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| Full name | Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος «Ο Εργοτέλης» Ηρακλείου Κρήτης Gymnastikós Sýllogos «Ó Ergotélis» Iraklíou Krítis (Gymnastics Club «Ergotelis» Heraklion Crete) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | ĺ Kitrinómavri (The Yellow-Blacks) | ||
| Founded | 7 August 1929; 96 years ago (1929-08-07) asAthlitikí Énosis «Ó Ergotélis» | ||
| Ground | Pankritio Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 26,240 | ||
| Owner | Parent Club | ||
| Manager | Ilias Kotsios | ||
| League | Heraklion FCA A1 Championship | ||
| 2024–25 | Heraklion FCA A1 Championship, 2nd | ||
| Website | www | ||
| Active departments of Gymnastics Club Ergotelis | ||||||||||||
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Ergotelis Football Club (Greek:Π.Α.Ε. Εργοτέλης) is a Greek professionalfootball club based inHeraklion,Crete, which competes in theFCA Heraklion A1, the fourth tier of theGreek football league system, and hosts its home games at thePankritio Stadium. Established in 1929 and named after the ancient CretanOlympic runner, it is part ofGymnastics Club Ergotelis (Greek:Γ.Σ. Εργοτέλης).
Ergotelis is one of the twoHeraklion-based football clubs to have competed in theGreek Super League, the country's top-level football competition, having made a total of 9 appearances during 2004–2015. The club's best finish in the competition is 7th place during the2013–14 season. It has also won theBeta Ethniki (second tier of theGreek football league system) once, in2006, as well as theGreek Amateur Cup in 1983. Its traditional colors are yellow and black.
Despite finishing at 9th place during the2021–22 Super League Greece 2, they were discharged from the professional championship, resulting in a two-level demotion to the local top-level amateur championship, FCA Heraklion A1.
Ergotelis was established as an amateur club of Cretan footballers in 1929 by prominentHeraklion citizens, mainly refugees fromAsia Minor. The club's foundation, as well as its first ever recorded game, a friendly 4–0 win against local side Leon (Greek:Λέων) held at Chandax (Greek:Χάνδαξ) stadium on 4 August 1929, was reported onto local newspaper 'Eleythera Skepsis' (Greek:Ελευθέρα Σκέψις) on Wednesday, 7 August 1929.[1] Since its early days, Ergotelis showed the progressive ideals of its founders, being one of the first sports clubs inGreece to allow women into its sporting divisions, as well as itsboard of directors.[2][3] The club temporarily shut down in 1935, following the involvement of its leading executives in political movements of the time.[3] Ergotelis was re-established in 1937, developing a remarkableathletics department along with a strongfootball team, that went on to place 1st in the 1940Heraklion Football Clubs Association Championship, which was never finished due toWorld War II.[3]
After the war, the club emerged as the most powerful competitor to regularHeraklion Football Clubs Association championsOFI, shaping up a new football and social rivalry in local sport.[3] Ergotelis eventually gained its own football ground in 1946, theErgotelis Stadium (also known asMartinengo Stadium, after theMartinengo Bastion), located on theVenetian Era walls surrounding the city's center, and would mostly play inHeraklion's local championship andGreece's national Second Division, after the latter was founded in the early 1960s. Ergotelis actually came close to achieve a historic promotion to theFirst Division during the very firstBeta Ethniki season held in 1960, finishing 3rd in the Southern Group, just 4 points behind Group ChampionsAtromitos Piraeus.[4] The club was demoted to the newly establishedGamma Ethniki in 1964−65 after finishing 9th in Group 2,[5] and subsequently won the Group 1Gamma Ethniki championship in 1966, the club's first ever national honour, to top off instant re-promotion to theBeta Ethniki.
