Heraklion Football Clubs Association

The Heraklion Football Clubs Association (Greek: Ένωση Ποδοσφαιρικών Σωματείων Ηρακλείου or Ε.Π.Σ.Η.) is an association responsible for administering football in the region of Heraklion. It is based in the city of Heraklion and is a member of the Hellenic Football Federation.[1] The association is responsible for organizing regional Championship and Cup competitions for both adult and youth teams playing in its divisions.

Heraklion Football Clubs Association

HFF
Founded	1929
Headquarters	Heraklion
FIFA affiliation	Hellenic Football Federation
President	Nikos Tzortzoglou
Website	http://epsirak.gr/ (in Greek)

The association is currently one of the largest Football Clubs Associations in Greece, consisting of over 85 clubs. Its colors are blue and white and its crest features a Griffin, the official seal of the Municipality of Heraklion.

History

During 1925−1929, Heraklion football was dominated by the two major sporting clubs of the time, EGOI (est. 1924) and OFI (est. 1925). In the autumn of 1926, the first football league in Heraklion was organized and held with a limited number of participants, mainly feeder clubs for EGOI and OFI. This first, informal competition was won by EGOI, and was organized again two years later in 1928, when it was won by OFI.[2] In the meantime, several initiatives for the establishment of football clubs that would compete with OFI and EGOI were carried out during 1928−1932.[2] This rapid establishment of football clubs during 1925−1931 (e.g. Ergotelis and Olympiakos Heraklion in 1929, Iraklis Heraklion in 1930 and Ermis in 1932) birthed the need to create a governing body for the coordination and organization of football clubs and competitions. Therefore, the Cretan Football Association was established in 1929.[2] Two years later, and after several disputes over administration issues among the founding members, the union was reformed into the Heraklion Football Clubs Association, which was granted the full administrative and organizational control over the football events in the regions of Heraklion and Lasithi. The association was officially recognized by the HFF in 1931.[3]

Football League System

Heraklion FCA Football Leagues

First season	1928–29
Divisions	4
Level on pyramid	4–7
Promotion to	Gamma Ethniki
Domestic cup(s)	Heraklion FCA Cup
Current champions	Poros (1st title) (2017–18)
Most championships	OFI Crete (18 titles)
TV partners	Kriti TV (Highlights)
Website	http://epsirak.gr/ (in Greek)
Current: 2019−20

The Heraklion FCA football league system consists of four divisions, namely the A1 Division (Greek: Α1 ΕΠΣΗ), the top-level football league in Heraklion (therefore also known as the Heraklion FCA Championship), the Α2 Division (Greek: Α2 ΕΠΣΗ), second tier in the pyramid, the B Division (Greek: Β ΕΠΣΗ) comprising two Groups and constituting the third tier of the league system and finally the C Division (Greek: Γ ΕΠΣΗ), lowest regional division organized in Heraklion.

From its foundation to 1959 (they year of the foundation of the nationwide championship of the Alpha Ethniki), the Heraklion FCA organised a league that was considered the top tier of football in Crete, and later specifically the region of Heraklion (after Chania, Lasithi and Rethymno founded Football Clubs Associations of their own.[4]

2018−19 season

The following teams compete in the Heraklion FCA Championships during the 2018–19 season. The winner of the A1 Division Championship earns promotion to the Gamma Ethniki, the third tier of the Greek football league system.

