Apollon Smyrnis F.C.

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Apollon Smyrnis
Full nameΑπόλλων Σμύρνης
(Apollon Smyrnis Football Club)
Nickname(s)Ελαφρά Ταξιαρχία (Light Brigade)
Κυανόλευκοι (Blue-Whites)
Founded1891; 133 years ago (1891)
GroundGeorgios Kamaras Stadium
Capacity14,200
ChairmanPanagiotis Katavelos
ManagerGiannis Georgaras
LeagueGamma Ethniki
2022–23Super League Greece 2, 3rd (relegated)
WebsiteClub website

Apollon Smyrnis Football Club (Greek: Απόλλων Σμύρνης) is a professional football club based in Athens, Greece, which competes in the Greek Gamma Ethniki.

It is part of

Anatolian Greeks in 1891 and is one of the oldest Hellenic sports clubs.[1][2] Following the compulsory population exchange between Greece and Turkey
the club was re-established in Athens in 1923 and is also known as Apollon Athens.

Apollon Smyrnis has also departments basketball, volleyball, water polo and other sports.[3]

History

Smyrna era (1891–1922)

Apollon Smyrnis in 1919
The football team in 1922

Apollon Smyrnis was founded in 1891 by former members of club Orpheus.

Panionios) had been founded one year earlier in 1890. Among the founders of Apollon were prominent residents of Smyrna such as Chrysostomos of Smyrna and Vasilis Samios.[1][2]

Roughly in the year 1893, the athletic department was organised. The first games of Smyrna took place in 1894, organized by the English sports fans of Bornova, a district in İzmir nowadays. In these games the athletes of Apollon achieved a lot of first victories. The person with the most wins was Theologos Anastasoglou, a glorious athlete who later became Olympic champion; he was most likely the best athlete from Apollon. The Games were always organized by English sports fans until 1903, with the attendance of the Gymnastic Association Apollon Smyrnis.[1][2]

The third anniversary of the foundation of Apollon was celebrated joyously. Chairman N. Koulmasis gave the speech of the day, while the famous S. Pittakis spoke of Delphi and recited the anthem to the god Apollo. There was a special pedestal on which had been set up an altar to praise the god Apollo, while eight youths dressed in chlamydes sang the Pindariko anthem to Apollo.[5]

In 1894, with the election of its new presiding board, Apollon adopted as its emblem three runners and at the same time it established an excursion department. Of the first excursions that were organized, one was to Ephesus and another to Aydın, in which the Russian scholar and historical Frigkol took part.[2]

In 1894, the council of the Gymnastic Association of Apollon (Apollon Sports Club) was composed of chairman Mathaios Provatopoulos and Th. Vatidi, Jakovos Koulampidis, Grig. Sofianopoulos, G. Oikonomidis, A. Koulampidis and C. Papadimitriou. During this season the team acquired a privately owned ground. Initially, only its members fought on these. Later, however, it organized games in which other associations could also take part.[1]

Apollon Smyrna's stadium

Apollon acquired its own stadium in 1894. At this point we should examine a little the background of the foundation of the first ground of Apollon. Fourteen years before, in 1880, Ioannis Damvergis with Apostolos Psaltof, Stefanos Papamihalis and I. Makroulidis, all students of the Evangelic Faculty of Smyrna, created an off-hand gym in some open space, known with the name "love arena". After they opened the ground, they set up a perimeter using ropes because of a lack of money. Then, with hard economising, they bought a horizontal bar and other gymnastic equipment. The youth of Smyrna exercised there paying a symbolic price. Makroulidis was made cashier. This primitive gym constituted the precursor of the gym of Apollo, but was also the fountain for the later great athletes of the association. For this reason, the creator of this gym, Apostolos Psaltof, was called the "grandfather'" of Apollon. Later the gymnastic association "Apollon Smyrnis" moved to a space opposite the Greek Orphanage where was then built a big and modern gym in the district of Saint Tryfon, near the famous theatre "Terpsithea".[1][5]