During theGreek military junta of 1967–1974, Ergotelis was 'branded' as an unpatriotic organization, and its officials were accused for «deviating from the purposes for which they were elected, turning the club into an instrument servicing political, and sometimes unpatriotic objectives», after the club's board of directors allowed renowned songwriter and composerMikis Theodorakis, a key voice against the right-wing government, to perform a concert onMartinengo stadium.[6] After the conclusion of the 1966–1967Beta Ethniki season, the club was forcibly relegated to amateur status through a legislation, that allowed each regional city of Greece to be represented in the country'sSecond national Division by a single team only.[6] Furthermore, to add insult to injury, any local clubs remaining in theBeta Ethniki had the right to demand the transfer of any number of players from the relegated clubs, bypassing official transfer regulations.[7] As a result, five of Ergotelis' best considered players at the time (Konstantinos Theodorakis, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Manolis Stavroulakis, Konstantinos Zouraris and Georgios Skandalakis), were signed by local rivalOFI – who remained in the national competitions.[6][8] Shortly after, a court decision in favor of Ergotelis was overruled by thejunta-controlledHellenic Football Federation, which finally approved OFI's contracts with the players and threatened Ergotelis officials with eviction from their home turf inMartinengo Stadium.[8] After members of the club's board of directors were either demoted or prosecuted, Ergotelis was practically dismantled in 1967.[6][8] The club made a brief comeback to theSecond Division after winning the 1969−70local Heraklion Championship, but the weakened roster and administration were too inexperienced to be competitive, and the club was therefore instantly relegated at the end of the 1970−71 season, after finishing in last place.[9]
After the junta's collapse in 1974, several attempts were made to bring the team back to Greek football reality, however most of these were met with failure. As a result, Ergotelis struggled between the lower regional and national competitions for over 30 years.[10] Ergotelis managed not to go completely unnoticed during these years however, achieving some notable breakthroughs in the 80s, along the way to a rebirth.
During the 1982–83 season, the club won theGreek Football Amateur Cup, by defeatingAO Arta 2–0 in the competition final held at theLeoforos Alexandras Stadium,[11] thus becoming the firstCretan club to win the competition.[12] The 1984–85 season saw the club finishing at the top of theDelta Ethniki Group 1 table to promote to theGamma Ethniki as champions.[13] However the most notable feat of this period came during the 1985–86 season, when Ergotelis, at the time playing in theGamma Ethniki, managed to reach theGreek Cup quarterfinals, which would remain the best performance of the club in the competition for 33 years. Being the sole representative of theGamma Ethniki still remaining in the competition, Ergotelis consecutively eliminatedNiki Volos,Alpha Ethniki sidePanserraikos andOlympiacos Volos to reach the quarterfinals, where the club squared off against eventual title winnersPanathinaikos. Though giving the "Greens" a tough match to eventually go down 2–3 in the first leg held at theTheodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium inHeraklion, Ergotelis were completely dominated in the second leg, where they lost to theeventual Greek champions with an emphatic 7–1 score at theLeoforos Alexandras Stadium on 9 April 1986.[14] This feat marked the end of Ergotelis' attempts at a return during this period, as the club was relegated back to theDelta Ethniki two years later, at the end of the 1987–88 season.[15]
Ergotelis briefly resurfaced in the mid-90s, spending two consecutive seasons in theGamma Ethniki during 1996–98, after winning theDelta Ethniki 1995–96 Group 2 championship.[16] It would then take another 5 years for the club to re-emerge, and this time complete a full comeback.
In the late 90s Ergotelis' came under the ownership of veteran football directors Georgios Soultatos and Nikos Tzortzoglou, who took over the club for the third time after two relatively successful tenures during the 90s.[18] Learning from past experience, careful transfers of promising players from theCretan market were made, while an emphasis was placed on the development and growth of the club's infrastructure, leading up to the establishment of theErgotelis Youth Academy atMartinengo Stadium.[18][19] Within a couple of years, Ergotelis grew into a strong, competitive team composed mostly ofCretan players, that would celebrate three consecutive promotions from the4th Division to reach theAlpha Ethniki, thehighest professional football league in Greece for the first time in club history.
