It has been almost three years since one of the region’s most historic football teams, Skoda Xanthi, changed hands.

After 29 years, when VIAMAR and the name of Christos Panopoulos became synonymous with the team and its great successes (participation in Europe, participation in the final of the Greek Cup, the emergence of great football players),an Australian expatriate businessman named Bill Papas was buying PAE. and the great adventure began.

At the same time that the trial of Papas is going on in a distant land, which Mr.accused of one of the largest frauds with embezzlement of 500,000,000 US dollars major banks over the past ten years, in a caustic city, someone decided to literally take the fate of AOX into their own hands restart from scratch and changing the club’s relationship with the local community in such a sensitive area.

To refresh our memory, it should be noted that for three years, that is, since the summer of 2020, when Xanthi played in Super League 1 and was promoted to Super League 2 due to a multiple possession case, the team was virtually wiped off the face of the earth. Last summer he failed to get a license to participate in the SL2 championship, on 09/19/2022 he announced his resignation and disbanded a little later, not participating in any championship this season. Not even local.

And this, no matter how strange it may sound, was not an active amateur union with the name AO. Xanthi, who could take the team on his back and take it to the championship of the 3rd national team, which is an amateur one.

For nearly three decades, everything around Xanthi revolved around being successful, but also centralized administrative model of Christos Panopoulos which also led to the inactivity of the amateur AOH.

It is significant that the association has not even had sports recognition since it was not even registered in the current GAW registrynor in EPS Xanthi.

Over the past months, some people from Xanthi, professionally successful, who loved the team since childhood, decided not to let the time go anymore …

Hercules – counterexample

Their first task was to restart the amateur AO. Xanthi. To be able to be created through it, section of football, basketball, volleyball and other sports which has not yet existed. So that the little children of the city and the whole region can once again wear the red colors of the club with Democritus on their chests. On April 28, the elections of the trade union and the Board of Directors took place. AOX was formed into a body having in the head two young lawyers, Konstantinos Psoma (President) and Alexandros Jalaoglu (Vice President).

Two young people with “fresh” ideas, who went from children to the stadium and became fans of the team, which is admired by all of Greece.

“K” spoke with Alexandros Calaoglu about the team’s new work, which will start from scratch in the summer and promise a new era of success in the future.

“From the moment the team announced leaving the CL2 championship, there was a mobilization of veteran actors and the players of the team, the fans, who had the same worries and fears for its future. From the very beginning there was a dilemma, what manipulations to do.

Some have argued that there could be a merger with another PAE and an acquisition by AFTM, or a renaming of another club such as Orpheas Xanthis so that it can compete in the 3rd national league.

However, after seeing examples, with its most characteristic Hercules which has merged but still carries old debts and is in danger at any moment, we decided to start from scratch. In fact, debts will never be written off. So we decided to follow the rules and, as harsh as they are, for the team to start from the lowest amateur level in the 2nd EPS Xanthi. Let’s rewrite the club’s history from the beginning on a clean sheet of paper, but with respect for our roots and our symbols.”

AOX’s main goal will be for the world to accept these efforts, as well as the participation of fans in its immediate organization on professional standards.

“The purpose of AOX is not for people to come to it, but let AOX go to the world and understand his needs. The team has moved away from the city in recent years, people have moved away from the club, each for their own reasons. Our goal is to have our city filled with red jerseys, so that the team can enter the daily life of the city and especially the schools. We see this as an offer to our country.”

With the “beacon” stadium

This targeting is not related to the fact that the restart will take place at the historic Xanthi Stadium, in the city center, where he played until 2004, when he moved to Pigadia. This is AOX’s most basic asset and has been used as a headquarters by Orpheus Xanthi in recent years to keep from being abandoned. In fact, it is worth noting that a plan for its reconstruction and operation will be presented soon.

Such a romantic approach to business was necessary and imperative in the situation in which the club found itself after 2 year old dad madness.

Despite the fact that Christos Panopoulos surrendered the team without euro debt, in these 24 months, about 3 million euros were created. Debts to third parties, employees, football players, as well as to the public.

The PAE assets that were transferred to Papas from Panopoulos, such as the Pigadio stadium “Xanthi FC Arena”, the training center, as well as the PAE offices, are reserved until at least December 2023. The amateur in the first place should not have the slightest opportunity to “collect” even if he initiates bankruptcy proceedings.

“Our goal is when the team wins promotion to Superleague 2 after three years of good work and is forced to become PAE. be clean and not carry 50% of that debt. The hobbyist, when he can, has a legitimate interest in liquidating the PAE in order to obtain the rights, and then to auction the objects through the auction. Our vision is an organized, modern and European team that will be an attractive product for a businessman who wants to invest in Greek football through it. Having her world, modern facilities and academies with her,” says Mr. Calaoglu.

It is assumed that the issue of debt will not worry the club in the future and will not become an obstacle to attracting entrepreneurs. Quite the contrary, as PAE’s assets, a private stadium and two ancillary facilities currently reserved, are the best investment for anyone who wants to get involved. In addition, the 70-acre area around the stadium with shops and surrounding areas is considered a “fillet” and attracts a lot of interest from potential buyers from time to time.

Remembering the old glory

In recent days, recruitment has begun in Xanthi for a new initiative, and the old glory of the team hastened to support it in practice.

Former national team and Olympiacos captain, Vassilis Torosidis was the first to become a member of AOX., the team that promoted him in football, followed by longtime captain and match record holder Nikos Kehagias, as well as the new technical director of Panathinaikos, Yiannis Papadimitriou, who for 14 years constantly wore the team’s jersey and served in other positions as well. His support was publicly expressed Christos Panopoulos with his statement calling on all the people of Xanthios to support the effort, since, in his words, “this city has always been in the spotlight every day, all these years, because of sports and, in this particular case, because of football.”

Every day dozens of people from Xanthi come and become members, with a registration fee of 20 euros and an annual subscription of 50 euros, which guarantees the participant the right to participate in the selections and an annual subscription for free admission to the team’s games. G.S.

At the same time, in thoughts children under 16 enter the stadium for free in the context of “the whole city is red”.

“We want, as far as possible, to create one mass groupwith all transparent procedures,” says Alexandros Calaoglu, who puts the communication part as one of the priorities.

“We immediately set up a press and communications office, a marketing department, we will take part in charitable and cultural events, and we will immediately launch a boutique so that the people of Xanthios can once again wear the colors of the team.”

There is no doubt that in the 2023-2024 season, which will start in a few months, all sane football fans will check out Xanthi’s website to see how AOX is doing.. As for the Xantiotes, they will be counting down until they see their team again in the “grand saloons”.

Patience will be required, but respect for the history of the club has been chosen, and that alone is enough. This is the biggest and longest win.