Iraklis F.C. (Thessaloniki)
| Iraklis Logo | |||
| Full name | Iraklis Thessaloniki 1908 | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Giraios (Greek:Γηραιός) | ||
| Founded | 1908 | ||
| Ground | Lysimachos Kaftanzoglio Stadium, Thessaloniki | ||
| Capacity | 22,700 | ||
| Chairman |  Georgios Spanoudakis | ||
| Manager | Savvas Kofidis | ||
| League | Super League Greece (Σούπερ Λίγκα Ελλάδα 2007) | ||
| 2005-06 | 4th position | ||
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Iraklis FC is a football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The club is named after Latin :Hercules or Greek :Iraklis, the semigod of Greek Mythology.
History
Iraklis (Ηρακλής) is deeply rooted into the years. It is the oldest sports club in Greece. And its colors, light blue and white, vividly resemble of the official Greek colours.
The history of the Club begins in 1899, when the Club of the «Fans of the Arts» was created. The Club was not a sporting one, but rather one of literature and music. In 1903, the members of the Club decided to include sports with their activities. They created a gym and founded the department of swimming and cycling. However, it was football, a new sport of that era that «stole» the athletes' hearts.
The first official game was held in April 23, 1905, but later the club started facing financial problems. Three years later, in 1908, an historical land-mark for Iraklis, everything changed. The club partnered with the club of «Olympia» and the unification of powers resulted in the birth of Iraklis. The complete name of the club at the time had been: «Ottoman Hellenic club of Thessaloniki - «Iraklis». The football department was the first created. The first achievements were not far away. The first IRAKLIS's articles of association were constituted on the 29th of November 1908.
In 1914 Iraklis was facing housing problems since the club's income had been minimum and came only out of the members funding. However, the club managed, thanks to its dynamics, to overcome obscurities, while its facilities became the «core» of sports for the city of Thessaloniki. Iraklis is undividedly united to the city history and it is suffice to say that many great football players and then special city personalities have worn the historical shirt with the emblem of the «semigod» on their chest.
Since the football club of Iraklis was founded football stared gaining in popularity throughout Greece. During the first Greek Championship Games after the War, the blue and white team made many victories and was a model-team for that era.
As years go by Iraklis continues to be included among the top football teams. The beginning of the 20's was marked by national events, but this did not stop the Club from becoming the «multi-victory» team of the «Panthracian» games in 1923. The first junior teams are being established at the same year.
Iraklis' history, after War World II, includes the participation in five Greek Cup Finals (1947, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1987). 1976 is the year that will remain deeply engraved in the memories of all Iraklis' fans. In June 9,1976, in New Philadelphia, the «white-blue» team won Olympiacos during a penalty shoot-out (6-5, 4-4 during regular time and overtime) and won the Greek Cup. That was the roster of Les Sannon's Iraklis for that historical game: Fanaras, Sendelidis, Xanthopoulos, Christoforidis, Kalaitzidis, Toumboglou, Koussoulakis, Amtonijevic, Chatzipanagis, Gessios (116' Pondikis), N. Pantazis (80' Machoukatidis). The goals of the triumphant victory were scored by Chatzipanagis (25', 111'), Koussoulakis (72') and Gessios (115'). Next day, when the players of the blue/white team returned to Thessaloniki, were welcomed as heroes by more than 100.000 cheering fans.
In 1976, Iraklis participated to the European Cup of Cups, while it has participated six times in the UEFA Cup (1962, 1964, 1989, 1990, 1996, 2000). In addition to that, during the 2000 - 2001 season, it qualified for the first time in its history to the second round of the tournament.
In 1985, Iraklis won the Balkan Cup, beating the Romanian team Arges Pitesti by 4-1.
Important dates
- 1928 Iraklis wins the Thessalonica football championship
- 1933 Participates in the Greek Cup semi-finals
- 1934 Finishes runner-up in the national championship
- 1935 Balkan Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria
Team: Sideropoulos, Katrantzopoulos, Ribas, Cboumis, Baltasis, Vikelidis, Kasimatis, Symeonidis, Christodoulou, Mygiakis, Kourantis Stadium: Yiunak
- 1938 Conquers the Thessalonica football championship
- 1939 Finishes in second place in the national championship
- 1947 Participates in the national championship, ends up in the second place, and takes part in the final of the Greek Cup
- 1951 Third in the national championship
- 1957 Plays in the Greek Cup final
- 1958 Reaches the semi-finals of the Greek Cup
- 1961 Knocked out of the Greek Cup in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, also takes part (as Greece's first representative) in the then-UEFA Cup
- 1971 Reaches semi-finals of the Greek Cup
- 1975 Reaches semi-finals of the Greek Cup
- 1976 Wins the Greek Cup
- 1980 Participates in the Greek Cup final
- 1985 Wins the Balkans Cup
- 1987 Greek Cup runner-up
- 1989 Participates in the UEFA Cup
- 1990 Participates in the UEFA Cup
- 1996 Participates in the UEFA Cup
- 1998 Participates in the Greek Cup semi - finals
- 2000 Participates in the UEFA Cup, reaching for the first time ever the second round, beating French outfit FC Gueugnon
- 2001 Wins the 5th position in the Greek National Division's Championship and plays in the Greek Cup semi-finals
- 2002 Wins the 6th position in the Greek National Division's Championship (next season in the UEFA Cup)
- 2003 Wins the 7th position in the Greek Championship. Participates in the UEFA Cup
- 2004 Wins the 8th position in the Greek Championship
Current roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Football Club Honours
Championships (-)
- Best place: 3rd, 1983-1984 Season
Cups (1)
- June 9, 1976.
- Runners-up 2 times (1980,1987).
Balkan Cup (2)
- 1935
- 1985
Famous football players
Year debut in parenthesis
- Vassilis Hatzipanagis (1975)
- Savvas Kofidis (1981)
Giuseppe Signori (2004)
International Brother Teams
External links
| Overview | |
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| National teams | |
| League competitions |
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| Cup competitions | |
| Miscellaneous | |
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