In 2001, the Soultatos−Tzortzoglou duo appointedCretan manager and formerOFI legendarygoalkeeperMyron Sifakis as club manager, a position he would retain for the next three-and-a-half years. After managing promotion to theGamma Ethniki in 2002, the club signedNigerian strikerPatrick Ogunsoto, who eventually developed into the club's all-time top-scorer. The professional football department of Ergotelis was established the same year, as a requirement for the club being eligible to play in theGamma Ethniki.[19] Despite being newcomers, Ergotelis finished second in the 2002−03Gamma Ethniki season, boasting a remarkable 80 points on the League Table and winning every single home game played atMartinengo Stadium that season.[19]Ogunsoto personally scored 30 goals in 32 games, with emblematic team captainStavros Labrakis adding in another 12, both significantly contributing to the club's triumphant return to theBeta Ethniki after a 31-year absence.[19]
In the following season, Ergotelis participated in theBeta Ethniki, once again leveraging on a string of strong home game performances (eleven wins, three draws and only one loss), backed by a fierce support of the club's fans.[19] The club came in third with 55 points in theBeta Ethniki, earning a chance at promotion in a single promotion play-off match against the club that would finish 14th in the2003–04 Alpha Ethniki season. On May 30, 2004, Ergotelis won that match, defeatingAthenian clubAkratitos 1−0 at the neutralMakedonikos Stadium inThessaloniki in front of a cheering crowd of 2,000 fans travelling from various corners of the country, thanks to aninjury time goal byJean Marie Sylla.[20] The club thus became the second team to have representedHeraklion in the highest professional football league in Greece, alongside club rivalOFI. Hundreds of Ergotelis supporters took to the streets that night in celebrations, escorting the victors' bus from theHeraklion International Airport toMartinengo Stadium.[17] Ergotelis' promotion coincided with the completion of thePankritio Stadium for the2004 Summer Olympics, and due to the stricter regulations for football venues in theAlpha Ethniki, the team leftMartinengo Stadium and moved to thePankritio, which still remains the club's home ground to this day.
On the sidelines, the club took full advantage of the new stadium during itsdebut season in theAlpha Ethniki, attracting fans from all overCrete and earning recognition by both the Greek state andHellenic Football Federation.[19] As a result, the club broke several attendance records, including setting thePankritio Stadium's sold-out record on 20 February 2005, during aSuper League 2−1 home win against reigning championsOlympiacos.[21] On the pitch however, the club's lack of experience led to an underwhelming league performance. Despite achieving notable wins againstGreek giants Olympiacos andPAOK, Ergotelis failed to avoid relegation and eventually finished in 15th place having just 5 wins, 5 draws and 20 losses.Patrick Ogunsoto produced 11 out of a total 19 goals scored by Ergotelis during the season, in which the club also terminated its contract withMyron Sifakis after controversial remarks following a 0−1 home loss vs. his former playing clubOFI.[22] The following year however, after overcoming a rough start to the2005–06 season, Ergotelis returned to good form afterGreek managerNikos Karageorgiou took over in mid-season, achieving instant promotion back to top-flight and winning its first-everBeta Ethniki title.[23] The club spent the season undefeated at home (11 wins, 4 draws), while also managing to impress crowds once again with their performance in theGreek Football Cup, where they managed to eliminateGreek giantsPanathinaikos.[19] Once again,Ogunsoto led the club in scoring with 21 goals, earning himself a transfer abroad toBelgian First Division sideWesterlo.
Ergotelis second promotion coincided with the founding of theSuper League Greece, a modern continuation of the previousAlpha Ethniki, now under the supervision of theSuper League coalition of participating clubs. Ergotelis' squad for the2006–07 Super League season was bolstered with quality players in all positions, such as formerReal MadridforwardPerica Ognjenović,Austrianinternationalcentre-backMario Hieblinger andBrazilianmidfielderSilva Júnior, many of whom stayed at the club for many years, forming a competitive team that spent several consecutive seasons in top-flight. The club was again recognized by Greek state officials for its organization of innovative actions and initiatives during the season, as well as its ethos and fair play spirit.[19] On the pitch, Ergotelis secured a 9th-place finish with 39 points on the League Table, maintaining a strong home game performance (7 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses), and managing 4 additional Away wins, most notably vs.Panathinaikos and local rivalOFI.[19]In January 2008, Ergotelis came under the ownership of then club vice-president and prominent businessman Apostolos Papoutsakis,[24] who put forward an ambitious investment plan to keep the club in top flight. During Papoutsakis' presidency, the club rose to prestigious standards in Greek football, which eventually earned Ergotelis consecutive Fair Play awards, for the 2008–09[25] and 2009–10 seasons.