1968–69 AEK Athens F.C. season explained

Club:AEK Athens
Season:1968–69
Manager:Branko Stanković
Mgrtitle:Manager
Chairman:Ilias Georgopoulos
Chrtitle:Chairman
League:Alpha Ethniki
League Result:6th
Cup1:Greek Cup
Cup1 Result:Round of 16
Cup2:European Cup
Cup2 Result:Quarter-finals
League Topscorer:
Mimis Papaioannou (20)
Season Topscorer:
Mimis Papaioannou (27)
Highest Attendance:29,842 vs Spartak Trnava
(12 March 1969)
Lowest Attendance:2,162 vs AEL Limassol
(8 June 1969)
Average Attendance:17,081
Largest Win:
Largest Loss:


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Pattern B1:_blacksides
Pattern Ra1:_black_stripes_thin1
Leftarm1:FFEF00
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Prevseason:1967–68
Nextseason:1969–70

The 1968–69 season was the 45th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the tenth consecutive season in the top flight of Greek football. They competed in the Alpha Ethniki, the Greek Cup and the European Cup. The season began on 18 September 1968 and finished on 15 June 1969.

Overview

The season found AEK in a transitional period with the changing of the coach, as the way of training the football players changed radically. The championship win in 1968 was accompanied by the departure of Jenő Csaknády and the arrival of an equally capable coach was deemed imperative. Thus, the great Yugoslav Branko Stanković was hired, who had already presented great achievements as a technician, with Vojvodina and as a member of the coaching staff at Yugoslavia. The management of the team, due to a lack of sufficient money, did not proceed with big transfer moves. They acquired a couple of young footballers from smaller clubs, while also counted on players such Lavaridis, Stathopoulos, Simigdalas, Sevastopoulos, Ventouris, who were previously decommissioned. The preparation of the team under Stanković was based on the modern football of the period, which was characterized by tactics, technique and physical strength, while the discipline of the footballers was a prerequisite for their progress, as well as that of the team. However, due to the players had not yet adapted to the new way of working to fully respond, the several injuries that limited the options and the advanced age of some of them, AEK started very badly in the championship. Afterwards, they continued with five consecutive victories. One of these was an emphatic 2–3 away win against Olympiacos with Papaioannou playing as goalkeeper from the 85th minute, due to the suspension of Serafidis and even making two great saves and securing the great victory.[1]

For the first round of the European Cup AEK were lucky to be drawn against Jeunesse Esch from Luxembourg. At Nea Filadelfeia, the club prevailded harder than the final 3–0 implied.[2] The qualification was at safety and the rematch became purely procedural. At Luxembourg, the suspense of qualification lasted for 16 minutes when AEK equalized the quick goal of Jeunesse Eschs. AEK also managed to take the lead with a second goal by Ventouris, but the players of Legrand showing character evenatully turned the match again taking the victory.[3] In the second round AEK faced the Danish Akademisk Boldklub. At AEK Stadium, despite their offensive style of play, AEK played defensively for the whole match and managed to take the draw by 0–0.[4] At the rematch in the frozen Copenhagen, AEK started the match very offensively and managed to take the lead early on with Stamatiadis. The Danes started to press unbearably to equalize, but thanks to Konstantinidis and Vasiliou, AEK went for the half time break with their lead intact. In the second half the yellow-blacks took advantage of the open spaces left by the Danes and played to extend their lead. Αt the 81st minute, after a cross by Sevastopoulos and Papaioannou with his unnatural jump, beat everyone in the air and made the final 0–2.[5] AEK achieved the very first display of a Greek team in Europe, as they became the first team to achieve an away victory in a European match and the first Greek team to reach the quarter-finals of the European Cup, or in any European competition at all. In the quarter-finals AEK avoided all the giants of the draw as they faced the Czechoslovakian Spartak Trnava. At the first match at Spartak Stadium The yellow-blacks played in order to maintain a favourable score for the rematch and after they withstood the pressure of the Czechoslovaks despite conceding two goals, they managed to reduce their lead with Sevastopoulos, achieving their target.[6] The rematch in Athens, AEK seemed ready to respond to their challenge and take the qualification, but unfortunately, a quick goal by the Czechoslovaks forced the yellow-blacks to chase the score, as Spartak closed all spaces behind. AEK attacked with everything they got, but the Czechoslovak defense seemed impenetrable. Nonetheless, at the 77th minute AEK managed to equalize with Papaioannou and had only 13 minute to take the match to the extra time. Even though the team pressed intensively for another goal the ball would not go in the net and AEK left the tournament[7] with pride, as they made one of their greatest ever achievements reality.

