A.E. Eleftheroupoli

Eleftheroupoli F.C., officially known as A.E. Eleftheroupoli (, ''Athlitiki Enosi Eleftheroupoleos''), the "Athletic Union of Eleftheroupoli", is a Greek association football club based in Nea Ionia, a suburban town in the Athens prefecture, Greece. The club currently competes in the Athens Second Division.

History

A.E. Eleftheroupoli is one of the oldest football clubs in Greece, and it was founded by Greek refugees from Asia Minor in 1929 (A. Neofytou, L. Dimitropoulos, A. Konstantinidis, N. Nikolaou, Ch. Theodorou, L. Konstantinidis, Th. Kiriakou, A. Nikolaou, G. Stefanidis, D. Kountouris, P. Tsakonas, and P. Tevekelis). The archives of the country’s newspapers, some originating from 1930 or earlier, provide insights into a club referred to as Enosis Eleftheroupolis. In the year 1931, the club took a significant step by merging with the football clubs Aris and Dafni Neas Ionias, subsequently adopting the name Athlitiki Enosi Eleftheroupolis. In 1937, following a period of six years, the club joined forces with Elpida Neas Ionias, leading to the establishment of a reformed organization called AE Eleftheroupolis Elpida. The year 1967 saw this club forced to affiliate with AE Neas Ionias, ultimately leading to the creation of Elpida Neas Ionias as a consequence of the junta regime's influence. After the dissolution of the military junta in Greece, the club was re-established and adopted the name Athlitiki Enosi Eleftheroupolis. The team managed to win the local municipality championship three times from 1932 to 1935 and was recognized by the court of Athens as an official club. The club gained many new fans due to that success. In 1939, the club was recognized by the Hellenic Football Federation and the Athens Football Clubs Association, while at the same time, it competed in the Gamma Ethniki. Also, it participated in the national second division, Beta Ethniki, in the early 60s. Over the years, the club's reputation deteriorated due to its perennial presence in the regional leagues. The club produced many talented players, such as Stelios Skevofilakas, Stelios Panagiotidis, Georgios Magiras, Emmanouil Kountouris, Konstantinos Mavridopoulos, Ioannis Vlantis, Georgios Sevastiadis, Athanasios Mitilinaios, Tryfon Tzanetis, and others, who were later transferred to higher-reputation football clubs of Greece.

Stadium

The municipal stadium located in Nea Ionia serves as the home ground for the Eleftheroupoli football club, and it was built in 1962. The stadium’s main access point is located along Olympias Street. In 2004, the entire stadium underwent significant renovations, including the installation of a state-of-the-art turf system on the pitch. It is important to acknowledge that the upgrade of the dressing rooms was accomplished solely in 2007. In 2015, the construction of the new facilities and stands was entirely funded by the government of Greece. Additionally, this stadium acts as the primary venue for A.O. Nea Ionia and ''P.A.O. Alsoupoli'' football clubs, playing a significant role in the community's sports culture. In August 2024, the local government funded the renovation of the stadium's track and the upgrade of the floodlights.

Part of the dramatic film 'The Striker with Number 9', directed by Pantelis Voulgaris, was filmed in this stadium.

Supporters

The club's fan base stems from the descendants of the 6,000 Asia Minor refugees who were selected to settle in the region during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1922.

Honours and achievements

*
* Shared record

Season by season in the higher divisions

The best result is highlighted in bold.

Key: 1R = First Round, 2R = Second Round, 3R = Third Round, 4R = Fourth Round, 5R = Fifth Round, GS = Group Stage, R16 = Round of 16, QF = Quarter-finals, SF = Semi-finals, C = Champion, P = Promotion, R = Relegation.

Notable former players by stint and official transfer

File:Tryfon Tzanetis.jpg, Tryfon Tzanetis
File:Georgios Magiras.jpg, Georgios Magiras

;Ottoman Empire/Kingdom of Greece
* - Tryfon Tzanetis (1932–33) → AEK Athens
* - Georgios Magiras (1931–33) → AEK Athens

;Kingdom of Greece
* Ilias Mpoulmpasis (1936–?) → AEK Athens
* Konstantinos Pavlis (1936–?) → Apollon Smyrnis
* Konstantinos Karampournis (1936–?) → Apollon Smyrnis
* Ioannis Vlantis (?–1945) → AEK Athens
* Konstantinos Karagkiaouris (1936–45) → AEK Athens
* Emmanouil Kountouris (?–1947) → AEK Athens
* Georgios Sevastiadis (?–1949) → AEK Athens
* Konstantinos Tzoras (?) → Apollon Smyrnis
* Athanasios Mitilinaios (?) → Apollon Smyrnis
* Georgios Filippou (?–1953) → Panathinaikos
* Stelios Lianos (?–1955) → AEK Athens
* Stelios Skevofilakas (1958–61) → AEK Athens
* Stelios Panagiotidis (?–1962) → Panathinaikos
* Konstantinos Mavridopoulos (?) → Olympiacos
* Aris Mavridopoulos (?–1966) → PAS Giannina
* Athanasios Mpazimas (?) → AEK Athens
* Aristeidis Mavrofrydis (?) → Egaleo
* Theodoros Pantazopoulos (?) → Olympiacos
* Athanasios Chelmis (?) → Ethnikos Piraeus
* Ioannis Polychronopoulos (?) → AEK Athens
* Dimitris Kotanidis (?) → AEK Athens

;Greece
* Antonis Panagiotopoulos (2004–06) → Mandraikos
* Georgios Iordanidis (2007–08) → Sholing
* Nikolaos Theodoropoulos (2015–16) → Retired

Personnel

Current Board

References

Bibliography

* Howland, Charles P. (1926). ''L'Établissement des Réfugiés en Grèce. Avec 67 illustrations une carte d'établissement des réfugiés ruraux et urbains et une carte ethnographiques de la Macédoine.'' . Genève, Suisse: Société des Nations.
* Χριστοδούλου, Λουκάς (2014). ''Η ιστορία των σωματείων της Νέας Ιωνίας: Από την ίδρυση της πόλης έως τη Μεταπολίτευση 1923-1974'' . Γλύφα Βαρθολομιού Ηλείας, Ελλάδα: Εκδόσεις Μπαλτά. .
* Μπαλτάς, Ανδρέας (2022). ''Προσφυγικά Αθλητικά Σωματεία στον Μεσοπόλεμο 1922-1940'' . Γλύφα Βαρθολομιού Ηλείας, Ελλάδα: Εκδόσεις Μπαλτά. .
* Χριστοδούλου, Λουκάς (2022). ''Από τους Ποδαράδες 1922...Στη Νέα Ιωνία 1934...: Η Προσφυγική Πρωτεύουσα της Αθήνας'' . Γλύφα Βαρθολομιού Ηλείας, Ελλάδα: Εκδόσεις Μπαλτά. .

External links

Eleftheroupoli F.C.
– Official Website
Eleftheroupoli F.C.
at Sofascore

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eleftheroupoli
Association football clubs established in 1929
Football clubs in Athens
Football clubs in Attica
1929 establishments in Greece
Nea Ionia