[19]Nikos Karageorgiou remained manager of the club for six consecutive seasons, in which the club saw a steady financial growth, mainly due to the transfers of promising young Greek playersDimitrios Kiliaras[26] andVasilios Koutsianikoulis[27] to prestigious clubsPanionios andPAOK respectively. Prior to these feats however, the club had to overcome a difficult transition period. Coping with the change in leadership, Ergotelis finished a turbulent2007–08 season, barely avoiding relegation on the final match day thanks to a combination of league results, which allowed the club to capitalize on its 2–0 home win vs.Xanthi in front of 10,000 cheering fans.[19] Club legendPatrick Ogunsoto returned to Ergotelis in mid season to assist in this feat with 6 goals, helping the club reach a 13th-place finish, boasting just 7 wins, 9 draws and 14 losses.[19]
During the2008–09 season, Ergotelis achieved memorable wins against Greece's traditional football giantsPanathinaikos andOlympiacos, including a 2–3 away competition win in theAthens Olympic Stadium againstPanathinaikos on October 29, 2008.[28] Capitalizing on strong performances away from home, along with a mediocre home record, the club tied its best league performance, finishing in 9th place.[19] Most notably, Ergotelis became the sole club to representHeraklion in top tier, following club rivalOFI's relegation at the end of the season. The2009–10 season was dedicated to Ergotelis' 80th anniversary, in which the club issued a special anniversary logo and completed impressive transfers, most notably bringing inLatvia's all-time top scorerMāris Verpakovskis.[29] Moreover, Ergotelis organized a series of social and beneficial activities, and fittingly commemorated its anniversary with a stunning 5–0 thrashing of reigning championsOlympiacos in a friendly game held atPankritio Stadium on September 6, 2009.[30] The club's League performance fell short of expectations however, as Ergotelis finished in 11th place, stressfully securing their place in top flight with two consecutive wins during the final two match days. Next season saw the club reach its most notable achievement of this period, securing an 8th-place finish in the2010–11 season.[31] Outside the pitch, the club's board of directors would gain praise from the media for its initiative to sign international partnerships with Dutch sideFC Utrecht[32] and State-sidePhiladelphia Union.[33] Social and beneficial activities organized by the club during this period culminated in a concert held atPankritio Stadium on September 19, 2011, honoringMikis Theodorakis in commemoration of the 45 years passed since the controversial concert atMartinengo Stadium in 1966.[34]
For the2011–12 season, the club's board of directors decided to cut down the team's budget, a direct result of theGreek economic crisis of the late 2000s. While the season took off on a promising start, subsequent weak performances, along with rising tensions between several of the club's players and the manager, ultimately failed to keep Ergotelis in top-flight. The team was relegated in the end of the season, after a disastrous second round which saw the club win only 2 of the total 15 matches, and thus return to the 2nd tier (which had been renamed as theFootball League) after finishing in 14th place. To further add to the fans' pain, club president Papoutsakis died on July 23, 2012, at the age of 60.[35]
The next season saw Ergotelis go through a major overhaul on all fronts.Nikos Karageorgiou terminated his contract on mutual consent after six years of service,[36] and former renowned Cypriot strikerSiniša Gogić took over as manager of the team.[37] The roster was rebuilt with youngsters from the club's training academies, as most of the club's veterans were either released, or refused to follow the team in the lower division. During mid-season, the club experienced financial instability after major shareholders announced they were stepping down.[38] Despite these facts however, Ergotelis managed to secure a second-place finish in the2012–13 Football League marathon procedure, with 22 wins, 9 draws and 9 losses,[19] thus celebrating a third promotion to theSuper League.[39] Ergotelis' third tenure in top-flight would prove to be short-lived however.
Ergotelis' first season in top-flight after re-promotion was nothing short of impressive for club standards. The2013–14 season saw Ergotelis achieve its best finish in theSuper League. Boasting an all-time best 44 points, Ergotelis finished in 7th place, tied with 6th-placeOFI as both had 11 wins, 11 draws and 12 losses at the end of the season.[19] The club's impressive good form was disrupted in thefollowing season however, as continuous managerial changes, an abundance of unfortunate and costly player transfers, multiple matches being postponed in mid-season and competitors withdrawing from the league due to financial reasons, led to a 16th-place finish during the regularSuper League season.[40] The club ultimately was placed in 15th place post-season, afterKerkyra was relegated for illegal transfer of shares,[41] and were penalized to the last position of the league table.
