PAOK FC (Greek:ΠΑΕ ΠΑΟΚ,['pa.ok]),[3] short for "Pan-ThessalonianAthletic Club ofConstantinopolitans" (Greek:Πανθεσσαλονίκειος Αθλητικός Όμιλος Κωνσταντινουπολιτών,romanized: Panthessaloníkios Athlitikós Ómilos Konstadinoupolitón), and commonly known asPAOK Thessaloniki,PAOK Salonika or simplyPAOK, is a Greek professionalfootball club based inThessaloniki,Macedonia, Greece. PAOK are one of the top domestic clubs, the most successful and widely supported inNorthern Greece.
The team has appeared several times in theUEFA Europa League, but has yet to reach the group stage of theUEFA Champions League. PAOK have reached the quarter-finals of a European competition three times; once in the1973–74 European Cup Winners' Cup and twice in theUEFA Conference League, in the2021–22 and2023–24 seasons. PAOK is the only Greek team that has more wins than losses in their European record (99 wins, 68 draws and 87 defeats, as of August 2025) and the 0–7 awayUEFA Cup win overLocomotive Tbilisi on 16 September 1999 is the largest ever achieved by a Greek football club in all European competitions.
PAOK played their primary friendly match on 4 May 1926 at the stadium ofThermaikos, defeatingMegas Alexandros Thessaloniki 2–1. The first coach of the club was Kostas Andreadis who spent five years on the team's bench without demanding payment.[9] Their first captain was Michalis Ventourelis.
The first professional contract was signed by the club on 5 September 1928. The contract stipulated that theFrench footballer Raymond Etienne (ofJewish descent fromPera Club) would be paid 4,000drachmas per month. The contract was signed by Dr. Meletiou, the PAOK chairman, and Mr. Sakellaropoulos, the Hon. Secretary.[17]
In March 1929, Athlitiki Enosis Konstantinoupoliton Thessalonikis (AEK Thessaloniki) was disbanded as a sports club and their members joined PAOK. PAOK thereupon changed their emblem, adopting theDouble-headed eagle, as a symbol of the club'sByzantine/Constantinopolitan heritage. PAOK also got possession of AEK facilities located around Syntrivani (i.e. Fountain Square), next to the Children's Heritage Foundation, where today stands theFaculty ofTheology of theAristotle University of Thessaloniki. The same year PAOK and Enosis Konstantinoupoliton Thessalonikis (E.K.Th.) wanted to expand the football ground, but they faced problems with the underground flow of the river. Finally, after technical works the keystone was put on 12 December 1930.
In 1930–1931, PAOK made their debut in thePanhellenic Championship, playing their first match on 1 February 1931 againstOlympiacos atPiraeus, where they were defeated by 3–1, and ended the season in 5th place. The first foreign coach in team's history wasAustrian Rudolf Gasner, who served at PAOK in 1931–1932.[18] On 5 June 1932 the Syntrivani Stadium was inaugurated with PAOK's 3–2[19] victory overIraklis. Syntrivani meant to be their home ground for 27 years.[20][21]
In 1937, PAOK won their first regional title, theMacedonia championship (Greek:Ε.Π.Σ.Μ.) and participated in thePanhellenic Championship, finishing 2nd. The 1937 team included: Sotiriadis, Vatikis, Goulios, Kontopoulos, Bostantzoglou, Panidis, Glaros, Kritas, Ioannidis, Kalogiannis, Koukoulas, Kosmidis, Apostolou, Vafiadis, Vasiliadis, Anastasiadis, Moschidis, Tzakatzoglou, Zakapidas.
The declaration of theGreco-Italian War caused mobilization in Greece and ended every sport activity. PAOK football players recruited toHellenic Army and two of them died on duty: left defender Georgios Vatikis and goalkeeperNikolaos Sotiriadis. They were among four Greek footballers who died in the war (the others were Spyridon Kontoulis ofAEK andMimis Pierrakos ofPanathinaikos). Georgios Vatikis, the first Greek athlete to fall on the Greek-Italian front, served as a warrant officer. He was 22 years old when he died inBattle of Morava–Ivan. After his death, Vatikis was honorarily promoted tolieutenant and awarded the SilverCross of Valour and the Homeland of Gratitude. Nikolaos Sotiriadis, who played from 1932 until 1940 for PAOK, died on 28 January 1941 inKleisura, fighting with the rank of Sergeant for the 5th Infantry Regiment. He was 33 years old.[24]
Macedonia Football Clubs Association League (1946–1959)
After theWorld War II, in the early 1950s,PAOK Academy was created by the Austrian coach, Wilhelm (Willy) Sevcik, and was known as the "chicos of Willi". From the newly founded academy sprang some great football players of the period, such asLeandros Symeonidis, Giannelos Margaritis and Giorgos Havanidis.[25]
In 1948, PAOK won their secondMacedonia Championship, and then participated in the final phase of thePanhellenic Championship where they were ranked third. PAOK footballers dedicated the title to the memory of team captain, Thrasyvoulos Panidis, who had lost his life (18 February 1948) in thecivil war few days before. Panidis played for PAOK since 1930 and had 122 appearances.[26] In 1950, they becamechampions of Macedonia for a third time, and the following year (1950–51), the team reached their secondGreek Cupfinal, but lost 4–0[27] toOlympiacos atLeoforos Alexandras Stadium.
During the summer transfer period of 1953Kouiroukidis, Petridis, Progios, Geroudis, Kemanidis, Chassiotis and Angelidis joined the team. The arrival of Lampis Kouiroukidis fromDoxa Drama was vital and alongside Lefteris Papadakis and Christophoros Yientzis, they formed a famous attacking trio.[28]
For four consecutive seasons (1954, 1955, 1956, 1957), PAOK won theMacedonia championship and participated in the Panhellenic Championship, finishing fourth each year. Yientzis was thetop scorer in1953–54 season and Kouiroukidis in1955–56 season.[29] Coached by Nikos Pangalos, PAOK won the 1954 and 1955 localMacedonia championship unbeaten. In 1955, PAOK participated in a thirdGreek Cupfinal and were defeated 2–0[30] byPanathinaikos atLeoforos Alexandras Stadium (home ground of Panathinaikos). Ιn 1956, under Hungarian coach Erman Hoffman they won their third consecutive unbeaten local championship.[31] The successful 4-year period ended with 1957 championship, coached by the AustrianWalter Pfeiffer.
