History and establishment
Apollon Limassol is the biggest team in Limassol. At the end of the
1953 football season, a team of young men placed as dream and objective
the foundation of an association with national and athletic aims based
on promoting the education and social skills of its young members.
[citation needed]
On 14 April 1954 the general assembly of enough members with leader Mr
Christaki Pavlides proposes the foundation of an athletic association
called "Athletic Musical Group APOLLON LIMASSOL' ". The assembly
approved the proposal and thus from that 14 day of the month of April in
the year 1954 "APOLLON was born". The first administrative council of
the team included: Charalambos Lymbourides (Secretary), Andreas
Psyllides (Cashier), Antonakis Fourlas (Adviser), Melis Charalampous
(Adviser), Andreas Theoharous (Adviser) Andreas Aggelopoulos (Adviser)
and Kostas Panayiotou (Adviser).
The first football team was created under the directives of Antonakis
Fourlas, playing against district teams. This had a result of it
becoming continuously more expensive to run and thus the registration of
new members was increased with rapid rhythms. For this reason it was
decided to send a letter to the C.F.A (
Cyprus Football Association)
with date of 23 March 1955 for the integration of Apollon into the
Association. On 16 October 1955, the Cypriot Football Association
(C.F.A) included in its orders Apollon in the 2nd division.
1954–1955: Early Years
In its first year, Apollon suffered 8 defeats in 8 matches in the
second division. Just before the next season (1956–57) a crisis erupted
in AEL, a first division team based in LimassoL. After this, Apollon won
the regional group in the second division and subsequently the
play-offs and then was promoted to the first division. This took place
in 1957 and ever since Apollon has been competing in the first division.
Things were not easy however for the newly promoted club. Apollon
couldn't reach a satisfactory position in the rankings and was
struggling in the middle of the table for many years. But in the
mid-60's things changed. Apollon is second team in Limassol. (first is
AEL Limassol).
1964–1967: The first distinctions
In 1965 Apollon reached the Cup Final. However, Omonia won the tile
with a score of 5–1. A year later, Apollon was in the Final again, and
won the Cup by defeating Nea Salamina with the score of 4–2(Scorers:
Panikkos Yiolites, Andros Konstantinou, Panikkos Kristallis, Antonis
Panayides), and triumphantly took the trophy to Limassol. Apollon
managed to maintain its Cup title in 1967, by beating Alki 1–0 thanks to
the goal of Antonis Panayides. After celebrating these titles, Apollon
had to wait another 15 years to start making history once again,
1981–1987: Back to the Cup Final After 20 years of drought
In the football season 1981–1982 Apollon managed to reach once again the Cup final however in double games
Omonia won the Cup. In the 1985–1986 season,after 20 years of "drought" Apollon won once again the Cup in
Tsirion Stadium, overcoming
Apoel with a score of 2–0. Scores were Kenny and Sokratous.
1990–1999: 10 years of Glory
In these years, it emerged clearly that absent was this "something"
that could make the difference for the team to lead in the Championship.
This "something" therefore was non other than the German coach named
Diethelm Ferner
who, upon arriving in Cyprus was determined to win. The German, with
his discipline and hard work accomplishes "links" between young talented
footballers with older more experienced footballers creating a team
ready for the big time. Thus in the season 1990–1991 the team entered
the championship "marathon" wanting to write the biggest and most
glorious page in its history book. After a frantic and impressive
season, offering both substance and spectacle in its game, Apollon was
finally crowned Champion of Cyprus!
From that year and for a five-year period the team gained the
admiration of all Cypriot football fans after playing modern football.
In 1991–1992 season Apollon won the Cup for the fourth time, overcoming
Omonia
in final with a final score of 1–0.The scorer was Evgenio Ptak. However
in the next season of 1992–1993 Apollon lost both titles. The team
returned strongly and gained the Championship one year later in
1993–1994 season, later after a hard duel with
Anorthosis
where the title was judged on the last day of the season. In the
1994–1995 season Apollon reached the Cup final losing from Apoel with
2–4 while the same happened also in the 1997–1998 season with
"executioner" this time the almighty Anorthosis, that accomplishes and
gains the cup with a final score 1–3. In that five-year period Apollon
was accomplished in the European ties, winning enough games and at the
same time the respect of many European football clubs. However the game,
in which Apollon wrote his own unique history is non other than with
the big opponent of
F.C. Internazionale Milano (
Inter Milan) in the
UEFA Cup! The 1 – 0 in "
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza" (
San Siro)
left margins for Apollon to believe in a miracle, against the Italians
for the second leg game of 3 November 1993. The Cup Champions, staffed
with a squad of international players led by Dutchman
Dennis Bergkamp talked for a walkover in
Cyprus against "fishermen" (thus called the footballers of Apollon the goalkeeper of Inter,
Walter Zenga before the game) and that the game in Milan was just a bad game for their team. However, the Inter team was found in
Limassol,
losing in the first ten minutes with a 0–2 score and only finally
managed to recover and to finish another historic tie with 3–3, leaving
at the end the great Italian goalkeeper speechless!. Scorers for the
Apollon team were
Milenko Spoljaric, Zlatan Šcepovic and
Giorgos Iosifidis.
2000–2010: 1 Championship, 2 Cups and 1 Super Cup
In the middle of the football season (2004–2005) and after enough
failed attempts for glory after the final of 2001,German manager
Bernd Stange
took the responsibility, accomplishing late but regularly he brought
back the lost glamour of the team. In the season, 2005–06 Apollon won
the league title undefeated and earned a club record of 64 points.
