Club Overview

I shall tell you of a myth that I learned as a child. In 1914 Zeus discovered that he was missing a …god! From the mountaintop, where he sat in his throne, there was a god missing: Aris (the Greek name for Mars, the god of war). He soon realized that ARIS preferred Thessaloniki, Votsi district in particular, where he has lived ever since. This might as well be the beginning of the history of our most glorious football club in 1914.

It’s been 86 years since and ARIS walks towards his 87th birthday. He is still in his prime, full of dreams for the bright future that will surpass his glorious past. In 1914, just a year after the liberation of Salonika, the city had only one Greek team: Hercules (Iraklis). But Hercules was only a demigod and the city of Salonika needed a GOD.

Club History

The leading star of Thessaloniki and untamed in the rest of Greece, ARIS shone in all athletic activities just after the end of World War I. In water sports, in basketball and in track and field ARIS was synonymous to being first, to being the Champion. The local championships he won were countless. Beginning in 1923, when he won his first title, until 1959, when local tournaments ceased, ARIS rarely finished second or third. Only the title of champion was fit for him.

13 years had passed since his foundation when the golden era of his long history came. This was during 1927-28: he won the first official Championship of Greece. It was unfortunate that due to disagreements with the organizing body (EPO, which subsequently wrote them off) Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK did not take part in this championship. Instead they founded what became known as CFA (Center Football Association), an institution that the teams from Salonika and rural Greece paid for dearly. Three teams participated in the first official Greek championship: ARIS, Atromitos from Athens and Ethnikos from Piraeus. ARIS won both matches against Atromitos [1-3 in Athens on 24.5.1928 and again in Thessaloniki on Iraklis’ stadium on the 17.6.1928]. He won against Ethnikos at home with the same score and lost against him away 3-2 in Piraeus, in a stadium known as the Cycling Ring. Amassing 6 points and starring footballers Katranzos, Papas, Lontaridis, Zare, Aggelakis, Ioannidis, Katsaounis, K. Vikelidis, Yiakoumis, Nakopoulos and Oplopios, ARIS was crowned Champion, the first Champion in Greek football history. This success send convulsions of joy and awe across his many supporters in Thessaloniki and other towns and villages and affirmed ARIS as a major football club in the conscience of sports fans across the nation.

During 1931-32 ARIS shone brighter then ever before, and no one could doubt his greatness or power. It is during this period that ARIS became, for the first time, truly dominant in the football circuit of Greece. He became Champion of Greece for the second time and thus begun the period of his reign. This second pan-Hellenic Championship included the teams of CFA (Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK), but they are no matches for the “God of War”. Friends and foes bowed in front of him and nothing seemed to be able to halt his frenzied course. He managed to amass 22 points: 9 victories in 14 matches, 4 draws and only one loss. He sat on the Champions’ throne leaving Panathinaikos to the second place.

1917 to 1932 is a 6-year “golden era” when most of the footballers that were the diamonds in “king ARIS”’ crown signed on the team. Let us take a brief moment to remember these titans of football: N. Katrantzos, D. Oplopios, Giakoumis, K. Vikelidis, Katsaounis, Leondaridis, Zarres, Aggelakis, Bogdanou, Ioannidis, Gikopoulos, Kosmatopoulos, Koloniaris, Kaltekis, Koublis, Oikonomou, N. Vikelidis, Kitsos, Argiriadis, Akritidis and Danelian. It was at this time that ARIS was first called “Yellow Tornado”.

Following this “golden era” there was a brief droop, which ARIS overcame, as is testified by his numerous victories in Greece and abroad. Having won numerous local Championships (1923-24, 1925-26, 1929-30, 1931-32) and two National Championships, he substantially increased his supporters and begun to interest football circles from abroad. In Greece, the great composer Emilios Riadis, sworn supporter of ARIS, composed the Hymn of the “Yellow Tornado”, sung by countless of ARIS’ supporters. It was truly a great honor for ARIS from Macedonia and for his homeland, Thessaloniki.

Before World War II local championships suffered a lot of breaks, especially in festive seasons. The clubs that belonged to CFA used to organize friendly tournaments, in particular during Easter holidays. The powerful ARIS used to take part in these tournaments, as he was beloved by sports fans in Attica. According to stories told about the era, he won most of these tournaments. It is also recorded that in a tournament held in 1934-35, under the auspices of the Presidency of Greek Democracy, the Champion of inland Europe, Nicholson from Austria, was also invited and she was beaten by ARIS, who went on and won the trophy. The Austrians requested a replay match to be held in Thessaloniki, which they also lost with the same score 2-1.

Club Rivalries

PAOK became ARIS’ biggest opponent and from thereon until now the clashes between these two popular and historic teams are considered a unique event for the city and its sports fans.

Stars of the Current Squad

Club Legends

ARIS Salonica (1914)

1. Aggelou John 2. Agorastos Lazaros 3. Vlachopoulos Gregory 4. Vlachopoulos Lazaros 5. Gotzamanis Petros 6. Dimou 7. Zegas Aggelos 8. Theodoridis Theodore 9. Ioannidis Dimitris 10. Karagiannidis Tilemachos 11. Kotrotsis Dimitris 12. Kreis Peter 13. Kidonakis Minos 14. Kostidis Lazaros 15. Labrou George 16. Nakopoulos John 17. Papageorgiou Thanasis 18. Pliatsikas John 19. Rossiadis Rousos 20. Salousto Carl 21. Tsiatsiapas Tasos 22. Kotsanos Prodromos

Most Appearances

Most Goals

Player Recognition & Awards

Team Honours

Club Management

Uniforms

Stadium

Sponsors

Important Links

http://www.arisfc.gr

References