Aris Limassol FC
Encyclopedia
Aris Limassol is a Greek Cypriot
football club based in Lemesos. Green and white are the colours of the club and the team's home is the Tsirion Stadium
.
, and was around between 5th and 7th position in 1930s. During the 1940s, the team didn't compete in the Cypriot First Division
, however they returned back in the Cypriot Championship in 1954 and they were the first team to be relegated to the Second Division after finishing last in the table. The following season they became Champions in the Second Division and returned back to be relegated again. Returning to the First Division, where after a good appearance in the First Division, they gained the fourth position.
Being one of the weakest teams in the First Division during 1960s, they were finally relegated in 1969–70 as 12th and remained for two seasons in the Second Division. The situation changed for Aris between 1975 and 1980 when the team won again the fourth position in 1976–77 and 1978–79. Two years after winning the fourth position, in 1981 the team were relegated again after finishing last (14th) but returned as runners up the following season and finished 5th in 1985–86.
The greatest success of the club was in 1989 when the team qualified to the Cyprus Cup final, where they were beaten by AEL Limassol
2–3. The following season, in 1989–90, the club signed the Ukrainian
Oleg Blokhin
, the 1975 European Footballer of the Year
, and helped them to win for another time the fourth position, which was the clubs greatest position. After the end of the season, Blokhin ended his career playing for Aris Limassol.
After the relegation in 1992/93, the team won the following season for third time the Second Division Championship. Since 1996/97, when the club was in Cypriot First Division
, the team was then every year relegated to the Cypriot Second Division
and the following year was promoted to the Cypriot First Division
. That situation ended in 2006–07
, when the team finished 8th in the championship and managed to remain in the Cypriot First Division
. Aris was relegated to the Cypriot Second Division
in 2008–2009, the team finished in 2nd place and played in the Cypriot First Division
in 2009–2010 but has been relegated yet again. In 2009–2010 it reached the Cyprus Cup semi-final.
Although the football team forms the centre of sporting activity for Aris, the club has over the years maintained teams in other sports including basketball, table tennis and chess. The Aris chess team dominated Cypriot chess during the 1980s. Also, Aris has around 300 fans and they said that they are the 300 of Leonidas in Thermopylea.
Additionally, the Aris choir was established in 1938 by the famous conductor and composer Solon Michaelides who remained its conductor until 1956 to undertake the direction of the National Orchestra of Salonica, Greece. In 1962, the choir made a new start under the direction of Marinos Mitellas and remains one of the best known Hellenic choirs performing in Cyprus, Greece and internationally.
Alekos Alekou
Marios Antoniou
Yiasoumis Yiasoumi
Jovo Miseljic
Bueno Ernandes Atanas Bornosuzov
Plamen Petrov
Radostin Stanev
Hristo Yovov
Gilbert Bayiha N'Djema
Vincent Ongandzi Puma
Vlastimil Svoboda Jan Vorel
Jani Viander
Edwin Ouon
Miklos Lendvai
Waldemar Adamczyk Bruno Pinheiro
Paulo Costa Laurenţiu Diniţă
Ion Geolgău Adrian Mihalcea
Costel Mozacu
Adrian Pigulea Mirza Golubica Miha Golob
Marian Lalik
Ivan Trabalík
Oleg Blokhin
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
football club based in Lemesos. Green and white are the colours of the club and the team's home is the Tsirion Stadium
Tsirion Stadium
Tsirion Stadium is an all seater multi-purpose stadium in Limassol, Cyprus. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of AEL Limassol, Apollon Limassol, Aris Limassol and APEP Pitsilias. In the past, especially in 1990s, it was used as the home ground for the Cyprus...
.
History
One of the founder members of Cyprus Football AssociationCyprus Football Association
The Cyprus Football Association is the governing body of football in Cyprus. It organizes the football league, whose top league is Cypriot First Division, Cypriot Cup, Cyprus FA Shield and the Cypriot national football team. It is based in Nicosia. It Football was introduced to Cyprus early in...
, and was around between 5th and 7th position in 1930s. During the 1940s, the team didn't compete in the Cypriot First Division
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
, however they returned back in the Cypriot Championship in 1954 and they were the first team to be relegated to the Second Division after finishing last in the table. The following season they became Champions in the Second Division and returned back to be relegated again. Returning to the First Division, where after a good appearance in the First Division, they gained the fourth position.
Being one of the weakest teams in the First Division during 1960s, they were finally relegated in 1969–70 as 12th and remained for two seasons in the Second Division. The situation changed for Aris between 1975 and 1980 when the team won again the fourth position in 1976–77 and 1978–79. Two years after winning the fourth position, in 1981 the team were relegated again after finishing last (14th) but returned as runners up the following season and finished 5th in 1985–86.
