Apollon Kalamarias F.C.

Apollon Kalamarias (Greek: Απόλλων Καλαμαριάς) is a Greek association football club based in the district of Kalamaria, in southeast Thessaloniki, Greece.

The club will compete in Beta Ethniki for the 2008-2009 season.

The team is planning to build a new modern stadium (15,000 seats) in 2008.

History
When thousands of Pontic Greek refugees settled in and around Thessaloniki after the Greco-Turkish War and the subsequent population exchange, a group of them formed a musical club to continue their local traditions.The club's first emblem was the image of ancient Olympian god Apollo, Greek God of music and poetry.

Growing in popularity amongst the inhabitants of Kalamaria, the club soon expanded with a theatrical department, and later, a sports department. It was around this time the club colours were chosen - red, and black. The football club was formed in January, 1926.

The team had been in and out of Greek first division until international businessman and former owner of Kalamata FC, Stavros Papadopoulos, bought the team in 2001. Papadopoulos invested money into the team and brought in many young players from Brazil, and the team gained promotion to the Greek first division within two years. Papadopoulos has relinquished the running of the team since 2004.

The 'birth» of 'Apollon» in Kalamaria area
In January 1926 Apollon Kalamarias 'was born». Hunger, poverty The emigrants tried to avoid all these things. Some of them, habitants of Kalamaria, had the idea to establish a music association. Firstly, the members of association were practising mandolin and guitar. After a while, their fame began to grow and they took, also, part in events. Emblem of association was, of course, the god of music, Apollo. After a short period, they created theatrical - artistic department as well as athletic departments.

The colours of Apollon
Red symbolizes the blood of thousands of emigrants who lost their life in Pontus. The black colour symbolizes the mourning, the violent expatriation, the homelands and the persons who were lost. From the starting of establishment, as official athletic costume of Apollon became the "black and red".

The first Board of Directors of Apollon Kalamarias (January 1926)
President: Emmanuel Magiopoulos (oil painter), Vice - President: Konstantinos Theodoridis (Professor), General Secretary: Georgios Argyrakos (Civil servant), Cashier: Plouton Agathopoulos (Coffee housekeeper), Members of Administrative Council: Theodoros Manos: (Juridical), Charalampos Odontopoulos (Businessman), Konstantinos Savvaidis (Businessman).

In April 1926, with decision of Thessaloniki's Court of first instance, the Association of Apollon Kalamarias was recognized as Educative - Gymnastic and started to use its own seal. Its fame became bigger in 1927. The result of this was that all the persons wanted to play and to practise the football in Apollon Kalamarias. That year, the team participated, for the first time, in Thessaloniki's Championship.

The emblem of Apollon Kalamarias
"Musical - educative association Apollon Kalamarias" means, first of all, emigrants, violent expatriation and hope for the return at the Unforgettable countries. Also, means art, culture, mental and intellectual culture. So, the most suitable emblem for the association was the god Apollo and his polite and angelic look.

First match in the A National Division: On 25th of October 1959 has realised the first match of Apollon Kalamarias in the A National Division. Our opponent was Proodeftiki and the game took place in "Karaiskaki" Stadium. The result was 1-0.

First home match
On 1st of November 1959 was happened the first inside match of Apollon Kalamarias in the First National Division ("Charilaou" Stadium). The opponent of our team was Ethnikos and the result was 2-2. Chrysanidis was the footballer of Apollon Kalamarias who scored on the 53. It was the first goal of our team in the First National Division.

The first day of May 1960 Kyprianidis scored three times for Apollon Kalamarias. It was the first time that a football player of our team scored three goals in one match. Our opponent was Megas Alexandros Katerinis ("Toumpa" Stadium, the goals on 12', 44' and 51').

First victory away of Thessaloniki
On the 25th of June 1960 was happened the first except Thessaloniki victory of Apollon Kalamarias in the First National Category (2-0). Our opponent was Athletic Union of Nikea and the match took place in "Karaiskaki" Stadium. The scorers: Kyprianidis (13') and Avramidis (72').

The first penalty
On the 18th of September 1960 Apollon Kalamarias won the first penalty of its history in the First National Category. Mytariotis scored on 15. The result of the match against PAOK was 2-2.

The first 100 games in the A' National Division: On 2nd of December 1962, in "Toumpa" Stadium, Apollon Kalamarias won Olympiakos 1-0. Scorer was Kokkonidis on 2.

Record-man of participations at the first four years in A Division
On 8th of December 1962, in the match against Proodeftiki ("Karaiskaki" Stadium, 1-0), Maliogloy became the first player in the history of the A `National Division who reached the 100 participations. In the end of the football season 1962-63, he was the record-man of participations in the first four-year period of the category with 118 matches (total 120).

One hundred goals in the First National Division
On 3rd of February 1963 took place the match against Pierikos in 'Toumpa» Stadium and the result was 2-1. In this game, Kyziroglou achieved on the 50' a goal and gave the victory to Apollon Kalamarias. This goal was our team's 100th in the A National Division.

