AEK Athens F.C.

AEK FC

AEK Athens FC emblem
Full name	PAE Athlitiki Enosis Konstantinoupoleos (Athletic Union of Constantinople FC)
Nickname(s)	Enosis (Union) Dikefalos (Double-Headed) Kitrinomavri (Yellow-Blacks)
Founded	May 30 1924
Ground	Olympic Stadium Athens, Greece
Capacity	71,030 (all-seated)
Chairman	Demis Nikolaidis
Manager	Lorenzo Serra Ferrer
League	Super League Greece (Σούπερ Λίγκα Ελλάδα)
2006-07	Super League Greece, 2nd
Home colours Away colours

AEK FC, (Template:Lang-el – Athlitiki Enosis Konstantinoupoleos), the Athletic Union of Constantinople, known in European competitions as AEK Athens, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece.

Established in Athens on May 30 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople (now Istanbul) in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War, AEK has grown to become one of the most successful clubs in Greek football, winning 27 national titles (including 11 Championships, 13 Greek Cups, 1 League Cup, 2 Super Cups), providing the Greek National Football Team with many of its star players, and regularly appearing in European (UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup) competitions.

The club currently competes in the Super League Greece.

History

Early history

The large Greek population of Constantinople (now Istanbul), not unlike those of the other Ottoman urban centres, continued its athletic traditions in the form of numerous athletic clubs. Clubs such as Enosi Tataoulon (Ένωση Ταταούλων) from the Tatavla district, Megas Alexandros (Μέγας Αλέξανδρος) of Vathyriakos, and Hermes (Ερμής - Ermis) of Galata existed to promote Hellenic athletic and cultural ideals; Hermes, one of the more popular clubs, was formed in 1875 by the Greek community of Pera (Galata). Forced by the Kemalist regime to change its name to Pera Club in 1922, many of its athletes fled during the population exchanges at the end of the Greco-Turkish War, and settled in Athens and Thessaloniki.

1924 – 1939

In 1924, a group of Constantinopolitan refugees (among them athletes from Pera Club and the other Constantinopolitan clubs) met at the athletic shop of Emilios and Menelaos Ionas on Veranzerou Street, in the center of Athens, and established AEK.

The founders of AEK established the club with the intention of providing athletic and cultural diversions for the thousands of predominantly Constantinopolitan and Anatolian refugees who had settled in the new suburbs of Athens (Nea Filadelfeia, Nea Ionia, Nea Smyrni). AEK’s first game was a 2-0 win against Aias Athinon.

AEK’s football team grew rapidly in popularity during the 1920s, eclipsing the already-established Athens-based refugee clubs (Panionios, Apollon Smyrnis), thanks mainly to the large pool of immigrants that were drawn to the club and due, in no small part, to the political connections and wealth of several of the club’s board members. Not possessing a football ground, AEK played most of its early matches at various locations around Athens, including the grounds of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium.

AEK’s first president, Konstantinos Spanoudis (1871-1941), a journalist and associate of the then Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos, petitioned the government to set aside land for the establishment of a sports ground. In 1926, land in Nea Filadelfia that was originally set aside for refugee housing was donated as a training ground for the refugees. AEK began using the ground for training (albeit unofficially) and by 1930 the property was signed over to the club. Venizelos soon approved the plans to build what was to become AEK’s home ground for the next 70 years, the Nikos Goumas Stadium. The first home game, in November 1930, was an exhibition match against Olympiacos that ended in a 2-2 draw.

In 1928 Panathinaikos FC, Olympiacos, and AEK began a dispute with the fledgling Hellenic Football Federation (EPO), decided to break away from the Athens regional league and form an alliance called P.O.K.(acronym for Podosfairikes-Omades-Kentrou). During the dispute, POK organised friendly matches against each other and several continental European clubs. In 1929, though, the dispute ended and AEK, along with the other POK clubs, entered the EPO fold once again.

In 1932, AEK won their first Greek Cup title, beating Aris FC 5-3 in the final. The team boasted a number of star football players in Kostas Negrepontis (a veteran of the original Pera Club of Constantinople), Kleanthis Maropoulos, Tryfon Tzanetis, Michalis Delavinias, Giorgos Mageiras and Spyros Sklavounos.