Toumba Stadium and rise of Giorgos Koudas to prominence (1959–1969)
TheAristotle University of Thessaloniki purchased a two-acre piece of land in the area of Syntrivani Stadium in order to construct new schools. PAOK had to relocate and a 7.5 acres area, owned by theMinistry of National Defence atToumba district was chosen as the adequate location. The purchase cost was set at 1.5 milliondrachmas and was paid by PAOK administration in 20 six-month instalments of 75,000 drachmas each. On 7 February 1958, a committee ofIII Army Corps officers delivered the land to PAOK representatives.
There were still barracks on the premises, housing victims of theGreek Civil War and the1953 Ionian earthquake. Relocating all these people cost the club 70,000 drachmas. The total cost of the stadium's construction amounted to 6 million drachmas, with just 1.1 million coming from the General Secretariat of Sports as subvention. In spring of 1958 construction work started, based on the plans of architect Minas Trempelas and civil engineer Antonis Triglianos. In an attempt to collect the necessary funds, the club issued the "Lottery for the construction of PAOK New Stadium" in April 1958 at a cost of 20 drachmas each. Since 1956, the administration was withholding 15% of the gate income in order to fund the construction of the new stadium. Many PAOK fans, apart from money, also contributed to construction by volunteering to work as builders. The construction of the stadium was completed at a record time of one year.
The inauguration event was scheduled for Sunday 6 September 1959 with a friendly encounter against AEK Athens (PAOK prevailed 1–0 with a goal by Kostas Kiourtzis). Prime ministerKonstantinos Karamanlis's attendance was cancelled at the last minute. However, several ministers of his government were there for the occasion. As for the ball for the first kick-off, it fell at 17:30 off an airplane of Sedes Military Air Base. On inauguration day, 15,000 PAOK supporters packedToumba Stadium, as that was the stadium's capacity back then. It would increase to 20,000 seats in the following months until it reached a 45,000-seat capacity in the mid-'70s through extensive expansion work.
The attendance record remains at 45,252 tickets and was registered on 19 December 1976 in the goalless draw against AEK Athens. InEuropean football, the highest attendance was a 45,200 crowd in the 1–0[32][33] win againstBarcelona (UEFA Cup, 16 September 1975).[1][34][35]
In1959-60 Alpha Ethniki – the precursor of the currentSuper League – was set up as a national round-robin tournament and the 1959–60 championship was the first nationwide league competition. In the first decade of Greek Alpha Ethniki (1959–1969), PAOK had a top-half finish in every season except from the 10th-place finish in1961. The best outcome came out in1963 and1967 with a 4th-place finish. Notable players of this period wereLeandros Symeonidis,[36] Giannis Giakoumis, Giannis Nikolaidis, Toulis Mouratidis, Pavlos Papadopoulos,[37]Anestis Afentoulidis[38] and Giorgos Makris.[39]
Giorgos Koudas debut and start of the rivalry with Olympiacos
Giorgos Koudas[40][41][42] was born on 23 November 1946 inThessaloniki. Aged 12, he signed his first contract with PAOK and made his first team debut on 21 December 1963 in a 1–0 loss toEthnikos atLeoforos Alexandras Stadium. Koudas' talent immediately started to excel and in1965–66 season he made 29 appearances and scored 13 goals. On 14 July 1966, PAOK fans were shocked by the news of Koudas' descent toPiraeus, accompanied by his father (who was enraged with PAOK administration for financial reasons) and determined to sign forOlympiacos, who tempted him by offering a much higher annual salary without going into a negotiation with his club. PAOK presidentGiorgos Pantelakis[43] never gave his consent for the transfer to be completed and for the next two seasons, Koudas participated only in Olympiacos friendly games.Military junta's General Secretary of Sports Kostas Aslanidis suggested in 1968 that Koudas should return to PAOK for two years and then move to Olympiacos, but Pantelakis refused saying "I may go toGyaros island (place of exile for leftist political dissidents), but Koudas would never go to Olympiacos".[44] Eventually, Koudas returned to PAOK in the summer of 1968 and led the great team of the 1970s to glorious days. Fueled by this incident,Olympiacos–PAOK rivalry is considered nowadays the fiercest intercity football rivalry in Greece.
The first domestic title PAOK won, was theCup of1971–72 season. PAOK reached thefinal for the third straight year, sixth in total and it would be the fifth time traveling toAthens for the trophy match. This time PAOK faced league championsPanathinaikos (runners-up in1971 European Cup). The final was held at Karaiskakis Stadium on 5 July 1972. PAOK players had 10,000 fans on their side and they vowed that it was about time to return with the trophy toThessaloniki. PAOK won the game 2–1[57] withKoudas scoring both goals. In the second half, a magnificent bicycle kick ofMatzourakis found the net, but the goal was surprisingly disallowed by referee Michas. PAOK triumphed and their firstGreek Cup title was widely celebrated by fans in Thessaloniki.[58]
In1972–73 season, PAOK came close to winning their first championship title playing exceptional football under the guidance ofLes Shannon.[59][60] On 25 February 1973 (matchday 20), PAOK, who were leading the league table by three points (point system 3–2–1) from rivalsOlympiacos, suffered their first loss with 1–0[61] in a much disputedderby against Olympiacos at Karaiskakis Stadium. PAOK complained that referee Fakis was not taking the proper disciplinary action against Olympiacos players who committed violent fouls. Two players (Iosifidis and Aslanidis) were substituted in the first half after sustaining injuries. One week later, PAOK lost 1–0 toFostiras in Athens and Olympiacos drew 0–0 away toEgaleo, results that left the two teams level on points. On 22 April 1973 (matchday 28), PAOK suffered a 3–5[62][63][64] shock defeat againstPanachaiki atToumba Stadium and Olympiacos who drew 1–1 away toKavala, took the lead in the standings and with six wins in their remaining matches won the championship. At the end of the season, PAOK participated for fourth consecutive year in theGreek Cupfinal and lost 1–0[65] toOlympiacos at Karaiskakis Stadium (home ground of Olympiacos).
