Athletic Club Omonia Nicosia (Greek: Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Oμόνοια Λευκωσίας; Athlitikós Sýllogos Omónoia Lefkosías), commonly known as Omonia Nicosia, or simply Omonia (also transliterated as Omonoia), is a Cypriot professional multi-sport club, established on 4 June 1948 in Nicosia. It is best known for its football department, which has played in the Cypriot First Division since 1953. On 14 June 2018, the football department of AC Omonia became a professional for-profit football company, and is since known as Omonia FC.[1]
Omonia is one of Cyprus' most successful football clubs, having won 21 National Championships, 16 Cups, and a record 17 Super Cups.[2] Omonia has won five doubles and a record three domestic trebles, and is one of three Cypriot clubs to never have been relegated to the second division. Omonia also holds an outstanding record of 14 championships in two decades (between 1970 and 1989), a record of being either champion or runner-up 14 times in a row in the championship (between 1973 and 1986), and the record of having won the Cypriot Cup four times in a row (between 1980 and 1983).
AC Omonia also operates departments in basketball, volleyball, futsal, cycling, runners, women's football and women's volleyball.[3]
History
Creation and early years (1948–1953)
On 23 May 1948, the governing board of APOEL football club sent a telegram to the Hellenic Association of Amateur Athletics (Greek: Σ.Ε.Γ.Α.Σ.), with the opportunity of the annual Panhellenic Track and Field Competition. In its telegram, the board stated its wish for what it described as the "communist mutiny" to be ended. Club players considering this action as a specifically political comment on the Greek Civil War distanced themselves from the board and were duly expelled from APOEL.[4] On 4 June 1948, Dr. Mattheos Papapetrou organized a meeting in Nicosia that led to the creation of Omonia. Many players expelled from APOEL were present at the meeting and joined the new club. Along with other left-wing teams such as Nea Salamina, Alki Larnaca and Orfeas Nicosia, Omonia helped create the Cyprus Amateur Football Federation in December 1948. Omonia took part in the CAFF league until 1953, having won four out of five played championships and five out of five played cups. Omonia was then accepted by the Cyprus Football Association to participate in the Cypriot First Division.
Beginnings in the Cypriot First Division (1953–1969)
After joining the Cypriot First Division in 1953, Omonia only placed seventh out of nine teams in the 1953–54 season, barely avoiding relegation. During that decade, the club's best placing came during the 1956–57 season when the club finished in the third position.
The team would make its closest push for the title during the 1959–60 season after finishing second, one point behind Anorthosis Famagusta.[5] The following year, after seven seasons in the First Division, the club would win its first title in 1960–61 season.[5] Omonia, in that season, would score 91 goals in 24 matches on their way to their first ever Cyprus First Division title. Omonia won their second title during the 1965–66 season.
Golden era (1970s–1980s)
Sotiris Kaiafas is not only considered one of Omonia's all-time greatest, but the best footballer in the history of Cypriot football.
Omonia won its first trophies of the decade in 1972, when the club won both the league and the cup. Led by a young Sotiris Kaiafas, Omonia won seven league titles in the 1970s, six of them were consecutive (1974–1979).[5] At the end of the decade, Omonia had a total of nine championship titles and three cups. At the end of the 1979 season, Omonia trailed its arch-rival APOEL by two championships. In 1976, Sotiris Kaiafas would go on and win the European Golden Shoe for his single-season 39-goal performance.[6] In 2003, he was awarded the UEFA Jubilee Awards for the Best Cypriot Footballer of the 20th century.