The next season turned out to be one of the most difficult in the club's recent history, as there were many open issues regarding which competition the club would be participating in at the start of the season. Open legal issues withSuper League clubsKerkyra[42] andVeria[43] left the relegation status of Ergotelis ambiguous, as club officials made a final effort for the club to remain in top-flight by taking both cases in court.[44] After both cases resolved,[45][46] and left Ergotelis relegated, there was much speculation on whether the club would follow in the footsteps of clubs such asAEK Athens,Larissa and local rivalOFI, who chose to dissolve and voluntarily play in theGamma Ethniki in an attempt to start anew and clear their financial debts.[47] Despite the unbearable financial obligations tied to the decision to keep playing in theFootball League, Ergotelis' major shareholder and son of the late Apostolos Papoutsakis Dimitrios, took the decision to keep the club in professional level and attempt a fourth promotion to theSuper League, gathering past board members and financiers under one banner.[48] The club hiredBosnian managerJasminko Velić and began preparations for theFootball League almost a month after the season was officially declared started.[49] Despite high hopes however, the club soon fell behind in the League table, while its financial status worsened. As players started filing claims against the club in the wintertransfer window of 2016, thus releasing themselves of their contracts due to unpaid wages,[50] Papoutsakis announced his resignation as club president.[51] The remaining board members along with a group of 17 players who refused to let the team die, managed to keep the club running until 19 January 2016, when club officials finally decided to withdraw the team from the competition.[52] After 14 consecutive years playing in professional divisions, Ergotelis was once again relegated to amateur status.[53]
After its withdrawal from professional competitions, the football department of Ergotelis reinstated its amateur status, thus merging with the parent multi-sport club,Gymnastics Club Ergotelis. The latter's officials decided that the Football Club should thus be dissolved and enter into liquidation, a process that would allow Ergotelis to compete in amateur competitions under new leadership, free of the financial obligations of the previous administration.[54] The decision was fiercely rivaled by major shareholder Papoutsakis, who instead opted for liquidation without dismantling the company, in operation under the provisions of the bankruptcy code.[55] After theGymnastics Club's administration reached out on the matter to the Deputy Minister for SportStavros Kontonis, joined by fellowFootball League withdrawn competitorsOlympiacos Volos,[56] elections were held in April 2016 appointing Georgios Vrentzos as the new president of theGymnastics Club, and head of all its football departments.[57] After theHellenic Football Federation, the Greek Professional Sports Commission and the Greek Ministry of Development all ruled in favor of theGymnastics Club case and reassured its officials that the club would compete in theGamma Ethniki, the third tier of theGreek football league system,[58][59] the club's new administration was free to open up winding-up proceedings and appoint liquidators, while at the same time rebuilding the football department and attempt a swift return to professional competitions. As the club brought in former Ergotelis stars such asSergio Leal andNikolaos Katsikokeris to lead the effort on the pitch and filled the roster with veteranFootball League players, the new administration's project eventually paid off. Ergotelis finished at the top of the2016–17 Gamma Ethniki Group 4 Table, thus managing instant promotion back to pro-level competitions.[60] After celebrations on securing the Division title ended, club president Vrentzos announced he could no longer financially support the football club on his own and that he had initiated talks with external parties to secure the required funds to form a new Ergotelis professional Football Club department, eligible to compete in theFootball League. Eventually, after a full week of negotiations during the end of July 2017, and with Georgios Vrentzos set to retire, the club's General Assembly agreed to transfer the ownership of Ergotelis' professional football department toEgyptian businessman Maged Samy, owner ofEgyptian Premier League clubWadi Degla andBelgian B Division sideLierse S.K.[61]
For thefirst season in theFootball League under Samy's presidency, Ergotelis boasted a youthful team led by controversialGreek managerTakis Gonias. After an experimental First Round, Ergotelis' squad significantly improved and maintained an impressive good form, winning several key matches, scoring many goals, maintaining ball possession rates close to 60%-70% and eventually battling their way out of the relegation zone, finishing in 9th place. Following the departure ofGonias forWadi Degla at the end of the season, and his replacement withCypriot managerNikki Papavasiliou, Ergotelis impressed with their performance in theGreek Cup, where they managed to advance to the Round of 16 despite being drawn in the same group withSuper League powerhousesPAOK andAris. They went on to eliminate localSuper League rivalOFI in the knock-out phase to eventually make it to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1986, matching the club's best-ever performance in the competition.[62] In theFootball League, Ergotelis narrowly missed out on the chance to play in a promotion play-off match, finishing 4 points behind second place. However, they were eventually deducted three points for failing the economic oversight process requirements of theHFF,[63] and thus finished in 4th place, securing its participation in the newly establishedSuper League 2. Next year however, saw the sudden departure of Papavasiliou to take overSuper League sidePanionios right before the start of the season, with managerGiannis Taousianis taking over.[64] In a season that was cut short due to theCOVID-19 pandemic,[65] Ergotelis failed to repeat their previous year's performance, eventually finishing in seventh place with 29 points.
