AC Omonia
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| AC Omonia Nicosia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Άθλητικός Σύλλογος Ομόνοια Λευκωσία Athletic Club Omonia Nicosia |
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| Nickname(s) | Τρυφύλλι (Shamrock) Βασίλισσα (Queen) |
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| Founded | 1948 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Neo GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus |
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| Capacity | 23,400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman | Appointed by the Communist Party of Cyprus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Ioan Andone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Cypriot First Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005-06 | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Athletic Club Omonia Nicosia ( Greek: Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Ομόνοια Λευκωσίας) is a Greek Cypriot football club, which plays in the capital, Nicosia. Omonia has won 19 Championship titles, 12 Cyprus Cups and 14 Cyprus Super Cups). The Club was established in 1948 and became member of Cyprus Football Association in 1953. As an athletic club, Omonia has basketball, volleyball, futsal and cycling sections.
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[edit] History
AC Omonia was founded in 1948, just after the Second World War. The establishment of the Club (along with that of a few others), was evoked from the political turbulance of that period and the conflict between left-wings and right-wings. Omonoia's fans are consider to be left-wings in their majority.
In 1953 AC Omonia joined the Cyprus Football Association as a First Division team. During the 1960s the Club announces its arrival on the Cypriot football scene by winning their first league title in 1960/61. Omonia finished seven points above second-placed Anorthosis Famagusta FC that season - and they have subsequently stayed ahead of their rivals in the first division with an impressive haul of trophies. With 19 league championships and 12 Cypriot Cups, they are the country's most-titled club. In addition, Omonia have claimed a record five domestic doubles - in 1972, 1974, 1981, 1982 and 1983.
They were most dominant in the 1970s, winning the league for six consecutive seasons from 1974 to 1979, a record that until today remains unbeaten.
It was then that Omonia produced one of Cyprus's greatest footballers in striker Sotiris Kaiafas, as well as the impressive Gregory Savvas. Kaiafas, the greatest Cypriot footballer ever, would win the European Golden Boot after finishing as Europe's top domestic scorer in 1976 with 39 goals - an accolade still considered the greatest achievement by any Cypriot player.
Despite the gap in quality between Omonia and other European champions, Omonia proved to be worthy opponents in UEFA club competition. In the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1979/80, they recovered from a 10-0 defeat at AFC Ajax to win the return leg 4-0 with a dazzling display in Nicosia.
After the departure of Kaiafas, Omonia continued to produce talented players to keep up their winning ways. They were champions from 1981 to 1985 and again in 1987 and 1989. But despite claiming the title in 1992/93, Omonia were forced to live in the shadow of Anorthosis in the 1990s. Even so, the fans were able to enjoy the goalscoring exploits of Hungarian Joseph Juriac during the first part of the decade, and later those of Rainer Rauffmann.
A native German, Rauffmann arrived at the club in 1998. He was the island's leading marksman for four years and also played for Cyprus national football team after gaining Cypriot citizenship. He recently retired through injury at the age of 37. Another star of the 1990s was midfield player Kostakis Malekkos, who played after for APOEL Nicosia FC.
However, it was not until the 1999/00 campaign that Omonia ended a six-year wait for silverware by lifting the Cypriot Cup. As well as rewarding the patience of supporters, this success maintained the club's strong cup tradition. The Nicosia side remains the only side to have won the Cyprus Cup 4 times in a row during the years between 1980 and 1984.
The next term, the championship flag was restored to Omonia. Following Henk Houwaart's arrival as coach midway through the season, the team climbed the table to claim the title after beating defending champions Anorthosis 3-1 in what was effectively a championship decider. Further glory followed in 2002/03 when coach Toni Savevski led the club to their 19th league triumph. Omonia won the Cyprus Cup in 2004/05.
