Aris Saloniki

Aris Saloniki is a football (soccer) club from Greece.

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Aris Thessaloniki Football Club is one of the biggest Greece football club that premiered on March 25, 1914, in Thessaloniki. The colors of Aris Saloniki are yellow and black, reminiscent of Byzantium. The team has earned three domestic league titles and one cup. Aris Saloniki is named after Ares, the god of war, whose image is portrayed on Aris Saloniki logo (as depicted in the Ludovisi Ares). Aris is one the five most supported clubs in Greece.

History

A Golden Era 1920-1950

Aris Saloniki was established by a group of 12 young friends in a coffee bar in Papanastasiou on 25th of March 1914 and given the name Aris from the Ares, 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 Aris Saloniki was based near the Arch and Tomb of Galerius but after the accession of two minor football clubs in 1919 and 1921 Aris Saloniki's base was moved near to Flemming Street. The first stadium was built where today lies Mars Field Park in Stratou Avenue. Quickly Aris Saloniki 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 Makedonia Football Clubs Association, Athens Football Clubs Association and Piraeus Football Clubs Association) 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 Aris Saloniki'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.

Modern Times 1950-1980

Aris' status remained high during this period, which was marked by the construction of Aris Saloniki's modern home, the Kleanthis Vikelides Stadium, named after the legentary Kleanthis Vikelides 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 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 Aris Saloniki's fierce rival, PAOK, in Kaftatzoglio Stadium.

In the '70, Aris was reorganised and a vast number of young players from Thessaloniki, including Dinos Kouis, Giorgos Foiros, and Stelios Papafloratos leading Aris Saloniki to its top in modern times. The most important accivements of that period were the UEFA Cup 1979–80 when Aris eliminated S.L. Benfica and Perugia Calcio, being the first Greek club to score a victory in Italy and the Alpha Ethniki 1979-80 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.

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 two times, 1997 and 2005 and Aris Saloniki near bankruptcy. Both times Aris managed to resume its place in the 1st Division and amongst the major Greek clubs, achieving qualification to the UEFA cup on three occasions in the last five years, finishing fourth in the league twice, while Aris Saloniki has participated three times in the Greek Football Cup lately, in 2003, 2005 and 2008. In 2008, Aris made an appreciable achievement in Aris Saloniki's history, by eliminating Real Zaragoza from the UEFA Cup, but was subsequently eliminated in the UEFA Cup 2007-08 group stage playing against FC Bayern Munich, S.C. Braga, Bolton Wanderers F.C. and Red Star Belgrade.

Aris Members Club

In December 2006, Aris Saloniki's board decided to create an organisation called Aris Members Club to give supporters the opportunity to participate in Aris Saloniki'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 a candidate. In order to be involved in the elections, fans must also financially support the club.

The 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.

Crest and Colours

The emblem of Aris Saloniki 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 Aris Saloniki are yellow and black, reminiscent of the Byzantine Empire.

History of the kit

. The biggest rivalry is against the Aris and PAOK rivalry. Other traditional rivals include the Athenian clubs Olympiacos F.C., Panathinaikos and AEK Athens.

Feeder clubs

- Petroupoli
- Kozani

As of 1 July 2009

Foreign players

- Koke (footballer)
- Francisco Javier Peral
- Ian Daly
- Valentin Roberge
- Michal Peškovič

- Stivi Frasheri
- Sanel Jahić
- Darcy Dolce Neto
- Renato Piovezan
- Ronaldo Guiaro
- Flávio Pinto de Souza
- Mehdi Nafti
- Cristian Nasuti
- Carlos Arano
- Dario Fernandez

- Sebastian Abreu
- Leandro Gracián
- Roberto Battión
- Javier Cámpora

- Christos Aravidis
- Sebastian Abreu
- Sanel Jahić

- Flávio Pinto de Souza
- Ronald García Nacho
- Mehdi Nafti

- Francisco Javier Peral
- Ian Daly
- Kristi Vangjeli

: 3
- - Super League Greece Champions, Super League Greece Champions, Super League Greece Champions
- Greek Football Cup: 1
- - Greek Cup 1969-70

Runners Up

- Super League Greece: 2
- - Super League Greece Champions, Super League Greece Champions

- Super League Greece : 1
- - Alpha Ethniki 1979-80

- Greek Football Cup: 7
- - Greek Cup 1931-32, Greek Cup 1932-33, Greek Cup 1939-40, Greek Cup 1949-50, Greek Cup 2002-03, Greek Cup 2004-05, Greek Cup 2007-08

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 UEFA Cup 1979–80 where Aris upset two heavily favored opponents to advance to the Round of 16. Aris defeated the formidable Portuguese side S.L. Benfica 4-3 on aggregate in the 1st Round, and Italian club Perugia Calcio 4-1 on aggregate in the 2nd Round, before being eliminated 4-7 on aggregate by French club AS Saint-Étienne. 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.

General View

Before 1959

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

Since 1959
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Coaching Staff

- Manager: Mazinho
- Assistant Manager: Donato Gama da Silva
- 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
- 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

Medical Staff

- 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

All time leaders in appearances and goals

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

AEK Athen, Aris Saloniki, Asteras Tripolis, Ergotelis, Iraklis Saloniki, Larisa, Levadiakos, OFI Kreta, Olympiakos, PAE Thrasivoulos Filis, Panathinaikos, Panionios, Panserraikos, Panthrakikos, PAOK Saloniki, Xanthi