The next season, Ergotelis came the closest to returning to the Super League, literally missing out on promotion as champions in the final match of the season. After overcoming a slow start with two losses in the first two games, Ergotelis impressed with performances during the First round of the tournament, where the team went 7-1-0 over the next 8 games. After a sluggish start to the Second round, Ergotelis entered the Promotion Play-offs in 4th place. The club won all its playoffs matches against fellow promotion contenders, until eventually going down 2−1 vs. eventual Division ChampionIonikos in the final match of the season, thus finishing in 4th place. The game raised much controversy due to the presence of Ionikos fans atNeapoli Stadium despite lockdown regulations, as well as questionable decisions by referee Vasilios Fotias late in the game.[66]
On 29 September 2022, Ergotelis officially withdrew from the national leagues, as the club was unable to meet the financial and competitive demands of theSuper League 2 andGamma Ethniki. The departure of majority owner Maged Samy, who relinquished his shares, created significant issues, and the club passed into the hands of the amateur club Ergotelis.[67] The club decided to take a "big step back to take more steps forward," focusing on its youth teams and restructuring the football department on solid foundations.
After evaluating the available options for the division in which the men's team would compete, Ergotelis decided to participate in the A1 EPSI, the top local division in Heraklion, for the 2022-2023 season. This decision was approved by the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO), and the club became the 17th team to participate in the league, prompting the local association to hold a new draw.[68]
Ergotelis’ return to the local leagues marked its first participation in the A1 EPSI Heraklion in 46 years, with the aim of rebuilding and returning to the national leagues as soon as possible.
Ergotelis first logo survives from the historical document of the club's establishment, and depicts a runner surrounded by alaurel wreath, similar to the ones awarded to theancient Olympic Games victors. The club's colours, yellow and black were chosen due to their prominent featuring inMinoan civilization. Early photographs of Ergotelis' football department and fans depict an alternate club logo, simply the letterE possibly framed within a circle. In recent years, Ergotelis' emblem evolved to depict afootball player wearing the club's traditional colors (yellow and black). The football player, possibly a reference to Ergotelis' original establishment as afootball club, honors the athlete in general, while the Olympic crown is a reference to the Olympic championErgoteles of Himera, whom the club is named after.[69] Since the early 2000s, the club's logo is framed within a yellow shield.
Multiple versions of the club's latter logo have been issued, primarily for sponsorship reasons. For instance, during the2006–07 season and up until the2013–14 season, Ergotelis' crest included its major sponsor's title "DIETHNIS ENOSIS". (Greek: «ΔΙΕΘΝΗΣ ΕΝΩΣΙΣ»).[70] In2009, the club issued an anniversary logo, which used a slightly darker palette and featured a smaller version of thelaurel wreath and athlete, framed within a golden 80, part of the phrase "80 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ 1929–2009" (English:"80 YEARS 1929–2009").[71]
For the club's 90th anniversary in 2019, allG.S. Ergotelis departments were issued an anniversary logo, inspired by the 1929 original, as depicted in club documents at that time.[72] Due to the overwhelmingly positive reception the logo gained by both fans and club officials, this logo became permanent in 2020, replacing the commemorative "90" graphic behind the runner with the club's foundation date "1929".
