Anorthosis Famagusta ( el, Ανόρθωση Αμμοχώστου, translit=Anorthosi Ammochostou), commonly known as Anorthosis in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
or Anorthosi in
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
, is a
Cypriot
Cypriot (in older sources often "Cypriote") refers to someone or something of, from, or related to the country of Cyprus.
* Cypriot people, or of Cypriot descent; this includes:
**Armenian Cypriots
**Greek Cypriots
**Maronite Cypriots
**Turkish C ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club, part of the Anorthosis Famagusta multi-sport club founded in 1911 in
Varosha,
Famagusta
Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia District, Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. Duri ...
.
[Ιστορικά γεγονότα](_blank)
, Anorthosis Famagusta Official Website
Anorthosis was one of the founding clubs of the
Cyprus Football Association
The Cyprus Football Association (CFA; el, Κυπριακή Ομοσπονδία Ποδοσφαίρου (ΚΟΠ), Kypriakí Omospondía Podosfaírou (KOP)) is the governing body of football in Cyprus and is based in Nicosia. It organizes the footb ...
in 1934.
After the
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus began on 20 July 1974 and progressed in two phases over the following month. Taking place upon a background of Cypriot intercommunal violence, intercommunal violence between Greek Cypriots, Greek and Turkish ...
in 1974, they were forced to relocate to
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro population of 144 ...
where they now play their home matches at the
Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium
The Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium ( el, Στάδιο «Αντώνης Παπαδόπουλος») is a football stadium in Larnaca, Cyprus. With a current seating capacity of 10,230, it has been the home stadium of Anorthosis Famagusta since its co ...
. The club's original stadium,
GSE, has been abandoned since 1974 and is in poor condition.
One of the most successful clubs in Cypriot football, Anorthosis have won 13
National Championships
A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...
, 11
cups
CUPS (formerly an acronym for Common UNIX Printing System) is a modular computer printer, printing system for Unix-like computer operating systems which allows a computer to act as a print server. A computer running CUPS is a Server (computi ...
and 6
super cups. Anorthosis is one of three Cypriot clubs never to have been relegated to the
second division
In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
, was the first Cypriot club to participate in the
Champions League group stage, and the first Cypriot club to qualify for the
Europa Conference League
The UEFA Europa Conference League (abbreviated as UECL) is an annual football club competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. Clubs qualify for the competition based on their ...
group stage.
History
The early years
Anorthosis Famagusta was founded on 30 January 1911. In the early years the club was not focused on sports but mainly national, spiritual, cultural and social activities. In 1928 it began to develop sporting activities.
However, the young men of the club had been active in football much earlier. In the early 1920s they had formed a team with the name "Football Club of Greeks of
Varosha" (POEV, ). In 1929, POEV officially joined Anorthosis and its players, all of whom were also members of Anorthosis, formed the club's first football team.
1930s
In 1930–31, Anorthosis participated in and won the first
Famagusta
Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia District, Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. Duri ...
provincial football tournament, organised by
Evagoras Gymnastic Club (G.S.E.).
In 1932, Anorthosis participated in the first island-wide tournament, the city championship (), which was organised by
Pezoporikos Larnaca
Pezoporikos Club Larnaca ( el, Πεζοπορικός Όμιλος Λάρνακας, ''Pezoporikos Omilos Larnakas'') was a Cypriot sports club based in Larnaca with football, basketball and volleyball teams. Founded in 1927, the football club ...
and used a knock-out system. The second city championship was organised by
APOEL
APOEL FC ( el, ΑΠΟΕΛ; short for Αθλητικός Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Ελλήνων Λευκωσίας, ''Athletikos Podosferikos Omilos Ellinon Lefkosias'', literally "Athletic Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia") ...
in 1933. 8 teams participated, however it was controversial with several teams making complaints about the integrity of their matches, while Anorthosis and Poseidon Limassol withdrew from participation. The third edition was organised by
AEL, with Anorthosis finishing in sixth place.
The fourth tournament was due to be organised by Anorthosis. However, after the announcement of a championship in
Nicosia
Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...
by
Trust
Trust often refers to:
* Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality
It may also refer to:
Business and law
* Trust law, a body of law under which one person holds property for the benefit of another
* Trust (bus ...