The club’s mixed success during the 1930s was highlighted by the first Greek Championship-Cup double in 1939.

1940 – 1959

Under former player Kostas Negrepontis as coach, AEK won the Greek Championship in 1940. With English coach Jack Bimby at the reins, veteran players Maropoulos, Tzanetis, Delavinias and Mageiras, along with new blood Kostas Poulis, Giorgos Goulios, and Pavlos Emmanoualidis, AEK won the Greek Cup competitions of 1949 and 1950, beating Panathinaikos 2-1 and Aris 4-0.

AEK won also the Athens regional championship of 1950, but the playoff games for the Pan-Hellenic title were not played, due to many players being called up for a prolonged training camp for the national team.

The early 1950s saw the addition of the next generation of star footballers in Giannis Kanakis, Andreas Stamatiadis, and goalkeeper Stelios Serafeidis, and along with Poulis and Emmanoualidis, AEK again won the Greek Cup title of 1956, this time beating Olympiacos 2-1 in the final. 1957 saw the debut of one of the greatest forwards of the era, Kostas Nestoridis. Having joined AEK from Panionios in 1956, Nestoridis was forced to sit out the 1956 season because of a dispute between the two clubs over his transfer. In 1958 and 1959 he finished top goal scorer in the league, but it wasn’t enough for AEK to take any titles.

1960 – 1979

With Kostas Nestoridis scoring goals aplenty in the early 1960s, (top goalscorer 1958-1963), and the timely signing of attacker Dimitris Papaioannou in 1962, AEK went on to win the 1963 Championship.

Known affectionately as “Mimis” by the AEK supporters, Papaioannou scored twice in the 1963 playoff against Panathinaikos, levelling the scores at 3-3 and giving AEK its first post-war championship title on goal aggregate. Coached by Hungarian-German Jenő Csaknady, the championship team also consisted of veterans Nestoridis, Serafeidis and Stamatiadis, Alekos Sofianidis, Stelios Skevofilakas, Giorgos Petridis, Manolis Kanellopoulos, and Miltos Papapostolou.

The club followed up with Cup victories in 1964 and 1966, and with the return of Csaknady to the coach’s position in 1968, and with some great players in Kostas Nikolaidis, Giorgos Karafeskos, Panagiotis Ventouris, Fotis Balopoulos, Spyros Pomonis, Alekos Iordanou, Nikos Stathopoulos and Andreas Papaemmanouil, AEK won the championship with relative ease, and became the first Greek football club to reach the quarter-final of European Champions Cup. The addition of goalkeeper Stelios Konstantinidis and Apostolos Toskas reinforced the team and allowed AEK to take its fifth championship title in 1971.

File:Mav-ele-ard.jpg

Mavros, Eleutherakis and Ardizoglou were part of the AEK outfit that dominated the Greek league in the late 1970s

Loukas Barlos took over the presidency of AEK in 1974, and with the help of Czech-Dutch coach Frantisek Fadrhonc built one of the finest teams in the club’s history. The Barlos “Golden Era” saw some of the greatest players ever to have played for AEK. Christos Ardizoglou, Giorgos Dedes, Giorgos Skrekis, the Germans Walter Wagner and Timo Zahnleiter, Dionysis Tsamis, Pantelis Nikolaou, Petros Ravousis, Serbian Dušan Bajević, Takis Nikoloudis, Stefanos Theodoridis, Christos Itzoglou, Nikos Christidis.

Captained by Papaioannou, 1976-1977 saw AEK reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup competition, the first Greek football club to do so. Beating Dinamo Moscow (Russia) 2-0, Derby County FC (U.K.) 2-0 and 3-2, Red Star Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 2-0, and QPR (U.K.) 3-0 and 7-6 on penalties, AEK were eventually eliminated by Gianni Agnelli’s Juventus FC. Juventus went on to win their first European title.

It was during this period that AEK signed one of Greece’s finest strikers in Thomas Mavros. He was an integral part of the team that reached the UEFA Cup semi finals in 1976, but it was his devastating form (top goal scorer of 1978 and 1979 - 22 and 31 goals, respectively) that helped AEK take the 1978 Championship-Cup double. The addition of former Panathinaikos FC stars Dimitris Domazos and Kostas Eleutherakis to the AEK roster the following year saw the club cap off their most successful decade to-date by winning the 1979 Championship.

