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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, the Greek second 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
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]
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]
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.
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
Main article: Neapolis Public 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 nearby clubs Proodeftiki, Egaleo and Kallithea.
Players
Current squad
Theodoropoulos
Greece
Konstantinidis
Greece
Arvanitis
Greece
Petrou
Greece
Melabianakis
Greece
Passas
Greece
Vlachos
Greece
Spyridakis
Greece
Siston
Brazil
Gugu
Brazil
Marcelo
Brazil
Ionikos Starting 11 in their 4-4-2 formation
As of November 23, 2010. 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
3 Greece DF Evgenios Chatzigiannakos
5 Greece DF Dimitrios Arvanitis
10 Brazil MF Gugu
14 Greece FW Antonios Giondis
16 Greece DF Ilias Makrakis
17 Greece MF Stelios Delibasis
18 Greece FW Vasilios Res
20 Greece MF Agisilaos Pasas
21 Greece MF Manolis Spiridakis
No. Position Player
26 Greece MF Kostas Papadopoulos
27 Argentina MF Juan Salto
28 Greece MF Kostantinos Errikos
31 Greece MF Ilias Meintis
33 Greece DF Leftetis Roussakis
40 Greece MF Giorgos Politis
75 Greece GK Asterios Themelis
82 Greece DF Giannis Zapropoulos
91 Greece FW Giorgos Chionidis
TBA Cyprus FW Andreas Kyprianou
Former Players
For all Ionikos players with a Wikipedia article see Category:Ionikos F.C. players.
Managerial history
Manager Start End
Greece Nikos Alefantos
September 1992
September 1992
Germany Gerhard Prokop
October 1992
December 1992
Greece Sokratis Gemelos
January 1993
June 1993
August 1993
June 1994
Bulgaria Hristo Bonev
August 1994
December 1994
Ukraine Oleg Blokhin
December 1994
February 1997
Greece Sokratis Gemelos
February 1997
March 1997
Poland Jacek Gmoch
March 1997
May 1998
Uruguay Sergio Markarián
August 1998
May 1999
Greece Kostas Polixroniou
September 1999
October 1999
Greece Sokratis Gemelos
October 1999
March 2000
Ukraine Oleg Blokhin
March 2000
January 2002
Greece Sokratis Gemelos
January 2002
May 2002
France Jean-Michel Cavalli
August 2002
December 2002
Poland Jacek Gmoch
December 2002
June 2003
Serbia Miloje Klajevic
August 2003
October 2003
Greece Vaggelis Vlachos
October 2003
May 2005
Greece Sakis Tsiolis
September 2005
October 2006
Portugal Inacio Augusto Soares
November 2006
January 2007
Greece Ioannis Hatzinikolaou
January 2007
May 2007
Uruguay Jorge Barrios
July 2007
September 2007
Greece Giorgos Vazakas
September 2007
May 2008
Greece Nikos Anastopoulos
May 2008
June 2008
Greece Nikos Goulis
July 2008
August 2009
Greece Stratos Voutsakelis
September 2009
March 2010
Greece Vasilis Vouzas
March 2010
June 2010
Greece Giorgos Benos
July 2010
August 2010
Greece Giannis Petrakis
August 2010
Honours and achievements
Greek Cup
Runners-up: 1999-00
Piraeus Cup
Winners: 1978
Beta Ethniki
Winners: 1993-94
UEFA Cup
First round: 1999-00
Season-by-season
1965-66: Beta Ethniki 5th (1)
1966-67: Beta Ethniki 5th (2)
1967-68: Beta Ethniki 11th (3)
1968-69: Beta Ethniki 17th (4)
1969-70: Beta Ethniki 14th (5)
1970-71: Beta Ethniki 5th (6)
1971-72: Beta Ethniki 16th (7)
1972-73: Beta Ethniki 9th (8)
1973-74: Beta Ethniki 8th (9)
1974-75: Beta Ethniki 9th (10)
1975-76: Beta Ethniki 18th (11)
1976-77: A' Piraeus (1)
1977-78: Beta Ethniki 9th (12)
1978-79: Beta Ethniki 18th (13)
1979-80: A' Piraeus (2)
1980-81: A' Piraeus (3)
1981-82: A' Piraeus (4)
1982-83: Beta Ethniki 15th (14)
1983-84: Gamma Ethniki 3rd (1)
1984-85: Gamma Ethniki 2nd (2)
1985-86: Beta Ethniki 15th (15)
1986-87: Beta Ethniki 7th (16)
1987-88: Beta Ethniki 13th (17)
1988-89: Beta Ethniki 3rd (18)
1989-90: Super League Greece 14th (1)