In the1975–76 PAOK FC season, withGyula Lóránt at the helm,[73] the team had two daily practices instead of one and physical condition of the players improved significantly. On 4 January 1976, PAOK won 4–0[74] away atOlympiacos (their biggest home defeat in their history). On 11 April, PAOK defeatedPanionios 4–0 and topped the table for first time that season, level on points withAEK who lost 0–1 toPanathinaikos. On matchday 25, AEK were defeated 1–0 byAris in Thessaloniki and PAOK, with a 3–0 away win overPanachaiki, were alone at the top of the league table. The league title would be decided in two consecutive high-profile encounters atToumba Stadium. PAOK prevailed 3–1 over Olympiacos and 1–0 over AEK withNeto Guerino scoring the winner in the 89th minute,[75][76] giving the Double-Headed Eagle of the North a four-point lead (point system 2–1–0). The league title was clinched on the following matchday, when AEK were held to a goalless draw atPanserraikos and PAOK defeated 3–1Iraklis atKaftanzoglio Stadium.[77]
In the1976–77 season, the team tried to defend the title and reached the last 16 of1976–77 European Cup where they were knocked out by a far superiorDynamo Kyiv side.[78] On 1 May 1977 (matchday 28), PAOK were leading the league table and lost 1–0[79] to AEK atNikos Goumas Stadium with a controversial first-half goal that was scored from a direct free kick while goalkeeper Milinis was still setting up the wall. Referee Tsoukaladelis credited the goal to AEK despite the heavy protests from PAOK players and also sent off PAOK midfielderDamanakis in the first half for dangerous play. In the second half, a headed goal scored bySarafis was wrongly ruled out for offside. PAOK fell from the top of the table. On 12 June (matchday 32), the team had a great chance againstPanathinaikos at a packedToumba Stadium to regain the lead (Panathinaikos were a point ahead). The game ended in a 0–0[80] stalemate, disappointing fans eager to win a back-to-back championship, while the team performance in the championship decider also did not meet expectations.[81][82] On 22 June, PAOK lost 2–1[83] to Panathinaikos in theGreek Cupfinal held atKaraiskakis Stadium. President Pantelakis was furious with referee Platopoulos who sent offGounaris in the 64th minute and ordered PAOK players to leave the awarding ceremony without receiving their medals.
In the1977–78 season, PAOK finished runners-up in the league, withKostas Orfanos finishing top scorer of the club in the league with 15 goals. The team's loss to AEK at theNea Filadelfeia Stadium at the end of the season sealed the title to the latter. The team also mounted a strong Cup run, beating Aris in the semi–finals on extra time, but lost 2–0[84] to AEK in theCupfinal held at Karaiskakis Stadium.
Compared to the previous three seasons, the1978–79 season was lackluster, with a 4th place and early eliminations in the domestic Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup to Olympiacos and Servette, respectively, under Polish managerEgon Piechaczek. However, the team mounted a near perfect home run in all competitions, having only wins, save for a draw against Iraklis in October. The team was also affected by the deadlyJune earthquake that plagued the city of Thessaloniki, with Toumba Stadium being unusable for a period of time.
Prior to the1979–80 season,football in Greece became fully professional and PAOK would become entangled in ownership controversies involving the club's ultras Gate 4 that would go on via various means for over two decades.
By March 1980, five teams were battling for the championship title. On 9 March 1980 (matchday 24), PAOK were leading the table and lost 0–2[85] torivals Panathinaikos atToumba Stadium. This was the first home defeat after a 62-game unbeaten run (52 wins/10 draws).[86]Kostikos scored two goals in the first half, but both of them were disallowed by referee Litsas. In the second half, Kostikos was brought down in the area byKovis, but Litsas denied the penalty and sent off PAOK defenderPellios who was protesting. In the final minutes of the game, PAOK had a chance to score from the penalty spot, but the fans shouted toOrfanos to send the ball wide. Orfanos made a really weak side foot-kick which was easily saved by goalkeeperKonstantinou. After the final whistle, all hell broke loose in and around the stadium with 23 police officers and 20 fans sustaining injuries.
In April, Piecharczek was sacked after a series of poor results and was replaced by Gyula Lóránt, who returned after his successful title charge four years earlier, but couldn't pull the team above an ultimately disappointing 5th place in the league table. Adding to the club's short term troubles, Toumba's Gate 8 collapsed in February due to the 1978 earthquake, which rendered the stadium unusable until early into the following season, with the team playing at Iraklis'Kaftanzoglio Stadium for that time period.
1980s: Professionalism, league title and financial troubles
On31 May 1981, PAOK managerGyula Lóránt had a heart attack in the 16th minute of the match against Olympiacos atToumba Stadium whenKoudas headed the ball wide from close range. Doctors attempted to resuscitate him, but he died before the ambulance arrived. At half-time PAOK players were told that he had been taken to hospital and were only told about his death after the game. PAOK eventually won the derby 1–0[87][88] with the goal by substituteVassilis Vasilakos (who had been sitting next to Lóránt when he collapsed). PAOK players wanted to dedicate aGreek Cup title to his memory, but the team lost 3–1[89] to Olympiacos in theGreek Cupfinal held atNikos Goumas Stadium on 21 June.
In the1981–82 season PAOK contested a domestic double, but ultimately fell short of both trophies, owing to a mediocre form in the last fixtures of the league, which condemned the team to a 3rd-place position, and a tense semi–final atLeoforos Alexandras against Panathinaikos, where the team conceded a late goal fromGrigoris Charalampidis, resulting in elimination. Moreover, the team engaged in a memorable tie against West German powerhouseEintracht Frankfurt inthat year's Cup Winners' Cup. After a 2–0 loss at theWaldstadion, anticipation for the return tie was massive. In front of a crowd of 35,000 (unofficial estimates range much higher), the team had a dominant display and managed to equal the 2–0 deficit, but failed to score the third goal prior to the penalty shootout. After up-and-comingChristos Dimopoulos's penalty was saved,Bruno Pezzey netted the winning penalty kick.
