The 1988–89 season was the 65th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 30th consecutive season in the top flight of Greek football. They competed in the Alpha Ethniki, the Greek Cup and the UEFA Cup. The season began on 21 August 1988 and finished on 21 May 1989.
Kits
Overview
In the summer of 1988, an administrative change came to AEK Athens, since the major shareholder, Andreas Zafiropoulos stepped down, with a large portion of the supporters against him and handed over the management of club to the nightclub owner, Stratos Gidopoulos. The former footballer, Dušan Bajević returned to club after 7 years, taking charge as manager. The administration supported Bajević by signing the Polish international, Mirosław Okoński, while Stelios Manolas was convinced to stay. Apart from the completion of major singinigs, Gidopoulos for his part, brought a sense of optimism to the club for the first time in years, while generally proving to be a capable agent who ensured that the club not to feel inferior to its financially stronger rivals.
AEK competed in the UEFA Cup, where they played against Athletic Bilbao in the first round. In the first leg in a full AEK Stadium, despite the pouring rain, AEK pressed from the start and managed to take an early lead with an impressive header from Pittas. The match was intense and particularly hard. The Basques pushed for an equalizer, but AEK also had chances to extend the score. In the end, the fluid 1–0 remained and the rematch was set for 14 days later in the Basque Country. In the second leg, in the packed San Mamès, AEK were stunned and concieded 2 quick goals by Uralde. By the 6th minute, Athletic had already a qualification score and the remaining 84 minutes went by with AEK looking for the goal. In the end, that goal never came, despite some tepid chances. A highlight of the match at San Mamès, the human wall erected by the Basque supporters to protect those of AEK from the Spanish police, an unforgettable move that was duly appreciated by the Greek excursionists.
In the Cup, AEK qualified as first in their respective group in the first round. Afterwards, they did not do well, since they were eliminated in the second round by Levadiakos, with the yellow-blacks having major complaints from the referee in the second leg, with Gidopoulos as their main expressor.
Bajević quickly built a tight and well-worked team, which had the best defense in the league and knew how to get the results in most matches, while they remained close to the top throughout the season. In December despite the departure of the last season's top scorer Henrik Nielsen, Stavros Stamatis and Toni Savevski arrived to the club, but AEK still were considered to be an outsider for the conquest of the league.
The decisive moment of the season was the away match against Olympiacos on 7 May, for the penultimate matchday of the Championship. The atmosphere at the period of the preparation of the two clubs before the match was intense. The players of Olympiacos cut a celebratory cake with the inscription "Olympiacos-AEK 4–0" at the "tower" of their president, Argyris Saliarelis in Aegina, while at the same time the players of AEK were doing a mini-preparation at Parnitha.
At the Olympic Stadium the match started with Olympiacos pressing hard, but the defense of AEK as well as Ikonomopoulos held well. The pressure of the red and whites kept increasing, but the yellow-blacks did not concede a goal. The clearance of the ball at the goaline by Manolas with his head on the header of Détári and the spirited play of the whole team in general kept them intact during the match. At the 83rd minute, in a counterattack of AEK, Karagiozopoulos, who had come in as a substitute, made the "1-2" with Okoński and scored the goal that gave AEK a historic title victory.
The key players of the team were Okoński, Manolas, Savvidis, Savevski and Ikonomopoulos. The goalkeeper of AEK in specific had a remarkable performance, giving valuable points to the team with 3 crucial penalty-kick saves throughout the season and was nicknamed "Mr. Championship 1989" by the supporters. The team's top scorer in the league was Mirosław Okoński with 11 goals.
Management team
Players
Squad information
NOTE: The players are the ones that have been announced by the AEK Athens' press release. No edits should be made unless a player arrival or exit is announced. Updated 21 May 1989, 23:59 UTC+3.
PlayerNat.Position(s)Date of birth (Age)SignedPrevious clubTransfer feeContract until Goalkeepers Antonis Minou GK 1988 Panathinaikos ₯50,000,000 1991 Spyros Ikonomopoulos (Vice-captain 2) GK 1979 AEK Athens U20 — 1989 Fanis Kofinas GK 1982 Pelopas Kiato Free 1992 Defenders Makis Chatzis RB / LB 1984 Apollon Athens ₯6,750,000 1989 Takis Karagiozopoulos CB / DM / ST 1981 Veria ₯8,000,000 1991 Stelios Manolas CB / RB 1980 AEK Athens U20 — 1993 Giorgos Peppes CB 1986 Ethnikos Piraeus ₯10,000,000 1991 Christos Vasilopoulos RB / LB 1986 Panachaiki ₯8,000,000 1991 Georgios Koutoulas CB / LB 1987 AEK Athens U20 — 1993 Dimitris Volonakis LB / CB 1987 AEK Athens U20 — 1990 Michalis Karousis CB 1988 AEK Athens U20 — 1989 Midfielders Dimitris Pittas AM / SS / CM 1986 PAOK Free 1989 Mirosław Okoński AM / ST / SS 1988 Hamburger SV ₯100,000,000 