Gate 4
Gate 4 | |
---|---|
PAOK | |
Motto | Εμείς μαζί για μια ζωή (Τogether for a lifetime) |
Gate 4 (
History
Background
PAOK always had great support from fans all over Greece. Before the foundation of Gate 4 there were various football supporters' clubs all around Greece. PAOK's first fan association was the club from
Toumba Stadium, home stadium of PAOK Football Club, is infamous for its hostile atmosphere, a factor that led to the attribution of the Stadium as "The Black Hell". On high-profile encounters, when the players walk out of the tunnel, the song Hells Bells by AC/DC is heard from the stadium's speakers.[2] Also, one of the biggest banners in the world was created by Michaniona fan club.[3]
Over the years, Gate 4 has openly expressing opposition to some of the club's managements. The most famous dispute was this one with former club's owner Thomas Voulinos. This dispute intensified on 1 October 1992, when PAOK faced Paris Saint-Germain[4][5] for the UEFA Cup. The match was abandoned due to crowd violence and PAOK were punished with a two-year ban from all European competitions by the UEFA disciplinary committee. The sentence was later reduced to one year. Voulinos blamed the leader of Gate 4, Antonis Kladas, of being the instigate of the riots, whom he sued him. Finally, after several years, Kladas was acquitted in Greek courts.
No 12 jersey is dedicated to the fans, the symbolic 12th man on the pitch. It was permanently retired by the club on 16 August 2000.[6][7]
On 24 February 2022, during the match against
Vale of Tempe tragedy 1999
On 3 October 1999, some 3,000 PAOK fans attended the
Friendships
PAOK supporters' groups consider Grobari, the organized supporters group of the Serbian football club Partizan Belgrade a friendly group. On many occasions, fans from both clubs traveled to watch each other's games. They also maintain good relations with the fans of Russian CSKA Moscow.[9][10]
PAOK fans also have good relations with the fans of
Rivalries
The rivalry between Olympiacos and PAOK, is long-standing, emerging in the 1960s, when Olympiacos unsuccessfully tried to acquire Giorgos Koudas from PAOK, approaching him directly without going into a negotiation with his club.[13]
A long-time rivalry also exists between PAOK and local rivals Aris.[14]
Panathinaikos and AEK, Athens' two big clubs, are also considered major rivals.
References
- ^ "Αφιέρωμα στον Σύνδεσμο Φίλων ΠΑΟΚ Νεάπολης "Μπέλλος"" [Neapoli fan club 'Mpellos']. paokmania.gr (in Greek). 21 June 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ Manos Tsalgatidis (5 October 2013). ""Welcome to the hell"". inpaok.com (in Greek). Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "Το μεγαλύτερο πανό της Ευρώπης ανήκει στον ΠΑΟΚ!" [Europe's biggest banner belongs to PAOK!]. protothema.gr. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ Stavros Sountoulidis (1 October 2016). "PAOK vs PSG (abandoned, 1992)". gazzetta.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ Rémi Gyuru (1 October 2016). "Le match du jour, 1er octobre 1992 : PAOK–PSG, Paris dans l'enfer de Salonique" [The match of the day, 1 October 1992 : PAOK-PSG, Paris at the hell of Salonica]. paris-canalhistorique.com (in French). Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Ο 12ος… παίκτης του ΠΑΟΚ απέκτησε και φανέλα" [PAOK's 12th player got a jersey]. in.gr (in Greek). 16 August 2000. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ Michalis Koutsogiannis (16 August 2019). "Όταν αποσύρθηκε η φανέλα "12"" [When No 12 jersey was retired]. inpaok.com (in Greek). Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ IEFIMERIDA.GR, NEWSROOM (2022-02-24). "Σοκαριστικό πανό από οπαδούς του ΠΑΟΚ: «Αδέρφια κρατάτε γερά» για τους δολοφόνους του Άλκη!". iefimerida.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2022-02-24.
- ^ "ΠΑΟΚ – Παρτιζάν: Έτσι ξεκίνησαν όλα" [How it all started]. thessnews.gr (in Greek). 20 February 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ Kostas Petrotos (6 October 2016). "ΠΑΟΚ - Παρτίζαν: Μία φιλία που συνεχώς δυναμώνει" [A friendship that continues to grow]. sport24.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ Manolis Sarris (10 October 2011). "Κάπως έτσι ξεκίνησε η φιλία ΟΦΗ–ΠΑΟΚ" [How OFI–PAOK friendship started]. gentikoule.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ Chrisanthos Dovletoglou (28 September 2013). "ΠΑΟΚ-ΟΦΗ, μία αληθινή φιλία" [A true friendship]. contra.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ Vasilis Nikolopoulos (22 October 2017). "Ολυμπιακός – ΠΑΟΚ: Ξετυλίγοντας το κουβάρι της κόντρας που κρατά πάνω από μισό αιώνα" [A rivalry enduring for over half a century]. eleftherostypos.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "ΠΑΟΚ–Αρης. Μία διαμάχη χρόνων" [A longstanding conflict]. thesstoday.gr (in Greek). 8 May 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2019.