On29 June 1983, PAOK participated once again in theGreek Cupfinal which was held for first time at the newly builtOlympic Stadium of Athens. Captained for last time in a Greek Cup final byKoudas, the team lost 2–0[90] to AEK despite their superiority over the opponents that day. A first-half goal byGiorgos Kostikos was ruled out for offside.
PAOK also made a memorable appearance against German giantsBayern Munich in the second round of the1983–84 UEFA Cup, where they were knocked out on penalties (9–8) after two goalless draws.[91][92] Bayern's first penalty kick, taken byKlaus Augenthaler, was saved twice by PAOK goalkeeperMladen Furtula, but the English referee Arthur Robinson ordered the penalty to be retaken both times. Augenthaler admitted in a 2018 interview that the referee favored Bayern and that he felt uncomfortable when he was asked to take the penalty for a third time.[93][94] At the end of the season, Koudas and Furtula retired from professional football.
On 20 January 1985 (matchday 15), PAOK gained a five-point lead (point system 2–1–0) with a 1–0[102] away win overPanathinaikos at theOlympic Stadium of Athens. The crucial goal was scored by Paprica in the 80th minute with a diving header. On 9 June, PAOK clinched the league title with a goalless draw atNea Smyrni Stadium againstPanionios, as Panathinaikos were held to a 2–2 draw by bottom of the tablePierikos.[103] On 22 June, 10-man (Vasilakos was sent-off early in the first half) PAOK lost 4–1[104] toAEL in theGreek Cupfinal held at the Olympic Stadium of Athens and wasted the opportunity to win a first domestic Double. PAOK's top goalscorer that season,Christos Dimopoulos, did not participate as he left the team at Athens airport when they arrived from Thessaloniki for the game. He went to the headquarters ofMotor Oil (company of Panathinaikos presidentVardinogiannis) in order to seal his transfer to Panathinaikos as his five-year contract with PAOK was expiring.[105]
In the1987–88 season, PAOK were fighting for the title (along with AEL andAEK Athens) up to matchday 23, when they suffered a surprising 0–2 home defeat toIraklis. Earlier that season, on 6 December 1987, PAOK made a record 6–1[106][107] win overrivals Olympiacos atSerres Municipal Stadium (biggest defeat ofOlympiacos in Greek Alpha Ethniki/Superleague history). PAOK finished third in the league and qualified for1988–89 UEFA Cup where they facedNapoli ofMaradona,Careca andAlemão. The team fought vigorously, but lost 2–1 on aggregate.[108][109][110] Maradona, when asked onRAI TV, moments after the final whistle of the second leg atToumba Stadium, if he had ever played in such an atmosphere, said "I have played a lot of games, but I have never seen anything like this. We couldn't find any rhythm and I believe that it was difficult for the opponents too. It was a weird encounter".
In the1989–90 season, withMagdy Tolba[111] shining and youngsterGiorgos Toursounidis[112] rising, the team managed to reach the half-way stage of the competition topping the table (winter champions),[113] but good form deteriorated and PAOK finished third.
The1990–91 season started with PAOK facingSevilla in the first round of theUEFA Cup and they were knocked out on penalties after two goalless draws.[114][115] On 23 September 1990 (matchday 2), president Thomas Voulinos stormed the field in the 77th minute of thederby against Panathinaikos at theOlympic Stadium of Athens. Voulinos was furious with referee Karamanis and despite the fact that the scoreline was 3–0[116] and the winner was already determined, he ordered PAOK players to leave the pitch. After the game which was eventually abandoned, he said "We felt like sheep that were heading to be butchered and that was unacceptable". PAOK were later penalised with a three-point deduction and had to play five home games behind closed doors. The two teams met again in theGreek Cup semi-finals and in the 57th minute of the second leg atToumba Stadium, Voulinos once again entered the pitch angry at decisions by referee Vasilakis.[117] Panathinaikos won 2–1 on aggregate.In1991–92 season, under Croatian managerMiroslav Blažević, PAOK qualified against the then strongKV Mechelen (winners in1988, semi-finalists in1989 Cup Winners' Cup / quarter-finalists in1990 European Cup) in the first round of1991–92 UEFA Cup, 2–1 on aggregate.[118]Stefanos Borbokis scored the winner in the 85th minute of the second leg atAchter de Kazerne Stadium.[119] Blazevic was replaced byGounaris later and the team lost in the two-leggedGreek Cupfinal toOlympiacos, 3–1 on aggregate.[120] On 24 May 1992 (matchday 32), PAOK lost 1–2[121] to Olympiacos atToumba Stadium and suffered their first home defeat againstrivals Olympiacos after a 24-game unbeaten run (21 wins/3 draws – 21 league matches/3 cup matches – goals 52/12) which lasted for 23 years.[122] It is rumoured that after this shock defeat, the renowned PAOKultras leader Thomas Mavromichalis[123][124] (nicknamed Makis Manavis, i.e.,greengrocer due to his profession – PAOK ultras refer to him as «The General») decided to never set foot again at Toumba Stadium.
On 1 October 1992, the PAOK v.Paris Saint–Germain[125][126]UEFA Cup match was abandoned due to crowd violence. PAOK were punished with a two-year ban from all European competitions by UEFA's disciplinary committee. The sentence was later reduced to one year. In the1994–95 season, under Dutch managerArie Haan,[127] PAOK finished third in the league andApollon Athens took their place in the next season's UEFA Cup.
The1995–96 season was the worst in the club's history. PAOK were seriously threatened with a possible relegation for first time in their history. The team managed to avoid relegation a few weeks before the end of the season, finishing in a record low 14th place, with various demonstrations and riots against Voulinos throughout the season, including an arson attack on his house after a 1–3 loss to AEK in November 1995. However, the team mounted a consistent Cup run, being eliminated in the semi–finals byApollon Athens.
