Born over 110 years ago, Panathinaikos are the stuff of Greek football legend. It was in the 1960’s that they enjoyed incredible success, becoming the first and only Greek club to make it all the way to the final of the European Cup. The signing of emblematic captain Mimis Domazos in 1959 got the ball rolling on the period. Known as “The General” he would lead Panathinaikos under the equally great Stejpan Bobek, who managed the club throughout this era. In the first season of the new Alpha Ethniki league system, Panathinaikos became inaugural champions. Panathinaikos dominated the Alpha Ethniki for the following ten years. They won it in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969 and 1970. In addition, they helped themselves to two Greek Cups, which were won in 1967 and 1969.

 

During this era, the club experienced a long process of rejuvenation, fittingly named “Bobek’s Rejuvination”. Having joined the club as manager in 1963, Stejpan Bobek changed the teams playing style to a 4-3-3 formation, bringing a host of new, fresh, young players to Panathinaikos - notably the likes of Takis Iconomopolous, Totis Filokouris, Frangiskos Sourpis and Aristidis Kamaras. The 1964 season was of particular significance for Panathinaikos, as it was the first and only time a team has won the Alpha Ethniki undefeated. In 1966, the Panathianikos fan club “Gate 13” was established filling the stadium at every game and propagating the clubs ideals to every corner of the globe where a Greek community existed.

 

In 1967, a military junta occurred in Greece in which the Greek military took over control of the country. One of the first things they attempted to do was to disband Gate 13, but every time they tried, the fan club just came back stronger. They were successful, however, in forcing the clubs president Loukas Panourgias out of the presidency and they also cancelled Stejpan Bobek’s contract with the club. One of the clubs most beloved figures, Apostolos Nikolaidis, was arrested and put on trial. The legendary Bela Guttman came on board as manager in 1967, but he didn’t stay for long and was shortly after replaced by Lakis Petropolous, a popular former player. Under his leadership, the team won the double in 1969 and claimed the title again in 1970.

 

In 1971, the also legendary Ferenc Puskas took over the managerial duties of the club and took them all the way to the 1971 European Cup final after an epic road to Wembley, which entailed defeats of Slovan Bratislava, Everton and Red Star Belgrade. Panathinaikos’ appearance in the final was thanks to close run results in earlier games – they made it there largely thanks to the away goals rule. Nethertheless, in so doing, they had become the first and only Greek team to play in European Cup final, which took place on June 1, 1971. In front of 83,173 fans, they were eventually defeated 2-0 by an Ajax side who were on their own doorstep to greatness, managed by Rinus Michels and featuring the one and only Johann Cruyff in his famous number 14. In the same year, Panathinaikos also played in the Intercontinental Cup, but their run was shortlived and they lost on aggregate to Uruguayan club Nacional. After this, the Greek military regime collapsed and Apostolos Nikolaidis was welcomed back to the club, followed by the addition of several notable foreign players throughout the 1970’s.

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Acheivements:
Superleague Greece – Champions x7
Greek Football Cup- Winners x2
Greater Greece Cup- Winners x1

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Star player: Mimis Domazos, DoB 22 Jan 1942, PoB Athens, Greece, nickname: The General

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Domazos, adoringly nicknamed The General, is considered to be one of the best footballers that Greece has ever produced. Born just a few blocks away from the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium which Panathinaikos calls home, his outstanding attributes included his dribbling ability, creative and accurate passes and leadership. He was signed to Panathinaikos at 17 served as the captain of team for more than 15 years and when he finally retired from playing in 1980 he became the longest active footballer in Greek soccer history, with 21 years of playing under his belt. The only other club he played for was AEK Athens, which came about due to an arguement he had with his coach, resulting in him leaving Panathinaikos for one season. He returned after the clubs new president begged him to end his illustrious career with the club that loved him so much. Domazos played for Greece 50 times – his first match for them was against Denmark at Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium in 1959 and his last was against Australia at the same ground in 1980. His record of 536 official matches in the Alpha Ethniki still stands today. Since his retirement from the game, Domazos became a businessman, writes opinion peices for Greek sports columns and owns a chain of five-a-side football clubs.