagicon|Germany Walter Wagner
*flagicon|Germany Hans Peter Lipka

;Hungary
*flagicon|Hungary Giula Plotar
*flagicon|Hungary Sador Guindar
*flagicon|Hungary Istvan Veiberg

;Iceland
*flagicon|Iceland Christopher Sigurgeirsson

;Morocco
*flagicon|Morocco flagicon|France Talal El Karkouri
*flagicon|Morocco Said Chiba
*flagicon|Morocco Salaheddine Bassir

;Nigeria
*flagicon|Nigeria Emmanuel Ekwueme

;Norway
*flagicon|Norway Arne Miller

;Peru
*flagicon|Peru Carlos "Kukin" Flores
*flagicon|Peru David Cheves

;Poland
*flagicon|Poland Maciej Murawski
*flagicon|Poland Piotr Wlodarczyk

;Russia
*flagicon|Russia Oleg Veretennikov

;Senegal
*flagicon|Senegal Ismail Ba

;South Africa
*flagicon|South Africa Nasief Morris

;Slovakia
*flagicon|Slovakia Jozep Majoros
*flagicon|Slovakia Juraj Bucek
*flagicon|Slovakia Marian Kelemen

;Sweden
*flagicon|Sweden Ulf Erickson
*flagicon|Sweden Magnus Källander
*flagicon|Sweden flagicon|Gabon Njogu Demba-Nyrén

;Zimbabwe
*flagicon|Zimbabwe Nagoli Kennedy

Notable coaches

All time leaders in appearances and goals

UEFA club competition record

"As of 28 August 2008."

ponsorship

*Official Sponsor - EKO
*Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer - Reebok
*Official Communication Sponsor - ERT

Other Sponsors

*Porcelana
*Chalkidiki Flour Mills
*Vodafone
*Souroti Mineral Water
*Amstel Brewery
*Isostar
*Intersalonika
*Getil-Nazos
*Expert
*Jacques Hermes
*Stamion
*Motion team

ee also

*Aris Thessaloniki
*Aris BC
*Aris VC
*You are the pride of Macedonia

External links

Official sites
* [http://www.arisfc.gr/ Official football website] (in Greek and English)
* [http://www.goal4replay.net/VideoSelection.asp?Ln=En&ID=153 Aris TV channel from Goal4Replay.net] en icon gr icon

Fans
* [http://www.emperor.gr/ Emperor Fans' portal]
* [http://www.super3.gr/ Super3 Official website]
* [http://www.ierolohites.gr/Main.htm Ierolohites Official website]
* [http://www.arismembers.gr/ Official website of members "Club friends of Aris"]

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