Under Loukas Barlos, the Nikos Goumas Stadium was finally completed with the addition of the iconic “Covered Stand”, or Skepasti (Σκεπαστή), which eventually became home to the most fanatic of AEK supporter groups, Original 21. The next generation of star players, fresh out of the AEK Academy, made their debut during this period – Stelios Manolas, Spyros Ekonomopoulos, Vangelis Vlachos and Lysandros Georgamlis.

1980 – 1999

File:Manolas-OM.jpg

Stelios Manolas was the mainstay of AEK's defence from 1980 to 1998

With new president Michalis Arkadis and Austrian head coach Helmut Senekowitsch, AEK won the 1983 Greek Cup, beating PAOK FC 2-0 in the newly-built Athens Olympic Stadium. Thomas Mavros and 21-year old captain Vangelis Vlachos were the goalscorers.

AEK also chased the elusive Championship title and it finally came in 1989. Coached by former player Dušan Bajević, AEK clinched the title after a winning a crucial match 1-0 against Olympiacos at the Athens Olympic Stadium. Takis Karagiozopoulos scored the goal that gave AEK its first Championship in a decade. AEK won also the Greek Super-Cup of 1989, beating Panathinaikos on penalties, (normal time 1-1).

After the 1989 triumphs, under Bajević, AEK built what was to become one of the most successful teams in its history. Led by Stelios Manolas, the team, which included Toni Savevski, Daniel Batista, Vaios Karagiannis, Vasilis Dimitriadis, Giorgos Savvidis, Alekos Alexandris and Refik Šabanadžović dominated the Greek league through the 1990s with three successive Championship titles (1992, 1993, 1994).

AEK also won the Greek League Cup of 1990 (beating Olympiakos 3-2), the only time this was ever played.

In 1994-1995 AEK was the first Greek football club that participated in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League after defeating Scottish champions Rangers FC; AEK was eliminated by Ajax Amsterdam and AC Milan, who made it to the final. With Michalis Trochanas as president and Dušan Bajević as coach, the club won the 1996 Greek Cup.

Former player Petros Ravousis took over the coaching position when Dušan Bajević defected to Pireaus-based rivals Olympiacos at the end of 1996, and led the team to its second Super-Cup (August 1996), beating Panathinaikos on penalties, and to its eleventh Cup title in 1997, again beating Panathinaikos on penalties. By far AEK’s most successful run with titles, the period also saw AEK sign talented players in Demis Nikolaidis, Christos Kostis, Vassilis Tsiartas, Christos Maladenis, Andreas Zikos and Michalis Kasapis. Demis Nikolaidis, in particular, an AEK fan since childhood, declined more lucrative offers from Olympiacos and Panathinaikos FC to sign for his beloved club. During seasons 1996-1997 and 1997-1998, AEK progressed to the Quarter-Final of the European Cup Winners' Cup.

In 1999, ex-president Dimitris Melissanidis organised a friendly match against FK Partizan, in Belgrade, during the height of the NATO bombing of Serbia. As a gesture of compassion and solidarity towards the embattled Serbs, the AEK players and management staff defied the international embargo and traveled to Belgrade for the match. The game ended 1-1, when after 60 minutes of play thousands of Serbian football fans invaded the pitch to embrace the footballers.

2000 – present

File:Demis33.jpg

Demis Nikolaidis one of AEK'S greatest ever players went on to become club chairman in 2004

AEK won its twelfth Cup title in 2000 under Coach Giannis Pathiakakis. The club defeated Ionikos FC 3-0 in the final with goals scored by club icon Demis Nikolaidis, Milen Petkov, and Christos Maladenis. Nikolaidis was later given an award by FIFA’s Fair Play committee after informing the referee that one of the goals he scored during the match was a handball.

The club continued its consistency in the Championship of 2001-02 by finishing equal-first with Olympiacos, however the Piraeus club’s better goal aggregate prevented AEK from gaining its twelfth title. AEK however, defeated Olympiakos in the Greek Cup final and won their 13th Cup.