1990 Pavlos Papaioannou (Vice-captain) DM / RB / LB / RM 1983 Rodos ₯10,000,000 1993 Giorgos Savvidis (Captain) RM / AM / RW / SS / ST 1987 Omonia ₯20,940,600 1992 Lampros Georgiadis LM / AM / LB 1986 Anagennisi Arta ₯11,000,000 1991 Toni Savevski CM / LM / DM 1988 Vardar Free 1991 Jim Patikas RM / LM / RW / LW / SS 1985 Sydney Croatia ₯5,000,000 1991 Stavros Stamatis DM / CM / CB / RB / LB / AM 1988 Charavgiakos ₯22,000,000 1993 Giorgos Famelis CM / DM 1988 AO Vouliagmeni ₯3,000,000 1991 Charalampos Zarotiadis CM / AM / SS 1988 AEK Athens U20 — 1991 Giorgos Papakostoulis CM 1988 Atromitos Agioi Anargyroi Free 1991 Forwards Dimosthenis Batalis ST 1988 Sydney Olympic Free 1991 Giannakis Ioannou ST 1988 New York Pancyprian ₯5,000,000 1993 Frank Klopas SS / ST / AM 1988 Chicago Sting Free 1993 Georgios Christodoulou ST / SS / LW 1985 Akratitos Free 1993 Left during Winter Transfer Window Polyvios Chatzopoulos CB / DM 1985 Panionios ₯10,400,000 1990 Sotiris Mavrodimos CB / DM / RB / LB 1986 Kozani ₯5,500,000 1991 Theodosis Kokotos LB / CB / RB 1988 Panetolikos ₯6,000,000 1990 Giannis Dintsikos ST / SS / RW / LW / AM 1981 Kastoria ₯20,000,000 1991 Henrik Nielsen ST / SS 1987 B93 ₯7,000,000 1990 Michalis Manginas RW / RM 1988 Ethnikos Nea Makri ₯1,700,000 1991
Transfers
In
Summer
PlayerFromFeeDateContract UntilSource Panathinaikos₯50,000,00030 June 1991 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 1989 Panetolikos₯6,000,00030 June 1990 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 1991 Atromitos Agioi AnargyroiFree transfer30 June 1991 Hamburger SV₯100,000,00030 June 1990 Ethnikos Nea Makri₯1,700,00030 June 1991 AcharnaikosLoan return30 June 1993 FostirasLoan return30 June 1989 New York Pancyprian₯5,000,00030 June 1993
Winter
PlayerFromFeeDateContract UntilSource Charavgiakos₯22,000,00030 November 1993 Vardar₯34,000,00030 June 1991 Chicago StingFree transfer30 November 1993 Sydney Olympic₯20,000,00030 November 1991
Out
Summer
PlayerToFeeDateSource PanioniosContract termination Olympiacos Volos₯6,500,000 Retired PanioniosContract termination Free agentContract termination
Winter
PlayerToFeeDateSource Diagoras₯4,000,000 Olympiacos Volos₯5,000,000 KastoriaContract termination Iraklis₯30,000,000
Loan in
Summer
PlayerFromFeeDateUntilOption to buySource AO Vouliagmeni₯3,000,00030 June 1991
Loan out
Winter
PlayerToFeeDateUntilOption to buySource KallitheaFree30 June 1989 KallitheaFree30 June 1989
Contract renewals
PlayerDateFormer Exp. DateNew Exp. DateSource 30 November 198930 November 1993 30 June 199030 June 1993 30 June 198830 June 1993 30 November 198830 June 1991 30 November 198830 November 1989
Notes
a. the money went to the player's previous club, Pezoporiakos. b. plus Panagiotis Savvidis (from the reserve time). c. and a friendly game between the two teams. d. 1+1+1 years.
Overall transfer activity
Expenditure Summer: ₯285,700,000
Winter: ₯76,000,000
Total: ₯361,700,000
Income Summer: ₯6,500,000
Winter: ₯39,000,000
Total: ₯45,500,000
Net Totals Summer: ₯279,200,000
Winter: ₯37,000,000
Total: ₯306,200,000
Pre-season and friendlies
Competitions
Overall record
Alpha Ethniki
League table
Results summary
Results by Matchday
Matches
Greek Cup
Group 13
Matches
Round of 32
UEFA Cup
First round
Statistics
Squad statistics
! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; text-align:center" | Goalkeepers
! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Defenders
! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Midfielders
! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Forwards
! colspan="11" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Left during Winter Transfer window
Goalscorers
The list is sorted by competition order when total goals are equal, then by position and then alphabetically by surname. RankPlayerAlpha EthnikiGreek CupUEFA CupTotal111 0 0112 7 1 083 5 2 074 6 0 065 4 1 056 2 1 147 3 0 038 1 1 029 1 0 01 1 0 01 1 0 01 1 0 01 1 0 01 1 0 01 0 1 01Own goals 0 0 00Totals45 7 153
Clean sheets
The list is sorted by competition order when total clean sheets are equal and then alphabetically by surname. Clean sheets in games where both goalkeepers participated are awarded to the goalkeeper who started the game. Goalkeepers with no appearances are not included. RankPlayerAlpha EthnikiGreek CupUEFA CupTotal116 2 119Totals16 2 119
Disciplinary record
! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; text-align:center" | Goalkeepers
! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Defenders
! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Midfielders
! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Forwards
! colspan="17" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Left during Winter Transfer window
Starting 11 This section presents the most frequently used formation along with the players with the most starts across all competitions.
Formation Matchday(s)364–3–31–30
Player Spyros IkonomopoulosGKStelios Manolas (C)RCBGeorgios KoutoulasLCBChristos VasilopoulosRBMakis ChatzisLBPavlos PapaioannouDMDimitris PittasRCMToni SavevskiLCMGiorgos SavvidisRWJim PatikasLWMirosław OkońskiCF
Awards PlayerAwardSource Spyros Ikonomopoulos GK Greek Player of the Season
References
External links AEK Athens F.C. Official Website A.E.K. FC Database