In 1901 Apollon organized the first boat races in Smyrna, with the attendance of the other big Smyrna association, "Panionios", which was founded in 1898 and came forth from the union of associations "Orpheus" and "Gymnasium".[2]

Apollonian Games

On 6 and 8 May 1904, the Apollon Stadium of Bornova organised the first Apollonian Games[6] with the attendance, not only of the organizers, the "Gymnastic Association Apollo Smyrnis" and the "Athletic Organization of Bornova", but also the "Athletic Union of Smyrni" as well. Remarkably, the making of these games was all under the supervision of prefect of Smyrni, Kiamil pasa, a measure of the huge scope and power of this association. The committee of the athletic games consisted of: Sokratis Solomonidis, Xristos Athanasoulas, Xenophon Dimas, Kostas Kotzias, Petros Mposkovik, A. Vanterze and Richard Whittes. The committee of ellanodikes was composed of Nikos Stavridis (chairman of Apollon), E. Fintao and D. Whittes. The opening ceremony for the first Apollonian Games started with a parade of all athletes under the sounds of music that was played by the orchestra of Apollon with director I. Magglis. The gymnastic association "Apollon Smyrnis" took part with 54 athletes. The biggest attraction was the 10 km run, won by L. Venizelos with a time of 34'43. Another popular game attraction was the sakodromies (small jumps), a race of 60 m, in which the runners were fully surrounded with cloth sacks up to their necks. Afterwards, at the end of the games, there was the handing-over of prizes and the athletes, followed by thousands of spectators and escorted by the orchestra of Apollo, walked to the railway station of Bornova, from where they took off to Smyrni by special train. From the railway station of Mpasmahane to the offices of the Apollon Gymnastic Association in the Bella Vista, a lampadidodromia (running with torches) took place. The "Apollonia" aka Apollonian Games were held in Smyrna, with exceptional success, ten times in total. In these games took part almost all athletic associations of Smyrna, Greek and foreign, except the Turkish clubs.[1]

Rivalry between Apollon and Panionios

This period is also the beginning of the great rivalry between Apollon and

Asia Minor
and one of the three most important teams in Greek lands, whereas Panionios was focused on the track, producing some very important athletes. In 1904, Apollon took part in the Pan-Hellenic athletics that were organized in Athens. The city of Smyrna was represented by athletes from Panionios and Apollon. The athletes of the Gymnastic Association Apollon Smyrnis gained a lot of victories: Theologos Anastasoglou, Mathaios Despotopoulos, Kiros Alexiou, Dimitrios Mouratis and X. Lohner. Athenian man of letters, I. Damvergis, who represented Apollon in Athens, announced the news of the victories to Smyrna via telegraph. The chairman of Apollon answered: "We are grateful to you, give our congratulations to the champions." On May 1, 1905, the Apollon club celebrated with magnificence. With the music orchestra of Apollon at its head, the association organised a parade of all of the club athletes in the major streets of Smyrna. In 1906, common games were organized in Smyrna for the athletes of Apollon and Panionios. In these games victors for Apollon were the following athletes: Gounaris, Patestidis and K. Alexiou. In the same season, the Gymnastic Association Apollon Smyrnis suggested replacing the Apollonian and the Panionian Games of Smyrni with Pan Minor-Asian games. This effort, however, was not realised due to strong opposition from Panionios. In the same year (1906) Apollon took part in the Olympic Games of Athens (Middle Olympics). Its athletes Theologos Anastasoglou and Mathaios Despotopoulos were winners in pentathlon, writing yet another brilliant page in the history of the club.[1]

The football team

1910 was a very important year in the history of Apollon. During this year the

First World War. Successes began to come one after the other and before long Apollon became the leading football association of Ionia. Characteristically, it won the Championship of football games held in Smyrna
continuously on the years between 1917 and 1922.