Despite AEK’s on-field successes, the period was best remembered for the return of Dusan Bajevic as coach in the summer of 2002, a move that sparked open hostility towards Bajevic from a section of AEK supporters.

Under Bajevic, AEK progressed through the qualifying rounds in the 2002 UEFA Champions League by eliminating APOEL FC over the home-and-away legs. Drawn in Group A with AS Roma, Real Madrid, and Racing Genk, AEK put in a spirited performance and despite being undefeated (the club drew all its games), were unable to progress to the next round.

The transfers of Nikos Lyberopoulos and Cypriot Ioannis Okkas to AEK promised to revitalise the club’s on-field success amid the growing financial problems. Modest performances, though, were not enough as more off-field dramas unfolded. Punctuated by the demolition of Nikos Goumas Stadium, home to AEK for over 70 years, club president Chrysostomos Psomiadis (with the assistance of his bodyguards) allegedly assaulted team captain Demis Nikolaidis (the player was allegedly nightclubing resulting in bad performances). After the altercation, and partly due to the club’s growing financial problems from mismanagement, Nikolaidis as he was already paid for the matches he played, was let on free transfer by mutual consent and signed for Atlético Madrid. Unable to cope with the negativity from a large section of AEK fans, Bajević resigned in 2004 during a season match against Iraklis FC.

By now, on the brink of bankruptcy, and losing most of its Euro 2004 stars and experienced players to other European clubs, AEK needed a miracle to prevent it from being relegated to the Greek amateur leagues. Though both Kostas Katsouranis and Nikos Lyberopoulos remained, Vassilis Borbokis, Grigorios Georgatos ,Theodoros Zagorakis, Michalis Kapsis, Michalis Kassapis, Michel Kreek, Vassilis Lakis, Vassilis Tsiartas, and Ioannis Okkas all left the club in the wake of the troubles.

In 2004 Demis Nikolaidis, at the head of a consortium of businessmen, bought out the beleaguered AEK and became the new club president with the help of all AEK fans who started mass protests organized by the hard core fans. His primary task was to lead AEK out of its precarious financial position. The first success was an arrangement through the Greek justice system to write off most of the massive debt that previous club administrators had amassed, and to repay any remaining public debts in manageable instalments.

Securing the club’s existence in the Alpha Ethniki, Nikolaidis then began a program to rebuild AEK to its former glory. He appointed experienced former player Ilija Ivić as technical director of the club and brought back Fernando Santos as coach. The AEK fans, emboldened by Nikolaidis’s efforts, followed suit by buying season ticket packages in record numbers (over 17,000).

AEK recruited promising young players to strengthen a depleted team. Led by the experienced Katsouranis and Lyberopoulos, and featuring Brazilian Júlio César, the club made it to the Greek Cup final, finished second in the Championship, and in the process secured a place in the Third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League.For the 2006-07 season former Real Betis coach Lorenzo Serra Ferrer was appointed to the coaching position,after Fernando Santos contract was not renewed.

Stadium

Main articles: Olympic Stadium (Athens)

File:Olympic Stadium of Athens.jpg

Inside the Olympic Stadium

Since the demolition in 2003 of the Nikos Goumas Stadium – AEK’s home ground since 1930, the club plays its home games at the 70,000-capacity "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium) in Athens. The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens, also known as OAKA, is one of the most complete European athletic complexes. The Main Olympic Stadium was designed in 1979 and inaugurated in 1982 at the 13th European Athletics Championship. The following years a number of other sport facilities surrounded the Main Olympic Stadium: the Olympic Velodrome (inaugurated in 1991), the Olympic Aquatics Center (1991), the Olympic Indoor Sports Center (1995), the Olympic Tennis Center (2004), as well as other supplementary sport facilities. The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1991, the World Championship in Athletics in 1997 ,the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final well as other important athletic and cultural events, the most significant of which remains the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

On September 6, 2007 a contract was signed between the Greek State and AEK that finalised the details of a project to build a new 50,000-seater 5-star stadium at Ano Liosia, to be called "AEK Arena". The State undertook to make public land and access infrastructure available, while the club will finance stadium construction.

