THE HISTORY OF AEK FAN CLUB OF USA
The first AEK fan club in the United States was founded in February 1988, fulfilling the need for social gathering, meeting and communication among the AEK fans living abroad.
The idea of establishing a fan club belongs to the well known reporter Nikos Angelidis. With an announcement in the Hellenic-American press he invited all friends of AEK of the Diaspora for a meeting at the Tropicana Café in Astoria, New York. The need for the establishment of a fan club was great and the decision unanimous; hence AEK Fan Club of New York was founded.
Members of this fan club will depart in 1992 and establish the AEK Fan Club of USA. The first meeting of the founding members of AEK Fan Club of USA (Fan Club) also took place at the Tropicana Café on September of 1993.
It was decided that the headquarters of the Fan Club would be located in Astoria, which had a very strong Hellenic presence. Since 1993 the heart of AEK Fan Club of USA has been beating at the second floor of 33-05 Broadway, Astoria, New York.
THE OFFICES OF THE AEK FAN CLUB
While the offices of the AEK Fan Club are housed at a very modest building, the autographed pictures of AEK’s legends, many of which have actually honored the Fan Club with their visit, all the flags and memorabilia from historic matches and mainly the numerous memories that the Fan Club members have experienced throughout the years, within these modest walls, truly give a sacred character to the location.
The broadcast of the game between Glasgow Rangers vs AEK (0-1) at the offices of the Fan Club was the first live broadcast of a Greek team’s European game in the United States.
THE AEK FAN CLUB OF USA ANNUAL DANCE
The annual dance of the Fan Club takes place ever since 1994 with great success. It is considered one of the great annual events of the Greek Diaspora and provides the opportunity, time after time, to honor great figures of the AEK family and Fan Club.
The first dance of the AEK Fan Club of USA successfully took place in March of 1994 at the Crystal Palace in Astoria, during which the greatest Greek striker, Thomas Mavros, got honored. AEK Fan Club of USA was the first Greek fan club abroad to honor a veteran Greek player.
The second dance of the Fan Club took place in February of 1995 and the honorees were the former President of AEK, Dimitris Melissanidis and the Hellenic Football Championship, MVP, Spiros Oikonomopoulos.
HONOREES
A few of the football, basketball and other sports personalities that have been honored by AEK Fan Club of USA are: Andreas Stamatiadis, Christos Kopitsis, Mimis Papaioannou, Stelios Serafidis, Giorgos Karafeskos, Giorgos Kefalidis,Lakis Nikolaou, Lakis Stergioudas, Stelios Manolas, Yiannis Kanakis, Yiorgos Trontzos, Takis Nikoloudis, Vasilis Dimitriadis, Christos Zoupas, Vasilis Goumas, Toni Savevski, Daniel Batista, Michalis Simigdalas, Miltos Papapostolou, Yiannis Filippou, Vasilis Tsiartas, Nikos Gewrgeas also in 2005 Demis Nikolaidis was honored during his first visit at the offices of the Fan Club.
THE FAN CLUB BEING HONORED
The contributions of the AEK Fan Club of USA have been recognized and honored officially by many personalities and organizations. The fan club has been honored by: Dimitris Melissanidis, Dusan Bajevic, Syndesmos Palaimahon (Veteran AEK player’s fan club), F.C. AEK Halkidonas, AEK Galatsi F.C., AEK FC of Nea lonia, AEK FC of Katerini, AEK FC of Kallithea, Original 21.
AEK FOOTBALL TEAM’S HISTORIC VISIT TO THE USA
AEK football club’s decision to play a friendly game against the legendary Portuguese team Benfica on May 27 2007 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ, filled with enthusiasm all AEK fans and the Greek American Community. From the expression of worship towards the AEK team at JFK International Airport, which left speechless the many bystanders, to the meeting of the AEK players with the Greek American fans at Athens Café in Astoria, and the soccer game AEK vs. Benfica FC, as well as the ceremony at the Greek consulate honoring AEK, made May of 2007 unforgettable for the whole Greek American Community.
THE PRESIDENTS OF THE AEK FAN CLUB OF USA
Yiannis Yiotitsas
Theodoros Kalavesios
Kostas Lekkas
Yiannis Drakopoulos
Ilias Makrinos
Yiorgos Haridimou
SOCCER TEAM
Ilias Makrinos, during his presidency, took the initiative for the establishment of men’s indoor and outdoor soccer teams. The teams are formed by Greek-American players the majority of which are also AEK fans. The teams have been very successful so far. It is worthy to mention that the indoor soccer team that competed in the 7x7 2008-09 season made the final of both the Cup and Championship in its very first participation. Even though the team eventually came in second place it formed the foundation for the future and it provided the opportunity and honor for many Greek-American soccer players to compete displaying the Double-headed eagle on their chest.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
The AEK Fan Club of USA, besides the various challenges it may face, continues it’s dynamic journey in the Greek-American community and views the future with optimism, an optimism that derives from the very love and zeal of all its members.