In the Olympic Games of Antwerp (1920) the footballers of Apollon, A. Gkillis, D. Gottis, I. Zaloumis and Fotiadis, took part in the Greece national football team. The final accomplishment of Apollon in Smyrna was in 1922 when it gained the title of champion. Thousands of Apollon fans celebrated this huge success, that was to be the last before the destruction of Smyrna. In the football team of Apollon that year were: Kajsaris, Koygjoyntogloy, Tsarls, Taloymis, Mayromma'tis (Haralampakis), Hrysoylis, Kampoyropoylos, Samjos, Papagjannis, Gottis, Gkjlis, Alevizakis, Domeniko, Viglatsis, Zaloumis, Kimitsopoulos, Magoulas, Marselos and the goalkeepers Fotiadis (main) and Zeimpekis (substitute). Two of them, Marselos and Hrysoulis, were captured and remained forever on Ionian soil. Also, in Smyrna remained as captives, A. and G. Kyrou, members of the council of Apollon, as well as champion of track Kr. Persis, the traces of whom were lost from then on. The council of Gymnastic Association Apollon Smyrnis, on the last year at Smyrna was composed of: D. Marselos (chairman), J. Garyfalos (general secretary), A. Kyrou (special secretary), and Hatzithomas (cashier).[1][8][9]

During the 2005/06 season Samuel Jolley was appointed interim manager, finishing in the top half of the table. Although the club did not continue his employment due to an obvious language barrier.

Apollon in Athens (1922–)

After the

Georgios Kamaras
. The club has four departments: the football department called "Apollon Smyrnis FC", a basketball club called "Apollon BC", a volleyball club and a fighting department. The best known (and probably the most successful) department is the football club. Apollon FC participated in the
Alpha Ethniki
championship for many years, with the exception of seasons 1969–70, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1986–87. The team won the local Athens Championship five times, on 1924, 1928, 1938, 1948 and 1958.

Seasons 1994–95 and 1995–96 are the club's most successful seasons: In 1994–95, Apollon qualified for the

European football Champion almost ten years after; his name was Demis Nikolaidis
. The following season, 1995–96, Apollon under the coaching of Giannis Pathiakakis and thanks to
Beta Ethniki.[14] Then, in 2005 it was relegated to Gamma Ethniki (South Group) and finally, in 2007, to Delta Ethniki
(Group 8).

Apollon have gone since the 1930s under the nickname "The Light Brigade" (Greek: Ελαφρά Ταξιαρχία), named after the 1936 Hollywood movie The Charge of the Light Brigade, after winning the 1938 regional Athens championship.[15]

Alamanos era (1979–2005)

In 1979, with the Greek football turning professional, Kostas Alamanos became the major shareholder and president of the team and remained so until 2005.

UEFA Cup preliminary round in 1995 and the Greek Cup final in 1996, but after the departure of many of the team's best footballers, Apollon were unable to recover and in 2000 they were relegated.[17]

Today

Apollon managed to return to the First Division in the 2012–13 season,

2015 Greek football scandal.[29]

From 2015, Apollon Smyrnis is making a new effort with the Monemvasiotis family at the rudder.[30] On 4 June 2017, Apollon Smyrnis were promoted to Super League alongside 2nd placed Lamia.[31][32]

Stadium

Main article: Georgios Kamaras Stadium

In 1880, Ioannis Dammergis, along with Apostolos Psaltoff, Stefanos Papamichalis and I. Makroulidis, created a snapshot in an open space, known as the "love of talani". In this stadium, young people from all over Smyrna were hired paying a penny. Makroulidis was appointed a treasurer. This primitive gym (fenced with a cloth rope) was the precursor of Apollon's gymnasium, as well as the hive for the later great athletes of the club. That's why the creator of this gymnasium, I. Psalof, called him "grandfather" of Apollon. Later, Apollon Smyrnis gymnasium moved to a place in front of the Greek Orphanage and then built a large and modern gym in the area of Tryfonas, near the famous theater "Terpsithea". In 1904, Apollon Smyrnis took over the organization of the Bornova Sports Games. For sports needs, Apollon renovates the Bornova stadium under the architect B. Liti and acquires a 400-meter track and capacity for 6,000 spectators.

With the destruction of Smyrna, Apollon Smyrnis was uprooted and came to Athens. The first station of his Odyssey, the Columns of Olympian Zeus. In an existing stadium, the team first moved into the new home. There they were first seat. There they took the first EPSA champion. But it remained only until 1924.