Season (2007-08)

For a full list of AEK's fixtures see AEK Athens 2007-08 fixtures

For the 2007/08 season AEK changed kit sponsors from adidas to Puma ,they have played with Sevilla FC in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round,the 1st leg has been played on August 15, away at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán and the 2nd leg played on September 03 at the Athens Olympic Stadium. AEK completed the signings of Brazilian legend Rivaldo and have made several other signings. Traianos Dellas was rewarded with a new contract keeping him at the club until summer 2009 . On 25 August the Super League and EPO decided to postpone the opening season's games due to the fire disaster in the Peloponnese,. After being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, AEK were drawn to play FC Salzburg in the UEFA Cup. On September 20 in Athens, AEK defeated FC Salzburg 3-0 . The second leg was played in Salzburg on October 4 AEK lost the match but still went trough 3-1 on agg . On October 09 AEK were drawn in Group C in the UEFA Cup group stage along with Villarreal, Fiorentina, Mladá Boleslav, and Elfsborg.

Feeder clubs

• Anagennisi Karditsa
• Nea Ionia

First-team squad

As of September 7 2007,

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	MF	GRE	Pantelis Kafes
2	DF	BRA	Edson Ramos
3	DF	ARG	Rodolfo Arruabarrena
4	DF	POR	Geraldo Alves
5	DF	GRE	Traianos Dellas (captain)
6	DF	GRE	Giorgos Alexopoulos
7	MF	GRE	Charis Pappas
8	MF	CAN	Tamandani Nsaliwa
9	FW	GRE	Pantelis Kapetanos
10	FW	BRA	Rivaldo
11	FW	BRA	Gustavo Manduca
14	DF	ARG	Federico Azcárate
15	DF	GRE	Sokratis Papastathopoulos
16	MF	GRE	Akis Zikos (vice-captain)
18	FW	ARG	Ismael Blanco
19	MF	GRE	Panagiotis Lagos

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
20	MF	POR	Manú
22	MF	GRE	Panagiotis Kone
24	MF	SEN	El Hadji Diouf
25	MF	GRE	Vassilis Pliatsikas
27	DF	GRE	Christos Bourbos
31	DF	GRE	Nikos Georgeas
32	GK	BRA	Marcelo Moretto
33	FW	GRE	Nikos Lyberopoulos (vice-captain)
50	GK	AUT	Jürgen Macho
56	MF	FIN	Perparim Hetemaj
80	FW	CYP	Giorgos Tofas
83	FW	GRE	Michalis Pavlis
84	GK	GRE	Yiannis Arabatzis
88	MF	HUN	Dániel Tőzsér
89	DF	GRE	Nikos Barboudis
99	FW	BRA	Júlio César

Players In on loan

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
20	MF	POR	Manú (loaned from SL Benfica until June 2008)
32	GK	BRA	Marcelo Moretto (loaned from SL Benfica until June 2008)

Players Out on loan

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
24	DF	USA	Andreas Chronis (at AO Nea Ionia until June 2008)
28	GK	ITA	Stefano Sorrentino (at Recreativo de Huelva until June 2008)
87	DF	GRE	Dimitris Koutroumanos (at Anagennisi Karditsa until June 2008)
85	GK	GRE	Giannis Fysekis (at Anagennisi Karditsa until June 2008)
90	DF	GRE	Savvas Gentsoglou (at Panachaiki until June 2008)

Technical Staff

Position	Name
Manager	Lorenzo Serra Ferrer
Assistant Manager	Nikos Kostenoglou
Assistant Manager	Pep Alomar
First Team Coach	Antonis Kezos
Goalkeeping Coach	Slobodan Suica

National titles

Championships (11)

1939, 1940, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, 1979, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994

Cups (13)

1932, 1939, 1949, 1950, 1956, 1964, 1966, 1978, 1983, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002

League Cup (1)

1990

Super Cups (2)

1989, 1996

Note: AEK is the only Greek team that has won all National titles at least once.

Notable European campaigns

AEK has had several memorable campaigns in Europe, including their undefeated showing in the 2002-3 Champions League First Group Stage. Below is a tabulation of AEK's longest runs in the major European tournaments.