(to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its foundation), and a resulting dispute between the two clubs, as well as other issues on which there were disagreements (
Olympiakos Nicosia
Olympiakos Nicosia ( el, Ολυμπιακός Λευκωσίας, ''Olympiakos Lefkosias'') is a football club based in Nicosia, Cyprus and competes in the Cypriot First Division. The club was founded in 1931, and is a founding member of the C ...
and
Aris Limassol
Aris Limassol (Greek: ''Άρης Λεμεσού'') is a Cypriot football club based in Limassol and one of the founder members of Cyprus Football Association. The club's colours are green, black and white, and their home is the Tsirion Stadiu ...
raised the issue of players freely moving from one club to another), the clubs decided to create an authority which would be responsible for organising the championships. Thus, on 23 September 1934, the
Cyprus Football Association
The Cyprus Football Association (CFA; el, Κυπριακή Ομοσπονδία Ποδοσφαίρου (ΚΟΠ), Kypriakí Omospondía Podosfaírou (KOP)) is the governing body of football in Cyprus and is based in Nicosia. It organizes the footb ...
was established, with Anorthosis and 7 other clubs as the founding members.
In 1934–35 the first official
Cypriot Championship
The Cypriot First Division ( el, Πρωτάθλημα Α΄ Κατηγορίας) is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus, run by the Cyprus Football Association. Since February 2016, it is sponsored by Cyta and is thus officially ...
was held by the CFA. Anorthosis played their home games at the
G.S.E. and finished in 5th place. The
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
was also held for the first time where Anorthosis were eliminated by
Trust
Trust often refers to:
* Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality
It may also refer to:
Business and law
* Trust law, a body of law under which one person holds property for the benefit of another
* Trust (bus ...
in the semi-finals. In
1935–36, Anorthosis finished in 7th place in the 8 team championship, followed by finishing in bottom position in
1936–37.
In 1937 the club ceased the operation of its football department due to financial difficulties, and was removed from the CFA.
During the following years, the G.S.E. was closed under the control of the British Army.
1940s
After the team had disbanded in 1937, its players had joined other teams, mainly
EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
and
Pezoporikos
Pezoporikos Club Larnaca ( el, Πεζοπορικός Όμιλος Λάρνακας, ''Pezoporikos Omilos Larnakas'') was a Cypriot sports club based in Larnaca with football, basketball and volleyball teams. Founded in 1927, the football club ...
. In 1945 the club decided to re-establish the football team. Several of the former players rejoined Anorthosis as well as some new players. Anorthosis joined the
Cypriot Second Division
The Cypriot Second Division ( el, Πρωτάθλημα Β΄ Κατηγορίας) is the second highest football division of the Cypriot football league system. Administrated by the Cyprus Football Association, it is contested by 16 teams, with th ...
for the 1945–46 season; at the time, the Second Division also included reserve teams of the
First Division clubs. Anorthosis would face the reserve team of
APOEL
APOEL FC ( el, ΑΠΟΕΛ; short for Αθλητικός Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Ελλήνων Λευκωσίας, ''Athletikos Podosferikos Omilos Ellinon Lefkosias'', literally "Athletic Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia") ...
in a
two-leg final to determine the champion. In the first match, APOEL won 5–3 while the second match was a 1–1 draw. The B team of APOEL won the championship, but Anorthosis were promoted to the First Division because APOEL were not allowed to be represented by multiple teams in the same division.
Additionally, the
CFA wanted to promote Anorthosis because there were no other First Division clubs from
Famagusta
Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia District, Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. Duri ...
at the time.
Anorthosis reached the final of the
1946–47 Cypriot Cup
The 1946–47 Cypriot Cup was the tenth edition of the Cypriot Cup. A total of 7 clubs entered the competition. It began on 2 March 1947 with the quarterfinals and concluded on 27 April 1947 with the final which was held at GSP Stadium. APOEL won ...
. They would lose 4–1 to APOEL.
In 1947, Anorthosis along with EPA and Pezoporikos requested a change in the constitution of the CFA with the main demand being the rotation of presidency between all cities. The clubs felt that they were being unfairly treated relative to teams from
Nicosia
Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...
, where the CFA was based, and that particularly APOEL were treated favourably by the officials.
The request was discussed at a general assembly of the CFA on 27 August 1947, but only those three teams voted in favour of the proposal. Following the result, Anorthosis, EPA and Pezoporikos withdrew from the CFA and formed their own organisation, the "Football Athletic Federation of Cyprus" (PAOK, ), based in
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro population of 144 ...
.
Five additional clubs (
AMOL Limassol,
Larnaka Türk,
Mağusa Türk Gücü
Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under t ...