In the cup, AEK easily eliminated Lamia, at the round of 32 with 5–0 at home. At the round of 16 they faced Panachaiki and were eliminated with a 4–2 away defeat. AEK were consistently close in claiming the title, until they were defeated at home 0–1 by Olympiacos at the 22nd matchday. The end of the championship found AEK in the 6th place with 74 points and a long distance from the champion Panathinaikos with 90 points. As a result, they didn't qualify in any European competition for the next season. At the end of the season, Stanković planned a big renewal of the team's roster in order to improve their weaknesses and make their comeback in claiming titles. The principles of this renewal were based in finding players that would increase the team's height, reduce the team's age average and discipline to the coach's plan during matches.[8]

Players

Squad information

NOTE: The players are the ones that have been announced by the AEK Athens' press release. No edits should be made unless a player arrival or exit is announced. Updated 15 June 1969, 23:59 UTC+2.

PlayerNat.Position(s)Date of birth (Age)SignedPrevious clubTransfer feeContract until
Goalkeepers
Stelios SerafidisGKJune 30, 19691953 AEK Athens U20—1972
Theodoros ManiateasGKJune 30, 19691964 PanthisiakosFree1969
Stelios KonstantinidisGKJune 30, 19691967 AEK Athens U20—1973
Vyronas AmelidisGK1968 AEK Athens U20—1973
Defenders
Alekos SofianidisLB / LM / LWJune 30, 19691959 BeşiktaşFree1969
Aleko YordanCBJune 30, 19691962 BeykozFree1969
Tasos VasiliouCBJune 30, 19691965 Apollon Athens₯1,500,0001970
Giorgos KefalidisRB / CBJune 30, 19691964 PierikosFree1972
Fotis BalopoulosCB / DM / CM / STJune 30, 19691964 Proodeftiki₯450,0001970
Lakis FragoudakisCB / DM1964Free agentFree1970
Giannis SpyropoulosCB / RB1968 PAO PatisiaFree1970
Christos AntonopoulosCB / DMJune 30, 19691968 AE Pangrati₯120,0001973
Nikos KarapoulitidisCB / RBJune 30, 19691967Free agentFree1975
Midfielders
Stelios SkevofilakasLM / RM / AMJune 30, 19691960 EleftheroupoliFree1972
Panagiotis VentourisAM / SSJune 30, 19691965 Fostiras₯435,0001972
Nikos StathopoulosLM / LBJune 30, 19691965 AEK Athens U20—1974
Michalis SimigdalasCMJune 30, 19691963 AEK Athens U20—1969
Minas StavridisAM / SS / ST1968 IonikosFree1970
Giorgos KarafeskosCM / DM / RM / RWJune 30, 19691963 AEK Athens U20—1974
Giorgos LavaridisCM / DMJune 30, 19691968 AEK Athens U20—1975
Forwards
Andreas Stamatiadis (Captain)RW / LW / SS / STJune 30, 19691952 AEK Athens U20—1969
Kostas PapageorgiouSTJune 30, 19691963 Atromitos₯200,0001969
Mimis PapaioannouSS / ST / AMJune 30, 19691962 Veria₯175,0001979
Spyros PomonisLW / LMJune 30, 19691960 AEK Athens U20—1973
Kostas NikolaidisRW / LW / SS / STJune 30, 19691965 PAO SafrabolisFree1973
Kostas SarrisST1968 AEK Athens U20—1970
Andreas KarakidisST1968 AEK Athens U20—1973
Dimitris KyrmizasST1968 AEK Athens U20—1973
Left during season
Nikos SevastopoulosRW / SS / AM / STJune 30, 19691963 AEK Athens U20—1971