Season	Round	Notes
European Champions Cup / UEFA Champions League
1968-69	Quarterfinal	eliminated by Spartak Trnava
UEFA Cup
1976-77	Semifinal	eliminated by Juventus
Cup Winners Cup
1996-97	Quarterfinal	eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain
1997-98	Quarterfinal	eliminated by Lokomotiv Moscow

Note: AEK is the only Greek club to have participated in the quarter-final round of all the major European competitions and the first Greek club to have participated in a European competition's quarter-final round in two consecutive seasons (1996-97, 1997-98). AEK is the first Greek club to have reached the quarter-final round of the Champions Cup (1968-69) and is also the only Greek club to have reached the semi-final round of the UEFA Cup (1976-77). AEK is the first Greek club to have participated in the group stage of the Champions League (1994-95). AEK is the only Greek club to have participated in the group stage of the Champions League without losing a single game (2002-03) and is also the only Greek club to have advanced to the fourth (4th) round of the UEFA Cup in 3 consecutive seasons (2000-01,2001-02,2002-03). In addition, AEK is the only Greek club that participates in European Competitions for 20 consecutive years (1988-2008), excluding the season 1990-91 when was punished by UEFA.

Notable former players

Alexandros Alexandris Christos Ardizoglou Elias Atmatsidis Vassilis Borbokis Nikos Christidis Giorgos Dedes Vassilis Dimitriadis Mimis Domazos Giorgos Donis Kostas Eleftherakis Lysandros Georgamlis Grigorios Georgatos Christos Itzoglou Ioannis Kalitzakis Michalis Kapsis Giorgos Karafeskos Vaios Karagiannis Michalis Kassapis Christos Kostis Kostas Katsouranis Vassilis Lakis Stelios Manolas

Thomas Mavros Tasos Mitropoulos Kleanthis Maropoulos Dimitris Nalitzis Kostas Negrepontis Kostas Nestoridis Demis Nikolaidis Kostas Nikolaidis Pantelis Nikolaou Takis Nikoloudis Mimis Papaioannou Andreas Papaemmanouil Petros Ravousis Dimitris Saravakos Stelios Serafeidis Stelios Skevofilakas Andreas Stamatiadis Stefanos Theodoridis Apostolos Toskas Vassilis Tsiartas Tryfon Tzanetis Vangelis Vlachos

Theodoros Zagorakis Bruno Alves Koffi Amponsah Paulo Assunção Emerson Dušan Bajević Dragan Ciric Ilija Ivić Daniel Batista Hristo Bonev Ilian Iliev Milen Petkov Walter Centeno Mauricio Wright Bruno Cirillo Stefano Sorrentino Anton Doboş Thomas Edmond Márton Esterházy António Folha Carlos Gamarra Arnar Grétarsson

Temuri Ketsbaia Frank Klopas Bledar Kola Michel Kreek Lefter Küçükandonyadis Henrik Nielsen Mirosław Okoński Ioannis Okkas Giorgos Savvidis Jim Patikas Trevor Ross Refik Šabanadžović Franjo Vladić Håkan Sandberg Toni Savevski Kelvin Sebwe Christopher Wreh Ifeanyi Udeze Oleh Venglinsky Milton Viera Walter Wagner

see also AEK Athens players

Notable former coaches

Kostas Negrepontis Tryfon Tzanetis Stan Anderson Dušan Bajević

Ljubiša Tumbaković Oleg Blokhin Zlatko Čajkovski Jenő Csaknady

Ferenc Puskás Frantisek Fadrhonc Eugene Gerards Jacek Gmoch

Fernando Santos Toni Savevski Helmut Senekowitsch

see also AEK Athens managers

Notable stats

Most League Appearances for the club

• Mimis Papaioannou (483)
• Stelios Manolas (447)
• Toni Savevski (410)
• Stylianos Skevofylakas (297)
• Lakis Nikolaou (293)
• Thomas Mavros (276)
• Andreas Stamatiadis (269)
• Petros Ravousis (263)
• Christos Ardizoglou (260)
• Michalis Kassapis (254)

Most League Goals for the club

• Mimis Papaioannou (233)
• Thomas Mavros (175)
• Kostas Nestoridis (140)
• Demis Nikolaidis (127)
• Kostas Nikolaidis (94)
• Vasilis Dimitriadis (81)
• Vassilis Tsiartas (80)
• Dušan Bajević (65)
• Daniel Batista (65)
• Andreas Stamatiadis (61)
• Christos Kostis (56)
• Nikos Lyberopoulos (55)