The 1980s was a successful decade for the club as it won an additional seven Cypriot League Championship titles including another five consecutive in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, and in 1987 and in 1989.[5] As the 1980s came to an end, Omonia had won 14 Cypriot championship titles, becoming the most successful team on the island at the time.[5]
General decline (1990s)
The 1990s would prove to be less successful than the previous two decades. During this time, Omonia only mustered one Cypriot League title during the 1992–93 season. It would be eight years before Omonia would see its next title. In 1997, Omonia signed the German Rainer Rauffmann, who would later become the second top goalscorer ever for the club. With the help of other Omonia great and then captain, Costas Malekkos, and a young Costas Kaiafas (the son of Sotiris Kaiafas), Rauffmann would become top scorer of the Cypriot First Division in 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00 and 2000–01 seasons and led Omonia to two titles.[7]
Revival (2000s)
After a disappointing eight seasons, the 2000s decade began with a trophy. Omonia celebrated its 18th Cypriot league championship title in 2001. Now captained by Costas Kaiafas, Omonia would win its 19th Cypriot League Championship again in 2003. Since 2003, however, the team would stumble and be without a title for the next several years. After numerous seasons of poor signings and underachieving, Omonia's reigns would be taken over by new chairman and team president, Miltiadis Neophytou in 2008.
Michalis Konstantinou, mostly credited for helping the team reach its 20th championship title.[8]
The team would soon be put back on track starting in 2006, beginning with the signing of Cyprus international goalkeeper Antonis Georgallides. Omonia would continue its star-studded signings by acquiring Cypriot stars that had been playing abroad, such as Elias Charalambous and Stathis Aloneftis. Omonia would then make headlines with the shocking signing of all-time leading scorer for Cyprus, Michalis Konstantinou. In 2009, Omonia would also sign another Cypriot star, Konstantinos Makrides. En route, Omonia would also acquire young Cypriot hopefuls, 21-year-old Dimitris Christofi and 20-year-old Georgios Efrem. Efrem, who had been playing on the youth team of Arsenal and later Scottish side Rangers, would be the final piece to the puzzle needed to win its 20th Cypriot league championship. After putting the proper pieces in place, Omonia did just that. During the 2009–10 season, led by the new captain, Elias Charalambous, Omonia would not lose a single derby, including play-off matches against APOEL, Anorthosis and Apollon.
Head coach Takis Lemonis left the club after disappointing results and Dušan Bajević became the new coach in October 2010,[9] but was fired in April 2011.[10] He was replaced by Neophytos Larkou. Omonia would not be able to repeat as Champion during the 2010–11 regular season, and instead had to settle with finishing second,[11] despite the addition of yet another young Cypriot rising star, Andreas Avraam. The club, however, was able to finish the season on a positive note: under Larkou, Omonia defeated Apollon Limassol in the Cypriot Cup final to win their 13th cup title.[12]
The following season, Omonia won their 14th cup starring André Alves, who scored the winning goal against AEL Limassol in the final.[13] Under the guidance of newly appointed director of football Nickolas Danskalou, Omonia finished third in the league, all but assuring they would qualify for the second round of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League.[14]
Financial crisis (2012–2018)
Head coach Neophytos Larkou left the club in September 2012[15] and Toni Savevski was then appointed as coach. The team began the season with a great win but found its second success after several games. A disappointing first round proved enough to exclude the club from contesting for the championship or the cup. The team managed better results in the second round, finishing the season in third place.[16] Thousands of fans answered the president's call to donate as much as they could and the financial issues of the club improved. Omonia was knocked out in the semi-finals of the cup by AEL Limassol.