The greatest success of the club was in 1989 when the team qualified to the Cyprus Cup final, where they were beaten by AEL Limassol
AEL Limassol
Athlitiki Enosi Lemesou , commonly known as AEL Limassol , is a Greek Cypriot multisport club based in the city of Limassol, the port of Cyprus....
2–3. The following season, in 1989–90, the club signed the Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Oleg Blokhin
Oleg Blokhin
Oleh Volodymyrovych "Oleg" Blokhin is a Ukrainian football coach and current head coach of the Ukrainian national team. Blokhin was formerly a standout striker for Dynamo Kyiv and the Soviet national team...
, the 1975 European Footballer of the Year
European Footballer of the Year
The "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...
, and helped them to win for another time the fourth position, which was the clubs greatest position. After the end of the season, Blokhin ended his career playing for Aris Limassol.
After the relegation in 1992/93, the team won the following season for third time the Second Division Championship. Since 1996/97, when the club was in Cypriot First Division
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
, the team was then every year relegated to the Cypriot Second Division
Cypriot Second Division
- Structure :Fourteen clubs compete in the league, playing each other twice, once at home and once away for a total of 26 games per team. The topthree clubs are promoted to the first division and the bottom three are relegated to the third division.- Teams :...
and the following year was promoted to the Cypriot First Division
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
. That situation ended in 2006–07
Cypriot First Division 2006-07
- Final standings :Updated as of May 16, 2007Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points...
, when the team finished 8th in the championship and managed to remain in the Cypriot First Division
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
. Aris was relegated to the Cypriot Second Division
Cypriot Second Division
- Structure :Fourteen clubs compete in the league, playing each other twice, once at home and once away for a total of 26 games per team. The topthree clubs are promoted to the first division and the bottom three are relegated to the third division.- Teams :...
in 2008–2009, the team finished in 2nd place and played in the Cypriot First Division
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
in 2009–2010 but has been relegated yet again. In 2009–2010 it reached the Cyprus Cup semi-final.
Although the football team forms the centre of sporting activity for Aris, the club has over the years maintained teams in other sports including basketball, table tennis and chess. The Aris chess team dominated Cypriot chess during the 1980s. Also, Aris has around 300 fans and they said that they are the 300 of Leonidas in Thermopylea.
Additionally, the Aris choir was established in 1938 by the famous conductor and composer Solon Michaelides who remained its conductor until 1956 to undertake the direction of the National Orchestra of Salonica, Greece. In 1962, the choir made a new start under the direction of Marinos Mitellas and remains one of the best known Hellenic choirs performing in Cyprus, Greece and internationally.
Current squad
For recent transfers, see List of Cypriot football transfers summer 2011.Former players
Adam FotiAdam Foti
Adam Foti is an Australian football striker with Italy passport who so far has played for several Cypriot and Greek clubs. He began playing football aged six in Junior Clubs Terry Hils/Bellrose Raiders, Manly-Warringah, Gladesville-Hornsby...
Alekos Alekou
Alekos Alekou
Alekos Alekou is a Cypriot football striker who plays for Nea Salamina in Cypriot First Division.- External links :*...
Marios Antoniou
Marios Antoniou
Marios Antoniou is a Cypriot football midfielder who plays for Aris Limassol. His former teams Alki Larnaca, Apollon Limassol and AEL FC.- External links :*...
Yiasoumis Yiasoumi
Yiasoumis Yiasoumi
Yiasoumis Yiasoumi is a retired Cypriot footballer who last played for AEK Larnaca. He was also a player of Enosis Neon Paralimni, APOEL, PAOK, Aris Limassol and Ethnikos Achna....
Jovo Miseljic
Jovo Mišeljić
Jovo Mišeljić is a Bosnian Serb former football player.-Career:After starting to play with his home city club FK Leotar still in the Yugoslav Second League, with the beginning of the war he moved to Serbia where he played a three solid seasons with FK Radnički Niš...
Bueno Ernandes Atanas Bornosuzov
Atanas Bornosuzov
Atanas Bornosuzov is a Bulgarian footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Slavia Sofia.For Bulgaria U21, Bornosuzov was capped 22 times.-Youth career:Bornosuzov start to play football in Maritsa Plovdiv...
Plamen Petrov
Plamen Petrov
Plamen Petrov is a Bulgarian football player. He currently plays for Beroe Stara Zagora as a goalkeeper.-Club: Beroe**Bulgarian Cup:***Winner: 2009-10-External links:*...