, Mağusa Türk Ujiu and
Çetinkaya Türk) joined this federation. The conflict between the two federations ended after one year when PAOK was dissolved and Anorthosis, EPA and Pezoporikos were reintegrated into the CFA in the autumn of 1948.
Anorthosis finished in second place in the
1948–49 First Division. They played in the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
final in April 1949 at the
G.S.P. in Nicosia, where they were trailing 3–2 against APOEL until the 87th minute when the game was stopped due to incidents among the players and crowd trouble. The game was replayed in June at the same stadium, with Anorthosis victorious 3–0 and winning their first major trophy.
1950s
The 1949–50 season was historic for Anorthosis, as they won the
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot First Division ( el, Πρωτάθλημα Α΄ Κατηγορίας) is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus, run by the Cyprus Football Association. Since February 2016, it is sponsored by Cyta and is thus officially ...
for the first time, finishing one point ahead of
EPA Larnaca
EPA Larnaca (, ''Enosis Pezoporikou Amol'') was a Cypriot football club based in the city of Larnaca. Founded in 1930 with the merge of two local clubs, Pezoporikos and AMOL, the club was a founding member of Cyprus Football Association and part ...
.
The two sides also met in the final of the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
, in which Anorthosis was leading 1–0 until the final minutes when EPA won a
penalty
Penalty or The Penalty may refer to:
Sports
* Penalty (golf)
* Penalty (gridiron football)
* Penalty (ice hockey)
* Penalty (rugby)
* Penalty (rugby union)
* Penalty kick (association football)
* Penalty shoot-out (association football)
A p ...
. The kick was successful, but the referee ordered a retaking. The second attempt was unsuccessful and the EPA fans invaded the pitch, causing the match to be abandoned after 82 minutes. The
CFA ordered a
replay of the match, which EPA won 2–1. Anorthosis felt they were wronged and that a replay should never have been ordered, as the match was stopped due to the fault of the opposing team.
In the following years, Anorthosis did not challenge for the league and they could not progress past the semi-final stage of the cup in any year. Starting in 1956–57, however, the team's fortunes changed, as they won 5 championships and 3 cups in 8 years. Anorthosis won the
1956–57 First Division without losing a game, and then retained the title in
1957–58. The following year no championship was held due to the
Cypriot War of Independence. However, the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
, which had not been played since 1954–55 for the same reason, was held in
1958–59 in response to the cancelled championship. Anorthosis would win the trophy, defeating
AEL 1–0 in the final.
1960s
In the
1959–60 season, Anorthosis won a third consecutive league title and fourth overall. The following season they finished as runners up to
Omonoia. The
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot First Division ( el, Πρωτάθλημα Α΄ Κατηγορίας) is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus, run by the Cyprus Football Association. Since February 2016, it is sponsored by Cyta and is thus officially ...
and the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
were both held in the 1961–62 season, the first time both competitions had been played in a season since 1954–55. Anorthosis won the championship and defeated
Olympiakos Nicosia
Olympiakos Nicosia ( el, Ολυμπιακός Λευκωσίας, ''Olympiakos Lefkosias'') is a football club based in Nicosia, Cyprus and competes in the Cypriot First Division. The club was founded in 1931, and is a founding member of the C ...
5–2 in the cup final, achieving the first league and cup double in their history.
They were awarded the
Shield of Pakkos in 1962 without playing the match, as they had won both the league and cup the previous season.
The following season Anorthosis won the
First Division for the sixth time and again reached the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
final. They lost the trophy to
APOEL
APOEL FC ( el, ΑΠΟΕΛ; short for Αθλητικός Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Ελλήνων Λευκωσίας, ''Athletikos Podosferikos Omilos Ellinon Lefkosias'', literally "Athletic Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia") ...
, after a 2–2 draw and then a 1–0 loss in the replay.
The two sides met again for the 1963 Shield of Pakkos, which APOEL won 1–0.
The
1963–64 league season was suspended in December 1963 due to
intercommunal violence on the island and was not resumed. In the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
, Anorthosis won the trophy beating APOEL 3–0 in the final.
For the rest of the decade, Anorthosis were not competitive for any titles, with the exception of the
1966–67 First Division, in which they finished in third place, one point behind the champions Olympiakos.
1970s
In the 1970s, Anorthosis did not claim a single league title. However, they managed to win two cups, the first of which was in
1970–71 when they defeated
Omonoia 1–0 in a replay at the
G.S.E. after a 1–1 draw in
Nicosia
Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...
.
