Spyros Ikonomopoulos Explained

Spyros Ikonomopoulos
Fullname:	Spyridon Ikonomopoulos
Birth Date:	1959 7, df=yes
Birth Place:	Akrata, Greece
Height:	1.87 m
Position:	Goalkeeper
Youthyears1:	–1976
Youthclubs1:	AO Akratas
Youthyears2:	1976–1978
Youthclubs2:	AEK Athens
Years1:	1977–1996
Clubs1:	AEK Athens
Caps1:	95
Goals1:	0
Nationalyears1:	1984–1989
Nationalteam1:	Greece
Nationalcaps1:	12
Nationalgoals1:	0

Spyros Ikonomopoulos (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Σπύρος Οικονομόπουλος; born 26 July 1959) is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for AEK Athens.^[1]

Club career

Ikonomopoulos started his football career from the amateur club of his hometown, AO Akratas, from where in 1976,at the age of 18, he joined the youth team of AEK Athens.^[2] He played his debut match with the men's team at 26 December 1977, where the professional footballers went on a strike and the clubs had to compete with amateurs.^[3] The following year was promoted to the first team, where he played 19 years, until the end of his career. In his first seasons Ikonomopoulos had the "misfortune" to coexist at times with several other great goalkeepers, such as Nikos Christidis, Lakis Stergioudas, Christos Arvanitis and Theologis Papadopoulos, so the competition for the spot was particularly tough. In 1988, however, under Dušan Bajević, he started in all the matches of the season, where he saved three penalties and effectively gave AEK their first league title in 10 years. At that time the fans gave him the nickname "Mr. Championship 1989".^[4] At the start of the following year, some unfortunate performances led to his gradual decommissioning, eventually resulting in him losing his position from Antonis Minou. He did not manage to make any appearances in the league, for the entire three years from 1992 to 1994, when AEK won the same number of titles. The arrival of Ilias Atmatsidis in the team forced him to retire officially, in the summer of 1996, at the age of 37.

International career

Ikonomopoulos played a total of 12 times with Greece, between 1984 and 1989. His debut took place on 12 September 1984 in an away friendly against East Germany, when under the instructions of Miltos Papapostolou, the coach who established him some years earlier at AEK, he replaced Giorgos Plitsis at half-time.^[5]

After football

After the end of his football career, he returned to Akrata, where he developed a business activity. At some point, the AEK administration announced its decision to hold a friendly match in his honor, but it never materialized.^[6]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[7]
Club	Season	League			Greek Cup		Europe		Balkans Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
AEK Athens	1977–78	Alpha Ethniki	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	1978–79		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1979–80		8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
	1980–81		26	0	6	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	33	0
	1981–82		12	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
	1982–83		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	1983–84		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1984–85		2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	1985–86		1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	1986–87		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1987–88		4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
	1988–89		30	0	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	36	0
	1989–90		8	0	1	0	4	0	0	0	2	0	15	0
	1990–91		2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	1991–92		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1992–93		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1993–94		2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	1994–95		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1995–96		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career total			95	0	17	0	6	0	1	0	2	0	121	0