Ionikos Nikea
Wikipedia - Ionikos F.C.
Ionikos Football Club (Greek: ΠΑΕ Ιωνικός) is a Greek professional football club based in Nikaia, Greece, currently competing in the Super League Greece 2, the second tier of the Greek football league system.
From 1989 to 2007 Ionikos spent 16 out of 18 seasons in the Super League. During that span Ionikos finished as high as 5th-place in the league (on two occasions), was a finalist in the Greek Cup, and participated in the UEFA Europa League.
The club's colours are blue and white.
History
Foundation
Ionikos was established in 1965, from a merger of local clubs Nikaia Sports Union and Aris Piraeus, with Alex Meraklidis as new club's first president. The club's early years were not easy, but, with the support of its fans, Ionikos slowly improved through the 1970s and 1980s and eventually reached the top division in 1989.
The club's first promotion to the top flight was accompanied by unexpected problems—Dimitris Melissanidis withdrew as chairman, and the club needed 50 million drachmas to participate in the championship. Businessman Nikolaos Kanellakis stepped forward to provide the needed sum and become the club's new chairman.
Nikos Kanellakis
Kanellakis' arrival would be the beginning of the club's greatest era—from the 1989 promotion, Ionikos would spend 16 of the next 18 seasons in the Greek top flight, up until 2007, and during that time the team would finish as high as 5th-place in the league (on two occasions), reach a Greek Cup Final, and compete in the UEFA Europa League.
Greek Cup Final 2000
Ionikos' UEFA Cup appearance came in the 1999–00 season—the opposition was French side Nantes, and Ionikos lost both home and away matches, 1–3 and 0–1, respectively. Ionikos reached the Greek Cup Final later that same season, where they came up against traditional power AEK, and, despite a valiant Ionikos effort, AEK won the match, 3–0.
On 21 April 2004 Ionikos experienced the most tragic moment of his history, when Nikolaos Kanellakis, the club's chairman for 14 years, died. Hundreds of Ionikos supporters—as well as other sports fans—attended Kanellakis' funeral, where the flag of Ionikos covered the coffin of the late chairman. Nikolaos' son Christos took his father's place as chairman.
Relegation to Second League
Ionikos' long run in the top flight ended in the 2006–07 season, when the team finished in 16th-place in the Super League and was relegated back to Beta Ethniki. Ionikos has spent the last two seasons in Beta Ethniki, finishing 5th and 4th place, respectively, as the club tries to rejoin the top flight.
Return to the Top League
For the upcoming season, 2021–22, they will compete once again in the Greek top league, 2021–22 Super League Greece, having gained promotion, and after successfully getting licensed to compete in the top league's new season.
Ionikos má za sebou bohatou historii, v níž se dvakrát stal mistrem Řecka (v letech 1967 a 1970) a jednou vyhrál řecký pohár (v roce 1970). Klub také několikrát reprezentoval Řecko v evropských soutěžích, včetně Poháru UEFA, nyní známého jako Evropská liga UEFA.
Ionikos je známý svými silnými vazbami na místní komunitu a svou vášnivou fanouškovskou základnu. Klub má také dlouhou tradici v rozvoji mladých hráčů, kteří často dostávají šanci zahrát si za první tým.
Tým má za sebou řadu úspěšných sezón, včetně vítězství v řecké Superlize 2 v letech 2015 a 2018. Klub se také dostal do finále řeckého poháru v roce 2019, kde podlehl PAOKu 1:0.
Ionikos Nikea je jedním z nejstarších a nejrespektovanějších fotbalových klubů v Řecku. Klub má bohatou historii, silné vazby na místní komunitu a talentovaný tým mladých hráčů.