The decade proved to be a terrible time in the club's history due to what happened off the pitch. On 14 August 1974,
Famagusta
Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia District, Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. Duri ...
was
occupied by Turkish troops following the
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus began on 20 July 1974 and progressed in two phases over the following month. Taking place upon a background of Cypriot intercommunal violence, intercommunal violence between Greek Cypriots, Greek and Turkish ...
, and Anorthosis was made a
refugee
A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution. club.
The players and fans of Anorthosis were dispersed throughout the free areas of Cyprus. Anorthosis Famagusta continued with a temporary base in
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro population of 144 ...
.
Despite the difficulties that the club was facing, Anorthosis managed to finish in sixth position in the
1974–75 First Division. In addition, they reached the
1974–75 Cup final and lifted the trophy after a 3–2 victory against
Enosis Neon Paralimni
Enosis Neon Paralimni Football Club ( el, Ένωση Νέων Παραλιμνίου, ''Enosi Neon Paralimniou'', "Youth Union of Paralimni"), commonly referred to as ENP, is a Cypriot football team from Paralimni. Currently playing in the fi ...
.
1980s
The 1980s was another disappointing period in the history of the Anorthosis football team, as they didn't win a single trophy in this time. In
1981–82, Anorthosis had the worst season in their history until that point, as they were involved in a relegation battle. They eventually finished in ninth place. In
1982–83 they finished as runners up by just three points to
Omonoia. In
1984–85 they once again fought for the championship but after a poor end to the season they finished third. Anorthosis only managed to reach the semi-final stage of the Cypriot Cup once during the decade, in
1982–83, when they were eliminated by Omonoia.
1990s
In the 1990s, Anorthosis returned to winning titles and became one of the permanent contenders for the championship. In
1990–91 Anorthosis finished in second place, three points behind
Apollon. They finished in the same position in
1991–92, this time two points behind
APOEL
APOEL FC ( el, ΑΠΟΕΛ; short for Αθλητικός Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Ελλήνων Λευκωσίας, ''Athletikos Podosferikos Omilos Ellinon Lefkosias'', literally "Athletic Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia") ...
. In
1993–94 they again finished in second place for the third time in four years, this time 2 points behind Apollon. In the same season Anorthosis reached the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
final, where they were beaten 1–0 by
Omonoia.
After a 32-year wait, Anorthosis finally won their seventh league title in
1994–95. They also won the
CFA Shield for the first time in 33 years at the start of the 1995–96 season, defeating APOEL on penalties after a 1–1 draw.
Anorthosis finished second in the
1995–96 First Division.
Over the next four seasons, with Kikis Konstantinou as president and
Dušan Mitošević
Dušan Mitošević (17 December 1949 – 1 January 2018) was a Serbian football player and manager.
Playing career
Mitošević was a reputable striker during his playing career. He played for FK Radnički Niš in the Yugoslav First League duri ...
as manager, Anorthosis would be the permanent champions of Cyprus. To begin with, they won the
1996–97 First Division. They lost the 1997 CFA Shield match 2–1 against APOEL,
but won both the
First Division and
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
titles in 1997–98, the second league and cup double in their history. They defeated Apollon 3–1 in the cup final,
and then again 4–1 in the 1998 CFA Shield match.
The
1998–99 First Division finished with Anorthosis as champions for the tenth time, beating Omonoia on goal difference thanks to an all-time record 95 goals scored in the first division. They reached the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
final once again, but were defeated 2–0 by APOEL.
They won the 1999 CFA Shield by beating APOEL 2–0.
2000s
Anorthosis won their fourth consecutive league title in
1999–2000,
and also won the 2000
CFA Shield.
In the
2001–02 First Division, Anorthosis lost the title to
APOEL
APOEL FC ( el, ΑΠΟΕΛ; short for Αθλητικός Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Ελλήνων Λευκωσίας, ''Athletikos Podosferikos Omilos Ellinon Lefkosias'', literally "Athletic Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia") ...
by just one point. However, they continued their successful era by beating
Ethnikos Achna
Ethnikos Achna Football Club ( el, Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Εθνικός Άχνας), commonly known as Ethnikos Achna, or simply Ethnikos, is a Cypriot football club based in the village of Achna. Founded in 1968, the club current ...
in the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
final, earning them another appearance in the CFA Shield match, which they lost 4–2 against APOEL.
They again lost the league title by just one point in
2002–03, this time finishing second behind
Omonoia. The cup final was once again won by Anorthosis in
2002–03, this time on penalties after a 0–0 draw against
AEL.
