Doxa Drama Football Club (Greek: Δόξα Δράμας) is a Greek professional football club based in the city of Drama, Macedonia, Greece. The club currently competes in Super League 2, the second tier of the Greek football league system. Founded in 1918, the club's home ground since then has been Doxa Drama Stadium.
Doxa Drama is considered one of the most historic and major teams of Greece and was one of the founding members of the Super League, the first tier of Greek football.
History
During World War I, near the city of Drama, Macedonia, a team of English soldiers who played football regularly in their camp inspired the local Greek population to create the first football club in the region. Founded as Peleus in 1918, the team was renamed Doxa (Glory) in 1919.[1][2]
Initially, the team colors were black and white with the logo of a black clover. After the war, the team's logo was permanently changed to a black eagle, while the team colours of black and white remain until today.
The first formal match of Doxa was against AO Kavala, the team of neighbouring city of Kavala. In that first game, Doxa lost 3–0. Doxa Drama is one of the founders of the Greek League Alpha Ethniki, the highest tier of Greek club football. Doxa reached the final of the Greek football Cup in 1953–54, 1957–58, and 1958–59,[3] but lost all three finals from Olympiacos.[4]
Doxa Drama participated in Alpha Ethniki for 21 seasons. Financial and administrative turmoil, however, led to the club being relegated to Greece's amateur division, Delta Ethniki. In 2008–09, Doxa had a strong year in the Third Division and clinched the Gamma Ethniki North title with two games to spare.[5] Doxa returned to Beta Ethniki after 11 years for the 2009–10 season, where the team finished 14th in the regular season and 13th after the Beta Ethniki play-outs.
Financial problems continued for Doxa Drama which was never able to return to Alpha Ethniki (Nowadays named Super League). In season 2018–19, it plays in the Greek Football League (2nd level of Greek Football).
In February 2019, a group of Russian, and Lithuanian investors based in Delaware purchased 15% of the team (Minority stake).
Stadium
Doxa Drama's stadium is a multipurpose stadium used primarily for football matches in Drama. It is the physical seat of Doxa Drama with a capacity of 10,000 spectators.[6]
In its early years, the club was trying to find a place to be able to have a stable seat.[7] They did it in 1953, when Athanasios Doubesis, with his official donation, gave an area to build the stadium. After World War II, and after rebuilding the stadium, it was originally only the western platform. In the 80s, the northern part of the stadium was built, while in the same decade attempted to build the left-hand side, which did not start, but was completed in 2011, when the works on the stadium were over.[8]
The primary crest of the club was the clover. Each leaf of the clover was written a letter from the GSD (initially the words "Gymnastic Association of Drama"). The crest changed in the 1950s after many fans' reactions, removing the preference for black clover and putting the black eagle in its position, which the team has today.
Key: QR = Qualifying Round, 1R = First Round, 2R = Second Round, 3R = Third Round, 4R = Fourth Round, 5R = Fifth Round, GS = Group Stage, R16 = Round of 16, QF = Quarter-finals, SF = Semi-finals.
