Aris Thessaloniki F.C.

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Aris FC

Full name	Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Nickname(s)	"Θεός του πολέμου" (God of war)
Founded	March 25, 1914
Ground	Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium, Thessaloniki, Greece (Capacity: 22,800 [1])
Chairman	Thanasis Athanasiadis
Manager	Mazinho
League	Super League Greece (Σούπερ Λίγκα Ελλάδα)
2008-09	Super League Greece, 6th
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Aris Thessaloniki Football Club is one of the biggest Greek football clubs 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. During its long history has earned 3 domestic league titles and 1 cup, while many important footballers both Greek and foreigners have played with the team. The club is named after Ares, the god of war, whose image is portrayed on the club logo (as depicted in the Ludovisi Ares). Aris is one of the five greatest and most supported clubs in Greece^[2].

Contents 1 History 1.1 A Golden Era 1920-1950 1.2 Modern Times 1950-1980 1.3 Recent Years 1980- 2 Aris Members Club 3 Crest and Colours 3.1 History of the kit 4 Supporters 5 Feeder clubs 6 Current squad 6.1 Foreign players 6.2 International players 7 Achievements 7.1 Titles[4] [5] 7.1.1 Runners Up 7.2 European campaigns 7.3 General View 7.4 UEFA Club Rankings 7.5 UEFA club competition record 8 Club officials 8.1 Board of Directors 8.2 Coaching Staff[8] [9] 8.3 Medical Staff[11] 9 Notable players 10 Notable coaches 11 All time leaders in appearances and goals 12 Sponsorship 12.1 Other Sponsors 13 See also 14 External links 15 References

[edit] History

[edit] A Golden Era 1920-1950

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, 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.

During this early stage of football in Greece no professional league was established, contrary three minor leagues (in Macedonia (E.P.S.M.), Athens (E.P.S.A.) and Piraeus (E.P.S.P.)) were created and the champion of each area was participating in a mini tournament in order to claim the title of the national champion. Up to 1959 when the united First Division was created Aris managed to finish first 14 times in Thessaloniki while the first national title came in 1928 when Aris beated twice the Athens' league champion Atromitos and once the Piraeus one, Ethnikos. This Championship also marked the first appearance of the club's most important player Kleanthis Vikelides. The second championship was in 1932 after overpowering Olympiakos and Panathinaikos loosing only one match.

Aris won their third title in 1946, the only national championship during the Greek Civil War, playing against two teams, AEK from Athens and Olympiakos from Pireus, champions of the other two minor domestic leagues. Aris beat Olympiakos twice, scoring two goals and conceding none, came to a draw with AEK in Athens and defeated them in PAOK’s stadium in Thessaloniki (score 4-1). Aris has not won a championship since the establishment of the First Division (1959), although finishing first along with Olympiakos in 1980, after loosing the decisive game 2-0 in Volos Stadium.

In regard of the League Cup, Aris' performance was equally impressive having participated in four finals, during this era, although the club failed to claim the title

[edit] Modern Times 1950-1980

Aris' status remained high during this period, which was marked by the construction of the club's modern home, the Kleanthis Vikelides Stadium, named after the legentary homonymous player. Before WW II, Aris homeground was located in the center of the city, near the modern Thessaloniki Expo Center, but was abalienated by the state in 1936 in order for a park, the Pedion tou Areos (Mars Field) to be built. The clud was never compensated but its officials managed to buy some land during 1951 in a modern suburb of the city named Harilaou were the new Stadium was slowly built. Also in 1959, the old organisation of football in Greece, with three minor leagues, was abandoned and a new, unifed Champioship was created.

The club's attainments were important, being one of the first teams in Greece to qualify for European tournaments. Under the leadership of talented players such as Alexandros Alexiades, Giorgos Pantziaras and Takis Loukanidis Aris earned high placings in the League during the '60 and '70, with apex the 1970 Hellenic Cup Title against the club's fierce rival, PAOK, in Kaftatzoglio Stadium.

