| PART III
More Blood - More Money
In 1952-1953 PAO made some moves that would make him a top team in Greece for the years to come. New President, Moatsos, whom was very wealthy brought to Leoforos the best players in Greece at that time. An Englishman by the name of Harry Game is appointed as coach, who would bring new tactics into Greek football. The only thing he asked for, was the board not to make any interventions on who plays, or what tactics the team was to follow, which happened to be a trait of most club presidents at that time (and for some.. still is today). Leoforos' capacity was to increase to 18,000. This was to allow the club to gain extra funds, pay the players wages and make better signings for the years to come. The players that were regarded as amateurs, were taking about 33% of the gate receipts.
On June 21st 1953, PAO needed at least a draw to clinch the title. 25,000 fans were packed into Leoforos to see PAO draw 0-0 with Olympiakos to clinch the title. A new record in gate receipts was made.
Powerful But Unlucky
After that last title, it would take PAO another 7 years to win the league, which was to be the time its eternal enemy was to create a new record winning 6 leagues in a row. PAO would do well, challenged to the last day, but would fall at the final hurdle.
Gljsovic's Influence
It is characteristic that, for 3 of those seasons PAO lead until the last day of the season, only to draw or lose and hand the title to the "Reds". By that time, Harry Game was to replaced by Yugoslavian coach Gljsovic who would adopt a new modern style of football, which would transit PAO's traditional "British game" to that of a more technical and skilful football, where players would reach their opponent's penalty box with patient and precise passing instead of lobby it from defense for the strikers to head. With Gljsovic as coach PAO defeated PAOK Salonica is the Greek cup final by 2-0. What is commemorative was the fact that PAO player Kourtsidis, scored a goal from the halfway line!!!
1st National Championship
In 1959 the national league was created where every team had to play one another. This was to be positive for PAO since in the past, three separate leagues would be held and the club believed that if an "equal standards" league was created the club could prove how good it really was. The 3 leagues that were before that were the Athenian, Pirean and that of Salonica. The winner of each would play the other champions home and away, and the team with the most points of the 3 would win the title.
Panathinaikos and AEK had been complaining for years since the Athenian league comprised of the best teams also including Apollon Athens and Panionios whilst Olympiakos, apart from Ethnikos played against teams that were much weaker. PAO and AEK complained that by the time they had to play Olympiakos, there teams had been ravaged by injuries and suspensions and would be a lot more tired than the players of Olympiakos and Aris, who only had PAOK to worry about in their respective league.
"The General" and the Golden Era
In 1959 PAO was to acquire a 17 year-old by the name o Mimis Domazos. This kid together with Andreas Papaemanouil otherwise know as "kounelos" were to be the two anchors behind PAO winning 5 of the next 6 championship. Domazos had been signed from an amateur club called "Amina Ambelokipon". No money was involved in the transfer but "Amina" were given a full kit of matching jerseys, shorts and socks. Domazos, as a sign-on fee, had PAO pay for the bottle of orange juice he consumed in the cafeteria where he signed his contract with PAO. He was to serve PAO as a player for 22 years. In between, for one season played with AEK Athens helping them win the league for the 1st time in 8 years. In his long career, he captained PAO and Greece, winning 50 caps. He was to lead PAO to the final of the Champions Cup in 1971. He is undisputedly regarded as one of the clubs true greats along with Angelos Messaris. Maybe the greatest of them all. With Domazos, PAO was to win the 1st national championship, beating their greatest enemy Olympiakos in a play-off at the Karaiskaki stadium by 2-1.
A Good Team and with Silverware to Prove it
Gljsovic who in one season had managed to win the title with PAO by playing modern and football full of flair, fell out with the board and was sacked even though he was champion. Harry Game returned to the club, and with the team already molded by Gljsovic, was to win the title for the next 2 years, but in his 3rd season he failed and was sacked. This was to bring Croat Stephan Bobek on board. He was to make this squad legendary.
It is important to state the improvement that had been made to PAO's game by Gljsovic's new tactics. In 1960-1961, PAO represented Greece in the Champions Cup and was drawn with Juventus. The 1-1 draw at Leoforos was PAO's first ever official game against a foreign team. Although PAO was down 2-0 by the 30th min., the "Greens" fought back and scoring making it 2-1. As the Italian and European press stated at that time, PAO had many chance in the dying minutes to force a replay but could not capitalize. The Italian press spoke of an impressive and spirited PAO team, whom although lacked international stars had given the Champions of Italy a good run for their money.
The Arrival of the "Teacher" - Stefan Bobek
Stefan Bobek as a footballer was regarded as one of the most graceful footballers of his time. When he finished his career and turned to coaching after successfully leading Partizan to domestic and international success he came to Athens and was to revolutionize Greek football forever. Even after he left the club many of his coaching colleagues agreed that he was the one that ultimately took Greek football into a new era, in order to be able to compete on an international level with respect. Bobek arrived in 1963. He was the 1st to employ the concept of the 4-3-3 system. He also signed many players, who were to make PAO a respected team with European pedigree.
Leoforos is Burning
Bobek's work did not take long to take effect. In his 1st season he made unique a record that it until this day, unbroken. He won the league unbeaten, with 24 wins and 6 draws. The PAO fans were now excited with the prospect that PAO was going to complete the double by beating Olympiakos in Leoforos in the Greek cup final.
On June 17th 1964, after regular time PAO and Olympiakos were deadlocked 1-1 and extra time was awarded. In the 108th minute, Papazoglou of Olympiakos missed a sitter in front of goal and 5 minutes later, Domazos missed a similar opportunity skiing it over the bar from 1 meter with the "reds" goalkeeper stranded. After these two misses , the fans started asking themselves and each other is the game was fixed, so a replay would be played allowing the clubs to make some extra revenue. Whispers soon turned into chants from both sides when the PAO fans chanting, would ask their Olympiakos counterparts if it was "fixed" and they collectively would reply "YES".
The Olympiakos fans then chanted back to the PAO fans if it was "fixed" and they also replied "YES". That was it. Fans from both sides united forces storming the pitch and attacked the players from both sides. If it wasn't for the police may well had been killed by the enraged mob. Both sets of fans were proud and could not accept their clubs disrespecting their support and "fixing" a game to make more money. This was to be the first and last time the fans of PAO and Olympiakos stood united. Both sets of fans, tore down the goalposts, destroyed the pitch turf and dressing rooms and then torched Leoforos stadium. The damages were worth 1 million drachmas which in that time was regarded as a mythical amount as an average weekly wage back then was not more than 100 drachmas.
After a meeting and on demand of both PAO, Olympiakos and neutral fans the Greek cup was awarded, on default, to AEK who had finished 2nd in the league.  |