1977–78 AEK Athens F.C. season explained

Club:AEK Athens
Season:1977–78
Manager:František Fadrhonc
(until 23 September)
Andreas Stamatiadis
(until 10 October)
Zlatko Čajkovski
Mgrtitle:Manager
Chairman:Loukas Barlos
Chrtitle:Chairman
League:Alpha Ethniki
League Result:1st
Cup1:Greek Cup
Cup1 Result:Winners
Cup2:UEFA Cup
Cup2 Result:Second round
League Topscorer:
Thomas Mavros (22)
Season Topscorer:
Thomas Mavros (31)
Highest Attendance:30,000 vs Olympiacos
(17 May 1978)
Lowest Attendance:5,482 vs Ethnikos Piraeus
(26 December 1977)
Average Attendance:16,591
Largest Win:

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Prevseason:1976–77
Nextseason:1978–79

The 1977–78 season was the 54th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 19th consecutive season in the top flight of Greek football. They competed in the Alpha Ethniki, the Greek Cup and the UEFA Cup. The season began on 11 September 1977 and finished on 4 June 1978.

Overview

AEK started the season "boosted" from last season's course to the UEFA Cup semi-finals, as well as the quality they presented in their games, showed the unquenchable willingness of the club of Loukas Barlos to constantly look for more. The staffing of the team continued at a steady pace. The full-back of Egaleo, Aris Damianidis, the Uruguayan midfielder Milton Viera from Olympiacos, the top scorer of last season second division with AEL, Giannis Mousouris, who was converted into a right-back and most importantly the Yugoslav international striker, Dušan Bajević from Velež Mostar, filled any gaps in the club's roster.

At the beginning of the season, the first rifts appeared over the relations of Barlos and František Fadrhonc. The philosophical differences between the two men regarding the future course of the team were presented, as Barlos wanted the staffing of AEK with big names, who would launch them to the top, while the "grandfather" seemed to prefer the gradual staffing of the team through their academies, which he had under his supervision and had upgraded to a fairly high level.

The price of their difference of philosophy resulted in the removal of Fadrhonc after the away defeat against Olympiacos at the 2nd matchday. The Czech's assistant Andreas Stamatiadis sat on the team's bench for the next two games as an interim coach and from there Zlatko Čajkovski took over the fate of AEK. The so-called "Čik" as an ardent supporter of attacking and spectacular football, continued Fadrhonc's work handling the club's roster perfectly.

In the UEFA Cup, AEK faced the Romanian ASA Târgu Mureș, for the first round. In Romania, AEK presented a mediocre appearance, which was largely due to the tragic condition of the field. It rained torrentially at the city for two consecutive days before the match, resulting in a mud-flooded pitch. The Romanians, took advantage of AEK's inability to develop their technical virtues on the field and not only did they defend effectively, but also won by 1–0. In the replay match, AEK were imposing and the score stopped at 3–0, while they lost many opportunities for more throughout the second half. The draw brought AEK at the second round opponents with the Belgian Standard Liège, which proved to be a difficult opponent and managed to leave the AEK stadium with a draw. The replay match found AEK unlucky, as they were left behind 1–0 by an own goal. The yellow-blacks managed to recover from the shock and they equalized to 1–1, but in the last half hour of the match found AEK exhausted and Standard Liège with everything on their side, including necessary luck, they scored 3 goals.

At the 15th matchday, the games took place the day after Christmas and the footballers' union proceeded to the first mobilization of the industry, claiming a strike for the specific matchday, which resulted the clubs lining up with players from the amateur divisions and only foreign professionals.[1] After the passing of the first months and the recovery of the injured Bajević, AEK looked like a goal machine.

They achieved a total of 74 goals having the best attack of the league, which they won with a difference of 7 points from the second PAOK. It was characteristic that after the defeat in the 2nd match that brought about the removal of Fadrhonc, AEK were defeated only once. Thomas Mavros was the league's top scorer with 22 goals, while in fourth place was Takis Nikoloudis with 15.

AEK's superiority and the big difference of points which they won the league was also confirmed in the Greek Cup. Čajkovski's team seemed unstoppable as they eliminated AO Chania at home in the first round, Panathinaikos away in the second round and Panionios at home in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, AEK defeated Panelefsiniakos away and advanced to the semi-finals, where they faced Olympiacos in Nea Filadelfeia. The "mistake" of Olympiacos to precede at the beginning of the match, made AEK "furious" and retaliated with 6 goals. AEK confirming their characterization as "unstoppable", defeated PAOK 2–0 in the final and won the Greek Cup, as well as the Double for the second time in their history after 39 years. Dušan Bajević emergerd as the top scorer in the tournament with 9 goals.[2]

Management team

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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 4 June 1978, 23:59 UTC+3.

