1988–89 AEK Athens F.C. season explained

The 1988–89 season was the 65th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 30th 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 21 August 1988 and finished on 21 May 1989.

Kits

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Overview

In the summer of 1988, an important administrative change came to the team, since the major shareholder, Andreas Zafiropoulos stepped down, with the overwhelming majority of the fans against him and handed over the management of club to the nightclub owner, Stratos Gidopoulos. Dušan Bajević returned to club he was loved in the past as a footballer after 7 years, but this time as a manager. Supported by the management, Bajević and the people of the club, very quickly built a tight and well-worked team, which had the best defense in the league and knew how to get the results in most matches. Gidopoulos, for his part, in addition to the very successful transfers he achieved, brought for the first time after years a wind of optimism, as he knew how to cheer up the team and the crowd with his statements, while in general proved to be a very capable agent who had the means to the players and the people of AEK not to feel at a disadvantage against their much stronger financial rivals. That finally turned out to be a dream season, although few expected that to happen, since the team had to face much stronger financial rivals in the league. The big transfer of the Polish star, Mirosław Okoński took place, Stelios Manolas was convinced to stay, while in December, Stavros Stamatis and Toni Savevski also arrived, but AEK still seemed to be an outsider for winning the league.

The team played in the UEFA Cup, where they played against Athletic Bilbao in the first round. In the first leg in a full AEK Stadium, despite the pouring rain, AEK pressed from the start and managed to take an early lead with a very impressive header from Pittas. The game was very intense and particularly hard. The Basques pushed for an equalizer, but AEK also had chances to extend the score. In the end, the fluid 1–0 remained and the rematch was set for 14 days later in the Basque Country. In the second leg, in the packed San Mamès, AEK were stunned and concieded 2 quick goals by Uralde. By the 6th minute, Athletic had already a qualification score and the remaining 84 minutes went by with AEK looking for the goal. In the end, the "golden" goal never came, despite some tepid chances. A highlight of the match at San Mamès, the human wall erected by the Basque fans to protect those of AEK from the Spanish police, an unforgettable move that was duly appreciated by the Greek excursionists.^[1]

In the cup, AEK did not do well, after being eliminated in the second round by Levadiakos, with the yellow-blacks having major complaints from the referee in the second leg, with Gidopoulos as their main expressor.^[2]

The most important moment of the year was clearly the away match against Olympiacos on 7 May, for the penultimate matchday of the championship. A match which many considered the red and whites to be a sure winner and did not give AEK any chance, even though the draw was also in their favor. The atmosphere at the period of the preparation of the two teams before this match was heated, as the players of Olympiacos cut a celebratory cake with the inscription "Olympiacos-AEK 4–0" at the "tower" of their president Argyris Saliarelis in Aegina, while at the same time the AEK were doing a mini-preparation at Parnitha.^[3]

At the Olympic Stadium the match started with Olympiacos pressing hard, but the defense as well as Ikonomopoulos held well. The pressure of the red and whites kept increasing, but AEK did not concede a goal. The clearance of the ball at the goaline by Manolas with his head on the header of Détári,^[4] and the spirited play of the whole team in general kept them intact during the match. At the 83rd minute, in a counterattack of AEK, Karagiozopoulos, who had come in as a substitute, made the "1-2" with Okonski and scored the "golden" goal which gave AEK the historic title victory.^[5]

The star of the team were Mirosław Okoński, Stelios Manolas, Giorgos Savvidis, Toni Savevski and Spyros Ikonomopoulos, who had an incredible performance, giving valuable points to the team with 3 crucial penalty kicks saves during the season and was given the nickname "Mr. Championship 1989" by the fans.^[6] The team's top scorer in the league is Miroslaw Okonski with 11 goals.^[7]

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 21 May 1989, 23:59 UTC+3.