They lost the 2003 CFA Shield match 3–2 against Omonoia.
In 2004,
Temur Ketsbaia
Temuri Ketsbaia ( ka, თემურ ქეცბაია; born 18 March 1968) is a Georgian former professional football player and current manager. He is the current manager of the Cyprus national team.
Club career
After beginning his prof ...
, who was in his second successful spell as an Anorthosis player, became
player-manager
A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the s ...
and remained in charge of the team until 2009, leading the team to multiple trophies and the biggest achievement of the club, participation in the
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competit ...
group stages.
In
2004–05, Anorthosis won the league again. They lost the 2005 CFA Shield match on penalties against Omonoia.
Anorthosis won the
2006–07 Cypriot Cup final 3–2 against Omonoia, and the 2007 CFA Shield 2–1 against APOEL.
Anorthosis won their 13th First Division title in
2007–08, going undefeated for the full season. They reached the
Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup () is the main cup competition in Cypriot football, run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA). It began in 1934, the same season with the Cypriot Championship. It is the second most important competition for Cypriot club team ...
final against APOEL, which they lost 2–0.
APOEL won the CFA Shield match in 2008 with a score of 1–0.
In the summer of 2008, Anorthosis became the first Cypriot club to qualify for the
group stage
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concent ...
s of a European competition. They defeated
Olympiacos CFP
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
in the qualifying round to secure a place in Group B of the
2008–09 Champions League. Despite being heavy underdogs, Anorthosis still had a chance to progress to the knockout round ahead of the final group game, after producing some great results. They beat
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
in the first match 3–1 at home, drew twice with
Werder Bremen
Sportverein Werder Bremen von 1899 e. V. (), commonly known as Werder Bremen (), Werder or simply Bremen, is a German professional sports club based in Bremen, Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. Founded on 4 February 1899, they are be ...
and drew their home game against
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix GOIH (; born 26 January 1963), is a Portuguese professional football manager and former player who is the current head coach of Italian Serie A club Roma. Once dubbed "The Special One" by the British ...
's
Inter Milan
Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Football in Italy, Italian professional Association football, football ...
, who would win the competition the following season.
2010s
After the most successful decade in the club's history in the 2000s, Anorthosis would not win a single trophy in the next decade. They suffered from financial problems in the first years of the 2010s, although in the
2012–13 season they fought for the championship, and were leading by 6 points after 20 weeks. However, they had a poor run of results and ultimately finished in second position.
In July 2013, following elimination from the
Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL, or sometimes, UEFA EL), formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. It ...
second qualifying round at the hands of
Gefle IF
Gefle Idrottsförening, also known simply as Gefle IF, Gefle (, as if spelled ''Gävle''), or locally Gif (), are a Swedish professional football club based in Gävle. The club is affiliated with Gestriklands Fotbollförbund and play their home ...
, the club entered a financial crisis and forced club president Savvas Kakos to step down from his position. A general assembly of the club followed and in August, Achilleas Nicolaou was elected as the new president. His first actions were to find a solution for the financial problems and with the help of financial contribution by the fans and Christos Poullaidis, who was deputy president at the time, he succeeded to keep the club alive. In October, Nicolaou stepped down as president with Poullaidis as his successor.
In
2013–14, Anorthosis finished outside of the top 5 positions in the league for the first time in 24 years, and they did not finish higher than third position for the rest of the decade. In June 2019, club legend
Temur Ketsbaia
Temuri Ketsbaia ( ka, თემურ ქეცბაია; born 18 March 1968) is a Georgian former professional football player and current manager. He is the current manager of the Cyprus national team.
Club career
After beginning his prof ...
returned for his second spell as manager.
2020s
In
2019–20, Anorthosis were equal on points with first-placed
Omonoia at the top of the league after 23 games, when the season was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. The following season in
2020–21
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
, Anorthosis were just 5 points behind leaders Omonoia with 10 games to go, however they earned just 6 points in the remainder of the season, finishing in fourth and 22 points adrift of the eventual champions. Silverware would return to Anorthosis that season, as they were 2–1 victors after extra time against
Olympiakos Nicosia
Olympiakos Nicosia ( el, Ολυμπιακός Λευκωσίας, ''Olympiakos Lefkosias'') is a football club based in Nicosia, Cyprus and competes in the Cypriot First Division. The club was founded in 1931, and is a founding member of the C ...
in the
2020–21 Cypriot Cup
The 2020–21 Cypriot Cup was the 79th edition of the Cypriot Cup. A total of 26 clubs were accepted to enter the competition. It began in September 2020 with the first round and will conclude in May 2021 with the final. The winner of the Cup wil ...
final.