1990-91: Super League Greece 16th (2)
1991-92: Beta Ethniki 2nd (19)
1992-93: Super League Greece 17th (3)
1993-94: Beta Ethniki 1st (20)
1994-95: Super League Greece 15th (4)
1995-96: Super League Greece 8th (5)
1996-97: Super League Greece 8th (6)
1997-98: Super League Greece 5th (7)
1998-99: Super League Greece 5th (8)
1999-00: Super League Greece 12th (9)
2000-01: Super League Greece 7th (10)
2001-02: Super League Greece 12th (11)
2002-03: Super League Greece 14th (12)
2003-04: Super League Greece 9th (13)
2004-05: Super League Greece 10th (14)
2005-06: Super League Greece 12th (15)
2006-07: Super League Greece 16th (16)
2007-08: Beta Ethniki 5th (21)
2008-09: Beta Ethniki 4th (22)
2009-10: Beta Ethniki 15th (23)
2010-11: Beta Ethniki
Since 1965-66:
16 seasons in Super League Greece
23 seasons in Beta Ethniki
2 seasons in Gamma Ethniki
4 seasons in A' Piraeus
Club records
Alpha Ethniki / Super League
Last Update 19 Μay 2009
First participation: 1989-90
Total participations: 16
Wins: 151
Draws: 139
Losses: 212
Goals Scored: 552
Goals Conceded: 727
Record Win: Ionikos 5-0 OFI Crete in 1997-98
Record Loss: AEK Athens 6-0 Ionikos in 1995-96, Olympiacos 6-0 Ionikos in 2002-03
Beta Ethniki
First participation: 1965-66
Total participations: 23
Wins: 299
Draws: 224
Losses: 259
Goals Scored: 925
Goals Conceded: 849
Record Win: Ionikos 8-0 Bizani in 1966-67, Ionikos 8-0 Anagennisi Artas in 1974-75
Record Loss: Vyzas 7-0 Ionikos in 1971-72
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
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
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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
Notable former Managers & Players
Former Managers
Flag of Ukraine.svg Oleg Blokhin, Oleg has been one of the most important manager in the club's history(seasons 1994-97, 2nd half of season 1999-00 and 2nd half of season 2001-02)
Flag of Poland.svg Jacek Gmoch, Jacek has been one of the most important manager in the club's history because with him , Ionikos FC participants in 1999-00.
Former Players
1990-00
Flag of Greece.svg Nikos Anastopoulos
Flag of Greece.svg Giannis Xanthopoulos
Flag of Greece.svg Nikos Tsiantakis
Flag of Greece.svg Petros Michos
Flag of Greece.svg Theodoros Pahatouridis
Flag of Greece.svg Christos Michail
Flag of Greece.svg Michalis Ziogas
Flag of Greece.svg Giorgos Daraklitsis
Flag of Greece.svg Sokratis Ofridopoulos
Flag of Greece.svg Christos Mikes
Flag of Greece.svg Nikos Froussos
Flag of Scotland.svg Craig Brewster Captain sports.svg
Flag of Peru.svg Darío Muchotrigo
Flag of South Africa.svg Pitso Mosimane
Flag of Brazil.svg Paulinho Kobayashi
Flag of Serbia.svg Duško Savić
Flag of Albania.svg Foto Strakosha Captain sports.svg
Flag of Syria.svg Mohammad Nasser Afash
2000-10
Flag of Greece.svg Kostas Frantzeskos
Flag of Greece.svg Miltiadis Sapanis
Flag of Greece.svg Dimosthenis Manousakis
Flag of Greece.svg Michalis Vlachos
Flag of Greece.svg Giorgos Vourexakis
Flag of Greece.svg Angelos Digozis
Flag of Greece.svg Antonis Natsouras
Flag of Greece.svg Nikos Tsiblidis
Flag of Albania.svg Arian Beqaj
Flag of Liberia.svg Oliver Makor
Flag of Portugal.svg King Fereira
Flag of South Africa.svg Pierre Issa
Flag of Portugal.svg Filipe da Costa
Flag of Uruguay.svg Darío Delgado
Flag of Nigeria.svg Benjamin Onwuachi
Flag of Spain.svg Toni Gonzalez
Flag of Japan.svg Kenji Fukuda
Flag of Latvia.svg Andrejs Prohorenkovs
European matches
Season Competition Round Club Home Away
1999-00 UEFA Cup 1st Round France FC Nantes Atlantique 1–3 0–1
External links
(Greek) Ionikos F.C. - Official site
(Greek) Rangers - Supporters' club site
(Greek) Neapolis Public Stadium - Stadium profile at Stadia.gr
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