Kalamata F.C.
![]() | ||||
Full name | Ποδοσφαιρικός Σύλλογος "Η Καλαμάτα" | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | Μαύρη Θύελλα (Black Storm) | |||
Founded | 1967; 57 years ago (1967) | |||
Ground | Kalamata Municipal Stadium | |||
Capacity | 4,496 | |||
Owner | George Prassas | |||
Chairman | George Prassas | |||
Manager | Nikos Anastopoulos | |||
League | Super League Greece 2 | |||
2023–24 | Super League Greece 2, 5th | |||
Website | Club website | |||
| ||||
Kalamata Football Club (Greek: Π.Σ. "Η Καλαμάτα") is a Greek professional football club based in Kalamata, Messenia. They compete in the Super League Greece 2, the second tier of the Greek football league system. The club's home ground is the Kalamata Metropolitan Stadium.
Creation and early years
Kalamata FC was formed in 1967 when local teams Apollon Kalamata FC and Kalamata Sports Club were forced to merge by the Greek Junta.[1] The Phoenix, which was the emblem of the dictatorship, was chosen as the team's crest and was removed after the Greek restoration of democracy in 1974.
History
The team has competed in the Greek first division seven times, in 1972–73, 1974–75, from 1995–96 to 1997–98, and from 1999–2000 to 2000–01.[2]
Kalamata F.C. achieved its first two promotions to the first division, in 1972 and 1974, under President Lykourgos Gaitanaros. Its first two promotions in the early 1970s are considered the team's first golden era.[citation needed] The team could not stick in the top flight though, and would not have a resurgence until the 1990s.
Businessman Stavros Papadopoulos bought the team in 1992, while the club was stuck in Gamma Ethniki, the third division. Upon his arrival, Papadopoulos began pouring a substantial amount of money into the club, and by 1995 the team had achieved promotion to the first division. The team dropped back to the second division for one season in 1998, but again achieved promotion to the first division the very next year, and remained in the top flight until Papadopoulos sold the team in 2000. After Papadopoulos' departure Kalamata fell to the second division and has since stayed in the lower divisions.
The Papadopoulos era of Kalamata F.C. saw the signing of many international players from Ghana, such as Samuel Johnson, Afo Dodoo, Ebenezer Hagan, Peter Ofori-Quaye and Derek Boateng. Johnson later transferred from Kalamata to Anderlecht and later played for Fenerbahçe, Hagan transferred to Iraklis and then to PAOK, Ofori-Quaye was sold for a club record US$3.5 million to Olympiacos, and Derek Boateng left for Panathinaikos. Kalamata FC is credited with starting the trend among Greek clubs of signing African talent since the late 1990s. The Papadopoulos era also saw the uncovering of a wealth of young Greek talent, including Greek international player Nikos Liberopoulos, who made his name at Kalamata before moving to Panathinaikos, and from there to AEK and Eintracht Frankfurt.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Kalamata_FC_Team_Bus.jpg/220px-Kalamata_FC_Team_Bus.jpg)
After being demoted to the second division in 1997, they eventually started to bring in young Brazilian talent, as well as some veterans of the biggest teams in Brazil. The Brazilians helped the team gain promotion to the first division right away in 1998. According to Brazilian media and insiders, Papadopoulos' son Daniil, a former high level amateur athlete in America, was supposedly instrumental in spotting some of the Brazilian talent and sending them to Kalamata FC.[citation needed] One of them, Hilton Assis (1999-2000), turned out to be the first cousin of Brazil and Barcelona FC super star Ronaldinho. Hilton was once a promising player in Brazil who starred for Internacional of Porto Alegre, but serious knee operations curtailed his career. When he was healthy he was Kalamata's top goal scorer, but he returned to the Brazilian first division after Papadopoulos sold the team.
Kalamata's long-standing rivals are Paniliakos and Egaleo.
Crest and colours
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c2/Kalamata_F.C._logo.jpg/100px-Kalamata_F.C._logo.jpg)
Kalamata F.C.'s official colours are black and white, and the team is known in Greece as the "Black Storm" (Μαύρη Θύελλα).