Apollon had 19 wins and 7 draws in 26 matches and this went down in
Cypriot Football history, due to fact that it was the fourth team in the
Cyprus
Championship that won the title unbeaten(*Apollon was the only
undefeated team in Europe, running an unbeaten streak since 12 March
2005 (30 games). The next year Apollon won for the first time in his
history the Super Cup beating
Apoel 1–3 at home.
In 2010 Apollon won the Cup after 9 years (2001 Final Cup), beating
APOEL Nicosia in
GSZ Stadium. The final score was 2–1
Crest and Colours
The team' s emblem represents the olympian God
Apollo from the
Greek mythology.
Apollo was considered the god of
sun,
poetry and
music. The colours of the team are blue and white. They represent the colours of the
Greek flag as the creation of the team was well connected with the struggles of Cypriot people for unification with
Greece. The away colours are white and the home kit blue.
Other teams
Basketball Team
The Basketball team of Apollon was founded in 1967 and is one of the founding members of
Cyprus Basketball Federation.
[citation needed]
From then the team participated regularly in the championship of 1st
Division. The unique titles in the history of department, are a Cup in
2002 and a Super Cup in 2004. While it finished many times in second
places.
Volleyball Team
A Founding member of the
Cyprus Volleyball Federation,
the women's team participated in three Championship finals (1999, 2001,
2003) and in five Cup finals (1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003) but never
won. In 2003 Apollon managed to win the Super Cup by beating AEL 3–0.
Supporters
In 1980 the organized portion of the supporters of our team who,
although not yet officially name the elected council members began
recording in a tiny little room of the club's team (where it now houses
the offices of the Company) with the equivalent of 10 cents, record for
which they gave evidence and membership. Later on in 1980 after the
response they found the cost of registration has been increased to 2
Cyprus pounds.At a time when no other team had not yet as organized
groups of fans on the island I took the APOLLO banner and construction,
unprecedented in the Cypriot courts.Was triggered after a game in Paphos
where the followers of Apollon made a similar excursion had not ever
again. In return all surprised by what they lived, that he had agreed to
set up formally and officially no longer the Sy.Fi Association (Apollon
Limassol).In 1981 Costas Katafygiotis defined as first president of the
Apollo Sy.Fi September 1981.The very next year we worked in the most
official manner Fans Association Apollo. Chaired by Dino had diagonal
cross and souvenir shop on the street and Independence which gave as a
housing association and conflict of fans.The years went by the Apollo
Sy.Fi renamed later to PA.SY.FI Apollo (Apollo Cyprus Association of
Supporters) and much later in PAN.SY.FI APOLLO (Greece Supporters
Association) to show the bond of our association with Greece.
From 1996 onwards PAN.SY.FI became synonymous with GATE-1 a
designation which originated from the entrance gate in the West Tsireio
stadium stand, where members gather.
PAN.SY.FI Apollon Gate 1 is the name of the supporters fan club.
Apollon is amongst the most popular football teams in Cyprus. The
fans are very demanding and loyal to the Club. Apollon. Almost 12.000
Apollon fans traveled from Limassol for the 2001 Cup Final that took
place in Nicosia (more than 9.596 tickets were sold).
[citation needed]This
number also beat the previous top record for a team traveling for an
away game to Nicosia. Celebrations for winning the League championship
for the 1993/94 season following the victory against Omonoia F.C. More
than 20.000 fans overflowed the Stadium to see Apollon clinch the title
in the final game of the season. Celebrations following the victory
against Omonoia F.C. at the 1992 FA Cup Final in Tsirio, stadium. More
than 20.000 fans attended the game.
After 13 years (2005/06 season) Apollon was the unbeaten champion and
the fans were singing, drinking, celebrating the whole week and in
Limassol the only colours on public display were white and blue.
Apollon Fans are also known for their great choreographies, songs and
impressive team entrances with flares Apollon's main supporter group of
fans is, PAN.SY.FI APOLLON – Panhellenic Group Of fans, otherwise known
as GATE 1. This group is located in
Limassol (The main group of fans) and the second one in
Ypsonas
(The West Districts). Also there are many other group of GATE 1 fans
like Bianco Azzurro Group (Ultras Group), in other cities inside and
outside Cyprus, such as in
Nicosia (Apollon Nicosia FANS),
Athens (Gate 1 Athens Fan Club),
Thessaloniki (PAN.SY.FI APOLLON in North Greece),
Manchester Fan Club,
Brighton FANS and in London (Apollon UK FANS).
Apollon fans were awarded by
T.I.F.O.
for the best choreography in Europe for the season 2008–2009 beating
over 1000 organised fan clubs established in Europe, including big names
such as: Irriducibili of Lazio, Ultras Rapid of Rapid Wien and many
more.
[citation needed]
Stadium
- Football
The team's current stadium is the 13,000 seater
Tsirion Stadium, also known as the Olympia Stadium (G.S.O), it is also the home ground of AEL Limassol and
Aris Limassol, The stadium holds 13,331 people and was built in 1975 with the help of the generous contributor and great philanthropist, Mr.
Petros I. Tsiros,
a very generous benevolent benefactor and humanitarian of Cyprus, thus
the name of the stadium. Apollon Limassol generally use the West Stand
of the stadium, but when the match attendance necessitates, the North
and East Stands are sometimes used.
Apollon deposited to KOA (Cyprus Sports Organisation, GREEK:
Κυπριακού Οργανισμού Αθλητισμού) its plans for the creation of its own
stadium and every Apollon supporter is now looking forward for the work
to begin. The stadium will be able to accept 12.500 (seated) people but a
prospect will allow the increase of the capacity to 16.000.
- Basketball/Volleyball
Apollon has its own indoor hall, the PrimeTel Apollon Stadium, with capacity of 2,800.
