Chania Football Club ( el, Π.Α.Ε. Χανιά) is a Greek professional
football club based in
Chania
Chania ( el, Χανιά ; vec, La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about west of Rethymno and west of Heraklion.
The mun ...
, Crete, Greece. They were established in 2017, as a result of a merger between the two regional clubs representing the
Chania district in the
Greek Second Division
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
* Greeks, an ethnic group.
* Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
** Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ances ...
,
PGS Kissamikos and
AO Chania
AO Chania, short for ''Athlitikos Omilos Chania'' ( el, Aθλητικός Όμιλος Χανιά, translated ''Athletic Club of Chania''), was an association football club based in Chania on the island of Crete. It was officially founded in 1945, ...
. The club currently plays in the
Super League 2, the second tier of the
Greek football league system
The Greek football league system includes four levels in which teams can possibly make it to the Super League 1, Greece's highest division of football.
Cup eligibility
Greek Football Professional Cup: Levels 1 to 2
Greek Football Amateur Cup: L ...
.
History
AO Chania – Kissamikos
During the
2016–17 Greek Second Division season,
Chania
Chania ( el, Χανιά ; vec, La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about west of Rethymno and west of Heraklion.
The mun ...
were represented in the
Greek Second Division
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
* Greeks, an ethnic group.
* Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
** Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ances ...
by two clubs, namely
AO Chania
AO Chania, short for ''Athlitikos Omilos Chania'' ( el, Aθλητικός Όμιλος Χανιά, translated ''Athletic Club of Chania''), was an association football club based in Chania on the island of Crete. It was officially founded in 1945, ...
of the city of
Chania
Chania ( el, Χανιά ; vec, La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about west of Rethymno and west of Heraklion.
The mun ...
, and
Kissamikos, based in the neighboring town of
Kissamos
Kissamos ( el, Κίσσαμος) is a town and a municipality in the west of the island of Crete, Greece. It is part of the Chania regional unit and of the former Kissamos Province which covers the northwest corner of the island. The town of Ki ...
.
Kissamikos had quickly established itself in the
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
, managing to outgrow, and eventually outperform its more prestigious local competitor
AO Chania
AO Chania, short for ''Athlitikos Omilos Chania'' ( el, Aθλητικός Όμιλος Χανιά, translated ''Athletic Club of Chania''), was an association football club based in Chania on the island of Crete. It was officially founded in 1945, ...
. Facing insurmountable financial issues,
AO Chania
AO Chania, short for ''Athlitikos Omilos Chania'' ( el, Aθλητικός Όμιλος Χανιά, translated ''Athletic Club of Chania''), was an association football club based in Chania on the island of Crete. It was officially founded in 1945, ...
were forcibly relegated to the
Gamma Ethniki
The Gamma Ethniki ( el, Γ΄ Εθνική Ερασιτεχνική Κατηγορία, C National Amateur Division) is the third highest football league in Greece.
History
The Gamma Ethniki began in 1965 as an amateur championship, while in 198 ...
at the end of the season after being deducted 33 points, while simultaneously having its licence revoked. In the summer of 2017, Kissamikos owner at the time Antonis Rokakis proposed a merger of the two clubs in an attempt to form a new, strong outfit to represent the region, and more specifically the city of
Chania
Chania ( el, Χανιά ; vec, La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about west of Rethymno and west of Heraklion.
The mun ...
(as the region's competitor in the
Greek Super League
The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...
,
Platanias
Platanias (Greek: Πλατανιάς) is a village and municipality on the Greek island of Crete. It is located about west from the city of Chania and east of Kissamos, on Chania Bay. The seat of the municipality is the village Gerani. Platani ...
is based in the neighboring town and municipality of
Platanias
Platanias (Greek: Πλατανιάς) is a village and municipality on the Greek island of Crete. It is located about west from the city of Chania and east of Kissamos, on Chania Bay. The seat of the municipality is the village Gerani. Platani ...
). The initiative was eventually approved on 19 August 2017, however, any club that would result from a potential merger would inherit the financial obligations of
AO Chania
AO Chania, short for ''Athlitikos Omilos Chania'' ( el, Aθλητικός Όμιλος Χανιά, translated ''Athletic Club of Chania''), was an association football club based in Chania on the island of Crete. It was officially founded in 1945, ...
. As such,
Kissamikos changed its name to AO Chania − Kissamikos, retaining its original crest and colors, while the club's home ground was relocated to
Perivolia Municipal Stadium
Perivolia Municipal Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Mournies, Chania, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is ...
in
Mournies
Mournies ( el, Μουρνιές) is a village in Crete, in the regional unit of Chania. Between 1997 and 2010, it was the seat of the former municipality of Eleftherios Venizelos. Mournies is famous for being the place of birth of the statesman Ele ...
,
Chania
Chania ( el, Χανιά ; vec, La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about west of Rethymno and west of Heraklion.
The mun ...
. The entire merger was met with fierce opposition by the supporters of
Kissamikos. On the other hand, supporters of
AO Chania
AO Chania, short for ''Athlitikos Omilos Chania'' ( el, Aθλητικός Όμιλος Χανιά, translated ''Athletic Club of Chania''), was an association football club based in Chania on the island of Crete. It was officially founded in 1945, ...
demanded
Kissamikos' name and crest be completely erased, basically turning the club into a modern continuation of
AO Chania
AO Chania, short for ''Athlitikos Omilos Chania'' ( el, Aθλητικός Όμιλος Χανιά, translated ''Athletic Club of Chania''), was an association football club based in Chania on the island of Crete. It was officially founded in 1945, ...
.
The new club became serious competitors in the two years following the merger, finishing 4th during the
2017–18 season, and 6th in
2018–19, thus becoming eligible to play in the 2019-formed
Super League 2.
PAE Chania
In the summer of 2019, the club's board of directors changed the club's name to PAE Chania ( el, ΠΑΕ Χανιά), indicating their intent to represent the entire
Chania regional unit.
The
2019–20 season saw Chania FC achieve its best result to date, finishing third in the Super League 2.
Stadium
After the merger, the club moved to
AO Chania
AO Chania, short for ''Athlitikos Omilos Chania'' ( el, Aθλητικός Όμιλος Χανιά, translated ''Athletic Club of Chania''), was an association football club based in Chania on the island of Crete. It was officially founded in 1945, ...
's
Perivolia Municipal Stadium
Perivolia Municipal Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Mournies, Chania, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is ...
, a
multi-purpose stadium
A multi-purpose stadium is a type of stadium designed to be easily used by multiple types of events. While any stadium could potentially host more than one type of sport or event, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy tha ...
in
Mournies
Mournies ( el, Μουρνιές) is a village in Crete, in the regional unit of Chania. Between 1997 and 2010, it was the seat of the former municipality of Eleftherios Venizelos. Mournies is famous for being the place of birth of the statesman Ele ...
,
Chania
Chania ( el, Χανιά ; vec, La Canea), also spelled Hania, is a city in Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about west of Rethymno and west of Heraklion.
The mun ...
.
Players
Current squad
Personnel
Ownership and current board
Coaching staff
Medical and other staff
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chania
PAE
Football clubs in Crete
Super League Greece 2 clubs