The second station is Rouf. The seat of the team is transferred and stays there until 1946. The current municipal stadium testifies about the location of the then facilities. Though then the stadium was adjacent to the church of St. Vasilios, which stands out in the background of photography. At this headquarters they once again took an EPSA champion.

In 1946 the club's installations were expropriated by the Railway Company and Apollon moved to Rizoupoli, next to Columbia's facilities. The stadium is inaugurated on October 17, 1948. Initially, the stadium of the current officials was built. In 1962 the opposite stand with the gates 8,9 and 10 was "found". And in 1971–72, the horseshoe of the stadium was constructed. Today, the capacity of the Rizoupoli Stadium is 14,200 seated spectators.[33] And it now bears the name "Georgios Kamaras Stadium" in memory of one of the top footballers that the club has made.[34][35]

Trivia

Crest and colours

The first emblem of the club, since 1894, was the three runners. In 1910, the football club's emblem becomes the ancient Greek conveyor, which will be removed even before World War II, given its already negative identification with National Socialism and Adolf Hitler. In the first post-war years, club jerseys simply write GSA (Gymnastics Association of Apollon). Later, the club's emblem is adopted with the bust of the god Apollo. The current crest depicts the head of Apollo Citharoedus (or Musagetes).[39] The colours of the club are cyan (light blue) and white.

First

1923–24
1937–38
1937–38 (A)
2013–14
2014–15 (A)
2014–15 (A)

Honours

Players

Current squad

As of 1 August 2023[40]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF Brazil BRA Lucas Mazetti
5 DF Brazil BRA Domingues (vice-captain)
17 DF Greece GRE Stathis Chatzimarkos
22 DF Argentina ARG Braian Lluy
No. Pos. Nation Player
29 FW Ghana GHA Sadat Karim
55 DF Belgium BEL Japhet Muanza
64 MF Albania 
ALB
 		Fatjon Andoni (captain)

Notable former players

Main article: List of Apollon Smyrnis players

Managers


League statistics

Positioning in Greek league

1960s Position 1970s Position 1980s Position 1990s Position 2000s Position 2010s Position 2020s Position
1959–60 4th 1969–70 ↑ 1st div.2 1979–80 17th 1989–90 15th 1999–00 ↓ 17th 2009–10 ↑ 1st div.4 2019–20 ↑ 2nd div.2
1960–61 5th 1970–71 6th 1980–81 12th 1990–91 11th 2000–01 6th div.2 2010–11 6th div.3 2020–21 11th
1961–62 3rd 1971–72 ↓ 17th 1981–82 15th 1991–92 5th 2001–02 12th div.2 2011–12 ↑ 1st div.3 2021–22 ↓ 14th
1962–63 8th 1972–73 ↑ 1st div.2 1982–83 10th 1992–93 12th 2002–03 8th div.2 2012–13 ↑ 1st div.2 2022–23 ↓ 3rd div.2
1963–64 5th 1973–74 ↓ 17th 1983–84 10th 1993–94 13th 2003–04 10th div.2 2013–14 ↓ 17th
1964–65 6th 1974–75 ↑ 1st div.2 1984–85 11th 1994–95 4th 2004–05 ↓ 14th div.2 2014–15 3rd div.2
1965–66 10th 1975–76 14th 1985–86 11th 1995–96 11th 2005–06 14th div.3 2015–16 4th div.2
1966–67 11th 1976–77 16th 1986–87 ↓ 15th 1996–97 9th 2006–07 ↓ 14th div.3 2016–17 ↑ 1st div.2
1967–68 12th 1977–78 12th 1987–88 ↑ 3rd div.2 1997–98 10th 2007–08 8th div.4 2017–18 14th
1968–69 ↓ 14th 1978–79 10th 1988–89 13th 1998–99 14th 2008–09 2nd div.4 2018–19 ↓ 16th

European matches

Season Competition Round Club Home Away
1995–96
UEFA Cup
 1st Round Slovenia Olimpija Ljubljana 1–0 1–3

