Panionios GS Smyrna - last updated on 29 October 2007
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Club name: PAE Panionios Gymnastikos Syllogos Smyrnis (Πανιώνιος Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Σμύρνης)
Foundation: 1890
City: Athens (Αθήνα)
Colours: Red and blue
Website: www.panionios.gr
Honours:
Greek Cup - 2 (1979, 1998)
Balkan Cup - 1 (1971)
A bit of history:
The club was founded in 1890 in İzmir, Turkey. Panionios has spent nearly its entire history in the Greek First Division (now called 'Superleague'), having missed out from competing in Greek football's top division only twice in its more than one hundred year history. Within this, Panionios rose quite often to the high levels, with top achievement in terms of the league being the 2nd position that the club reached in 1971, losing the title to AEK.
In December 2001, working around bankruptcy legislation, the club was renamed to Panionios NFC, to avoid the threat of relegation from the first division because of financial difficulties.
Panionios has produced all three major Greek strikers of the 1980s, namely Nikos Anastopoulos (later of Olympiakos), Thomas Mavros (later of AEK), and Dimitris Saravakos (later of Panathinaikos). Other notable players coming out of the club include Nikos Tsiantakis (later of Olympiakos) and Takis Fyssas, later of Panathinaikos and member of Greek national team that won Euro 2004).
In 2004 a successful businessman named Constantinos Tsakiris is elected president of "Πανιώνιος Γυμναστικος Σύλλογος" and starts working for the best of the team! While he 's in charge Panionios is rising up and wins the women's Basketball Champion of 2006! The first champion of Panionios in a team sport! Also, Panionios women's volleyball team makes it to the first division! Summer 2006 Mr. Constantinos Tsakiris acquires the 85% of P.A.E. Panionios NFC (S.A) and starts building a team from scratch! He also changes the name of the club to the original Panionios GSS (which stands for "Πανιώνιος Γυμνάστικος Σύλλογος Σμύρνης" or Panionios Gymnastic Club of Smyrna). After a long period of negotiations he persuades Ewald Lienen to take charge of the team! At his first year, Manager Ewald Lienen creates a team that makes it to the top 5 of the new "Superleague Hellas" and prepares his passport for the "UEFA Cup".
Club crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
Panionios GS Smyrna -
Founded in 1890, fusion between Orfeas 1890 and Panionios Gymnastic Club
