By decision of Yiannis Alafouzos, Panathinaikos FC is seeking members of the families of Giorgos Koskoros and Dimitris Sarantakos, who, as founding members of Gate 13, died in an accident that occurred during the first organized trip by “the Shamrock” fans for an away game against Veria in 1966…
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ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
“Panathinaikos FC is seeking the families of two people who, in the harshest way possible, wrote a chapter in the club’s history
There are moments that aren’t recorded in the trophy cases or in match statistics. Moments that remain forever etched in a club’s history because they were written with love, dedication, and, unfortunately, human loss.
By decision of the owner of Panathinaikos FC, Yiannis Alafouzos, the club decided, as part of the commemorative events for the final season before the move to the new stadium in Votanikos, to pay tribute not only to the players who created the greatest moments in the club’s history, but also to two people who dedicated their lives to Panathinaikos and passed away too soon, leaving their own mark on the collective memory.
On November 27, 1966, just a few days after the founding of Gate 13, the first organized trip by Panathinaikos fans (and sports fans in Greece more broadly) took place for the away game against Veria. During the trip, the bus carrying the fans collided with a road roller outside Katerini. Giorgos Koskoros and Dimitris Sarantakos, who was one of the founding members of Gate 13, lost their lives in the accident.
This tragic event marked the first major loss in the history of Panathinaikos’ organized fan section.
Nearly six decades later, Panathinaikos considers it its duty to seek out the families of these two men, in order to honor them symbolically by providing them with season tickets as part of the club’s historic transition into a new era.
For this reason, Panathinaikos FC invites the family members of Giorgos Koskoros and Dimitris Sarantakos—or anyone with information that could help locate them— to contact the club (210 8709000).
Panathinaikos is not simply looking for two families. It is searching for two pieces of its history, because it believes that no one who loved the club and left their mark on its journey should be forgotten.
The memory and gratitude of a great club must remain alive forever.
These two individuals represent a chapter in Panathinaikos’ history that remained almost forgotten for decades.”