On9 February 1998, PAOK playerPanagiotis Katsouris, aged 21, was returning from an amateur5x5 match, when his car skidded off the road due to excessive speed, hitting the barriers at theThermiinterchange outside Thessaloniki. His death was verified inAHEPA Hospital shortly afterwards. He was buried on 12 February in the Anastaseos Cemetery in Thessaloniki. A bust was erected in his memory atToumba Stadium and memorial services are held each year near the accident scene. In February 2009, PAOK announced that a football tournament, bearing his name, would be held annually. Katsouris'No 17 jersey was permanently retired by the club in his memory.[137][138][139]
Early on 4 October 1999, in a bus accident in theVale of Tempe,Thessaly, six PAOK fans were killed (Kyriakos Lazaridis, Christina Tziova, Anastasios Themelis, Charalampos Zapounidis, Georgios Ganatsios, Dimitris Andreadakis). The bus was heading back toThessaloniki after a 1–1[140] draw againstPanathinaikos at theOlympic Stadium of Athens. A ceremony in commemoration of the incident has taken place every year since.[141][142][143]
The2003–04 season was an unexpected success. Batatoudis was no longer the major shareholder[151] and under coach Anastasiadis, PAOK managed to finish third in the league and reached the third qualifying round of2004–05 UEFA Champions League, where they facedMaccabi Tel Aviv. The first leg at Toumba Stadium ended 1–2,[152] but it was later awarded 0–3[153] against PAOK for fielding a suspended player -Liasos Louka, a Cypriot player still serving a two-match ban inUEFA competitions (for his sending-off in aUEFA Intertoto Cup tie while playing forNea Salamis on 8 July 2000) had played. Eventually, the team failed to qualify for thegroup stage.[154]
In late May 2006, the club's poor financial position started to emerge; players declared they had been unpaid for months. A shocking decision byUEFA to ban the club from the upcomingUEFA Cup[156] brought the club close to dissolution. The organized supporters' groups launched an all-out war against president Giannis Goumenos during the summer of 2006,[157] even occupying the club's offices in Toumba stadium for a handful of days.[158] The situation was worsening for Goumenos after various negotiations with possible investors failed,[159] constant allegations of embezzlement emerged,[160] and especially after his decision to sell star playerDimitris Salpingidis toPanathinaikos.[161]
On 13 November 2006, Goumenos resigned from PAOK presidency[162] leaving huge debts behind (during the three-year period of Goumenos' ownership, the club's debts rose from about €10 million to around €30 million → €10 million were the primary debt obligations plus €20 million from additional taxes, fines and surcharges)[163][164][165] and few weeks later, Nikos Vezyrtzis–Apostolos Oikonomidis duo (formerPAOK BC presidents) assumed temporary management of the club.[166]
Zagorakis – Vryzas management with massive fans' support (2007–2012)
In June 2007, former player and captainTheodoros Zagorakis[167] assumed the presidency of the club, replacing the Nikos Vezyrtzis and Apostolos Oikonomidis administration and thus ushered a new era, in an effort to bring the club back to successes.[168][169]
In2007–08 PAOK FC season, the early replacement ofGeorgios Paraschos by the well-known established managerFernando Santos[170] did little to prevent a ninth-place finish in the league.[171] On 6 January 2008,Zisis Vryzas ended his football career coming on as a substitute in the game againstAEL and immediately started his tenure as PAOK sports director.[172][173]
The club's finances gradually improved thanks to new sponsorship deals and the continuing support from fans (the number of season tickets was vastly increased[174]). In June 2008,Theodoros Zagorakis announced the club's intention of building a newPAOK FC Sport Center[175] in theNea Mesimvriaurban area ofThessaloniki, owned by the club.[176] The administration had already acquired land from the municipality ofAgios Athanasios and the project would be executed by former president Vasilis Sergiannidis'[177] construction company.[178][179]
In the summer of 2008, the club brought in promising wingerVieirinha and widely known internationalsPablo Contreras,Zlatan Muslimović andPablo García.[180][181] In the winter transfer window that followed,Olivier Sorlin andLino joined the team.[182][183] The end of the2008–09 PAOK FC found PAOK in second place, eight points behind champions Olympiacos. However, the team lost in the Super League playoffs (pos. 2–5) to Panathinaikos and finished in fourth place.[184]
In the2009–10 PAOK FC season, PAOK fought for the title up to matchday 26 (Panathinaikos were two points ahead), when they lost 2–0[185] againstlocal rivals Aris atKleanthis Vikelidis Stadium. The club complained about referee Spathas; after the final whistle, Zagorakis went to the dressing room and apologized to PAOK players for not being able to protect them against poor refereeing.[186] PAOK went on to win the league playoffs (pos. 2–5) and qualified for2010–11 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, but the success was swiftly followed byFernando Santos' announcement of his decision to depart, having concluded his three-year contract as head coach.[187][188] It was eventually decided in mid-June thatMario Beretta would be his successor.[189]
On 10 August 2012,Ivan Savvidis[2][208][209] acquired PAOK ownership by depositing a fee of €9,951,000 and thus becoming the major shareholder of the club.[210][211]
In March 2015, Law N° 4321/2015 on regulations for kickstarting the economy was adopted by the Greek government and stated that a total repayment of a company's primary debt obligations would lead to the deletion of all additional taxes, fines and surcharges.[217] On 12 May 2015, PAOK ownerIvan Savvidis paid the total amount of the club's debts towards Greek public authorities, a fee of €10,886,811.[218][219][220] On 27 May, PAOK hiredFrank Arnesen as their new sports director.[221] On 18 June,Igor Tudor was hired as the new manager of the club, signing a three-year contract.[222] On 2 September, PAOK announced the signing ofDimitar Berbatov on a one-year deal.[223][224] Playing a3–5–2 formation, the team progressed through three qualifying rounds to reach theUEFA Europa League group stage and on 10 December, PAOK made a surprising 1–0[225] away win overBorussia Dortmund atSignal Iduna Park. Tudor was replaced in March 2016 by youth-team coachVladimir Ivić[226] and the team won the Super League playoffs (pos. 2–5) and qualified for the2016–17 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.