The victory in the cup gave Anorthosis a place in qualifying for the
2021–22 Europa League. They lost to
Rapid Wien
Sportklub Rapid Wien (), commonly known as Rapid Vienna, is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid has won the most Austrian championship titles (32), including the first title in the season 1911–12, ...
, and dropped into the playoff round of qualification for the
Europa Conference League
The UEFA Europa Conference League (abbreviated as UECL) is an annual football club competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. Clubs qualify for the competition based on their ...
. They beat
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Hapoel Be'er Sheva Football Club ( he, מועדון הכדורגל הפועל באר שבע, ''Moadon HaKaduregel Hapoel Be'er Sheva'') is an Israeli football club from the city of Be'er Sheva, that competes in the Israeli Premier League. The c ...
3–1 on aggregate and secured their return to the group stage of a European competition. They were drawn in Group B with
Gent
Gent is a shortened form of the word gentleman. It may also refer to:
* Ghent (Dutch language, Dutch: Gent), a Belgian city
** K.A.A. Gent, a football club from Ghent
** K.R.C. Gent, a football club from Ghent
** Gent RFC, a rugby club in Ghen ...
,
Partizan Partizan may refer to:
Sport
* JSD Partizan, a sports society from Belgrade, Serbia, which includes the following clubs:
**AK Partizan, athletics
** Biciklistički Klub Partizan, cycling
** Džudo Klub Partizan, judo
**FK Partizan, association fo ...
and
Flora
Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''.
E ...
. Despite losing their opening two games and then drawing both games against Flora after leading 2–0, they were still in with a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages ahead of the final game thanks to a spectacular long-distance goal by
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (Greek: Λάζαρος Χριστοδουλόπουλος, born 19 December 1986) is a Greek professional footballer who plays for Super League club Aris. He plays as a winger, a second striker or a attacking midfie ...
which gave them a shock 1–0 home victory over Gent. They would draw 1–1 in
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
against Partizan, missing out by 2 points on progression to the knockout rounds.
In the
2021–22 league season, Anorthosis were hopeful of qualifying to the
Champions League by finishing in the top 2 positions with two games remaining in the season, however a 1–1 draw against
APOEL
APOEL FC ( el, ΑΠΟΕΛ; short for Αθλητικός Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Ελλήνων Λευκωσίας, ''Athletikos Podosferikos Omilos Ellinon Lefkosias'', literally "Athletic Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia") ...
and a 3–0 home defeat to
Aris Limassol
Aris Limassol (Greek: ''Άρης Λεμεσού'') is a Cypriot football club based in Limassol and one of the founder members of Cyprus Football Association. The club's colours are green, black and white, and their home is the Tsirion Stadiu ...
left Anorthosis in fifth position and outside of the European qualification positions. Manager
Temur Ketsbaia
Temuri Ketsbaia ( ka, თემურ ქეცბაია; born 18 March 1968) is a Georgian former professional football player and current manager. He is the current manager of the Cyprus national team.
Club career
After beginning his prof ...
left the club in June 2022 by mutual consent.
Colours and badge
Anorthosis have worn
blue
Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...
and
white
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
colours for the majority of their history,
[Προφίλ](_blank)
, Anorthosis Famagusta Official Website chosen because they were the colours of the
Greek flag
The national flag of Greece, popularly referred to as the "blue and white one" ( el, Γαλανόλευκη, ) or the "sky blue and white" (, ), is officially recognised by Greece as one of its national symbols and has nine equal horizontal strip ...
. While often using a striped pattern, Anorthosis has had much variety in their home
shirts
A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body (from the neck to the waist).
Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for a broad variety of upper-body garments and undergarments. I ...
, with many different uses of the colours blue and/or white. The shade of blue has varied over the years, and Anorthosis home shirts have been worn with either blue or white shorts, and blue, white or
black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
socks. The inaugural football team of Anorthosis wore
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
-inspired black and
yellow
Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In the R ...
kits, which was brought back as the home kit for the
centenary
{{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation)
A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years.
Notable events
Notable centennial events at ...
year of the club in the 2011–12 season. Anorthosis have often used black for their away or third kit since
1974
Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...
, intended to represent their lost hometown
Famagusta
Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia District, Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. Duri ...
