Chania FC
Full nameΠοδοσφαιρική Αθλητική Ενωση Χανιά
Founded23 August 2017 (2017-08-23) (as AO Chania−Kissamikos)
GroundPerivolia Municipal Stadium
Capacity4,527
OwnerAntonis Rokakis
ChairmanAntonis Rokakis
ManagerGiannis Taousianis
LeagueSuper League 2
2022–23Super League 2, 4th
WebsiteClub website

Chania Football Club (Greek: Π.Α.Ε. Χανιά) is a Greek professional football club based in Chania, Crete. They were established in 2017, as a result of a merger between the two regional clubs representing the Chania district in the Greek Second Division, PGS Kissamikos and AO Chania. The club currently plays in the Super League 2, the second tier of the Greek football league system.

History

AO Chania – Kissamikos

Club crest during 2017–19.

During the 2016–17 Greek Second Division season, Chania were represented in the Greek Second Division by two clubs, namely AO Chania of the city of Chania, and Kissamikos, based in the neighboring town of Kissamos. Kissamikos had quickly established itself in the Football League, managing to outgrow, and eventually outperform its more prestigious local competitor AO Chania. Facing insurmountable financial issues, AO Chania were forcibly relegated to the Gamma Ethniki at the end of the season after being deducted 33 points, while simultaneously having its licence revoked. In the summer of 2017, Kissamikos owner at the time Antonis Rokakis proposed a merger of the two clubs in an attempt to form a new, strong outfit to represent the region, and more specifically the city of Chania (as the region's competitor in the Greek Super League, Platanias is based in the neighboring town and municipality of Platanias). The initiative was eventually approved on 19 August 2017,[1] however, any club that would result from a potential merger would inherit the financial obligations of AO Chania. As such, Kissamikos changed its name to AO Chania − Kissamikos, retaining its original crest and colors,[2][3] while the club's home ground was relocated to Perivolia Municipal Stadium in Mournies, Chania.[4] The entire merger was met with fierce opposition by the supporters of Kissamikos.[5] On the other hand, supporters of AO Chania demanded Kissamikos' name and crest be completely erased, basically turning the club into a modern continuation of AO Chania.[6]

The new club became serious competitors in the two years following the merger, finishing 4th during the 2017–18 season, and 6th in 2018–19, thus becoming eligible to play in the 2019-formed Super League 2.

PAE Chania

Club crest during 2019–23.

In the summer of 2019, the club's board of directors changed the club's name to PAE Chania (Greek: ΠΑΕ Χανιά), indicating their intent to represent the entire Chania regional unit.[7][8] The 2019–20 season saw Chania FC achieve its best result to date, finishing third in the Super League 2.

Stadium

After the merger, the club moved to AO Chania's Perivolia Municipal Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium in Mournies, Chania.

Players

Current squad

As of 1 January 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Nemanja Nikolić
3 DF France FRA Salimo Sylla
5 DF Greece GRE Christos Batzios (captain)
6 MF Portugal POR Nuno Edgar
7 FW Greece GRE Georgios Manousakis
8 MF Greece GRE Kaloudis Lemonis
9 MF Greece GRE Christos Eleftheriadis
10 MF Greece GRE Antonis Bourselis
11 MF Argentina ARG Nicolás Czornomaz
13 DF Cape Verde CPV Félix Mathaus
17 DF Albania ALB Oresti Kacurri
18 FW Albania ALB Angelos Kola
20 MF Albania ALB Manos Vorfi
21 GK Greece GRE Manolis Kalogerakis (third-captain)
22 GK Greece GRE Venizelos Pentarakis
No. Pos. Nation Player
24 DF Greece GRE Georgios Servilakis
25 FW Uruguay URU Jorge Díaz
26 DF Albania ALB Emiljano Shehu
27 FW Greece GRE Georgios Manalis (vice-captain)
29 MF Spain ESP Nili
30 DF Greece GRE Stavros Panagiotou
32 MF Argentina ARG Iván Federico Müller
38 MF Greece GRE Ilias Tselios
44 DF Greece GRE Michalis Koukourakis
77 FW Greece GRE Dimitrios Manos
80 MF Greece GRE Michalis Pachis
88 DF Greece GRE Kyriakos Mazoulouxis
97 GK Greece GRE Ilias Kyritsis
99 FW Ivory Coast CIV Dijilly Vouho

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Greece GRE Konstantinos Kotzamichalis (at Granitis Agias Marinas until 30 June 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Greece GRE Christos Despotopoulos (at Ermis Zoniana until 30 June 2024)

Personnel

Ownership and current board

Position Staff
Owner Greece Antonis Rokakis
President Greece Antonis Rokakis
1st Vice-President Greece Giorgos Xirouchakis
2nd Vice-President Greece Stathis Ponirakos
3rd Vice-President Greece Aris Lychnaras
CEO Greece Periklis Touloupakis
Communications Director Greece Lefteris Antonakakis
Head Secretary Greece Argyro Stefanaki
Public relations Greece Lefteris Bouzakis
Technical Director Greece Giorgos Touloupakis
Board member Greece Giannis Kakaounakis
Board member Greece Giorgos Karbadakis
Board member Greece Giorgos Marakakis
Board member Greece Tasos Moisiadis
Board member Greece Antonis Stathopoulos
Board member Greece Ioannis Chaniotakis

Coaching staff

Position Staff
Manager Greece Giannis Taousianis
Assistant manager Greece Nikos Manarolis
Fitness coach Greece Georgios Gounelas
Goalkeeping coach Greece Antonis Panagiotopoulos
Individual improvement Greece Vasilis Koutas

Medical and other staff

Position Staff
Physiotherapist Greece Adam Boutzoukas
Caregiver Greece Apostolis Koundourakis
Caregiver Greece Giorgos Apostolakis

References

  1. ↑ "Επίσημο: Συγχωνεύθηκαν Κισσαμικός και ΑΟ Χανιά" (in Greek). sport-fm.gr. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  2. ↑ "Και εγένετο…. ΠΑΕ ΑΟ Χανιά-Κισσαμικός!". Onsports.gr (in Greek). 24 August 2017. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  3. ↑ "Ανακοίνωση και δημοσίευση στο ΓΕΜΗ της τροποποίησης του καταστατικού της ΠΑΕ (Κωδικός Αριθμός Καταχώρησης 1245827)". businessregistry.gr. ΓΕΜΗ. 9 November 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  4. ↑ "Καλεί τον κόσμο ο Κισσαμικός στο.. νέο του σπίτι – Γ Εθνική". Athletic Radio 104,2 (in Greek). 30 October 2013. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  5. ↑ "Ανακοίνωση από το fan club kissamikos για την ένωση με ΑΟΧ". athlitiko.gr (in Greek). 7 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  6. ↑ "ΑΟΧ, ή Χανιά, ή τίποτε". footballleaguenews.gr (in Greek). 10 June 2018. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  7. ↑ "Ιστορική απόφαση για το μέλλον της ομάδας". Kriti24.gr (in Greek). 7 February 2019. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  8. ↑ "Ροκάκης: ΠΑΕ Χανιά σε λίγες μέρες". Flashnews.gr (in Greek). 18 July 2019. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
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