Player	Nat.	Position(s)	Date of birth (Age)	Signed	Previous club	Transfer fee	Contract until
Goalkeepers
Antonis Minou		GK	June 30, 1989	1988		₯50,000,000	1991
Spyros Ikonomopoulos (Vice-captain)		GK	June 30, 1989	1978	AEK Athens U20	—	1989
Fanis Kofinas		GK	June 30, 1989	1982	Pelopas Kiato	Free	1992
Defenders
Makis Chatzis		RB / LB	June 30, 1989	1984	Apollon Athens	₯6,750,000	1989
Takis Karagiozopoulos		CB / DM / ST	June 30, 1989	1981	Veria	Free	1991
Stelios Manolas		CB / RB	June 30, 1989	1979	AEK Athens U20	—	1993
Giorgos Peppes		CB	June 30, 1989	1986	Ethnikos Piraeus	Free	1992
Christos Vasilopoulos		RB / LB	June 30, 1989	1986	Panachaiki	₯8,000,000	1991
Georgios Koutoulas		CB / LB	June 30, 1989	1987	AEK Athens U20	—	1999
Dimitris Volonakis		LB / CB	June 30, 1989	1987	AEK Athens U20	—	1990
Michalis Karousis		CB		1988	AEK Athens U20	—	1989
Midfielders
Dimitris Pittas		AM / CM	June 30, 1989	1986	PAOK	Free	1991
Mirosław Okoński		AM / ST / SS	June 30, 1989	1988	Hamburger SV	₯220,000,000	1990
Pavlos Papaioannou		DM / RB / LB / RM	June 30, 1989	1983	Rodos	₯10,000,000	1993
Giorgos Savvidis (Captain)		AM / RM / RW / SS / ST	June 30, 1989	1987	Omonia	₯20,940,600	1992
Lampros Georgiadis		AM / LM / LB	June 30, 1989	1986	Anagennisi Arta	₯12,000,000	1991
Toni Savevski		CM / LM / DM	June 30, 1989	1988	Vardar	Free	1991
Jim Patikas		RM / LM / RW / LW / SS	June 30, 1989	1985	Sydney Croatia	₯5,000,000	1991
Stavros Stamatis		DM / CM / CB / RB / LB / AM	June 30, 1989	1988	Charavgiakos	₯22,000,000	1995
Giorgos Famelis		CM	June 30, 1989	1988	AO Vouliagmenis	Free	1991
Charalampos Zarotiadis		CM / AM / SS	June 30, 1989	1988	AEK Athens U20	—	1989
Giorgos Papakostoulis		CM	June 30, 1989	1988	Atromitos Agioi Anargyroi	Free	1993
Forwards
Dimosthenis Batalis		ST	June 30, 1989	1988	Sydney Olympic	Free	1990
Frank Klopas		SS / ST / AM	June 30, 1989	1988	Chicago Sting	Free	1994
Georgios Christodoulou		ST / SS / LW	June 30, 1989	1985	Akratitos	Free	1992
Left during Winter Transfer Window
Polyvios Chatzopoulos		CB / DM	June 30, 1989	1985	Panionios	₯10,400,000	1990
Sotiris Mavrodimos		CB / RB / LB / DM	June 30, 1989	1986	Kozani	₯5,500,000	1991
Theodosis Kokotos		LB / CB / RB	June 30, 1989	1988	Panetolikos	₯6,000,000	1989
Giannis Dintsikos		ST / SS / RW / LW / AM	June 30, 1989	1981	Kastoria	₯20,000,000	1991
Henrik Nielsen		ST / SS	June 30, 1989	1987	B93	₯7,000,000	1990
Giannakis Ioannou		ST	June 30, 1989	1988	New York Pancyprian	₯5,000,000	1993
Michalis Manginas		RW / RM	June 30, 1989	1988	Ethnikos Nea Makri	₯1,700,000	1990

Transfers

In

Summer

	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	From	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Fee	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Date	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Contract Until	Source
		Panathinaikos	₯50,000,000		30 June 1991	[8]
		AEK Athens U20	Promotion		30 June 1989
		Panetolikos	₯6,000,000		30 June 1989	[9]
		AEK Athens U20	Promotion		30 June 1989
		Atromitos Agioi Anargyroi	Free transfer		30 June 1993	[10]
		Hamburger SV	₯220,000,000		30 June 1990	[11]
		Ethnikos Nea Makri	₯1,700,000		30 June 1990
		Acharnaikos	Loan return		30 June 1992
		Fostiras	Loan return		30 June 1989
		New York Pancyprian	₯5,000,000		30 June 1993	[12]