[edit] Players of note
- Stauros Psillos, Defender, 1949-1959, 128 Apps
- Giorgos Giorkatzis, Striker, 1949-1958, 134 Apps - 21 Goals
- Takis Antoniou, Midfielder, 1954-1964, 142 Apps - 3 Goals
- Andreas Christodoulou Pakkos, Midfielder, 1956-1964, 108 Apps - 45 Goals
- Savvas Tsikkouris, Striker, 1955-1974, 420 Apps - 230 Goals
- Nikos Eleftheriadis, Goalkeeper, 1956-1968, 207 Apps
- Giorgos Christophorou, Striker, 1958-1967, 143 Apps - 84 Goals
- Kostas Panagiotou, Defender, 1959-1970, 244 Apps - 15 Goals
- Sotiris Kaiafas, Striker, 1967-1984, 476 Apps - 321 Goals
- Giorgos Antoniou , Midfielder, 1966-1978, 178 Apps - 11 Goals
- Nikos Charalambous, Midfielder, 1969-1978, 289 Apps - 56 Goals
- Andreas Kanaris, Striker, 1968-1985, 503 Apps - 190 Goals
- Gregory Savva, Midfielder, 1973-1985, 266 Apps - 86 Goals
- Christakis Omirou Mauris, Midfielder, 1974-1988, 417 Apps - 86 Goals
- Klitos Erotokritou, Defender, 1975-1986, 331 Apps - 25 Goals
- Loizos Protopapas, Midfielder, 1984-1990, 225 Apps - 20 Goals
- Sotiris Tsikkos, Midfielder, 1976-1990, 427 Apps - 50 Goals
- Kostakis Petsas, Midfielder, 1978-1994, 315 Apps - 9 Goals
- Evagoras Christophi, Defender/Midfielder, 1979-1996, 463 Apps - 108 Goals
- Andreas Kantilos, Striker, 1980-1997, 489 Apps - 152 Goals
- Andreas Charitou, Goalkeeper, 1981-1999, 367 Apps
- Giorgos Savvidis, Midfielder, 1981-1987 & 1992-1996, 283 Apps - 120 Goals
- Spas Dzhevizov, Striker, 1984-1988, 129 Apps - 82 Goals
- Kostas Malekkos, Midfielder/Striker, 1989-2000, 278 Apps - 79 Goals
- Rainer Rauffmann, Striker, 1997-2004, 209 Apps - 236 Goals
[edit] The Fans
There are 2 major clubs supporting the team. PA.SY.FI. and Gate 9 which is the most active fan club.
Gate 9 is the biggest club of AC Omonoia Fans. The club took it's name from Kaiafas father, Sotiris Kaiafas a who won the European Golden Boot in 80's and was first organised in 1992. Since then is following the team everywhere in the world. The Main Fan Club Address is on 10, Arxermou Str., Nicosia.
[edit] Stadium
The team's current stadium is the 23,400 seater Neo GSP Stadium, also known as the Pancypria Stadium and it is the biggest stadium in Cyprus. The stadium is shared with APOEL FC, the other major football club in Nicosia, and Olympiakos Nicosia and they have used it since 1999. The team's previous stadium was Makario Stadium, since 1977 and before that it was the Palaio (Old) GSP Stadium. Both stadiums, like the New GSP Stadium, were shared as well by the other Nicosian teams, APOEL and Olympiakos. In the first years of its establishment, Omonia was using the "Goal" Stadium. Plans have been drawn for Omonoia to construct its own privately owned stadium near Tseri, a village just outside Nicosia [1]. If this materialises, the new arena will constitute (in terms of spectator capacity) the largest football stadium on the island.
[edit] Current Squad
[edit] Goalkeepers
- 01.
Dimitris Leoni - 14.
Adam Vezer - 29. Antoniou Antonis
- 33. Antonis Giorgalidis
[edit] Defenders
- 02. Giorgos Theodotou
- 03. Ioakim Ioakim
- 04
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Nélson Veiga - 08.
Daniel Bălan - 21. Nicolas Georgiou
- 81. Loizos Kakoyiannis
- 99. Petros Konnafis
- 55. Giorgos Konstanti
- 28. Giorgos Tsikkos
- 27.
Paul Ritchie - 24. Marios Nicolaou
[edit] Midfielders
- 11.
Sinisa Dobrasinovic - 07.
Vlatko Grozdanoski - 20. Kostas Kaiafas
- 16. Alexandros Kanaris
- 17. Loizos Louvaris
- 30.
Magno Mocelin - 05. Moedin Ze Elias
- 23. Giorgos Kamarlingos
[edit] Attackers
- 10.
Giorgos Vakouftsis - 70.
Mussa Mguni - 77.
Ismael Ba - ??. Eduard Makinua
[edit] Trophies
[edit] Football
- Cypriot Championship:
- Champion (19): 1961, 1966, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1993, 2001, 2003
- Cyprus Cup:
- Winner (12): 1965, 1972, 1974, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1994, 2000, 2005.
- Cyprus FA Shield:
- Winner (12): 1966, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 2001,2003,2005
[edit] Volleyball
- Cyprus Cup:
- Winner (2): 1999, 2006
[edit] External links
- Official OMONOIA AC website
- Official GATE 9 Fan Club website
- Omonia Nicosia Fans
- Omonia Fans website
- Omonia Fans Portal