In the '70, Aris was reorganised and a vast number of young players from Thessaloniki like the clubs' modern icon, Dinos Kouis , the famous defender Giorgos Foiros with 80 appearances in the Greece national football team, Stelios Papafloratos and others was introduced leading the club to its top in modern times. The most important accivements of that period were the 1980 UEFA campaign when Aris eliminated Benfica and Perugia, being the first Greek club to score a victory in Italy and the 1980 lost Championsip when although finishing first along Olympiakos, lost the title after losing 2-0 to an extra game against the Athenean club in Volos National Stadium.

[edit] Recent Years 1980-

After the mid '80, Aris enter in a slow decline which in combination with appreciable financial troubles, led to the relegation to the Second Division twice, in 1997 and 2005 and the club near bankruptcy. Both times Aris managed to resume its place in the 1st Division and amongst the major Greek clubs, achieving qualificatoin to the UEFA cup on three occasions in the last five years, finishing fourth in the league twice, while the club has participated three times in the Cup final lately, in 2003, 2005 and 2008. In 2008, Aris made an appreciable achievement in the club's history, by eliminating Real Zaragoza from the UEFA Cup, but was subsequently eliminated in the group stages playing against Bayern Munich, Sporting Braga, Bolton Wanderers and Red Star Belgrade. The “yellows” fans also take pride in the fact that the goal scoring hero of the Greek National Team that won the Euro 2004, Angelos Charisteas, had played in Aris at the beginning of his career, while other important modern Greek players were brought up in Aris youth Academies such as Traianos Dellas, Dimitris Mavrogenidis and Fanis Katergiannakis.

[edit] Aris Members Club

In December, 2006 the club's board decided to create an organisation called 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.

The whole system was fully activated in May, 2009, when the current president Thanassis Athanassiades, was elected after prevaling against his opponent gaining the 75,5% of the votes.^[3]

[edit] 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. it was chosen in the late '60 to replace the older and simpler logo which was used since 1914. The colors of the team are yellow and black, reminiscent of the Byzantine Empire.

[edit] History of the kit

File:Kit left arm adidasstripesblack.png File:Kit right arm adidasstripesblack.png 1921

1925

1931

1940

1954

1970

1978

1986

1994

1997

1999

2001

2007

2008

[edit] Supporters

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 (Greece). The biggest rivalry is against the arch-rival PAOK. Aris's supporters are organised in many fan clubs, the most important of them being Super 3 and Ierolohites.

[edit] Feeder clubs

• Aris Petroupolis
• Aris Kozanis

[edit] Current squad

As of 1 July 2009

No. Position Player 1 GK Michalis Sifakis 2 DF Darcy Dolce Neto 3 DF Carlos Arano 4 DF Alejandro Lembo 5 DF Ronaldo Guiaro 6 MF Mehdi Nafti 7 MF Toni Calvo 8 MF Nacho García 10 FW Sergio Koke (captain) 11 MF Leandro Gracián 12 MF Mario Regueiro 13 FW Sebastian Abreu 15 DF Cristian Nasuti 18 FW Javier Cámpora

No. Position Player 20 MF Javier Javito 21 DF Valentin Roberge 22 DF Thomas Graikos 23 FW Christos Aravidis 26 DF Sanel Jahić 30 MF Roberto Battión 32 MF Kristi Vangjeli 33 FW Stavros Labriakos 40 GK Stivi Frasheri 47 FW Mauroudis Mpougaidis 55 MF Athanassios Prittas 91 MF Charalambos Economopoulos 99 FW Ian Daly DF Efthimios Koulouheris (vice-captain)

For recent transfers, see Aris Thessaloniki transfers in season 2009-10 and List of Greek football transfers summer 2009.