Winter

	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	From	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Fee	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Date	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Contract Until	Source
		Charavgiakos	₯22,000,000		30 June 1995	[13]
		Vardar	₯34,000,000[14]		30 June 1991	[15]
		Chicago Sting	Free transfer		30 June 1994	[16]
		Sydney Olympic	₯20,000,000		30 June 1991	[17]

Out

Summer

	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	To	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Fee	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Date	Source
		Panionios	Contract termination		[18] [19]
		Olympiacos Volos	₯6,500,000		[20]
		align=center colspan=2	Retired		[21]
		Panionios	Contract termination		[22]
		Free agent	Contract termination

Winter

	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	To	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Fee	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Date	Source
		Diagoras	₯4,000,000		[23]
		Olympiacos Volos	₯5,000,000		[24]
		Kastoria	Contract termination		[25]
		Iraklis	₯30,000,000[26]		[27]

Loan in

Summer

	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	From	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Fee	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Date	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	Until	Option to buy	Source
		AO Vouliagmenis	₯3,000,000		30 June 1991		[28]

Loan out

Winter

	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	To	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Fee	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Date	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	Until	Option to buy	Source
		Kallithea	Free		30 June 1989		[29]
		Kallithea	Free		30 June 1989
		Olympiacos Chalkida	Free		30 June 1989		[30]

Notes

a. the money went to the player's previous club, Pezoporiakos.

b. plus Panagiotis Savvidis (from the reserve time).^[31]

Contract renewals

	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Date	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	Former Exp. Date	width=150 style="background:#FFDE00	New Exp. Date	Source
			30 November 1989	30 June 1993	[32]
			30 June 1988	30 June 1993	[33]
			30 November 1988	30 June 1991	[34]
			30 November 1988	31 December 1991	[35]

Overall transfer activity

Expenditure

Summer: ₯285,700,000

Winter: ₯76,000,000

Total: ₯361,700,000

Income

Summer: ₯6,500,000

Winter: ₯39,000,000

Total: ₯45,500,000

Net Totals

Summer: ₯279,200,000

Winter: ₯37,000,000

Total: ₯306,200,000

Competitions

Alpha Ethniki

See main article: 1988–89 Alpha Ethniki.

Fixtures

Greek Cup

See main article: 1988–89 Greek Football Cup.

Matches

Round of 32

UEFA Cup

See main article: 1988–89 UEFA Cup.

First 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; color:black; text-align:center;"| Left during Winter Transfer window|-|}

Goalscorers

Rank		width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	Alpha Ethniki	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	Greek Cup	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	UEFA Cup	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	Total
1			11	0	0	11
2			7	1	0	8
3			5	2	0	7
4			6	0	0	6
5			4	1	0	5
6			2	1	1	4
7			3	0	0	3
8			1	1	0	2
9			1	0	0	1
			1	0	0	1
			1	0	0	1
			1	0	0	1
			1	0	0	1
			1	0	0	1
			0	1	0	1
Own goals	0	0	0	0
Totals	45	7	1	53

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.

Rank	width=200 style="background:#FFDE00	Player	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	Alpha Ethniki	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	Greek Cup	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	UEFA Cup	width=120 style="background:#FFDE00	Total
1		16	2	1	19
Totals	16	2	1	19

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 Winter Transfer window|}

Starting 11

	Player
	Spyros Ikonomopoulos	GK
	Stelios Manolas (C)	RCB
	Georgios Koutoulas	LCB
	Christos Vasilopoulos	RB
	Makis Chatzis	LB
	Pavlos Papaioannou	DM
	Dimitris Pittas	RCM
	Toni Savevski	LCM
	Giorgos Savvidis	RW
	Jim Patikas	LW
	Mirosław Okoński	CF