PlayerNat.Position(s)Date of birth (Age)SignedPrevious clubTransfer feeContract until
Goalkeepers
Nikos ChristidisGKJune 30, 19781976 ArisFree1982
Lakis StergioudasGKJune 30, 19781972 Niki PoligyrouFree1985
Defenders
Apostolos ToskasCBJune 30, 19781969 TrikalaFree1979
Lakis Nikolaou (Vice-captain)CB / RB / ST / DMJune 30, 19781971 Atromitos₯600,0001979
Babis IntzoglouRB / LB / CBJune 30, 19781976 PanioniosFree1980
Stefanos TheodoridisCB / RBJune 30, 19781969 AEK Athens U201978
Giannis MousourisRB / RM / STJune 30, 19781977 AEL₯3,000,0001982
Petros RavousisCB / RBJune 30, 19781972 Aetos SkydraFree1985
Aris DamianidisCB / RBJune 30, 19781977 EgaleoFree1980
Midfielders
Milton VieraCM / DMJune 30, 19781977 OlympiacosFree1980
Lazaros PapadopoulosRM / RWJune 30, 19781973 VeriaFree1979
Dionysis TsamisCM / DM / AMJune 30, 19781972 Panetolikos₯2,300,0001980
Takis NikoloudisCM / AM / RM / LMJune 30, 19781977 IraklisFree1981
Christos ArdizoglouRM / LM / RW / AMJune 30, 19781974 Apollon Athens₯5,000,0001986
Fotis OutsikasJune 30, 19781975 AEK Athens U201980
Giorgos VlantisCMJune 30, 19781976 AEK Athens U201984
Giorgos VlachonikolisAM / SS1977 IlisiakosFree1978
Forwards
Mimis Papaioannou (Captain)SS / ST / AMJune 30, 19781962 Veria₯175,0001979
Dušan BajevićST / SSJune 30, 19781977 Velež MostarFree1981
Tasos KonstantinouRW / SS / ST / RM / AMJune 30, 19781972 EPA LarnacaFree1980
Thomas MavrosST / LWJune 30, 19781976 Panionios₯4,000,0001984
Left during season
Giorgos SidiropoulosGKJune 30, 19781973 AO TrikalaFree1978
From Reserve Squad
Spyros IkonomopoulosGKJune 30, 1978 AO Akratas
Panagiotis StylianopoulosRB / LBJune 30, 1978 AEK Athens U20
Theodoros ApostolopoulosCB Chaidari
KottidisCB AEK Athens U20
SaxanidisCB AEK Athens U20
Takis PapatheodorouCB AEK Athens U20
Christos KalaitzidisLMJune 30, 1978 PO.K.E.
Stefanos KallinteroglouST AEK Athens U20
Thomas StafylasSTJune 30, 1978 AEK Athens U20
Giannis OutsikasST AEK Athens U20
Stefanos ZografosST AEK Athens U20
Tasos BoulmentisST AEK Athens U20

Transfers

In

width=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Fromwidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Feewidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Datewidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Contract UntilSource
EgaleoFree transfer30 June 1980
AEL₯3,000,00030 June 1982[3]
OlympiacosFree transfer30 June 1980
IlisiakosFree transfer30 June 1978
Velež MostarFree transfer30 June 1981

Out

width=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Towidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00Feewidth=150 style="background:#FFDE00DateSource
AELContract termination
OFIEnd of contract
Free agentEnd of contract
PanioniosEnd of contract
VfR BürstadtEnd of contract
PanioniosEnd of contract
ArisEnd of contract
OFIEnd of contract
Free agentEnd of contract

Overall transfer activity

Expenditure: ₯3,000,000

Income: ₯0

Net Total: ₯3,000,000

Competitions

Alpha Ethniki

See main article: 1977–78 Alpha Ethniki.

Fixtures

Greek Cup

See main article: 1977–78 Greek Football Cup.

Matches

UEFA Cup

See main article: 1977–78 UEFA Cup.

Second round

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; text-align:center" | Left during season|-! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| From Reserve Squad|-|}

Goalscorers

Rankwidth=200 style="background:#FFDE00Playerwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Alpha Ethnikiwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Greek Cupwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00UEFA Cupwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Total
1228131
2151117
349013
491010
58019
7119
74015
82002
0112
101001
1001
0101
1001
Own goals0000
Totals 74 22 6102

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
Thomas Mavros4–0 (H)4 December 1977Alpha Ethniki
Dušan Bajević46–1 (A)21 December 1977Greek Cup
Takis Nikoloudis4–2 (Α)26 February 1978Alpha Ethniki[4]
Thomas Mavros6–1 (H)17 May 1978Greek Cup[5]

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:#FFDE00UEFA Cupwidth=120 style="background:#FFDE00Total
1103013
25016
30000
0000
Totals15 3 119

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; text-align:center" | Left during season|-! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| From Reserve Squad|}

Awards

PlayerAwardSource
Thomas MavrosFWAlpha Ethniki Top Scorer
Dušan BajevićFWGreek Cup Top Scorer

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Το ντεμπούτο του Μπάγεβιτς και δώδεκα… πιτσιρικάδων της εποχής! Στις 26 Δεκεμβρίου του 1977 στην Ελλάδα έπαιζαν μπάλα.... filathlos.gr.
  2. Web site: Περίοδος 1977-1978. 20 May 2015. aekpedia.com. el.
  3. Web site: Γιάννης Μουσούρης-Αφιέρωμα (ΑΕΛ 1975-76 & 1976-77). youtube.com.
  4. Web site: Μεγάλη ανατροπή με υπογραφή Νικολούδη. 26 February 2016. aek365.org. Online. el.
  5. Web site: Τα έξι γκολ της ΑΕΚ στον Ολυμπιακό!. 17 May 2014. gazzetta.gr. Online. el.