[edit] Foreign players

EU Nationals Toni Calvo Sergio Koke Javier Javito Ian Daly Valentin Roberge

EU Nationals (Dual citizenship) Kristi Vangjeli Stivi Frasheri Sanel Jahić Darcy Dolce Neto Ronaldo Guiaro Mario Regueiro Alejandro Lembo Mehdi Nafti Carlos Arano Cristian Nasuti

Non-EU Nationals Nacho García Leandro Gracián Sebastian Abreu Javier Cámpora Roberto Battión

[edit] International players

Mario Regueiro Sebastian Abreu Alejandro Lembo Kristi Vangjeli

Ronaldo Guiaro Mehdi Nafti Nacho García Sanel Jahić

[edit] Achievements

[edit] Titles^{[4] [5]}

• National Division Championship: 3
  • 1928, 1932, 1946

• Greek Cup: 1
  • 1970

[edit] Runners Up

• National Division Championship : 3
  • 1930, 1933, 1980

• Greek Cup: 7
  • 1932, 1933, 1940, 1950, 2003, 2005, 2008

[edit] European campaigns

Aris FC have played in the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup on many occasions, having games against many famous european teams. The team's best European performance came during the 1979-80 UEFA Cup where Aris upset two heavily favored opponents to advance to the Round of 16. Aris defeated the formidable Portuguese side Benfica 4-3 on aggregate in the 1st Round, and Italian club Perugia 4-1 on aggregate in the 2nd Round, before being eliminated 4-7 on aggregate by French club Saint Etienne. The club's most recent success has been in 2007 when Aris eliminated Real Zaragoza and proceeded to the next stage of the UEFA cup. The club's worst match was the defeat with 6-0 from Bayern Munich at the same year.

[edit] General View

Before 1959^[6]

Regional Champion of Macedonian Football Clubs Association in 1923, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1946, 1949, 1953, 1959

Since 1959 ^[7]

Season	Pos.	W. - D. - L.	Goals	Points	Season	Pos.	W. - D. - L.	Goals	Points
1959-60	8	10 - 9 - 11	31-35	59	1984-85	7	8 - 14 - 8	38-37	30
1960-61	12	10 - 7 - 13	37-49	57	1985-86	7	11 - 11 - 8	35-29	33
1961-62	6	12 - 6 - 12	32-43	60	1986-87	11	10 - 4 - 16	26-30	24
1962-63	14	13 - 8 - 9	30-43	52	1987-88	9	11 - 5 - 14	39-41	27
1963-64	6	10 - 11 - 9	28-29	61	1988-89	7	11 - 11 - 8	31-26	33
1964-65	7	8 - 12 - 10	38-38	58	1989-90	7	11 - 13 - 10	36-39	35
1965-66	5	11 - 8 - 11	42-42	60	1990-91	9	11 - 11 - 12	34-38	33
1966-67	5	14 - 5 - 11	38-30	63	1991-92	7	12 - 7 - 15	26-40	31
1967-68	4	16 - 9 - 9	61-49	75	1992-93	9	12 - 6 - 16	40-50	42
1968-69	3	17 - 11 - 6	54-33	79	1993-94	4	18 - 9 - 7	55-34	63
1969-70	4	20 - 7 - 7	47-15	81	1994-95	7	19 - 5 - 10	46-34	62
1970-71	10	10 - 13 - 11	45-39	67	1995-96	7	12 - 10 - 12	45-47	46
1971-72	4	18 - 11 - 5	53-27	81	1996-97	16	9 - 11 - 14	32-48	35
1972-73	9	13 - 9 - 12	38-36	69	1997-98
1973-74	3	21 - 6 - 7	49-29	48	1998-99	6	19 - 3 - 12	53-43	60
1974-75	6	15 - 9 - 10	47-38	39	1999-00	7	14 - 8 - 12	50-46	50
1975-76	6	13 - 9 - 8	50-27	35	2000-01	7	13 - 5 - 12	37-41	44
1976-77	5	17 - 8 - 9	58-34	42	2001-02	9	7 - 8 - 11	25-34	29
1977-78	6	12 - 12 - 10	39-35	36	2002-03	6	15 - 6 - 9	37-34	'51
1978-79	3	22 - 6 - 6	63-26	50	2003-04	13	7 - 6 - 17	24-46	27
1979-80	2	19 - 9 - 6	46-20	47	2004-05	14	5 - 13 - 12	26-37	25
1980-81	3	16 - 11 - 7	57-33	43	2005-06
1981-82	5	15 - 11 - 8	56-30	41	2006-07	4	11 - 13 - 6	32-26	46
1982-83	5	15 - 11 - 8	35-23	41	2007-08	4	14 - 8 - 8	32-20	50
1983-84	4	16 - 7 - 7	39-23	'39	2008-09	6	13 - 8 - 9	30-31	47

