THE STORY OF CYPRIOT CLUBS IN THE GREEK TOP-FLIGHT

THE STORY OF CYPRIOT CLUBS IN THE GREEK TOP-FLIGHT

By Mike Lev,



For us Greeks, our brothers in Cyprus are regarded no differently to any other group of Greeks, such as the Athenians, Macedonians, Cretans, Epirotes, Thracians, Pontians, Samians, Rodites and those from every other historically Greek region and island, who like the Cypriots, have their own unique quirks and customs, but we are all together Hellenes.


Unlike many other Greek regions and islands, which joined the modern Greek state in various stages following the Greek War of Independence (1821-1830), Balkan Wars & WW1 (1912-18) and WW2 (1939-45), for well-known political reasons, Cyprus never did.


This lead to numerous calls for Enosis (Union of Cyprus with Greece) via political means and by armed conflict, most notably occurring during the EOKA Struggle of 1955-1959. However, Enosis, which was desired by an overwhelming majority of Cypriots, via polls and referendums, was all rejected by the occupying British at the time and would never eventuate.


When it comes to football though, there was a brief Enosis between Greece and Cyprus, starting in 1966/67. When both federations decided that from that point on, the Cypriot League Champions would be promoted to the Greek Alpha Ethniki the following season.


Olympiakos Nicosia, who were a shock winner in Cyprus in 1966/67, would become the 1st club to earn their spot in Alpha Ethniki for season 1967/68, though they would be relegated they still managed a respectable 6 wins.


AEL Limassol were promoted the following season, after being crowned Cypriot Champions in 1967/68, their season in Greece’s top-flight only saw them record 2 victories resulting in swift relegation.


Olympiakos Nicosia once again won the Championship of Cyprus in 1968/69, their campaign back in Greece’s Alpha Ethniki saw them again be relegated.


EPA Larnaca, Olympiakos Nicosia for a 3rd time and Omonoia Nicosia, all were promoted to Alpha Ethniki as Cypriot Champions for the next 3 seasons and would try their luck in Greece, they all would endure the same fate as the Cypriot clubs before them, relegation in their first year.



Only APOEL would buck that trend, when they won the Cypriot Championship in 1972/73. Earning promotion to Alpha Ethniki for 1973/74, they finished a respectable 13th in a then 18-team competition.


The months following the football season of 1973/74, proved to be a tumultuous one for Greeks, as this co-incided with the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in the Summer of 1974.


The Turks invaded and occupied (to this day), raped, murdered, plundered, looted and desecrated everything in their path, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Greeks in Cyprus, the ethnic cleansing of over 200,000 Greeks from the northern part of the island, with the northern third of the island occupied by the Turks, a situation which remains as you read this now.


As a result of these tragic events, APOEL who had survived relegation, was under increasing pressure to keep its spot in Alpha Ethniki. 


Although there were several scenarios discussed, which included for example, APOEL basing themselves out of Athens, Thessaloniki or Crete, it was not to be. The failure to come to any sort of agreement, saw the club return to Cypriot competition where it remains today and in doing so, putting an end to the Football Enosis of Greece and Cyprus.


Hellas Football 


Follow @maikleventis on Twitter 

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