A1 Division

AEK

Agia Varvara

Almyros

Tympaki

Anthestion

Faistos

Gortys

Minoiki

Moires

PAOK

PANOM

Poros

Romanos

Tritonia

Tylissos

Zaros

Location of teams in 2018−19 Heraklion FCA A1 Division

Team	Location	Stadium	Capacity	Last season
A.E. Katsampas	Karteros	AEK Stadium	N/A	A1, 8th
Agia Varvara	Agia Varvara	Agia Varvara Stadium	N/A	A2, 2nd
Almyros	Gazi	Almyros Stadium	N/A	A1, 7th
AO Tympaki	Tympaki	Tympaki Stadium	1,000	A1, 5th
Anthestion	Thrapsano	Thrapsano Stadium	N/A	A1, 4th
Faistos	Voroi	Voroi Stadium	N/A	A1, 14th
Gortys	Agioi Deka	Agioi Deka Stadium	N/A	A1, 9th
Minoiki Heraklion	Fortetsa	Heraklion University Stadium	N/A	A1, 3rd
Moires	Moires	Moires Stadium	N/A	A1, 6th
P.A.O. Krousonas	Krousonas	Krousonas Municipal Stadium	1,500	A1, 13th
PANO Malia	Malia	Malia Stadium	N/A	A1, 2nd
AO Poros	Poros, Heraklion	Nikos Kazantzakis Stadium	600	A2, 1st
Romanos Elia	Elia	Elia Stadium	N/A	A1, 11th
Tritonia Astritsi	Astritsi	Astritsi Stadium	N/A	A2, 3rd
Tylissos	Tylissos	Tylissos Stadium	N/A	A1, 11th
Zaros	Zaros	Zaros Stadium	N/A	A1, 10th

A2 Division Club Name AO Asimi AO Damasta AO Dias AO Kaminia Athlopolis Diagoras Anopoli Elpides Karteros Iraklis Nipiditos Keravnos Heraklion Lido Marathon Kalesa Neoi Ergoteli O.F. Arkalochori Chersonissos PAO Gouves Rouvas

B Division Group 1 Group 2 AO Garipa Agios Dimitrios AO Voni AO Metaxochori Charavgi Nea Alikarnassos AO Pyrgiotissa Doxa Heraklion Asites Dorieas Kastelli Chimaros Choustouliana Ethnikos Heraklion EGOI Ermis Atsalenio Dafnes Temenos Kanaria Ergoteli Neoi Almyros Mochos OFAM NA.PO Poseidon Heraklion Paliani 2008 Neoi Irodotou PAO Dilina Neoi Minoikis Rafkos Omonoia Kallithea Therissos 1978 Pigassos −

C Division Club Name Aetos Anogeia AO Ini AO Kounavoi AO Tiganitis Alogo Malevizi Elpides Irodotou Giouchtas 2010 Koroivos Martinengo Neoi Moires PAO Rodia Panathinaikos Heraklion Patouchas Viannos

Informal (prior to the FCA)

Season	Champion(s)
1925−26	EGOI
1926−27	Not held
1927−28	OFI
1928−29	OFI
1929−30	EGOI

Formal FCA Championship (1930−1959)

Season Champion(s) 1930−31 OFI 1931−32 OFI, EGOI 1932−33 OFI 1933−34 EGOI 1934−35 OFI 1935−36 Not held 1936−37 Iraklis Heraklion 1937−38 EGOI 1938−39 Νo data available 1939−40 Not finished due to World War II

Season Champion(s) 1940−41 Not held 1941−42 Not held 1942−43 Not held 1943−44 Not held 1944−45 Not held 1945−46 Iraklis Heraklion 1946−47 Νo data available 1947−48 OFI[5] 1948−49 OFI[6] 1949−50 Ergotelis

Season Champion(s) 1950−51 EGOI 1951−52 OFI 1952−53 Ergotelis 1953−54 OFI 1954−55 OFI 1955−56 OFI 1956−57 OFI 1957−58 OFI 1958−59 OFI

FCA Championship A1 Division (1959−current)

Season Champion(s) 1959−60 OFI 1960−61 OFI 1961−62 OFI[7] 1962−63 Atsalenios[8] 1963−64 Ergotelis[9] 1964−65 Irodotos[10] 1965−66 Atsalenios[11] 1966−67 No data available 1967−68 Ergotelis 1968−69 Irodotos 1969−70 Ergotelis 1970−71 Atsalenios 1971−72 Irodotos 1972−73 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion 1973−74 Atsalenios