Greek Championship Top Scorer

• 1959 Kostas Nestoridis
• 1960 Kostas Nestoridis
• 1961 Kostas Nestoridis
• 1962 Kostas Nestoridis
• 1963 Kostas Nestoridis
• 1964 Dimitris Papaioannou
• 1966 Dimitris Papaioannou
• 1976 Giorgos Dedes
• 1978 Thomas Mavros
• 1979 Thomas Mavros
• 1980 Dusan Bajevic
• 1985 Thomas Mavros
• 1988 Henrik Nielsen
• 1992 Vasilis Dimitriadis
• 1993 Vasilis Dimitriadis
• 1994 Alexandros Alexandris
• 1996 Vassilis Tsiartas
• 1999 Demis Nikolaidis
• 2007 Nikos Lyberopoulos

UEFA Cup Top Scorer

• 2001 Demis Nikolaidis

European Bronze Boot Winner

• 1979 Thomas Mavros

Biggest League wins

• (1940-1941/29-09-40) A.E.K. - Olympiakos (7-3)
• (1942-1943) A.E.K. - Arionas (12-1)
• (1960-61/09-09-61) Egaleo- A.E.K. (0-8)
• (1989-90/11-12-89) Α.Ε.Κ. - Skoda Xanthi (8-0)
• (1996-97/04-11-96) Athinaikos - Α.Ε.Κ. (0-7)
• (1942-1943) A.E.K. - Amyna Ampelokipon (9-3)
• (1970-71/04-11-70) Α.Ε.Κ. - G.A.S. Veria (8-2)
• (1942-1943) A.E.K. - Thiseas (8-2)
• (1964-65/11-10-64) Apollon Smyrnis - Α.Ε.Κ. (1-7)
• (1961-62/20-05-62) Α.Ε.Κ. - A.O. Panelefsiniakos (8-3)
• (1962-1963) A.E.K. - Aigaleo (7-2)
• (1978-1979) A.E.K. - PAS Giannena (7-2)
• (1984-1985) A.E.K. - Pierikos (7-2)
• (1987-1988) A.E.K. - Veria (7-1)
• (1989-1990) A.E.K. - Panionios (7-1)
• (2003-04/09-11-03) Akratitos - A.E.K. (2-7)

Biggest Cup wins

• (1938-1939) A.E.K. - Aris Piraeus (7-0)
• (1948-1949) Ergotelis - A.E.K. (1-9)
• (1949-1950) A.E.K. - Sparta Ampelokipon (9-1)
• (1955-1956) Achilleas Korinthou - A.E.K. (2-8)
• (1963-1964) Anagenisi Artas - A.E.K. (0-7)
• (1970-1971) Α.Ε.Κ. - Kipoupoli (20-0)
• (1977-1978) A.E.K. - Chania (6-1)
• (1977-1978) Α.Ε.Κ. - Olympiakos (6-1) (Semi-Final)
• (1982-1983) Irodotos - A.E.K. (0-6)
• (1985-1986) A.E.K. - Ilioupoli (10-0)
• (1995-1996) A.E.K. - Apollon (7-1) (Final)
• (1999-2000) A.E.K. - Aigaleo (6-1)
• (1999-2000) Karditsa - A.E.K. (1-6)
• (1999-2000) A.E.K - Trikala (6-0)
• (2000-2001/06-09-2000) A.E.K - Olympiakos Volou (9-1)
• (2000-2001) A.E.K. - Ethnikos Piraeus (8-0)
• (2001-2002) A.E.K. - Kilkisiakos (6-0)