Transfers

In

width=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Fromwidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Feewidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Datewidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Contract UntilSource
AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 1973
PAO PatisiaFree transfer30 June 1970
AE Pangrati₯120,00030 June 1973
AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 1975
IonikosFree transfer30 June 1970
HellenicLoan return30 June 1971
AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 1970
AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 1973
AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 1973

Out

width=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Towidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Feewidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00DateSource
PanioniosFree transfer
align=center colspan=2Retired

Loan out

width=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Towidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Feewidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Datewidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00UntilOption to buySource
HellenicFree30 August 1969

Overall transfer activity

Expenditure: ₯120,000

Income: ₯0

Net Total: ₯120,000

Competitions

Alpha Ethniki

See main article: 1968–69 Alpha Ethniki.

Fixtures

Greek Cup

See main article: 1968–69 Greek Football Cup.

AEK entered the Greek Cup at the round of 32.

Matches

European Cup

See main article: 1968–69 European Cup.

Quarter-finals

Statistics

Squad statistics

! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; text-align:center" | Goalkeepers|-! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Defenders|-! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Midfielders|-! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Forwards|-! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Left during season|-|}

Goalscorers

Rankwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Alpha Ethnikiwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Greek Cupwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00European Cupwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Total
1204327
2100010
34228
45016
54105
4015
74004
82013
2013
101001
1001
1001
Own goals0000
Totals58 7 974

Hat-tricks

Numbers in superscript represent the goals that the player scored.

width=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Against width=70 style="background:#FFDE00Result width=150 style="background:#FFDE00Date width=150 style="background:#FFDE00Competition Source
Mimis Papaioannou5–2 (H)3 November 1968Alpha Ethniki[9]
Mimis Papaioannou Lamia5–0 (H)14 May 1969Greek Cup

Clean sheets

The list is sorted by competition order when total clean sheets are equal and then alphabetically by surname. Clean sheets in games where both goalkeepers participated are awarded to the goalkeeper who started the game. Goalkeepers with no appearances are not included.

Rankwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Alpha Ethnikiwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Greek Cupwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00European Cupwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Total
1101213
20011
30000
Totals10 1 314

Disciplinary record

|-! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; text-align:center" | Goalkeepers|-! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Defenders|-! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Midfielders|-! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Forwards|-! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Left during season|}

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Τιτάνια μάχη και επικός θρίαμβος στο Καραϊσκάκη με τον Μίμη… στο τέρμα. aek365.org.
  2. Web site: AEK-Jeunesse Esch UEFA Champions League 1968/69. UEFA.com.
  3. Web site: Jeunesse Esch-AEK UEFA Champions League 1968/69. UEFA.com.
  4. Web site: AEK-AB UEFA Champions League 1968/69. UEFA.com.
  5. Web site: AB-AEK UEFA Champions League 1968/69. UEFA.com.
  6. Web site: Spartak Trnava-AEK UEFA Champions League 1968/69. UEFA.com.
  7. Web site: AEK-Spartak Trnava UEFA Champions League 1968/69. UEFA.com.
  8. Web site: Περίοδος 1968-1969. 20 May 2015. aekpedia.com. el.
  9. Web site: Το ιστορικό και ανεπανάληπτο έπος της ΑΕΚ με την Ντέρμπι Κάουντι!. 3 November 2021. aek-live.gr. Online. el.

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