[edit] UEFA Club Rankings

Rank	Form	Previous Rank	Country	Team	Points
109		72		Borussia Dortmund	21.078
110		110		CSKA Sofia	19.644
111		111		FC Utrecht	19.610
112		149		Aris	19.525
113		122		Gaziantepspor	19.469
114		117		Brøndby IF	18.748
115		118		Litex Lovech	18.644

[edit] UEFA club competition record

As of 28 August 2008.

Competition	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
ECCC	0	0	0	0	0	0
ECWC	2	0	1	1	2	6
UCUP	36	14	10	12	51	58
SCUP	0	0	0	0	0	0
UIC	0	0	0	0	0	0
EUSA	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	38	14	11	13	53	64

[edit] Club officials

[edit] Board of Directors

• President: Athanassios Athanasiadis
• Vice-President: Antonios Zabetas
• Vice-President: Dimitrios Sarris
• Managing Director: Georgios Eleftheroudis
• General Manager: Ioannis Kontis
• Director of Football: Georgios Koltsidas

[edit] Coaching Staff^{[8] [9]}

• Manager: Mazinho
• Assistant Manager: Donato
• Coach: Eduardo Covelo Mateo
• Coach: Luis Henrique Areal De Souza
• Coach: Pedro Abraham Capella
• Goalkeeping Coach: Ribeiro Diaz Wellerson
• Fitness Coach: David Rodriguez
• Youth Team Manager: Nikos Passialis
• Youth Team Coatch: Anastassios Theos^[10]
• Youth Team Coatch: Dimitrios Bougiouklis
• Youth Team Goalkeeping Coach: Nikolaos Papadopoulos
• Youth Team Fitness Coach: Ioannis Gioris
• Chief Scout: Theodoros Dalkidis
• Director of Youth Football: Artur Lekbello

[edit] Medical Staff^[11]

• Club Doctor: Dr. Evangellos Pantazis
• Assistant Club Doctor: Dr. Ioannis Giannoulis
• First Team Physiotherapist: Ioannis Atmatzidis
• First Team Physiotherapist: Chryssostomos Papanikolaou
• First Team Physiotherapist: Theodoros Grigoriades

[edit] Notable players

"See also" category: Aris FC players

Greece Kleanthis Vikelidis Ntinos Kouis Nikolaos Aggelakis Alketas Panagoulias Stelios Papafloratos Alexis Alexiadis Takis Loukanidis Giorgos Foiros Kostas Kolomitrousis Savvas Kofidis Fanis Katergiannakis Dimitris Mavrogenidis Giorgos Koltsidas Thomas Kyparissis Nikos Tsiantakis Vasilis Dimitriadis Traianos Dellas Kostas Frantzeskos Kostas Chalkias Angelos Charisteas Avraam Papadopoulos Daniel Batista Albania Artur Lekbello Austria Gilbert Prilasnig Brazil Márcio Amoroso Anderson Costa Guilherme Weisheimer Cameroon Joël Epalle Dorge Kouemaha Cyprus Giorgos Pantziaras Gabon Njogu Demba-Nyrén Holland Richard Knopper Morocco Salaheddine Bassir Said Chiba Talal El Karkouri Montenegro Igor Gluščević Poland Andrzej Iwan Maciej Murawski Portugal Paulo Costa Russia Oleg Veretennikov Serbia Ilija Ivić Ljubiša Milojević Slovakia Juraj Buček South Africa Nasief Morris Spain Pablo Coira Ruben Palazuelos Uruguay Alejandro Lembo