Season Champion(s) 1974−75 Ergotelis 1975−76 Irodotos 1976−77 Ergotelis 1977−78 No data available 1978−79 No data available 1979−80 AO Agios Nikolaos^1 1980−81 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion 1981−82 No data available 1982−83 EGOI 1983−84 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion 1984−85 Atsalenios, AO Tympaki 1985−86 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion, Tylissos 1986−87 Minoiki Heraklion 1987−88 Atsalenios 1988−89 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion

Season Champion(s) 1989−90 EGOI 1990−91 A.E. Katsampas 1991−92 AO Tympaki 1992−93 Olympiakos Chersonissos 1993−94 AO Tympaki 1994−95 Atsalenios 1995−96 PANO Malia 1996−97 Atsalenios 1997−98 PANO Malia 1998−99 OFI '94 1999−2000 Olympiakos Chersonissos 2000−01 Irodotos 2001−02 Irodotos 2002−03 Minoiki Heraklion 2003−04 A.E. Katsampas

Season Champion(s) 2004−05 AO Tympaki 2005−06 P.A.O. Krousonas 2006−07 Mochos 2007−08 Asites 2008−09 Rouvas 2009−10 Asites 2010−11 Zaros 2011−12 A.E. Katsampas 2012−13 Zaros 2013−14 Zaros 2014−15 Rouvas, Atsalenios 2015−16 Irodotos, Atsalenios 2016−17 Irodotos 2017−18 Giouchtas 2018−19 Poros

Performance by club (1925−)

Club	Titles	Years
OFI	18	1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962
Atsalenios	9	1963, 1966, 1971, 1974, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1997, 2016
EGOI	8	1926, 1930, 1932, 1934, 1938, 1951, 1983, 1990
Ergotelis	7	1950, 1953, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1977
Irodotos		1965, 1969, 1972, 1976, 2001, 2002, 2017
N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion	5	1973, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1989
A.E. Katsampas	3	1991, 2004, 2012
AO Tympaki		1992, 1994, 2005
Zaros		2011, 2013, 2014
Iraklis Heraklion	2	1937, 1946
Minoiki Heraklion		1987, 2003
Olympiakos Chersonissos		1993, 2000
PANO Malia		1996, 1998
Asites		2008, 2010
Rouvas		2009, 2015
AO Agios Nikolaos^1	1	1980
OFI '94		1999
P.A.O. Krousonas		2006
Mochos		2007
Giouchtas		2018
Poros		2019

Source:[2][4]

1.^ Currently a member of the Lasithi Football Clubs Association.

Cup

Heraklion FCA Cup

Founded	1971
Related competitions	Greek Football Amateur Cup
Current champions	Atsalenios (12th title)
Most successful club(s)	Atsalenios (12 titles)
Television broadcasters	Kriti TV (Highlights)
2019−20

The Heraklion FCA Cup (Greek: Κύπελλο ΕΠΣΗ) is a football competition in which the clubs competing in any of the Heraklion FCA Football Leagues participate. The competition was founded in 1971, and has since been held annually. As of 2018, the winner of the FCA Cup becomes eligible to participate in next year's Greek Football Cup competition.[12]

Format

The current format features a minimum of 60 clubs. Participation of the teams competing in the A1 and A2 FCA Divisions along with the registered members of the FCA competing in the Gamma Ethniki is mandatory. Optionally, clubs competing in the FCA B and C Division may also participate, along with amateur outfits of professional registered members of the FCA. Teams are drawn at random to compete in single knockout matches, in which the club being drawn first is declared the home team. In case of a match-up between clubs playing at different competition levels, the club playing in the lower Division is declared the home team instead. This format is followed until the Semi-finals of the competition.

The Semi-finals are contested in double knock-out matches between the 4 remaining teams, and match-ups are determined by random draw. The two pairs of teams play each other home and away. In this case, away goals rule is in effect on the qualification, without however excluding the possibility for extra time or penalty shootout in the second leg.