As previously mentioned, the team's jersey colours are yellow and black. Early kits resembled the kit depicted in the club's crest, with black shorts and a yellow shirt, while black stripes and variations thereof were introduced in later years. Ergotelis' kits during the club's first seasons in theSuper League were supplied byFrench companyLe Coq Sportif. Afterwards, the team signed a contract withItalian companyLotto, which resulted in several iconic kits that in some cases have been re-used throughout multiple seasons. Ergotelis' partnership with Lotto was interrupted during the2011–12 season in which the club wore kits produced byMacron.[citation needed] In 2013, Ergotelis started a two-year partnership deal with fellowItalian company Eye Sportwear, which designed and produced two custom kits, one for each of the2013–14 and2014–15 seasons, both patented by Ergotelis. In the summer of 2018, the club announced a three-year sponsor partnership with American sports manufacturing company Capelli Sport.[73]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–2002 | Kelme | Cava Protypo |
| 2002−2003 | Puma | No sponsor |
| 2003–2004 | Le Coq Sportif | Piraeus Bank |
| 2004–2005 | Almaco Aluminium | |
| 2005–2006 | Admiral | |
| 2006–2007 | Le Coq Sportif | OPAP |
| 2007–2008 | Lotto | Diethnis Enosis |
| 2008–2009 | OPAP | |
| 2009–2011 | Lotto | |
| 2011–2012 | Macron | |
| 2012–2013 | Lotto | |
| 2013–2015 | Eye | |
| 2015–2016 | Macron | Pame Stoixima |
| 2016–2017 | Lotto | No sponsor |
| 2017–2018 | Be My Hero | |
| 2018− | Capelli | No sponsor |
Ergotelis' traditional home ground is theNikos Kazantzakis Stadium, previously known asErgotelis Stadium or "Martinengo Stadium", located on theVenetian-era fortifications surrounding the city ofHeraklion. Built in 1946,[74]Martinengo Stadium has been used as the home ground of multiple Heraklion amateur football clubs, and currently hosts Ergotelis' football academies, the largest training academies center on the island, and one of the largest training centers inGreece.[75] The stadium has been used by Ergotelis during the club's tenure in lower amateur and regional competitions until the club's promotion to theAlpha Ethniki in 2004, and has also been the stage of a controversialMikis Theodorakis concert on 6 August 1966, which many hold as the foremost reason for Ergotelis' eventual disbandment by theruling military junta in 1967.
AsMartinengo Stadium was not fit for use inAlpha Ethniki matches, Ergotelis' home ground was relocated to the newly builtPankritio Stadium in 2004, with local rivalOFI's neighboringTheodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium being declared the club's alternate home ground. During its first season in the competition, Ergotelis averaged almost 10,000 supporters during home games, and consequently set thePankritio Stadium's attendance record on 20 February 2005, in a 2−1Super League victory over reigning championsOlympiacos with 27,950 tickets being sold-out.[21] Over the years however, attendances dropped significantly, limiting Ergotelis to a small, yet fiercely loyal fanbase. Ergotelis' core fanbase is currently organized into two supporters' unions, namely theDaltons Club and theAlternatives Fans of Ergotelis. They both attend Ergotelis' home games, usually occupying thePankritio Stadium's Gate 19.
| Stadium | Capacity | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Nikos Kazantzakis Stadium | 1,000 (~600 seated) | 1946–2004 |
| Pankritio Stadium | 26,240 | 2004– |
The twoSuper League clubs based inHeraklion, Ergotelis andOFI, maintain a rivalry that can be traced back to socio-political roots. Characteristic of this animosity, the first ever game between the two teams, a friendly match in 1929, ended after 35 minutes. Ergotelis were ahead by 1–0, when the game had to be abandoned after violence between the players broke out.[76]
During theGreek military junta of 1967–1974 a government legislation determined that every regional Greek city should be represented in professional divisions by a single football team. At that time, bothOFI and Ergotelis used to play in theSecond National division, and at the end of the 1966–67 season, had finished in 3rd and 10th place respectively. Despite both clubs having secured their place in next year's edition of the tournament, Ergotelis was relegated to amateur status by law. Furthermore, the teams remaining in the second division were granted the rights to sign any number of players from the relegated clubs, and thusOFI signed contracts with 5 of Ergotelis' best considered players at the time. Ergotelis' side claimed their relegation to be retaliation for allowing renowned left-liberal songwriter and composerMikis Theodorakis to perform a concert inMartinengo Stadium, giving political dimensions to the already strained relations between the two clubs. In the years to come Ergotelis languished in the lower leagues, whileOFI prospered. These facts have led to various controversies among the fans of the two clubs, especially since Ergotelis' come back, at the early 00's.
In recent years, both sides have shown good will in maintaining this rivalry on the pitch only. Furthermore,OFI fans celebrated Ergotelis' promotion and attended home games during the club's first season in theSuper League. Ergotelis on the other hand, loaned their longtime scoring legendPatrick Ogunsoto to a financially weakenedBeta Ethniki sideOFI in 2010 for no fee, as an attempt to assist their prestigious rival in their struggle to once again return to theSuper League.[77]
.jpg)
League top scorers
| Most appearances[80]
|
Club appearances and goals counted fordomestic Greek professional football leagues. Players indicated in bold are currently active with the club.