In 2013, Omonia began the new season with Savevski as manager, but he was sacked halfway beside positive results. Miguel Ángel Lotina was hired as the replacer,[17] but was sacked just 37 days later.[18] Kostas Kaiafas, ex-player was then appointed as the new coach.[19] The club's financial difficulties returned despite the massive fundraiser organized the previous season. Omonia finished fifth in the league,[20] making it its worst season in 56 years.[5]
In August 2014, Omonia was knocked out of the Europa League by Dynamo Moscow, in the play-off round. The club issued a complaint to UEFA regarding the refereeing of the match by Alexandru Tudor.[21] In early September, the club stopped supplying the fans' group Gate 9 with tickets resulting in the group's abstention from matches.[22] Two weeks later, after a meeting between the president and the coach, it was decided that tickets were to be supplied again to Gate 9.[23] Omonia finished fourth in the league. The team was eliminated from the Cypriot Cup in the semi-finals by APOEL.[24]
The team ended the 2015–16 campaign in 4th place.[25] During this season, Omonia reached the final of the Cypriot Cup but lost to Apollon Limassol.[26] The 2016–17 season saw the club finish 5th. This meant that for the first time in 15 years the club had failed to qualify for European football.[27] Following a general assembly at the end of the season, Antonis Tzionis was elected as the new club president.[28] While the 2017–18 campaign began with high expectations, Omonia finished the season in 6th place. This season was the worst in the club's history, in terms of defeats and goals conceded.[29] Despite this, the club sold a total of 95,222 tickets during the season, more than any other team in the league.[30]
Papastavrou era (2018–present)
The decline of the club's football department and the financial difficulties it faced convinced many that a change in the way the club was being run was needed. In May 2018, a general assembly was called and members voted to hand the football department over to Stavros Papastavrou, an American-based Cypriot businessman.[31][32] He has stated that he will provide funds for the development of the club's academies and training grounds, and that the potential creation of a new stadium will be considered.[33] The agreement, initially set for 10 years, was extended indefinitely in 2023.[34] In the club's first season under Papastavrou's ownership, Omonia finished the 2018–19 campaign in 6th place. Manager Yannis Anastasiou was replaced by Henning Berg in June 2019.[35]
AC Omonoia's 2020–21 UEFA Europa League starting line-up in the club's first ever winning game at a group stage level against PAOK with final score 2-1.
The following season, Omonia would beat Red Star Belgrade to qualify for the group stage of a European Competition for the first time in the club's history.[37] Omonia finished fourth in Group E of the 2020–21 Europa League.[38] In the home game against PSV Eindhoven, Omonia captainJordi Gómez scored from a distance of 56 metres, breaking the record for the furthest distance ever for a goal scored in the Europa League.[39] In May 2021, Omonia ended the season by winning the Cypriot League for the 21st time, and for the first time since 2010.[40]
Omonia started the 2021–22 season by winning the Super Cup, and qualifying for the group stage of the Europa Conference League.[41][42] However, a disastrous first half of the league campaign saw the club out of the top 6 for the first time since the 1953–54 season.[43] Heavy criticism led to the release of head coach Henning Berg in February 2022.[44] He was replaced by Neil Lennon,[45] who was able to salvage the season by winning the 2021–22 Cypriot Cup, Omonia's first in 12 years.[46]
In August 2022, Omonia shocked Belgian cup winners Gent 4–0 on aggregate to enter the 2022–23 Europa League group stage.[47] There, Omonia would fail to earn a single point in their group, despite respectable showings against the likes of Manchester United and Real Sociedad.[48] The league campaign was also unsuccessful, with the club finishing in sixth. Under new coach Sofronis Avgousti, they were able to win the Cup for the second year in a row, beating AEL Limassol 1–0 in the final.[49] In the Europa Conference League, Omonia have managed to beat Gabala FK 3–7 on aggregate in the second round, and despite winning against FC Midtjylland 1–0 in the 1st leg of the 3rd qualifying round, Omonia have lost 5–1 in the second leg, which meant that they would be kicked out of any European group stage since the 2020–21 season.
Identity
Name
"Omonia" (Ομόνοια) is the Greek language word for harmony, unity, or concord.[50]
Colours and badge
Omonia's club colours are green and white. The green color indicates hope while white indicates happiness.[50]
Omonia's badge has a green shamrock in a white circle.[51]
Omonia tends to use a red alternative kit.