The competition Final is contested by the qualifying teams of the Semi-finals. The Final is single match. In case of a draw, extra time is not held, but the winner is declared in an immediate penalty shootout.

List of Heraklion FCA Cup Winners

Season Champion(s) 1971−72 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion 1972−73 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion 1973−74 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion 1974−75 Atsalenios 1975−76 Irodotos 1976−77 Ergotelis 1977−78 Atsalenios 1978−79 EGOI 1979−80 AO Agios Nikolaos^1 1980−81 Ergotelis 1981−82 Ergotelis 1982−83 Ergotelis 1983−84 Atsalenios 1984−85 Ergotelis 1985−86 Atsalenios 1986−87 Atsalenios

Season Champion(s) 1987−88 Minoiki Heraklion 1988−89 EGOI 1989−90 N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion 1990−91 Atsalenios 1991−92 AO Asimi 1992−93 AO Asimi 1993−94 AO Asimi 1994−95 Irodotos 1995−96 Ergotelis 1996−97 Atsalenios 1997−98 Atsalenios 1998−99 Olympiakos Chersonissos 1999−00 PANO Malia 2000−01 Atsalenios 2001−02 Irodotos 2002−03 Atsalenios

Season Champion(s) 2003−04 OFI Amateurs 2004−05 Almyros 2005−06 Irodotos 2006−07 PANO Malia 2007−08 Irodotos 2008−09 Giouchtas 2009−10 Giouchtas 2010−11 Rouvas 2011−12 Patouchas Viannos 2012−13 Irodotos 2013−14 Almyros 2014−15 Atsalenios 2015−16 Irodotos 2016−17 Irodotos 2017−18 PANO Malia 2018−19 Atsalenios

Performance by Club (1971−)

Club	Titles	Years
Atsalenios	12	1975, 1978, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2015, 2019
Irodotos	8	1976, 1995, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2017
Ergotelis	6	1977, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1996
N.A.P.O. Poseidon Heraklion	4	1972, 1973, 1974, 1990
AO Asimi	3	1992, 1993, 1994
PANO Malia		2000, 2007, 2018
EGOI	2	1979, 1989
Almyros		2005, 2014
Giouchtas		2009, 2010
ΑΟ Agios Nikolaos^1	1	1980
Minoiki Heraklion		1988
Olympiakos Chersonissos		1999
OFI Amateurs		2004
Rouvas		2011
Patouchas Viannos		2012

1.^ Currently a member of the Lasithi Football Clubs Association.

Source:[13][14][15]

Super Cup

Heraklion FCA Super Cup

Sport	Football
Founded	2010
No. of teams	2
Country	Greece
Most recent champion(s)	Atsalenios (3rd title)
Most titles	Atsalenios (3 titles)

The Heraklion FCA Super Cup (Greek: Σούπερ Καπ ΕΠΣΗ) is a football one match competition, which is contested annually by the Heraklion FCA A1 DIvision champion, and the winners of the Heraklion FCA Cup. In case of a double winner, the Super Cup is contested between the winner and runner-up of the FCA Cup.

The matches

Season	Winner	Score	Runner-up	Venue
2010	Giouchtas	2–1	Asites	Nikos Kazantzakis Stadium
2011	Rouvas	4–1	Zaros	Moires Stadium
2012	A.E. Katsampas	2–1	Patouchas Viannos	Nikos Kazantzakis Stadium
2013	Irodotos	3–1	Zaros	Nikos Kazantzakis Stadium
2014	Zaros	2–2 (5-3 pen.)	Almyros	Atsalenios Stadium
2015	Atsalenios	1–0	Rouvas	Nea Alikarnassos Municipal Stadium
2016	Atsalenios	2–1	Irodotos	Pankritio Stadium
2017	Irodotos	2–1	Zaros	Nikos Kazantzakis Stadium
2018	PANO Malia	1–1 (4-2 pen.)	Giouchtas	Arkalochori Municipal Stadium
2019	Atsalenios	3–2	Poros	Damasta Municipal Stadium

