User:Xaris333/Nea Salamis Famagusta

Nea Salamis Famagusta FC or Nea Salamina Famagusta FC (Νέα Σαλαμίνα Αμμοχώστου) is a professional football club based in Ammochostos (also known by its romanized name, Famagusta), Cyprus. It has been a refugee club since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, when Turkey occupied the northern part of the island. The club is temporarily based in Larnaca.

Nea Salamina's most notable achievements were its victories in the Cypriot Cup and the Cypriot Super Cup in 1990. Its highest finish in the Cypriot First Division is third place. During its first five years (1948–1953), the team participated in the Cyprus Amateur Football Federation championships. In 1953 the club joined the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), participating regularly in association championships and cup competitions. It has played in more than 50 Cypriot First Division seasons, ranking seventh in that category.

The team participated for the first time in European competition in 1990 at the European Cup Winners' Cup, and played in the 1995, 1997 and 2000 UEFA Intertoto Cups. The team is part of the Nea Salamina Famagusta sports club, which was founded in 1948; the parent club also fields a men's volleyball team. The club is named after the ancient city of Cyprus, Salamis or Salamina, which is located nearby modern Famagusta ("Nea" means "new" in Greek language).

Early years
When Nea Salamina Famagusta was founded, Greece was entering a period of civil war between leftists and rightists. The situation in Greece affected Cyprus, both politically and socially; most athletes were also involved in politics. At this time, Famagusta had two sports clubs: the Evagoras Gymnastic Association, or GSE (Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ευαγόρας) and the Anorthosis Famagusta FC. The GSE had many talented leftist athletes on its rosters. At Anorthosis, many players were also leftists. Under the influence of the contemporary right-wing political climate, the GSE and Anorthosis began to restrict leftist athletes. In early 1947 a group from Famagusta (including leftists, members and non-members of GSE and Anorthosis) concluded there was room for another sports club in the city. Due to the existing restrictions, they envisioned a club which would appeal to everyone in Famagusta regardless of political affiliation.

On 14 February 1948 the decision was made to establish the club, and the Nea Salamina sports club was formed on 7 March 1948 as the first leftist athletic club in Cyprus. After the club's founding, many citizens expressed a desire to join; however, the football side was weak.

GSE Stadium banning and the CAFF
Before the Pancyprian Games in May 1948, the Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association (SEGAS) asked all gymnastics associations in Cyprus, their members and athletes, to sign a public declaration that would express their support to the rightists in Greek Civil War, to declare that they espoused "nationalist beliefs" and to reprobate the leftists. The right-wing athletic clubs and athletes signed the statements; the only club refusing to sign the statement was the Kinyras Paphos gymnastic association, which was excluded from the games. The left-wing athletes were opposed to the declaration, and refused to sign the statement. Among the first athletes who refused were GSE champions Antonis Totsis (Αντώνης Τότσης) and Nikis Georgiou (Νικής Γεωργίου). The GSE invited both athletes to apologize, but they insisted on their position that sports should be separate from politics. The left-wing athletes decided to support the Kinyras Paphos association if the decision to exclude it from the Pancyprian Games stood. The GSE was favored to win the competition, but finished third. As a reaction to the fact that athletes of Nea Salamina were not involved in the Pancyprian Games, the GSE president informed the club it was not welcome at the GSE Stadium. Persecution of GSE and Anorthosis athletes who supported their teammates followed. The stadium-use prohibition meant that Nea Salamina had nowhere to play.

Negative attitudes toward left-wing athletes prevailed in other Cypriot cities. In Larnaca, the Alki Larnaca F.C. was founded in April 1948. A month later, the Gymnastics Club Zeno (GSZ) banned Alki from using its GSZ Stadium. . The GSZ amended its constitution, prohibiting enrollment of new members unless they signed a declaration that "they espouse the Hellenic nationalistic ideals". This excluded left-wing athletes from becoming members or using its stadium. In May, Orfeas Nicosia was founded in Nicosia; that month, APOEL F.C. sent a greeting by telegram to SEGAS ("cordial brotherly greetings to the entire Greek youth athletes"), on the occasion of national games, and wished for the cessation of inner-nation mutiny. APOEL asked all members and athletes of the club to sign a declaration, supporting the content of the telegram. Leftist members and athletes of APOEL considered "inner-nation mutiny" as a challenge and political statement of the club, thus they distanced themselves from that statement. The Cypriot press encouraged a hostile climate with articles and commentary. This was followed by the indefinite suspension of five APOEL athletes, who founded AC Omonia in June 1948 with former members of the APOEL. A.S. Kyrenia was later founded.