Highest attendances

• (1985-86/ 30th Game), "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Panathinaikos, (74.500)
• (1985-86/ 09-02-86), "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), Α.Ε.Κ. - Olympiakos, (74.241)
• (1982-83/ 29/06/83), "Spyridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - PAOK, (73.000)
• (2006-07/ 21/11/06), "Spyridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Milan, (65.000)
• (2004-05/ 07/11/04), "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Olympiakos, (63.129)
• (1985-86/ 2nd Game), "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - PAOK, (57.000)
• (1986-87/ Sept.86), "Spyridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Inter, (56.000)
• (2004-05/ 14th Game) "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Panathinaikos, (45.000)
• (2006-07/ 23/08/06), "Spyridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Hearts, (43.000)
• (2004-05/ 25th Game) "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - PAOK, (41.000)
• (1985-86/ Sept. 85), "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Real, (40.000)
• (2007-08/ 03/09/07), "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Sevilla, (39.000)
• (2006-07/ 26/09/06), "Spyridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Anderlecht, (38.000)
• (2006-07/ 20th Game) "Spiridon Louis" (Athens Olympic Stadium), A.E.K. - Olympiakos, (37.000)
• (1979-80/ 07-10-79) Nikos Goumas Stadium, Α.Ε.Κ. - Panathinaikos, (36.766)

AEK crest and colours

AEK’s crest bears the double-headed eagle (Δικέφαλος Αετός - Dikefalos Aetos) on a yellow background. When AEK was created by Greek refugees from Constantinople and Anatolia in the years following the Greco-Turkish War and subsequent population exchange, the emblem and colours were chosen as a reminder of lost homelands; they represent the club's historical ties to Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire.

File:AEK--1960.svg.png AEK crest of the 1960s

File:AEK-1980.svg AEK crest of the 1980s

File:Aekemblem.svg AEK crest since 1992

AEK Kit

Usually, AEK wears its famous yellow shirt at home, while wearing black on the road.*

(*) In Greece there are no Home and Away kits, per se. Teams always wear their 1st kit unless there is a resemblance between both team kits. In case of a colour clash, the home team usually wears one of its alternate kits; AEK has often worn their 3rd kit (which is usually light blue or white) at home against other teams that wear predominantly yellow kits.

Sponsor

The current kit provider is Puma and the current shirt sponsor is LG.

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers

Period	Kit Manufacturer	Shirt Sponsor
1986–89	Zita	Ethniki Asfalistiki
1989–90	Diadora
1990–93		None
1993–95	Basic	Phoenix Asfaleies
1995–96	Kappa	Ethniki Asfalistiki
1996–98		Geniki Bank
1999		Firestone
1999-2000		Marfin
2000-01	Nike
2001-02		Alpha Digital
2002-04		Piraeus Bank
2004		TIM
2005-06	Adidas
2006-07		LG
2007-08	Puma

Organised Supporters

AEK has three organised supporter groups: Gate 21 (Greek: Θύρα 21 - Thyra 21) was formed in 1975, Original 21, the largest of the three, was formed in 1982 by former members of Gate 21, and AEK FANS, formed in 2001.

Original 21 has grown to become the largest Greek supporter group, with clubs all over Greece, Europe, and as far away as Australia (Original 21 Melbourne). The USA-based AEK Fans Clubs are located in Astoria, Queens and in Detroit, Michigan, where a football team has been established with the name "AEK FC" and participates in USA amateur championships.

AEK club anthem

• AEK Club Anthem

The Club Anthem was written by Stelios Kazantzidis and performed by star AEK striker Dimitris Papaioannou.

Greek Transliteration	English Translation
First stanza
AEK, AEK, AEK Anasthenazoun ta golpost ke ta dokaria spazoun Tis Enosis i aeti ta dihtia komatiazoun	AEK, AEK, AEK The goalposts sigh and the crossbars break The Union's eagles tear the nets
Chorus
Embros tis AEK palikaria Soutarete ke spaste ta dokaria Ta dihtia skiste Ti doxa kataktiste Nikiste, nikiste, nikiste Ta dihtia skiste Ti doxa kataktiste Nikiste, nikiste, nikiste	AEK warriors advance Shoot and break the crossbars Tear the nets Achieve glory Win, Win, Win Tear the nets Achieve glory Win, Win, Win
Second stanza
AEK, AEK, AEK I kinigi sou keravni Vrahos i amina sou Ke tis REAL to fovitro egine t'onoma sou	AEK, AEK, AEK Your attackers are lightning Your defence a rock And your name brings fear to Real
Chorus
AEK, AEK, AEK	AEK, AEK, AEK
Chorus

External links

• Official football club website
• Official sports club website
• Ultras AEK - Videoblog
• AEK FC News Site