1.^ All in theSuper League.
| Rank | For | Fee | Received from | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Vasilios Koutsianikoulis | €1,2m | PAOK | 26 May 2009 | [81] |
| 2 | Dimitrios Kiliaras | €500k | Panionios | 16 May 2008 | [82] |
 Pelé | Olympiacos | 30 December 2013 | [83] | ||
| 3 | Dimitrios Grammozis | €150k |  Omonia | 8 December 2008 | [84] |
| Nikolaos Katsikokeris | AEK | 26 August 2012 | [85] | ||
| Andreas Bouchalakis | Olympiacos | 13 May 2013 | [86] |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President |  Maged Samy |
| Vice-president | Georgios Toutzaris |
| Board Member | Dionysios Bovoletis |
| General Manager | Stavros Labrakis |
| Football Academies Director | Kostas Kalpakidis |
| Position | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Nikos Badimas | |
| Assistant coach | Manolis Soutzis | |
| Assistant coach − Analyst | Christos Tsakiris | |
| Fitness coach | Georgios Gounelas | |
| Goalkeepers Coach | Anastasios Meintanis | |
| General Manager | Stavros Labrakis | |
| Medical staff | ||
| Position | Name | Nationality |
| Doctor | Sifis Christoforakis | |
| Assistant doctor | Nikos Androulakis | |
| Physiotherapist | Aposotolos Fyrgadis | |
| Masseur | Dimitris Darivianakis | |
| Caretaker | Svetlozar Gospodinov |  |
Source:[88]
Giannis Petrakis (1992–94) Athanasios Loukanidis (1994)
Andrea Betini (1996–97) Manolis Patemtzis (1999 – 28 December 1999)Myron Sifakis (28 December 1999 – 31 May 2001:1 year, 5 months and 3 days)Pavlos Dermitzakis (2 July 2001 – 7 November 2001:4 months and 5 days)Myron Sifakis (9 November 2001 – 4 April 2005:3 years, 4 months and 26 days) Manolis Patemtzis (5 April 2005 – 30 January 2006:9 months and 25 days)Nikos Karageorgiou (1 February 2006 – 30 April 2012:6 years, 2 months and 29 days)
Siniša Gogić (28 June 2012 – 16 April 2013:9 months and 19 days)Stavros Labrakis & Vasilios Plesitis(interim) (16 April 2013 – 14 June 2013:1 month and 29 days)Giannis Petrakis (14 June 2013 – 13 January 2014:6 months and 30 days)Marinos Ouzounidis (20 January 2014 – 13 May 2014:3 months and 23 days)
Juan Ferrando (3 July 2014 – 1 September 2014:1 month and 29 days)Pavlos Dermitzakis (5 September 2014 – 15 December 2014:3 months and 10 days)Giannis Taousianis (15 December 2014 – 12 February 2015:1 month and 28 days)
Ioannis Matzourakis (12 February 2015 – 25 February 2015:13 days)Giannis Taousianis (28 February 2015 – 30 June 2015:4 months and 2 days)
Jasminko Velić (5 August 2015 – 21 October 2015:2 months and 16 days)Stavros Labrakis (21 October 2015 – 9 February 2016:3 months and 19 days)Giannis Chatzinikolaou (16 June 2016 – 25 October 2016:4 months and 9 days) Nikos Oustampasidis (26 October 2016 – 16 January 2017:2 months and 21 days)Soulis Papadopoulos (18 January 2017 − 29 July 2017:6 months and 11 days)Takis Gonias (21 August 2017 − 29 May 2018:9 months and 8 days)Nikki Papavasiliou (29 May 2018 − 1 September 2019:1 year, 3 months and 3 days)Giannis Taousianis (2 September 2019 – 18 June 2021:1 year, 9 months and 16 days)Nikos Badimas (27 June 2021 – present:4 years, 7 months and 20 days)
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Official websites
News site
Media
| 2025–26 clubs | |
|---|---|
| Former clubs |
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| Former clubs (fromCyprus) | |
| Before the establishment of Alpha Ethniki | |
| Competition | |
| Statistics and awards | |
| Associated competitions | |