Due to their left-wing political beliefs, members of the new clubs were not accepted into the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) and they established a new football federation (the Cyprus Amateur Football Federation, or CAFF) in December 1948. The new federation organized leagues and cups, which attracted thousands of fans. The CAFF matches became more popular than those of the CFA. Six teams belonged to the CAFF: Nea Salamina in Famagusta, Omonia and Orpheus in Nicosia, Alki at Larnaca, AMOL at Limassol (renamed Antaeus in 1951) and Neos Asteras in Morphou.

Unification of Cypriot football
CAFF members favored the unification of football in Cyprus. They tried for three years to persuade the CFA to accept them as members, without success. The existence of two football federations (with two separate championships) in a country such as Cyprus was unprecedented. The situation created economic hardship, and hampered the development and improvement of Cypriot football. The clubs felt that sports should reflect fraternity and friendship rather than discrimination. In December 1952, the first issue of the sports newspaper Athlitiki supported the unification of Cypriot football. Foreign coaches of CFA clubs also supported unification, leading the CFA to respond that "their statements opposed the spirit of the Federation". Coaches of CFA's teams were initially hostile towards consolidation supporters. In summer 1953, the majority of Cypriot sportspeople expressed support for football unification. In August of that year Nea Salamina, Omonia, Alki and Antaeus submitted a joint application to the CFA to join the Cyprus First Division. On 19 September, the CFA accepted Nea Salamina and Omonia for membership. However, the organization's negative attitude towards those clubs continued. The league rejected applications from Alki, Orfeas and Neos Asteras (although the former two joined a year later), arguing that according to its constitution one team must participate in the Cypriot First Division and two teams in the second division. The CAFF clubs accepted these conditions in the interest of unification. In an ad hoc meeting of CAFF, members agreed that Omonia would join the first division and Nea Salamina and Antaeus the second division. Following these decisions, CAFF disbanded. The first game between teams from the two federations (a friendly) was played by Nea Salamina and Anorthosis at GSE Stadium on 27 September 1953. 5,200 fans were present at the game between the two Famagustian clubs. The final result was 3–1 in favor of Anorthosis, and the match was described as an evidence of superior sportsmanship and brotherhood of fans by Athlitiki.

Famagusta municipal stadium
After being denied access to the GSE stadium, the club did not have a venue for training. They initially practiced at the Saint Lukas pitch (Proodou) in Famagusta and began efforts to build a privately owned stadium. In December 1948 Israel made a CYP£3,000 donation to the city of Famagusta, in gratitude for aid by its inhabitants to Jewish refugees, for a community-service project. Gabriel Makris, a Famagusta alderman and Nea Salamina footballer, supported the association's recommendation to build the stadium. The city council recognized the "financial assistance granted to the Jews to create Municipal Sports Stadium, which is available to Famagustans for the promotion and spread of mass popular sport". The stadium was available to Nea Salamina and other sports clubs.

In early 1949, volunteer construction work began on a municipal stadium in Saint John Famagusta parish. The stadium—the first in Cyprus with a roof over the stands—was built by supporters of the club and footballers and completed in 1952. It served as Nea Salamina's headquarters from 1952 to 1953. In 1953 (after the unification of football federations),

In 1953, after the unification of football federations, Nea Salamina used GSE Stadium. The city's Municipal Stadium was used by the team for training. This period lasted until 1974, when Famagusta was occupied by the Turkish Army after the Turkish invasion in Cyprus and the club was forced to move its headquarters.

Ammochostos Stadium
From 1974 to 1991 Nea Salamina used GSZ Stadium in Larnaca, Dasaki Stadium in Dasaki Achnas, Municipal Stadium in Dherynia and Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca. In 1991 the team built its own stadium, Ammochostos Stadium.