PAOK won the2016–17 Greek Cup[227] beatingAEK 2–1[228] in thefinal held atPanthessaliko Stadium with a controversial goal scored byPedro Henrique in the 81st minute. Linesman Kalfoglou failed to indicate that the scorer was in an offside position. In the same phase of play, moments beforeLeovac made the cross to Henrique,Crespo was brought down in the area bySimoes, but PAOK were denied a penalty by referee Kominis.[229] The final was marred by crowd violence before the kick-off.[230] In the Super League playoffs (pos. 2–5) that followed, a game against Panathinaikos atLeoforos Alexandras Stadium was abandoned (scoreline 1–0 at the time) when Ivić was struck on his head by a beer can that was thrown from the crowd.[231][232] The Serbian coach was taken to a public hospital and the match was interrupted by referee Kominis in the 54th minute. Panathinaikos representatives claimed that Ivić exaggerated the impact of the injury and could continue.[233][234] The game was awarded 0–3 to PAOK by court decision. AEK went on to win the playoffs and PAOK finished 4th. After the end of the season, Ivić did not renew his contract[235] and the club appointedAleksandar Stanojević whose tenure as PAOK manager did not last long. On 11 August 2017, he was replaced byRăzvan Lucescu.[236]
On 25 February2018 (and while PAOK were leading the league table being 2pts ahead of AEK),PAOK–Olympiacos derby was suspended before kick-off when Olympiacos managerÓscar García Junyent was hit by an object thrown from the crowd (reportedly by an unfolding cash register paper roll). Óscar García received medical attention before being taken to a private general hospital (Interbalkan Medical Center). The private clinic where García was taken issued a statement about five hours after the coach was admitted, saying that due to his medical condition (sensitivity in the jaw, neck pain, dizziness and nausea) García had to stay at the hospital overnight and PAOK vs Olympiacos game never started.[237][238] Olympiacos communications chief Karapapas stated that he expected a huge apology from PAOK for the incident and that their rivals should become more civilized if they want to develop into a big club. He also claimed that the object that fell onto García was a sealed cash register paper roll, which can be as heavy as a stone and when thrown from a certain height and distance with a certain force can be a very powerful blow.[239] PAOK representatives claimed that the whole incident was a certain tactic from Olympiacos, which eventually did not work out because there was no injury sustained.[240][241][242][243][244][245][246] Medical report of the official doctor of the match, approved by the Greek Football Federation (EPO), stated that García was not seriously injured and could return on the bench, but Olympiacos questioned doctor's credibility because he was a PAOK employee, working in PAOK youth academy.[247] Referee Aretopoulos (who had many controversial moments in his career[248][249]) submitted two match reports to describe why the game was abandoned (an initial report[250] at Toumba Stadium and a supplementary report[251] few days later that was demanded by first-instance court judge).Olympiacos were later awarded a 0–3 win by court decision.
On 11 March2018, during a championship deciderderby against AEK (timeline of events before the game: 24 Feb: PAOK 52pts/AEK 50pts, 25 Feb: PAOK–Olympiacos suspended before kick-off, 26 Feb: Atromitos–AEK 1–1 and PAOK 52pts/AEK 51pts, 4 Mar: Asteras Tripoli–PAOK 3–2, AEK–Panionios 1–0 and AEK 54pts/PAOK 52pts, 5 Mar: first-instance court sentence: PAOK deducted 3pts, game awarded 0–3 to Olympiacos, 2 home games behind closed doors and AEK 54pts/PAOK 49pts, 10 Mar: court of appeal sentence: 3pts returned to PAOK, game awarded 0–3 to Olympiacos, closed doors penalty suspended and AEK 54pts/PAOK 52pts), the president of the team,Ivan Savvidis, stormed onto the pitch when referee Georgios Kominis disallowed a 90th-minute goal scored byFernando Varela with a header.[252] The goal was initially credited to PAOK by both the referee who pointed the center spot and the linesman who never raised his flag and ran towards the center. About 10–15 seconds later and while PAOK players were celebrating, linesman Pontikis was approached by AEK players who were protesting and approximately 3 minutes after the goal was scored, they altered their decision. The goal was ruled out for offside (according to referee Kominis,Maurício influenced play). Savvidis entered the pitch with few members of his personal guard andĽuboš Micheľ (former UEFA Elite referee).[253] At first, he ordered his team to leave the pitch, but his request was denied by PAOK captainVieirinha. Afterwards they went close to the referee, where Micheľ expressed his complaints about the decision. Leaving the pitch 1 minute after his entry, a tension was built between Savvidis and members of AEK bench and moments later Savvidis took off his jacket and a gun appeared attached to his belt.[254] The referee suspended the game and sent the two teams to the dressing rooms. Savvidis tried to enter into the referees' dressing room, but he was denied entrance by security and few minutes later he left the stadium.[255] Kominis' intention was the game to be continued after 1 hour (and blew his whistle outside the dressing rooms calling the two teams[256]), but AEK general managerVasilis Dimitriadis approached him and claimed (as can be heard in audio[257]) that the players of AEK were terrified from the incident and could not continue as he felt that their safety was at risk. PAOK vice-president Chrisostomos Gagatsis is heard trying to persuade Dimitriadis to order AEK players to return on the pitch. Soon after, the game was abandoned.
Alexandros Paschalakis
The incident caused the league to be suspended by the Greek government.[258] AEK managerManolo Jiménez giving his side of the story, confirmed that Kominis wanted the game to be concluded, but AEK president told them not to play.[259] He also said about a year later, that AEK players and himself realized that Savvidis was actually carrying a gun on his belt when they received photos on their cellphones and not while they were on the pitch.[260] AEK midfielderPanagiotis Kone in an interview after the game also confirmed that Kominis told them to go out and play for the remaining 5 minutes, but he did not inform AEK players as to whether he would award or overturn PAOK goal when asked in the dressing rooms. He replied that they would be informed outside on the pitch.[261] Of course, both Jiménez and Kone condemned Savvidis' actions and held him responsible for the interruption. PAOK goalkeeperAlexandros Paschalakis stated that it was clearly a legitimate goal scored by Varela, because Maurício was behind the goalkeeper and did not influence play. He also said that Savvidis' invasion of the pitch wasn't proper.[262] On his official match report, referee Kominis wrote down that when the match was interrupted the scoreline was 1–0 and that he decided to award the goal.[263] Kominis received a summons to appear at the court hearing, but he sent a letter instead, explaining that he could not show up for personal reasons.[264] He also received a legal document with 3 questions from first-instance court judge and gave a definite answer in one of them and a vague response in the other two.[265] Ivan Savvidis apologised for his behaviour two days after the game[266] and he was later banned from all football stadiums for three years. PAOK were sentenced with a 3pt deduction (and 2pts from next season's championship) andAEK were awarded a 0–3 win by court decision.[267] The 6-point swing was a major blow to PAOK's title hopes and the club was unable to secure the title as AEK were crowned champions with three match-days to go.