. In 2020–21, Anorthosis used a white third kit with a photograph of
Varosha's seafront printed on the front of the shirt. For the 110th birthday of the club, a limited edition shirt of only 110 units was released, using the colour
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
for the first time and the original crest. The gold is meant to represent the colour of the sand of Famagusta's coast. A map of the town is also printed on the kit.
Anorthosis have used the
phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
as a symbol for most of the history of the club. In 1970, Anorthosis adopted as their first crest an image of the phoenix and the club's name in Greek, ''ΑΝΟΡΘΩΣΙΣ'', inside a circle. The crest remained for the next 15 years, though it never appeared on the shirts. In 1985, Anorthosis changed their crest for the first time, though again it never appeared on the shirts. In 1990, Anorthosis announced their first official crest as a part of an attempt to modernise the club, that was used on the shirts. It featured the image of a burning phoenix and the club name in Greek, as well as 1911, the year the club was established. In 2000 under president Kikis Konstantinou, the club's crest was changed again as a part of an attempt to further modernise and capitalise on new marketing opportunities. The new badge featured a blue phoenix standing over the fire. It lasted for the next 11 years, with some minor modifications such as the use of different colours, appearances of the phoenix and the addition of a star to celebrate the tenth championship of the club. For the centenary season in 2011–12, the new president Savvas Kakos announced a special emblem to celebrate 100 years that featured the year of the club's establishment and the current year, 1911 and 2011 respectively, on the crest. In 2012, Anorthosis made some alterations to the 100 years crest, which became the permanent new logo of the club. In 2020, the football department came up with a new logo that was intended to help with the marketing of the club. The blue phoenix rising from the flames was no longer surrounded by the traditional shield and its wings shaped the blue and white stripes using negative areas. Above the phoenix, the year 1911 is featured as well as a gold star representing the 10 championships. Initially, the new logo was used on the 2020–21 shirts, however after backlash from fans of the club it was removed, and the 2012 version was restored.
Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors
Stadium
Anorthosis, in order to recover from their relocation, had to build a new stadium.
Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium
The Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium ( el, Στάδιο «Αντώνης Παπαδόπουλος») is a football stadium in Larnaca, Cyprus. With a current seating capacity of 10,230, it has been the home stadium of Anorthosis Famagusta since its co ...
is the home of
Anorthosis Famagusta
Anorthosis Famagusta ( el, Ανόρθωση Αμμοχώστου, translit=Anorthosi Ammochostou), commonly known as Anorthosis in English or Anorthosi in Greek, is a Cypriot football club, part of the Anorthosis Famagusta multi-sport club fo ...
and it was built in 1986 in the city of
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro population of 144 ...
. The ground was given the name of a person who helped Anorthosis in various ways through the years, he was a fighter in
EOKA
The Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston (EOKA; ; el, Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών, lit=National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) was a Greek Cypriot
Greek Cypriots or Cypriot Greeks ( el, Ελληνο ...
war for Cyprus independence and unity with Greece and Anorthosis helped the war and he was also a very talented football player of Anorthosis and later a manager. The initial capacity of the ground was about 6,000 but gradually increased during the years to 13,000. With a major reconditioning in 1998, capacity was reduced to 10,230 (all seated).
In 2005 the east stand was named "Quality Stand" after the club's main sponsor. "Quality Stand" is a two-story stand which holds the newly built VIP boxes (upper story), press room, dressing rooms, and bar. In 2006, the stadium went through another reconditioning including the building of VIP Boxes in the upper section of west stand, the launching of the automatic ticketing issue and entrance system, the replacing of the metal front fence with clear acrylic glass for security reasons and for maximized field view. Also, some other facilities are offered in the west stand such as new restrooms, bar, and fans' shop.
The stadium also is approved by
UEFA
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...
for European games. It has hosted some matches of the
Cyprus national football team
The Cyprus national football team ( el, Εθνική ομάδα ποδοσφαίρου της Κύπρου) represents Cyprus in international football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyp ...
. In this stadium, Cyprus achieved its greatest success against
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
by a score 3–2. On 16 May 1992, the stadium hosted the 1992 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship Third position final between
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, which
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
won 1–0.
On 23 November 2011, D. Ellinas group signed a contract with Anorthosis to built new offices for Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium. The old offices of the stadium will be a joint area outside the locker room, journalistic theory, clinics and other. The cost is €400,000 but the D. Ellinas group will build the offices for free in exchange for advertisements on the Anorthosis side.