Ammochostos Stadium, owned by Nea Salamina in Larnaca, has a 5,000-seat capacity and is primarily used for football. The club offices are in the same area. The stadium is named for the town of Famagusta (Αμμόχωστος; Ammochostos), the original home of Nea Salamina before the Turkish occupation, and was built in 1991 near the refugee camps. The decision to build the stadium was made in 1989; construction began in December of that year, and thanks to club supporters in Cyprus and abroad, the Cyprus Sports Organisation and volunteer labor, the stadium was completed on schedule. The first Nea Salamina Famagusta game in the new stadium was played on Saturday, 12 October 1991, against Evagoras Paphos. Nea Salamina won, 4–1. The stadium hosted the 1992 UEFA European Under-16 Championship final on 17 May 1992 between Germany and Spain, which Germany won 2–1.

Emblem and colors
Nea Salamina's emblem incorporates the Olympic flame, the color red and the five rings of the Olympic Games. The club's colors during its first two years were yellow and crimson, when it was part of the Cyprus Amateur Football Federation. After 1950, the governing council changed its colors to red and white: red symbolizing power, and white symbolizing peace. Red-and-white striped jerseys were chosen because they resembled those worn by Olympiakos Piraeus.

Αnthem
The anthem of Nea Salamina is (translated from Greek): Red blood, red outfit Salamis fight, we give you a soul. Olympia circles, illuminating with a torch The glorious shield of '48.

The red-and-white color I will see Back to life in empty Famagusta. Fiery people, brave athletes, Celebrate victories together forever.

Red blood, red outfit Salamis fight, we give you a soul. Great Salamina, never stop In the refuge, fight for us.

In our hearts you are the one, Salamina.

CAFF
In five leagues of the Cyprus Amateur Football Federation, Nea Salamina failed to win a title; during its last two years, it finished second. The 1952–53 season saw the cup finalists losing 2–0 to AC Omonia at Gkooul stadium (Omonia's home pitch).

For 1948–49, no statistics are available. Nea Salamina played ten games, winning three (two at Neos Asteras and one against Alki), losing six and drawing once (against Alki).

1953–1959
After the 1953 unification of Cypriot football, Nea Salamina played in the Cypriot Second Division; its goal during the first season was winning promotion to the first division. Games were played in GSE Stadium, and the Famagusta Municipal Stadium was used for training. The second division had two groups; Nea Salamina was in the Nicosia-Larnaca-Famagusta group. The group winner faced the winner of the Limassol-Paphos group for promotion to first division. Nea Salamina finished second in its group, losing the chance at promotion. In the 1953–54 Cypriot Cup, the team reached the semifinals. Nea Salamina was the first team, although struggling in the second division, qualified to the semi-finals of the Cypriot Cup

The next season the team led the second division, ensured its promotion. The league now had three groups, with Nea Salamina playing in the Larnaca-Famagusta group. With the conquest of the first position in the group, fought for the promotion with the first teams of the other two groups: the champion of the Limassol-Paphos group, Antaeus Lemesos, and the champion of the Nicosia group, Orfeas, in a new three teams championships. Nea Salamina finished in first place. During the same period, in the 1954–55 Cypriot Cup, excluded from subsequent phases one of the strongest teams of the season, APOEL with 3–2 win in GSE stadium.

The 1955–56 Cypriot First Division saw the team participating for the first time as a newly promoted side. It finished third, four points behind champion AEL Limassol. Third position has been the team's highest finish, a position it has reached four times. Nea Salamina's first first-division game was against rival Anorthosis at their common ground, GSE Stadium. Nea Salamina won 3–2, its first victory against Anorthosis. The team's first years in first division saw victories over traditional league powerhouses APOEL FC, EPA Larnaca FC, Anorthosis Famagusta FC, Pezoporikos Larnaca and AC Omonia, at home and away.

1960s
During the early years of the decade, Nea Salamina was strong in home games but weak away. During this period the nucleus for a successful team was created. With the creation of Cypriot National Guard, many Nea Salamina's players joined the army; players would often come straight from camps throughout Cyprus to play league games with no training.