External links

• AEK Athens F.C. Official Website
• A.E.K. FC Database

Notes and References

1. Web site: Η σεζόν των Ντέταρι, Χάτζι και Μαραντόνα. 21 March 2015. contra.gr.
2. Web site: ΑΕΚ: Αποκλεισμός σοκ με...τραβεστί διαιτησία. Σταύρος. Καζαντζόγλου. 14 December 2020. enwsi.gr.
3. Web site: Τα χιτσκοκικά «διπλά» της ΑΕΚ στο άνδρο του Ολυμπιακού. 4 February 2018. sport-retro.gr.
4. Web site: Η μυθικη αποκρουση-μισο πρωταθλημα του ΣΤΕΛΙΟΥ ΜΑΝΩΛΑ στην κεφαλια του ΝΤΕΤΑΡΙ. youtube.com.
5. Web site: Γκολ Καραγκιοζόπουλου εναντίον Ολυμπιακού Π.. youtube.com.
6. Web site: 'Τα αξέχαστα δευτερόλεπτα της 7ης Μαΐου'. contra.gr.
7. Web site: Περίοδος 1988-1989. 22 May 2015. aekpedia.com. el.
8. Web site: Στην ΑΕΚ... ο Μήνου. July 13, 2015. aek-live.gr.
9. News: 16 July 1988. Στην Αυστρία σήμερα οι «νέοι». 1, 3. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
10. News: 22 May 1988. Ο Νίλσεν ψάχνει για Δανό «μπαλαντέρ». 8. Athetic Echo. Μίμης Βαζογιάννγης. el.
11. Web site: Όταν ο Οκόνσκι ήρθε στην ΑΕΚ και έβαλε τέλος στα πέτρινα χρόνια. 4 July 2015. aek-live.gr.
12. News: 15 July 1988. Η ΑΕΚ πήρε τον Κύπριο άσσο Γιαν. Ιωάννου. 1, 3. Athetic Echo. el.
13. News: 15 December 1988. Υπέγραψε στην ΑΕΚ ο Σταματής. 1. Athetic Echo. el.
14. News: 2 December 1988. Στην ΕΠΟ το δελτίο του Σαββέβσκι. 3. Athetic Echo. Ν. Συνοδινός. el.
15. Web site: Ο Σαβέβσκι στα κιτρινόμαυρα. 22 November 2019. aek-live.gr. el.
16. News: 5 November 1988. «Πέταγε» ο Νίλσεν. 8. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
17. News: 14 October 1988. «Προβοκάτσια» φωνάζει η ΑΕΚ. 1, 3. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
18. News: 7 July 1988. Οριστικά ελεύθερος με 4-1 έμεινε ο Θ. Παπαδόπουλος. 8. Athetic Echo. Γ. Χατζηευστρατίου. el.
19. News: 12 July 1988. Μπαμ και κάτω για δυο άσους!. 8. Athetic Echo. Λάζαρος Μ. Πατσουράκος. el.
20. News: 25 June 1988. Πέρνοβιτς!. 3, 6. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
21. News: 7 July 1988. Λύθηκε το συμβόλαιο της ΑΕΚ με Γιάνγιανιν. 1. Athetic Echo. el.
22. News: 7 July 1988. Ελεύθερος ο Βασιλάκος αφού έδωσε 13.000.000. 8. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
23. News: 6 December 1988. Ο Χατζόπουλος στο Διαγόρα με 14.000.000. 1. Athetic Echo. el.
24. News: 16 December 1988. Νοκ - άουτ ο Σαββίδης. 1, 8. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
25. News: 19 November 1988. Ενδιαφέρουν. 3. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
26. News: 16 December 1988. Ο Νίλσεν στον Ηρακλή. 1, 3. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
27. Web site: Αντίο του Νίλσεν με δύο γκολ και πρωτιά. 11 December 2019. aek-live.gr. el.
28. News: 12 August 1988. Τριάντα εκατ. θα στοιχίσει στην ΑΕΚ ο Φαμέλης. 1, 2. Athetic Echo. el.
29. News: 2 December 1988. Υπέγραψαν Μαγγίνας, Κόκκοτος στην Καλλιθέα. 5, 8. Athetic Echo. Αλ. Δημητριάδης. el.
30. Web site: Γιαννάκης Ιωάννου. football.aek.com.
31. newspaper Athletic Echo 17/12/1988 page 2News: 17 December 1988. Σημαντικές υποχωρήσεις. 2. Athetic Echo. el.
32. News: 9 July 1988. Για πάντα μαζί. 1, 3. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
33. News: 16 June 1988. Άλλα 5 χρόνια κίτρινος ο Παπαϊωάννου. 1, 3. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
34. News: 8 June 1988. Ο Πατίκας υπέγραψε για τρία χρόνια!. 1, 3. Athetic Echo. Γιώργος Πάστρας. el.
35. newspaper Athletic Echo 11/11/1988 pages 1–3