Stadium
Kalamata plays its home matches at Kalamata Metropolitan Stadium in Kalamata. The stadium was completed in 1976, and currently has a seating capacity of 5,400.[3]
Supporters
Kalamata F.C.'s most famous supporters' club is the "Bulldogs Fan Club".[4]
Rivals
Kalamata's long-standing rivals are Paniliakos, located in Pyrgos in the western Peloponnese, and Egaleo, in Athens suburb of Egaleo. Messiniakos is Kalamata's cross-town rival, but Messiniakos generally competed in lower leagues.
Participations in Leagues
1st tier | 7 | ||
---|---|---|---|
2nd tier | 24 | (*include 2024-25) | |
3rd tier | 21 | ||
4th tier (*not exist) | 4 |
Sponsors
As for the 2019–20 the main sponsor of the team is the Greek electrical company Volterra SA and the kit provider is Capelli Sport.
Players
Current squad
- As of 16 July 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Honours
Domestic
League titles
- Second Division[5]
- Winners (2): 1971–72 (Group 1), 1973–74 (Group 2)
- Third Division
- Winners (1): 2020–21 (South Group)
- Fourth Division
- Winners (2): 1984–85, 2010–11
Regional
League titles
- Messinia FCA Championship
- Winners (2): 1980−81, 2016−17
Cups
- Messinia FCA Cup
- Winners (4): 1953−54, 1982−83, 2016−17, 2017−18
League Participation
- First Division (7): 1972–1973, 1974–1975, 1995–1998, 1999–2001
- Second Division (20): 1967–1972, 1973–1974, 1975–1977, 1993–1995, 1998–1999, 2001–2010, 2021–present
- Third Division (21): 1977–1980, 1981–1982, 1985–1993, 2011–2016, 2017–2021
- Fourth Division (4): 1982–1985, 2010–2011
- Messinia FCA Championship (2): 1980–1981, 2016–2017
Notable wins
|
European matches
Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | 3rd Round | ![]() | 0−3 | 0–5 |
Notable Former Managers
Bo Petersson (1995–97)
Eduardo Amorim (1997–98)
Andreas Michalopoulos (2003–04)
Notable former players
Panagiotis Drougas
Nikos Georgeas
Nikos Liberopoulos
Sotiris Liberopoulos
Thomas Troupkos
Kostas Frantzeskos
Fanouris Goundoulakis
Aristeidis Galanopoulos
Christos Kalantzis
Thanasis Kostoulas
Sokratis Kopsachilis
Ilias Anastasakos
Vangelis Kaounos
Alekos Dedes
Thanasis Sentementes
Panagiotis Bachramis
Giorgos Bistikeas
Vaggelis Koutsoures
Christos Kelpekis
Kyriakos Stamatopoulos
Dimitrios Konstantopoulos
Nikos Zapropoulos
Christos Mikes
Vasilios Georgopoulos
Makis Belevonis
Dimitris Markos
Lysandros Georgamlis
Antonis Mavreas
Dimitris Spetzopoulos
Samuel Johnson
Peter Ofori-Quaye
Ebenezer Hagan
Derek Boateng
Afo Dodoo
Elvio Mana
Sergio Espinoza
Raul Valian
Luis Kadijevic
Armando Gigliotti
Alessandro Soares
Jeronimo Hilton
Sandro Luiz Scapin
- Sweden
Peter Larsson
References
- ^ "History of Kalamata FC". fckalamata.gr. 2004-08-18. Archived from the original on 2019-08-29. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
- ^ "Greece - Final Tables 1959-1999". RSSSF. 2003-08-03. Archived from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
- ^ "Kalamata Stadium". Stadia.gr. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
- ^ "Bulldogs Fan Club". Bulldogs Fan Club. Archived from the original on 2009-02-06.
- ^ "Greece - List of Second Division Champions". RSSSF. 2004-06-03. Archived from the original on 2023-01-29. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
External links
- PAE Kalamata – official site (in Greek)
- Bulldogs Fan Club – supporters' club site (in Greek)
- Onsports.gr Profile
- v
- t
- e
- Players
- Managers
- History of Kalamata F.C.
- Bulldogs Club
- Website
- fckalamata.gr