2018–19 season was the best in club's history.[6] During the2018–19 Super League Greece, the major derbies, after decades in Greek football history, were refereed by foreign referees.
On 21 April, PAOK beatLevadiakos 5–0 and clinched the league title, hosting a memorable celebration.[274][275][276] On 5 May, PAOK earned their 26th win in 30 games to complete an undefeated season (26–4–0 record).[277] This is arguably the best performance in Greek football history, the previous held byPanathinaikos, who won the1963–64 Alpha Ethniki title undefeated, but with a 24–6–0 record.[278][279] PAOK were also the onlyunbeaten European football club in the national championships held across Europe during the 2018–2019 season.[280]
2022–23Greek Cup final disappointment and early European exit
The2022–23 season started with an early elimination in the UECL 2nd Qualifying Round toLevski Sofia and a slow start in the league, being 5th at the end of October. However, the team resurged and entered the play–offs as title contenders, but, in a repeat of the previous season, failed to live up to expectations and finished 4th, 16 points below the top. The team's cup run was stopped at thefinal against AEK Athens, behind closed doors at thePanthessaliko Stadium, losing 2–0 even though AEK Athens received an early red card in the game.
2023–24 Greek Championship and UEFA Conference League quarter-finalists
The 2023–24 season started with new signings in the summer window, such asKiril Despodov. The team managed to suffice in the qualifying rounds of the Conference League, tightly beatingBeitar Jerusalem and toppingHNK Hajduk Split andHearts in the 2nd, 3rd and play–off qualifying rounds respectively. In the group stage, the team defeatedHJK before scoring a memorable home victory at an atmospheric Toumba Stadium against2022 Europa League winnersEintracht Frankfurt 2–1 on injury time, a feat which the club would repeat againstAberdeen inPittodrie, followed by a draw against Aberdeen at home.
In March, PAOK playedDinamo Zagreb at theMaksimir Stadium for the competition's round of 16, suffering a 2–0 defeat. However, in the return leg, PAOK managed an impressive 5–1 comeback, qualifying to the quarterfinals with a score of 5–3 on aggregate. The2023–24 UEFA Conference League run ended in the quarter-finals where PAOK played againstClub Brugge. In the first leg, PAOK lost 1–0. They didn't manage to make up for the loss in the second leg, where PAOK lost 0–2.
The first emblem ofPAOK depicted a four-leaf clover and a horseshoe. The leaves were green and above them were the initials of the word "PAOK". Kostas Koemtzopoulos, one of PAOK's founding members, came up with this idea, inspired by his favourite brand of cigarettes.[291]
On 20 March 1929, Enosis Konstantinoupoliton Thessalonikis (A.E.K.) was dissolved and absorbed by PAOK and a mournful version of thedouble-headed eagle with the wings closed instead of stretched, indicating the grief for thelost homelands, was adopted as the club's new emblem.[292]
On 11 June 2013, under the presidency ofIvan Savvidis, a golden outline was added to the crest, as a symbol of the club'sByzantine heritage.[293][294]
During the 2018–19 season, the first emblem was used on the third kit.
The club's colours have always been black and white, black for the sorrow related to countless thousands ofGreek refugees who were forced to leave the land their ancestors had been living in for centuries (Asia Minor,Eastern Thrace,Pontus,Caucasus) and white for the hope of a new beginning that came with settling in a new home.[295] PAOK's traditional kit features a black and white vertical striped shirt, combined with black or white shorts and socks. Various types of shirts were used throughout the club's history and the most common alternatives were those with thinner or wider stripes, the all-black one and the all-white one.[296][297][298] Over the years, several other colours were used on the3rd kit, such as grey, silver, blue, purple, orange and red.[299]
The current kit manufacturer isMacron, a collaboration that started in July 2015 and was renewed twice until 2027.[300][301][302]Stoiximan, a Greekonline gambling company, is the shirt sponsor since June 2017, with the sponsorship deal extended twice and set to last until 2025.[303]
PAOK's current home ground isToumba Stadium, which was built in 1959. During the years, this artifact of modern architecture has been used as an owned country house by fellow citizens of Thessaloniki, commemorating the actual roots of this great club.[1][34][35]
PAOK administration have already presented to the Greek public authorities an architecture study of a new atToumba Stadium. TheGreek Council of State (CoS), the country's supreme court, in April 2022 approved a proposal to set up the complete redevelopment of Toumba Stadium, with the CoS deeming legal a draft Presidential Decree concerning the approval of a Special Urban Plan for the district ofToumba, where the venue is located. On 21 June 2022, PAOK has formalized the beginning of a collaboration with a team consisting of domestic engineering and consulting firm SALFO and global architectural design companyPopulous to deliver the project.[313][314] It is estimated that PAOK will be granted a building permit in 2023 and the new stadium will be completed by 2026 and will have a capacity of 41,926 spectators.[315] PAOK would probably move toKaftanzoglio Stadium until the new Stadium is built.
NewToumba Stadium project plans present some significant changes to the original stadium, notably a giant roof covering the entire stadium which counters a common criticism of the current ground regarding exposure to weather and elements outside of Gates 1 and 2. The existing stands would be demolished and reconstructed, moving closer to the pitch and eliminating the distance from the former running track.However, as of early 2024, the project has been in a continuous stalemate.
