Full name | ΠΑΕ Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Απόλλων Σμύρνης (Gymnastics Society Apollon of Smyrna) |
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Nickname(s) |
Ελαφρά Ταξιαρχία (Light Brigade) Kυανόλευκοι (Cyan-Whites) |
Founded | 1891 |
Ground |
Georgios Kamaras Stadium Athens, Greece |
Capacity | 14,856 |
Owner | Asia Minor Land Sports Capital |
President | Hector Monemvasiotis |
Manager | Apostolos Mantzios |
League | Football League |
2015–16 | Football League, 4th |
Website | Club home page |
Apollon Smyrni F.C. (Greek: ΠΑΕ Απόλλων Σμύρνης), or in its full name Gymnasticos Syllogos Apollon Smyrnis (Greek: Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Απόλλων Σμύρνης, Gymnastics Society Apollon of Smyrna) is a Greek football club based in the city of Athens, that plays in the Super League. It was founded in Smyrna in 1891 and is one of the oldest sports clubs in Greece. Apollon has departments in football, basketball, volleyball, water polo and other sports.
Apollon Smyrna was founded in 1891 by former members of club Orpheus. Orpheus (subsequently Panionios) had been founded one year earlier in 1890. Among the founders of Apollon were prominent residents of Smyrna such as Chrysostomos of Smyrna and Vasilis Samios.
Roughly in the year of 1893, the athletic department was organised. The first games of Smyrna took place in 1894, organized by the English sports fans of Bornova. In these games the athletes of Apollon achieved a lot of first victories. The person with the most wins was Theologos Anastasoglou, a glorious athlete who later became Olympic champion; he was most likely the best athlete from Apollon. The Games were always organized by English sports fans until 1903, with the attendance of the Gymnastic Association Apollon Smyrnis.
The third anniversary of the foundation of Apollon was celebrated joyously. Chairman N. Koulmasis gave the speech of the day, while the famous S. Pittakis spoke of Delphi and recited the anthem to the god Apollo. There was a special pedestal on which had been set up an altar to praise the god Apollo, while eight youths dressed in chlamydes sang the Pindariko anthem to Apollo.
In 1894, with the election of its new presiding board, Apollon adopted as its emblem three runners and at the same time it established an excursion department. Of the first excursions that were organized, one was to Ephesus and another to Aidini, in which the Russian scholar and historical Frigkol took part.