Original 21 ( el, Ορίτζιναλ 21) is the name of the association which consists of many supporters groups of the

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 ...

multi-sports club AEK Athletic Club. Officially founded in 1982, Original 21 is the biggest supporters' union of

AEK A.E.K ( el, AEK , formally Αθλητική Ένωσις Κωνσταντινουπόλεως; Athlitikí Énosis Konstantinoupόleos, ''Athletic Union of Constantinople''), known as A.E.K, is a major Greek multi-sport club based in Nea Filadelf ...

. Original 21 has members from all over Greece and has over the years become a part of the club by affecting club decisions and by following the club on all possible occasions.

Background

After the fall of the

dictatorship A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, which holds governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. Politics in a dictatorship a ...

, Greek society was dominated by the demand for the active participation of citizens in all political and social sectors. In this context, fan associations were also created. One of them was the first organized association of

fans with the name Gate 21, founded in 1975. The name came from the corresponding entrance of the

Nikos Goumas Stadium Nikos Goumas Stadium ( el, Στάδιο Νίκος Γκούμας) was a multi-purpose stadium in Nea Filadelfeia, a northwestern suburb of Athens, Greece. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of AEK Athens F.C. It i ...

where the most passionate supporters of the team gathered. In a way similar to a political party, which is organized with the axes of reference of the offices of local organizations, Gate 21 started its operation by renting an underground space in the area of Agios Nikolaos, Attica. The area was just four train stops from the Nikos Goumas Stadium. The meetings of its members took place there. However, internal conflicts over the organization's action and orientation soon became apparent. Thus, in 1982 Gate 21 was split. The members who supported a more active presence in the life of the group left and founded the Genuine Gate 21, the Original 21, led by Dimitris Hatzichristos, who gradually developed into a leading figure and a key exponent of the association.

History

Origins

Original 21 was created in 1975, as Gate 21, taking its name from Gate 21 of the

, in

Nea Filadelfeia Nea Filadelfeia ( el, Νέα Φιλαδέλφεια, meaning ''New Philadelphia'') is a suburb of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filadelfeia-Chalkidona, of which it is the seat and a munici ...

, from where its hardcore fans watched the team's games. From 1982, when a second stand molding was constructed on the opposite door doors of Gate 21 (9–11) and after it was split from Gate 21, the "seat" of the Original 21 was moved to those doors, henceforth known as "Skepasti". The name of Original 21 comes from the translation of "Genuine Gate 21". After the demolition of the historic stadium of AEK in 2003, and the use of the

Olympic Stadium of Athens The Olympic Stadium of Athens " Spyros Louis" ( el, Ολυμπιακό Στάδιο Αθηνών "Σπύρος Λούης", ''Olympiakó Stádio Athinon "Spyros Louis"'') is a sports stadium in Athens, Greece. It is a part of the Athens Olympic ...

, the association has made its "headquarters" one of the two horses, that at Gates 1–35, just opposite the other Horseshoe of the stadium, at gate 21. It has a total of 60 sub-links in various parts of the world, in Greece, Cyprus, London and two important Greek communities in Australia, Sydney and Melbourne. The "central" club and headquarters of the organization is the so-called "Domatiaki" in the Square of the Argentine Republic, in the area of Alexandras Avenue, near the Panathinaikos stadium.

Today

A historic moment in the course of the organization was the departure of its natural leader, Dimitris Hatzichristos, who left its ranks with the relegation of AEK FC in 2013. Since then, Original 21 has not had a person who can be described as the leader of the organization.

Friendships

A so-called "triangle of brotherhood" has developed between the largest left-wing fan clubs of AEK,

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...

and Livorno. The connection is mostly an ideological one. Also, AEK's and St. Pauli's left-wing fans, have a strong friendship and their connection is mostly for ideological reasons.http://www.aek-live.gr/οι-οπαδοί-της-σαν-πάουλι-με-σημαία-της-α/

References