Radostin Stanev
Radostin Stanev
Radostin Stanev is a former Bulgarian football player.-In Bulgaria:Stanev started his career in Varna in the local Spartak. In 1998 he played for six months in CSKA Sofia. After that he signed with Lokomotiv Sofia. Between January 2008 and May 2008 Stanev played again in Spartak Varna...
Hristo Yovov
Hristo Yovov
Hristo Yovov is a Bulgarian footballer who currently plays for Levski Sofia. Yovov's first club was Levski, but he has also played for Munchen 1860, Lokomotiv Sofia, Litex Lovech, Aris Limassol and Apollon Limassol....
Gilbert Bayiha N'Djema
Gilbert Bayiha N'Djema
Gilbert Bayiha-N'Djema is a Cameroonian footballer who plays for Aris Limassol in Cyprus.-References: * * * *...
Vincent Ongandzi Puma
Manuel Estêvão Sanches
Puma real name Manuel Estêvão F. Anjos Sanches is a Cape Verde international player who last played for Alki Larnaca in 2009 and also played for Enosis Neon Paralimni in the Cypriot First Division....
Vlastimil Svoboda Jan Vorel
Jan Vorel
Jan Vorel is a Czech football defender who plays for FK Dukla Prague in the Gambrinus liga. He is the club captain.Born in Prague, he played for the youth teams of Prague clubs Viktoria Žižkov and FK Dukla Prague before joining the ranks of FK Chmel Blšany youth side aged 14...
Jani Viander
Jani Viander
Jani Viander is a former Finnish footballer who last played for HJK Helsinki. Currently he works as a goalkeeping coach for both HJK and it's reserves Klubi-04 and for the Finland U21.-Career:...
Edwin Ouon
Edwin Ouon
Edwin Ouon is a French born-Rwandan footballer, last playing as a centre back for AEL Limassol in the Cypriot First Division...
Miklos Lendvai
Miklos Lendvai
Miklós Lendvai is a Hungarian football player.-External links:* * *...
Waldemar Adamczyk Bruno Pinheiro
Bruno Filipe Tavares Pinheiro
Bruno Filipe Tavares Pinheiro or simply Bruno Pinheiro is a Portuguese football player currently playing in Poland for Widzew Łódź.-External links: * *...
Paulo Costa Laurenţiu Diniţă
Laurentiu Dinita
Laurenţiu Diniţă is a Romanian former football player and current coach of Concordia Chiajna.-External links:* at RomanianSoccer.ro...
Ion Geolgău Adrian Mihalcea
Adrian Mihalcea
Adrian Mihalcea is a Romanian football striker who currently plays for Liga I team Concordia Chiajna.-Career:Mihalcea spent many years playing with one of the top Romanian teams, Dinamo Bucharest, where he won the Romanian First Division championship in 2000 and the Romanian Cup in 2000 and again...
Costel Mozacu
Costel Mozacu
Costel Mozacu is a Romanian football midfielder who played with Aris Limassol in Cyprus. His former teams are: Steaua Mizil, Tractorul Braşov, Olimpia Satu Mare, Oţelul Galaţi, Petrolul Ploieşti, Steaua Bucureşti and FC Naţional Bucureşti.-External links:*...
Adrian Pigulea Mirza Golubica Miha Golob
Miha Golob
Miha Golob is a Slovenian footballer currently playing for Rudar Velenje.Previously, he played for Ježica, Rudar Velenje, Dinamo Zagreb, NK Maribor, AEL Limassol and Aris Limassol in Cyprus.-External sources:* at PrvaLiga....
Marian Lalik
Marián Ľalík
Marián Ľalík is a retired football midfielder who played professionally in the Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.-Club career:...
Ivan Trabalík
Ivan Trabalík
Ivan Trabalík, born October 8, 1974 in Slovakia) is an Slovakian football Goalkeeper who currently plays for MFK Dolný Kubín in the 1. liga. Trabalík is a well traveled player who has played in his home country of Slovakia as well as overseas in Poland and Iran and latest in Cyprus.-References:...
Oleg Blokhin
Oleg Blokhin
Oleh Volodymyrovych "Oleg" Blokhin is a Ukrainian football coach and current head coach of the Ukrainian national team. Blokhin was formerly a standout striker for Dynamo Kyiv and the Soviet national team...
Titles
- Cypriot Cup:
- Runners-up (1):1989
- Cypriot Second DivisionCypriot Second Division- Structure :Fourteen clubs compete in the league, playing each other twice, once at home and once away for a total of 26 games per team. The topthree clubs are promoted to the first division and the bottom three are relegated to the third division.- Teams :...
:- Winners (4): 1954, 1956, 1994, 2011