National team: Panagiotis Kyprianidis was the first football player of Apollon Kalamarias who wore the Greek National team�s shirt (22nd of May 1963). It was a friendly game with Poland in Warsaw (defeat with 4-0). The same footballer, in the summertime of that year, had moved in Olympiakos for one million of drachmas (sum-record for the season), being the most expensive transfer for those days.

First scorer: 22ndof December 1963: Apollon Kalamarias - Olympiakos Chalkis 1-1, 'Toumpa» Stadium. Mytariotis scored by penalty on the 68th minute and reached the 30 goals with the jumper of Apollon Kalamarias in the First National Category. He is the unique football player who has reached this number of goals in the history of the team in the A' National Division. Until today, he remains the first scorer of Apollon Kalamarias in the 'big» Category with totally 39 goals.

First match in our ground: 23/9/1973. The return of Apollon Kalamarias in the A' National Division, after nine years, had separate importance for another reason. The match of our team against Fostiras (1-1) was the first that was occurred in Apollon Kalamarias own Stadium in the First Category. For the history, the first goal of Apollon Kalamarias in the team�s "house" was scored by Foulatsiklis and Kokkonidis was the first player who played as a change (on the 67� instead Papadopoulos).

Record of tickets in our ground: On the 7th of October 1973 at the match against Panathinaikos (0-2) was realised all seasons record of tickets in A� National Division for the ground of Apollon Kalamarias. The number of tickets was 8.375 and this record remains until today.

Record of tickets in an inside match: 4th of September 1983. In the first "professional" match of Apollon Kalamarias in the First National Division against PAOK (defeat 2-3) in "Charilaou" Stadium were sold 15.616 tickets. This number remains until today.

Two hundred matches: Apollon Kalamarias reached on 17th of February 1974 two hundred matches in the A' National Category (the match was against Panathinaikos in "Leoforos" Stadium).

The first match as a F.C.: On 4th of September 1983 took place the first match of Apollon Kalamarias in the First National Category as a Football Club (against PAOK in the ground "Charilaou"). On the 60� Ilias Chatzieleftheriou scored the first "professional" goal. The Yugoslavian goalkeeper Dragan Simeounovic was the first foreign player, who wore the jumper of Apollon Kalamarias.

Two hundred goals: On 29th of January 1984, draw 3-3 was the result of the match against Apollon Athinon in "Charilaou" Stadium. Alexis Alexiou on 19� scored the 200th goal of Apollon Kalamarias in the First National Division. The Yugoslavian football player Skocaic on the 69' scored the first foreigner footballer�s goal in our team�s history.

First 'professional» away victory in the A� National Division: On 5th of March 1984 Apollon Kalamarias won OFI 0-1 in Heraklion. It was the first "professional" away victory in Apollon Kalamarias history (A' National Category). Kostas Koutas was the scorer of our team on 77�.

Three hundred matches: On 30th of March 1986 Apollon Kalamarias completed 300 games in the A' National Division. His 300th game was against Aris in "Charilaou" and the result was draw 1-1.

Two hundred matches: On 4th of March 1990 draw 1-1 was the result of the game against Iraklis in Kaftanzoglio Stadium and Apollon Kalamarias reached 200 games in the Professional A� National Division.

One hundred winnings: On 4th of April 1993 Apollon Kalamarias won Apollon Athinon 1-0 and reached one hundred victories in the team�s history in A� National Division.

First player as a change: On 23rd of September 1973, in the home match against Fostiras (1-1), Kokkonidis became the first player in the history of Apollon Kalamarias in the First National Division who played as a change (on 67� at the position of Papadopoulos).

Record man of participations: Dimitris (Takis) Toboulidis is the football player with the most participations in the history of Apollon Kalamarias in the A' National Division. He was born on 10th of January 1960 in the village of Thermopigi of Serres and started playing in Apollon Kalamarias in 1976. He played in our team until the end of the nineties and his position was in the centre of defence. He is the unique footballer in the history of Apollon Kalamarias in the A� National Category, who participated in more than 200 matches and until today remains the record man of participations with totally 233. Also, he has scored five times.

One hundred games as a Football Club: On the 14th of December 1986 Apollon Kalamarias played against AEK. This game was our team�s hundredth in the Professional Championship.

First scorer in the second National Division: In the football period 1991-92 Dimitris Nolis of Apollon Kalamarias became the first scorer in the Second National Category with 21 goals.

Three hundred goals: On 17th of April 1988 the football player Zisis Tsekos achieved the 300th goal of Apollon Kalamarias in the A� National Division. Opponent of our team was AEK and the result of the match was 2-2. Zisis Tsekos was the scorer on the 55'.

First "professional" winning: Apollon Kalamarias first winning at the professional First National Division took place in Thessaloniki on the 25th of September 1983. Our team played against AEK and the result was 1-0

Current squad 2008/09
As of February 21 2008