Ilisiakos F.C.

General Info

Before Ilisiakos was founded, the independent association Dafni Ilisia existed in 1924, competing on an open plot east of the Hilton Hotel between Hatzigianni Mexi, Iridanou and Vasilissis Sofias streets. Players from that team—Spyros Kollimenos, Thanassis Kavouras, Lefteris Nautis, and Athanasios Portelanos—formed the core of the new club. Ilisiakos was established in 1927 by a group including Michalis Xydis, Livaditis, Lambropoulos, Eugenopoulos, and Plessas.

The club was a founding member of the Third Athens EPSA and played at venues such as the Panhellenic, the Gymnastics Academy in Daphne, and Panathinaikos. Michalis Xydis, a well-known climber, is said to have been the godfather of the name 'Ilisiakos', which some believe honors the Elysian Fields, the place where the brave went after battle; this is why the name is sometimes written with an 'H' instead of 'I'. According to official data, the club was based in the Coupons area, not Ilisia, as the Coupons bordered the Ilisos River and covered fans from central Athens, Pagrati, Kaisariani, Ampelokipi, Goudi, and elsewhere.

The original emblem was a footballer in action, soon replaced by a laurel-crowned Ita, which remains unchanged. The spelling 'Ilisiakos' used two sigmas, with yellow and black colors. The first stadium, used until 1951, was located in Ilisia east of the Ilissos River between Alkmanos, Potamianou and Antimachou streets, where the Crowne Plaza Hotel now stands. Historic achievements include a nationwide record of zero goals conceded at home during the 1973–74 season and attendance of 21,343 tickets sold at matches in Leoforos Alexandras Stadium.