Supporters
The fans of Anorthosis are spread throughout Cyprus due to the occupation of Famagusta by the Turkish military, with many living near Larnaca where the current stadium is located. There are supporters associations all over the island and in other countries as well including Greece, the UK and the USA. In 2022, a study found Anorthosis to have the support of 15.1% of football fans in Cyprus, making it the third most popular team behind
Omonia and
APOEL
APOEL FC ( el, ΑΠΟΕΛ; short for Αθλητικός Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Ελλήνων Λευκωσίας, ''Athletikos Podosferikos Omilos Ellinon Lefkosias'', literally "Athletic Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia") ...
.
The main
ultras
Ultras are a type of association football fans who are renowned for their fanatical support. The term originated in Italy, but is used worldwide to describe predominantly organised fans of association football teams. The behavioural tende ...
group of Anorthosis was formed in 1994 and is known as 'Maxhtec', meaning 'Fighters' (, stylised as ''MAXHTEC''). The idea is to never stop fighting until they return to their beloved town of Famagusta. The emblem of Maxhtec is an ancient warrior helmet, similar to those worn by the
Sparta
Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre ...
ns. The Anorthosis ultras have a friendly relationship with their counterparts from Russian club
Dynamo Moscow
MGO VFSO "Dynamo" (russian: МГО ВФСО «Динамо»), commonly known as Dynamo Moscow (russian: Динамо Москва) is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. Founded by Felix Dzerzhinsky on 18 April 1923, Dynamo Moscow was the first ...
and Serbian club
OFK Beograd
OFK Beograd ( sr-Cyrl, ОФК Београд – Омладински фудбалски клуб Београд, English: ''Belgrade Youth Football Club'') is a Serbian professional football club based in Belgrade, more precisely in Karaburm ...
.
The Anorthosis fans are known for being very passionate about their team, their lost hometown Famagusta and their
Greek Cypriot
Greek Cypriots or Cypriot Greeks ( el, Ελληνοκύπριοι, Ellinokýprioi, tr, Kıbrıs Rumları) are the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus, forming the island's largest ethnolinguistic community. According to the 2011 census, 659,115 r ...
heritage. In the stands there can often be seen many
Greek flags,
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek language, Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the Eastern Orthodox Church, entire body of Orthodox (Chalced ...
flags and tributes to former
EOKA
The Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston (EOKA; ; el, Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών, lit=National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) was a Greek Cypriot
Greek Cypriots or Cypriot Greeks ( el, Ελληνο ...
members, many of whom were also members of Anorthosis, such as
Grigoris Afxentiou
Grigoris Pieris Afxentiou ( el, Γρηγόρης Πιερής Αυξεντίου; 22 February 1928 – 3 March 1957) was a Greek-Cypriot insurgent leader who led campaigns against the British colonial government as a member of EOKA. He was second ...
.
Squad
First-team squad
Retired numbers
14 -
Temur Ketsbaia
Temuri Ketsbaia ( ka, თემურ ქეცბაია; born 18 March 1968) is a Georgian former professional football player and current manager. He is the current manager of the Cyprus national team.
Club career
After beginning his prof ...
(1992–1994, 2002–2007), club legend
Staff
Board of directors
Technical and team staff
Honours
*
*
shared record
See also
*
Anorthosis Famagusta
Anorthosis Famagusta ( el, Ανόρθωση Αμμοχώστου, translit=Anorthosi Ammochostou), commonly known as Anorthosis in English or Anorthosi in Greek, is a Cypriot football club, part of the Anorthosis Famagusta multi-sport club fo ...
*
Anorthosis Famagusta F.C. in European football
UEFA Champions League
Champions League 2005–06: On 26 July 2005, Anorthosis Famagusta achieved one of the greatest results in Cypriot football history when they beat the Turkish team Trabzonspor 3–1 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions Le ...
*
List of Anorthosis Famagusta F.C. managers
Anorthosis Famagusta F.C. is one of the most successful Football team, football clubs in Cyprus. The club was established in 1911, but the football department was only formed in 1929. They joined the Cyprus Football Association in 1934 as a foundin ...
*
List of Anorthosis Famagusta presidents
Anorthosis Famagusta is a Cypriot cultural and sports club that was established in 1911. It has had many presidents over the years, including some honorary presidents. This article has a complete list of presidents of the club.
Anorthosis Fam ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anorthosis Famagusta Football Club
Football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
Association football clubs established in 1911
Football clubs in Cyprus
1911 establishments in Cyprus
Unrelegated association football clubs
Sport in Famagusta
Sport in Larnaca
Sports team relocations