Football League (Greece)

Football League Greece
Founded 2010–present
1962–2010 (as Beta Ethniki)
Country Greece
Number of teams 16
Level on pyramid 2
Promotion to Super League
Relegation to Gamma Ethniki
Domestic cup(s) Greek Cup
Current champions OFI (3rd title)
(2017–18)
Most championships Panachaiki (6 titles)
Top goalscorer Ilias Chatzieleftheriou (152 goals)
TV partners ERT3
Website footballleague.gr
2018–19 Football League

The Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Stoiximan.gr Football League (after gambling website Stoiximan.gr), is the second highest professional football league in Greece, being a feeder-league to the top-level Super League.

History

It began in 1954 as regional championship, separated in two groups, North and South. Then, the participating teams were the champions of each Greek football clubs association. Every year the participating teams were different. In 1960, the Division took its name and some teams were permanent. From 1960 to 1984, there existed multiple groups, peaking in 1962 with ten groups. In 1962, the Division was made permanent, something that had as an essential condition the disengagement of the teams from their local championships. This change has led many statisticians to begin statistics from this period (1962–63). For 21 periods, from 1962–63 to 1982–83, championship was carried out in groups. The subordinate system was introduced for first time in 1983–84 season.

On August 3, 2010, the change of division's name to Football League was announced.[1]

Beta Ethniki

From the 1962–63 season it was decided to establish the category, which included as a prerequisite the "disengagement" of the teams from their local championships. This detail is decisive and today it is generally accepted to consider this period as the official starting point of the second national championship class.

In its first steps almost every year its system was changed. Started with 4 groups of 14 groups which are the years 1968–69 were reduced to two, then for six years (1969–70 up to 1974–75) the groups by three, whereas from 1975 to 1976 up to 1982; 83 were two, "North" and "South". In the autumn of 1983, the institution of the Pan-Hellenic Group was established, which was applied continuously until the 2012–13 season.

When the championship became professional, the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) handed over the responsibility for the organization to the Association of Football Societe Anonyme Societies (EPAE). In 2006, the Professional Football Association B' and C' of the National Division (SPD B' & C' of the National) was set up, which replaced the EPAE.

Football League

From 2010–11 season it was decided to rename the category to the Football League. In the 2013–14 season, the NGO organizing authority B' & C' of the National Team was replaced by the National Football Class B' National Football Association (SPD B' National), henceforth the Football League.

Structure of the league

At present, there are sixteen clubs that compete in the Football League, playing each other in a home and away series. At the end of the season, the bottom four teams are relegated to the Gamma Ethniki. The top two teams gain automatic promotion. Unlike the Super League, clubs in the Football League do not get relegated if the club fails to obtain a license. All teams in the Football League take part in the Greek Cup.

Current members

The following 16 clubs are competing in the Football League during the 2018–19 season.

Club Finishing position last season Location Stadium Capacity
Aiginiakos11thPieria (Aiginio)Municipal Stadium of Aiginio1,000
Aittitos Spata1st in Gamma Ethniki (promoted via play-offs)Athens (Spata)Spata Municipal Stadium2,500
AO Chania−Kissamikos4thCrete (Chania)Perivolia Municipal Stadium4,527
Apollon Larissa10thLarissaApollon Ground5,000
Apollon Pontou7thThessaloniki (Kalamaria)Kalamaria Stadium6,500
Doxa Dramas5thDramaDoxa Drama Stadium9,000
Ergotelis9thCrete (Heraklion)Pankritio Stadium26,240
Iraklis1st in Gamma Ethniki (promoted via play-offs)ThessalonikiKaftanzoglio Stadium27,770
Irodotos2nd in Gamma Ethniki (promoted via play-offs)Crete (Nea Alikarnassos)Municipal Nea Alikarnassos Stadium3,000
Karaiskakis8thArtaMunicipal Agiοi Anargirοi Stadium1,900
Kerkyra15th in Super League (relegated)CorfuKerkyra Stadium3,000
Panachaiki3rdPatrasKostas Davourlis Stadium11,321
Platanias16th in Super League (relegated)Crete (Chania)Perivolia Municipal Stadium4,527
Sparta12thSpartaSparta Municipal Stadium1,500
Trikala6thTrikalaTrikala Municipal Stadium15,000
Volos2nd in Gamma Ethniki (promoted via play-offs)VolosNeapoli Municipal Stadium1,500

Results

League champions

From 1962 to 1983

Season Winner
1962–63Edessaikos (1), Doxa Drama (1),
Olympiacos Chalkida (1), Pankorinthiakos (1)
1963–64Panachaiki (1), Proodeftiki (1), Philippi Kavala (1)
1964–65Panserraikos (1), Edessaikos (2), Egaleo (1), Vyzas (1)
1965–66Veria (1), OFI (1), Vyzas (2)
1966–67Panelefsiniakos (1), Kavala (1), Olympiacos Volos (1)
1967–68Chalkida (1), Trikala (1)
1968–69Panachaiki (2), Kavala (2)
1969–70Apollon Athens (1), Veria (2), Fostiras (1)
1970–71Panachaiki (3), Trikala (2), Olympiacos Volos (2)
1971–72Panserraikos (2), Kalamata (1), Atromitos (1)
1972–73Apollon Athens (2), Apollon Kalamarias (1), AEL (1)
1973–74PAS Giannina (1), Kastoria (1), Kalamata (2)
1974–75Apollon Athens (3), Panetolikos (1), Pierikos(1)
1975–76Kavala(3), OFI(2)
1976–77Egaleo (2), Veria (3)
1977–78Rodos (1), AEL (2)
1978–79Doxa Dramas (2), Korinthos (1)
1979–80Panserraikos (3), Atromitos (2)
1980–81Rodos (2), Iraklis (1)
1981–82Panachaiki (4), Makedonikos (1)
1982–83Egaleo (3), Apollon Kalamarias (2)

From 1983 to Present

Season Winner
1983–84Panachaiki (5)
1984–85PAS Giannina (2)
1985–86Diagoras (1)
1986–87Panachaiki (6)
1987–88Doxa Dramas (3)
1988–89Skoda Xanthi (1)
1989–90Athinaikos (1)
1990–91Ethnikos Piraeus (1)
1991–92Apollon Kalamarias (3)
1992–93Naoussa (1)
1993–94Ionikos (1)
1994–95Paniliakos (1)
Season Winner
1995–96Kavala (4)
1996–97Panionios (1)
1997–98Aris (1)
1998–99Trikala (4)
1999–00Athinaikos (2)
2000–01Egaleo (4)
2001–02PAS Giannina (3)
2002–03Chalkidona (1)
2003–04Kerkyra (1)
2004–05AEL (3)
2005–06Ergotelis (1)
2006–07Asteras Tripolis (1)
Season Winner
2007–08Panserraikos (4)
2008–09Atromitos (3)
2009–10Olympiacos Volos (3)
2010–11Panetolikos (2)
2011–12Panthrakikos (1)
2012–13Apollon Smyrnis (4)
2013–14Niki Volos (1)
2014–15AEK Athens (1)
2015–16AEL (4)
2016–17Apollon Smyrnis (5)
2017–18OFI (3)

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.epae.org/entry.fds?entryID=1067&pageCode=05.07&tablePageID=47&pageID=46&langid=1
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