On 19 January 2024, a blessing of the land where the club's new training center will be built took place. The newly acquired plot of land is located on the 8th road of theTagarades farmland in thecommunity of theThermi municipality.[317]
PAOK FC is the most widely supported football club inNorthern Greece[318] and with the 3rd largest fanbase in the country, according to the latest polls and researches.[319][320][321][322][323]
PAOK's traditional fanbase comes from the city ofThessaloniki, where the club is based, as well as from the rest ofMacedonia region and Northern Greece. They also have fans all over the country and in theGreek Diaspora (Germany, Australia, USA, etc.). Research byMarca in August 2018 reported that PAOK are the most popular Greek football team onsocial media.[324][325][326]
Toumba Stadium is infamous for its hostile atmosphere, a factor that led to the attribution of the Stadium as "The Black Hell".[327][328] On high-profile encounters, when the players walk out of the tunnel, the songHells Bells byAC/DC is heard from the stadium's speakers.[329] The notorious Gate 4 is home to many PAOK organized supporters' groups from around the globe, with the homonymousGate 4 fan club which was founded in April 1976, being the most familiar everywhere.[330][331] The supporters' group fromNeapoli district of Thessaloniki that was founded in 1963 is the oldest one.[332] One of the biggest banners in the world was created by PAOK's fan club inMichaniona.[333]
No 12 jersey is dedicated to the fans, the symbolic 12th man on the pitch. It was permanently retired by the club on 16 August 2000.[334][335]
3,000PAOK fans descended to theOlympic Stadium of Athens for the game againstPanathinaikos on 3 October 1999. A few hours later, on its way back toThessaloniki, the double-decker bus of theKordelio fan club collided with a truck and fell into a ditch in theVale of Tempe,Thessaly. The aftermath of the bus crash was devastating. SixPAOK fans lost their lives (Kyriakos Lazaridis,Christina Tziova,Anastasios Themelis,Charalampos Zapounidis,Georgios Ganatsios,Dimitris Andreadakis) and many others were injured. Aroadside memorial was erected at the site of the crash bearing the following inscription: "Their love for PAOK brought them here, left them here and went beyond".[141][142]
PAOK fans maintain a strong friendship with the supporters of Serbian clubPartizan, theGrobari. On many occasions, fans from both clubs traveled to watch each other's games.[336][337][338]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^Labros Arnaoutoglou (11 March 2016)."90 χρόνια ΠΑΟΚ! 90 χρόνια προπονητές!" [90 years of PAOK, all PAOK FC managers].paokvoice.com (in Greek). Retrieved14 July 2017.
^"Ο άγνωστος Ραϊμόν Ετιέν..." [The unknown first foreign player of PAOK Raymond Ettienne].paokmania.gr (in Greek). 7 December 2015. Retrieved24 July 2019.
^Giannis Georgopoulos, Thanos Sarris (28 August 2015)."Άνταμς: "Δεν ξεχνώ την Τούμπα"" [Adams: "I can't forget Toumba Stadium"].gazzetta.gr (in Greek). Retrieved24 July 2019.
^Eleni Mpountou (29 May 2019)."Η υπόκλιση Σίμαν στη Τούμπα" [Seaman praised Toumba atmosphere].sdna.gr (in Greek). Retrieved20 March 2020.
^Antonis Repanas (19 May 2003)."Πήρε το Κύπελλο στο σπίτι του..." [They won the Cup on their home ground].tanea.gr (in Greek). Retrieved8 October 2019.
^Dimos Mpouloukos (16 April 2012)."Παιχνίδια στην πλάτη του ΠΑΟΚ..." [Transfers of shares against PAOK interest].gazzetta.gr (in Greek). Retrieved26 September 2019.
^"Κατάληψη στην Τούμπα" [PAOK's headquarters at Toumba occupied].sport-fm.gr (in Greek). 5 May 2006. Retrieved4 October 2019.
^"Ο κύκλος των χαμένων επενδυτών" [The unsuccessful negotiations with potential new investors].tovima.gr (in Greek). 19 November 2006. Retrieved17 July 2019.
^Kostas Petrotos (25 March 2015)."Φάκελος: Χρέη του ΠΑΟΚ" [Case file: PAOK's debts].sport24.gr (in Greek). Retrieved7 April 2020.
^Paris Tselepidis (30 November 2006)."Προσωρινή διοίκηση πρωτοδικείου στην ΠΑΕ ΠΑΟΚ" [New temporary PAOK administration ordered by first instance court].sport24.gr (in Greek). Archived fromthe original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved17 July 2019.
^Stergios Anastasiadis (28 July 2015)."Η τελευταία ανάσα του Βλάνταν" [Vladan's last breath before being substituted].paok24.com (in Greek). Retrieved24 July 2019.
^Alberto Bravo (6 November 2019)."La noche más aciaga de Óscar García" [Óscar García's darkest night].eldesmarque.com (in Spanish). Retrieved3 November 2020.
^"Ιστορία".acpaok.gr (in Greek). Retrieved24 July 2019.
^Chrisanthos Dovletoglou (11 June 2013)."Το νέο λογότυπο του ΠΑΟΚ" [PAOK's new logo].contra.gr (in Greek). Archived fromthe original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved22 June 2017.
^Kostas Pallis (6 February 2016)."Η ιστορία του σήματος του ΠΑΟΚ" [PAOK logo history].oldfootball.gr (in Greek). Archived fromthe original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved14 October 2019.
^Michalis Koutsogiannis (16 August 2019)."Όταν αποσύρθηκε η φανέλα "12"" [When No 12 jersey was retired].inpaok.com (in Greek). Retrieved13 October 2019.
^Stavros Sountoulidis (8 October 2016)."Ίδιο χρώμα, ίδια θρησκεία, ίδιο αίμα!" [Same colour, same religion, same blood!].gazzetta.gr (in Greek). Retrieved24 April 2020.
^Vasilis Sambrakos (14 May 2014)."Μία Πολίτικη ιστορία" [A Besiktas fan article on Constantinople's football history].gazzetta.gr (in Greek).
^Manolis Sarris (10 October 2011)."Κάπως έτσι ξεκίνησε η φιλία ΟΦΗ–ΠΑΟΚ" [How OFI–PAOK friendship started].gentikoule.gr (in Greek). Retrieved11 October 2019.
^Chrisanthos Dovletoglou (28 September 2013)."ΠΑΟΚ–ΟΦΗ, μία αληθινή φιλία" [A true friendship].contra.gr (in Greek). Retrieved11 October 2019.
^Dimitris Moros (8 November 2013)."Αυτή η βεντέτα δε θα σβήσει ποτέ" [This vendetta would never fade away].tanea.gr (in Greek). Retrieved4 January 2021.
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