Source:[16]

Heraklion FCA Clubs National Titles & honours

Contemporary

• Greek Cup Winners: (1)
  • OFI Crete (1): 1986–87
• Football League Winners: (4)
  • OFI Crete (3): 1965–66, 1975–76, 2017–18
  • Ergotelis (1): 2005–06
• Gamma Ethniki Winners: (4)
  • OFI Crete (1): 2015–16
  • Ergotelis (2): 1965–66, 2016–17
  • Irodotos (1): 2017–18
• Greek Amateur Cup Winners: (3)
  • Ergotelis (1): 1982−83
  • PANO Malia (1): 1999−2000
  • Irodotos (1): 2016−17
• Amateurs' Super Cup Winners: (1)
  • Irodotos (1): 2016–17

Defunct

• Delta Ethniki Winners: (9)
  • Ergotelis (2): 1984–85, 1995–96
  • Irodotos (2): 1991−92, 2003–04
  • Atsalenios (2): 2002−03, 2012–13
  • Poseidon Heraklion (1): 1990–91
  • Olympiakos Chersonissos (1): 2007−08
  • Rouvas (1): 2010−11

Heraklion FCA clubs in European competitions

Club	UEFA Champions League (Since 1955–56)	UEFA Europa League (Since 1971–72)	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1960–1999)	UEFA Intertoto Cup (1961–2008)	Balkans Cup (1961–1994)	Total	Last appearance
OFI Crete	0	4	1	2	2	9	2007 UEFA Intertoto Cup
Total	0	4	1	2	2	9

Heraklion FCA Clubs European Titles & honours

Defunct

• Balkans Cup Winners: (1)
  • OFI Crete: 1989

References

1. ΝΟΜΟΣ ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟΥ (archive) epo.gr
2. Zaimakis, Yiannis (2012). "Δίκτυα κοινωνικότητας και σωματειακός αθλητισμός στο Ηράκλειο (1898-1940) (Greek)". academia.edu.
3. Εφημερίδα Αθλητικά Νέα, από το ψηφιοποιημένο αρχείο της βουλής των Ελλήνων
4. Mastrogiannopoulos, Alexander (5 June 2014). "Πρωταθλητές ΕΠΣ ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟΥ (ver.2) (Greek)". ellinikopodosfero, Greek Amateur Football blog.
5. «Athlitiki Echo» newspaper, 17 July 1948, p.2
6. «Athlitiki Echo» newspaper, 28 July 1949, p.4
7. «Athlitiki Echo» newspaper, 5 January 1962, p.4
8. «Kritikon Vima» newspaper, 8 June 1963, p.4
9. «Kritikon Vima» newspaper, 30 May 1964, p.4
10. «Athlitiki Echo» newspaper, 3 June 1965, p.3
11. «Athlitiki Echo» newspaper, 8 April 1966, p.3
12. "ΠΡΟΚΗΡΥΞΗ Κυπέλλου Ελλάδος περιόδου 2018-2019 (Greek)". Hellenic Football Federation. 10 July 2018.
13. Archived 2017-10-05 at the Wayback Machine Η προϊστορία στο Κύπελλο ΕΠΣΗ (Greek)
14. Κύπελλο: Φλας-μπακ στους 19 προηγούμενους τελικούς
15. Focus στους 22 τελευταίους τελικούς του Κυπέλλου ΕΠΣΗ (Greek)
16. ΣΗΜΕΡΑ ΤΟ ΣΟΥΠΕΡ ΚΑΠ ΣΤΟ ΜΑΡΤΙΝΕΓΚΟ: Για την 5η κούπα ο Ηρόδοτος, για την ρεβάνς ο Ζαρός (Greek)

External links

• Official website