Anthem
Omonia's official anthem was written by Costas Melides in 1971, and recorded by Giannis Avraamides in 1972, in Athens. The lyrics of the anthem reference Omonia's competitive spirit ("Lions in defense, cannons in attack", Greek: "Στην άμυνα λιοντάρια, επίθεση κανόνια"), the club's left-wing roots ("the people's team", Greek: "Του λαού ομάδα"), and the loyalty of the team's supporters, regardless of its results ("In every match, thousands of your loyal fans", Greek: "Σε κάθε σου αγώνα, χιλιάδες οι πιστοί σου οπαδοί").[52]
Since 23 October 1999, Omonia has been using the 22,859-seat New GSP Stadium, the largest stadium in Cyprus. They share and rent the stadium with local rival APOEL.[53]
Plans for construction of a privately-owned stadium
Omonia has never owned its own stadium. The idea was discussed and attempted several times, but it has yet to come to fruition. The club had initiated the creation of a stadium in Mia Milia in 1971, but plans were abandoned after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. In 2003, the club purchased a piece of land in Nicosia with the aim of building a stadium, however the property was given to the Bank of Cyprus due to debts of the owner company.[53]
The current owner of Omonia FC, Stavros Papastavrou, has spoken about wanting to build a new stadium for the team. His 2023 agreement with the Club's board of directors will allow him to proceed with the plan. He has stated that Omonia's new stadium could be ready in five years, and has described the matter as a "priority".[54]
Supporters of Omonia Nicosia at an away match vs. Red Bull Salzburg in 2010
Historically, Omonia has been one of the most popular teams in Cyprus since the creation of the club. A 2022 study conducted by the University of Nicosia found Omonia to be the most popular team on the island by far, with 30.7% of the approximately 1500 contestants stating they support the club.[55]
Omonia holds the record for the most league tickets sold by a Cypriot team in a single season (162,061 during the 2009–10 campaign). The club also holds the Cypriot record for the highest average attendance in a season (11,003 during the 2003–04 campaign).[56]
Omonia supporters are known for their left-leaning, socialist character, with many stating that they associate themselves with the Progressive Party of Working People. Omonia is also traditionally regarded as the club of "the people" and Cyprus' working class. Many of Omonia's supporters can be seen waving banners bearing Che Guevara's image.[57]
Financial crisis and 2013 Pan-Cypriot fundraiser
By the end of February 2013, Omonia was struggling to meet the UEFA criteria due to the economic crisis that had engulfed the club. The club's president then decided to start a fundraiser and called for the supporters of the club to donate as much as they could. Hundreds of events were organised island wide with the motto; "ΕΙΜΑΙ ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ ΔΗΛΩΝΩ ΠΑΡΩΝ" meaning, "I'M WITH OMONIA, I DECLARE MYSELF PRESENT."[58] Current and former players contributed by signing autographs and selling club merchandise. Although the situation at the beginning was described as grim, money poured in from all over the island and from abroad including England and the United States. In about a month and a half, €3.5 million was collected from the club's supporters.[citation needed]
Gate 9
The team's ultras group, Gate 9, was established in 1992. The group would occupy the GSP Stadium's north stand during Omonia's home games.[59] Gate 9 has established relations with other left wing supporters such as those of Hapoel Tel Aviv and Standard Liège.[citation needed]
On 29 May 2018, the club agreed to turn its football department into a for-profit company, under the ownership of Stavros Papastavrou.[60] Gate 9 had previously condemned the idea and published several statements criticising it.[61][62] On the same day, Gate 9 declared they would no longer support the team, and announced they would create their own football club, which would "respect the principles and history of Omonia".[63][64]People's Athletic Club Omonia 29M was founded on 23 July 2018 and currently plays in the Cypriot Second Division.
^"Καταγγέλλει Tudor στην ΟΥΕΦΑ" [Reports Tudor to UEFA]. Kerkida (in Greek). 29 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
^"Φέρτε πίσω τους οργανωμένους" [Bring back the ultras]. Kerkida (in Greek). 2 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
^"Επίσημα εποχή Παπασταύρου" [The Papastavrou era officially begins]. Balla (in Greek). 29 May 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
^"Στο Τσάμπιονς Λιγκ η Ομόνοια!" [Omonia is in the Champions League!]. Super Sport FM (in Greek). Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
^"Βάφτηκε "πράσινο" το Σούπερ Καπ!" [The Super Cup has been painted "green"!]. Super Sport FM (in Greek). Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
^"Είμαι Ομόνοια, δηλώνω παρών" [I'm with Omonia, I declare myself present]. sigmalive.com (in Greek). Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
^"Ομόνοια: Η μεγάλη απόφαση της Θύρα 9..." [Omonia: The big decision of Gate 9...]. 24sports (in Greek). 20 April 2019. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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