See also

  • GS Apollon Smyrnis

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Club Apollon Smyrna". Encyclopaedia of the Hellenic World. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e "History". fcapollon.gr. Archived from the original on 22 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Amateur Apollon Smyrnis official website" (in Greek). apollongs.gr.
  4. ^ "Establishing statute" (in Greek). apollongs.gr.
  5. ^ a b "Η ίδρυση". apollongs.gr. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Apollonian Games" (in Greek). encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com.
  7. ^ "Rivalry between Apollon and Panionios" (in Greek). /sport-retro.gr. 8 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Light Brigade's history until 1922" (in Greek). apollonistis.com. 18 January 2014.
  9. ^ "The Smyrna of Apollon" (in Greek). irafina.gr.
  10. ^ "After the National disaster" (in Greek). apollongs.gr.
  11. ^ "Biggest lose of Apollon" (in Greek). sport-retro.gr. 14 May 2017.
  12. ^ "When Apollon of Demis Nikolaidis disbanded Olympiacos" (in Greek). contra.gr.
  13. ^ "The triumph of Apollon at Karaiskakis Stadium" (in Greek). sport-retro.gr. 5 May 2017.
  14. ^ "When Panathinaikos said goodbye to Apollon Smyrnis from Alpha Ethniki" (in Greek). sport24.gr.
  15. ^ "The "Light Brigade" gallops again!!!" (in Greek). stokegeo.wordpress.com.
  16. ^ "Alamanos: "They have failed me in the difficult days"" (in Greek). sport-fm.gr.
  17. ^ "From bankruptcy to regeneration" (in Greek). tovima.gr. June 2013.
  18. ^ "Apollon Smyrnis in the Super League after 13 years" (in Greek). stokokkino.gr. Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  19. ^ "Who is Stamatis Vellis" (in Greek). onsports.gr. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  20. ^ "The Prosecution of the Light Brigade" (in Greek). onsports.gr. 5 May 2011.
  21. ^ "Lawrie Sanchez, new head coach of Apollon Smyrnis" (in Greek). sport-fm.gr. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  22. ^ "It's official: Lawrie Sanchez is the new head coach of the Light Brigade" (in Greek). sport-fm.gr. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  23. ^ "Sanchez: "To make Apollon Smyrnis better"" (in Greek). sport-fm.gr. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  24. ^ "Constantine came and signed" (in Greek). sport-fm.gr. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  25. ^ "Defeat and relegation for Apollon" (in Greek). fcapollon.gr. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  26. ^ "Vellis left Apollon!" (in Greek). zougla.gr. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  27. ^ "Vellis gives the shares to Amateur Apollon Smyrnis" (in Greek). naftemporiki.gr. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  28. ^ "Stamatis Vellis controversies" (in Greek). gazzetta.gr. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  29. ^ Kαταγγελίες Βελλή
  30. ^ "Panagiotis Monemvasiotiss declared unity" (in Greek). apollongs.gr.
  31. ^ "Apollon Smyrnis and Lamia promoted to the Super League" (in Greek). contra.gr. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  32. ^ "Apollon Smyrnis: A refugee association, a great history" (in Greek). sport24.gr.
  33. ^ "And it was done Rizoupoli..." (in Greek). fcapollon.gr.
  34. ^ "The history Apollon Smyrnis Stadium thru the years" (in Greek). fcapollon.gr. Archived from the original on 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
  35. ^ "Historical retrograde of the stadiums of Apollon" (in Greek). apollongs.gr.
  36. ^ "Abbreviated symbol" (in Greek). yannisk.wordpress.com.
  37. ^ "Οlympiacos uses Rizoupoli Stadium as home ground" (in Greek). tanea.gr. 24 August 2002. Retrieved 24 August 2002.
  38. ^ "Rebuilding of Rizoupoli from Οlympiacos" (in Greek). redsagainsthemachine.gr.
  39. ^ "Apollon's crest history" (in Greek). apocalypsejohn.com.
  40. ^ "Ρόστερ Ομάδας | ΠΑΕ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ". Archived from the original on 2016-03-26. Retrieved 2016-03-07.

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