Ionikos F.C.

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.[6] 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.[6]

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.[6] Businessman Nikolaos Kanellakis stepped forward to provide the needed sum and become the club's new chairman.[6]

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 Cup.[6]

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.[6] 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.[6]

On 21 April 2004 Ionikos experienced the most tragic moment of his history, when Nikolaos Kanellakis, the club's chairman for 14 years, died.[6] 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.

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.

The football matches between Ionikos and Proodeftiki are called «The Derby of Kokkinia» or «The Derby of Nikaia».

As of 17 January 2020

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Anastasios Kourepinis 3 DF Aristotelis Kollaras 4 MF Konstantinos Tsirigotis 5 DF Giorgos Kornezos (on loan from AEK Athens) 6 DF Giannis Gotsoulias (captain) 7 FW Stelios Makridis 8 MF Vasilios Poghosyan 9 FW Stelios Kritikos 11 FW Michalis Kouiroukidis 13 DF Theodoros Papoutsogiannopoulos 14 FW Alexandros Smyrlis 17 GK Nikolaos Fylaktos 18 FW Lefteris Matsoukas

No. Position Player 19 GK Angelo Tafa 20 FW Georgios Manalis 21 DF Ilias Polimos 22 FW Andreas Vlachomitros 23 DF Alexandros Papatzikos 24 DF Giannis Ioannou 25 MF Nikos Kritikos 26 MF Franck Eric Tientcheu 28 MF Spyros Fourlanos 29 MF Stefan Vukmirović 32 MF Lyberis Stergidis 33 DF Nikolaos Moustakis

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player — MF Georgios Karytinos (at Keratsini until 30 June 2020)

• Beta Ethniki (Second Division)

Winners (1): 1993–94

• Gamma Ethniki (Third Division)

Winners (2): 1976–77, 1981–82 (Group 1)

• Delta Ethniki (Fourth Division)

Winners (1): 2012–13 (Group 9)

• Piraeus FCA Championship (Local Championship)

Winners (1): 1976–77

• Piraeus FCA Cup (Local Cup)

Winners (1): 1981–82

Last Update 19 Μay 2009

• First participation: 1989–90
• Total participations: 16
• Wins: 151
• Draws: 139
• Losses: 212
• Goals Scored: 552
• Goals Conceded: 727
• Record Win: Ionikos 5–0 OFI Crete in 1997–98
• Record Loss: AEK Athens 6–0 Ionikos in 1995–96, Olympiacos 6–0 Ionikos in 2002–03

• First participation: 1965–66
• Total participations: 23
• Wins: 299
• Draws: 224
• Losses: 259
• Goals Scored: 925
• Goals Conceded: 849
• Record Win: Ionikos 8–0 Bizani in 1966–67, Ionikos 8–0 Anagennisi Artas in 1974–75
• Record Loss: Vyzas 7–0 Ionikos in 1971–72