The president of the “blue-and-yellows” fan club, Kostas Schizas, expressed his deep emotion regarding APOEL’s 100th anniversary and yesterday’s (November 8) celebration at the GSP Stadium.
Among other things, he paid tribute to the founders, emphasized the connection between the past, present, and future, highlighted the drone show, which told the team’s story, and thanked the fans who filled the stadium.
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At the same time, he didn’t sweep the problem under the… rug. He emphasized that financial matters remain the main focus and expressed his hope that the General Assemblies would lead the Leoforia team into a new era.
In detail:
On last night’s event: “It was a moving evening. 100 years of pride. I tip my hat to the founders who, from the very beginning, established a club that was a force to be reckoned with. Yesterday we had a moving event with memorable moments. We saw the veterans, the present with our team—which brought us joy with our victory—and the future with the youth academies. They must follow this example and write new golden chapters, even greater than those of the first century. It is the oldest active sports club in Cyprus. An evening dedicated to Cyprus’s greatest and most successful team. It took place in an atmosphere of respect for APOEL’s history and for those who founded it.”
To the fans: “Whether we won or lost, this celebration—worthy of APOEL’s 100th anniversary—had to take place. The fans enjoyed it right to the end and didn’t stop singing for a single moment. Starting on Saturday with the plaque at the site of the club’s founding, followed by the torch relay through Nicosia. At the club, where other events took place, the Deputy Minister of Culture spoke and opened a photography exhibition. Everyone enjoyed it; the events continued past midnight. The most moving moment for me was the drones telling the story of APOEL, featuring Giorgos Poulias—though, in my opinion, Diomedes Symeonides should have been included as well. It was a tremendous night, and future generations will carry it forward to write even more glorious chapters.”
On whether he feels blessed: “Definitely. I can say something much deeper. I’m one of the people who have studied APOEL’s history in depth. Just as in the book that’s still on sale, every APOEL household is encouraged to have this book and the album of the legend. A historical book. The first 80–90 pages chronicle APOEL’s history through extensive research by Mario Taliotis. He worked hard, and we uncovered previously unknown facts. There’s a lot we’ve read, such as the story of Künsler’s arrival—which changed Cypriot soccer.”
On the new era: “I’ve been following APOEL since the 1950s—from 1956 until today. Of course, APOEL fans have always been there, but yesterday’s gathering made it seem as if we were playing a Champions League match. Despite the problems of recent years, you can see that the fans are still there.”
His own message: “I hope that through these general assemblies, a positive outcome will emerge and APOEL will embark on a new path—one that will also be supported financially—so it can write even greater chapters in the history of Cypriot soccer. The financial aspect is always the biggest problem.”