[edit] Notable coaches

"See also" category: Aris Thessaloniki FC managers

• Kleanthis Vikelides
• Alketas Panagoulias
• Dietmar Kramer
• Wilf McGuinness
• Henri Michel
• Milovan Ćirić
• Ilija Petković
• Dušan Bajević

[edit] All time leaders in appearances and goals

Rank	Name	Caps	Still Active?
1	Dinos Kouis	473	No

Rank	Name	Goals	Still Active?
1	Dinos Kouis	141	No

[edit] Sponsorship

• Official Sponsor - EKO
• Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer - Reebok
• Official Communication Sponsor - Novasports

[edit] Other Sponsors

• Porcelana
• Chalkidiki Flour Mills
• Cosmote
• Souroti Mineral Water
• Amstel Brewery
• Isostar
• Intersalonika
• Almeco
• Dromeas
• Getil-Nazos
• Expert
• Jacques Hermes
• Stamion
• Motion team

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aris FC

• Aris Thessaloniki
• Aris BC
• Aris VC

[edit] External links

Official sites

• Official football website (in Greek and English)
• Aris Members Club website
• Aris TV channel from Goal4Replay.net (English) (Greek)

Fans

• Emperor Fans' portal
• Super3 Official website

[edit] References

Aris Thessaloniki F.C. v • d • e
Team Aris FC Stadium Kleanthis Vikelides Stadium Chairman Thanasis Athanasiadis Coach Mazinho Former Players Notable Players Former Coaches Notable Coaches Training Ground Neo Rysio Other Sports Aris BC | Aris VC | Aris Baseball | Aris Polo Club Aris Thessaloniki Club's Official Website www.arisfc.gr
v • d • e Super League Greece 2009-10 AEK Athens · Aris · Asteras Tripolis · Atromitos Athens · Ergotelis · Iraklis · Kavala · Larissa · Levadiakos · Olympiacos · Panathinaikos · Panionios · Panthrakikos · PAOK · PAS Giannena · Skoda Xanthi
v • d • e Alpha Ethniki/Super League Greece seasons Alpha Ethniki 1959-60 · 1960-61 · 1961-62 · 1962-63 · 1963-64 · 1964-65 · 1965-66 · 1966-67 · 1967-68 · 1968-69 · 1969-70 · 1970-71 · 1971-72 · 1972-73 · 1973-74 · 1974-75 · 1975-76 · 1976-77 · 1977-78 · 1978-79 · 1979-80 · 1980-81 · 1981-82 · 1982-83 · 1983-84 · 1984-85 · 1985-86 · 1986-87 · 1987-88 · 1988-89 · 1989-90 · 1990-91 · 1991-92 · 1992-93 · 1993-94 · 1994-95 · 1995-96 · 1996-97 · 1997-98 · 1998-99 · 1999-00 · 2000-01 · 2001-02 · 2002-03 · 2003-04 · 2004-05 · 2005-06 Super League 2006-07 · 2007-08 · 2008-09 · 2009-10
v • d • e Football in Greece National teams Greece men · Greece women · Greece U-21 · Greece U-19 · Greece U-17 · League competitions Super League Greece · Beta Ethniki · Gamma Ethniki · Delta Ethniki · Local Championships · Football League System Cup competitions Greek FA Cup · Super Cup · League Cup (defunct) · Amateurs Cup Champions · Awards · List of clubs (by number of titles) · List of stadiums · Top goalscorers (Super League · Beta Ethniki)