The 1965–66 season was one of the best (but painful) periods for Nea Salamina; the team arguably played the best football in Cyprus. The team contended for the championship until the last game of the season and lose its first cup final. In the penultimate match of the championship Omonia and Salamina were tied for first place on points, and Olympiakos was one point behind. In the game against Olympiakos Nicosia Nea Salamina was leading 2–1, but Olympiakos tied the game in allegedly excessive extra time. After clashes in the last few seconds, the game was halted and ordered replayed. Omonia was in first place with 50 points; Nea Salamina was second with 47 and Olympiakos third with 46. With a victory over Olympiakos Nea Salamina would won the championship, since it had more goals than Omonia. On 31 May 1966 many buses and cars drove from Famagusta to Nicosia, where Nea Salamina was defeated 6–3. The best defense in the league, which had allowed fifteen goals in nineteen games, allowed six in one game. For a second time, Nea Salamina finished third. This defeat affected team morale in the cup final with rival Apollon Limassol; although it was favored, the team lost 4–2. During this period Salamina had the best defense in the league, with 21 goals in 20 games (a team record).

1970s
During the first two seasons of the 1970s, Nea Salamina finished in the middle of the table; the next two seasons threatened relegation, which was avoided. The club's low point was 14 August 1974, when the occupation of Famagusta by Turkish troops led to Nea Salamina becoming a refugee club. Fans and players scattered to unoccupied areas of Cyprus and abroad. In October, board members met at the offices of Aris Limassol, deciding to revive the club. Since most players were in Larnaca, it was decided to make Larnaca the club's temporary home. Its offices were housed temporarily at the offices of Alki Larnaca F.C. and in January 1975 acquired a rented building. Expenses were paid with contributions from members and friends of the club. Two youth academies were founded, in Larnaca and Limassol.

In late 1974, the CFA decided to schedule a special championship. Although board members were uncertain whether Nea Salamina should play (due to the refugee problem), they decided to participate so the team could remain in the Cypriot First Division and stay alive. Since there was no permanent stadium, the team used GSZ Stadium in 1974–75, the Dherynia municipal stadium in 1975–76, the GSZ Stadium again in 1976–77, Dasaki Stadium in Dasaki Achnas in 1977–78 and GSZ Stadium from 1978 to 1980.

By 1979, Nea Salamina was established in the first division. Despite a good start to the 1978–79 season, the team was demoted in the decisive last game to the second division after a quarter-century in the first division.

1980s
During the 1979–80 season, Nea Salamina played in the second division. Many times fans at its matches outnumbered those of teams competing in the first division. The team easily won the league and returned to the first division for the 1980–81 season. At the first game they beat the later champion Omonia, 2–1, in an away game at Makario Stadium in Nicosia. This defeat was the first Omonia suffered at the stadium since they began competing in it. Nea Salamina finished seventh for the season.

For the 1981–82 season, Nea Salamina acquired foreign footballers for the first time, Bulgarians Nazca Michailiof and Stefan Pavlov. The next football seasons was not accompanied by discrimination. Until 1985, the team played at GSZ Stadium. In the 1985–86 season, they played seven games at Municipal Stadium in Deryneia and six in GSZ Stadium. They used GSZ Stadium exclusively for the 1986–87 season. From 1987 to 1988, the team used Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca for home games. The team finished fourth in the 1988–89 season, denied participation in the final by the subsequent winners AEL Limassol. During this period, Nea Salamina's player Nigel Maknil was named the league's top scorer, with 19 goals.

1990s
The 1989–90 season was the most successful in the history of the team when Nea Salamina won its first football title, the Cypriot Cup. The week before the final, many fans traveled to Cyprus from abroad to attend the game. Nea Salamina was the second refugee team to win a title since the 1974 occupation. In the final, on 8 June 1990, Nea Salamina defeated Omonia 3–2 at Tsirion Stadium in Limassol.
 * Cup winner

Salamina went on to take its second title in only a few months, the Cypriot Super Cup, against APOEL, 1–0, at Makario Stadium, the opponents' home ground. Nigel Maknil scored the lone goal. That year, the shield was dedicated to 30 years of Cypriot independence.
 * Shield winner
 * European participation

As cup winner, Nea Salamina played for the first time in a European cup (1990–91 European Cup Winners' Cup) and was eliminated in the first round by Aberdeen F.C. Aberdeen, who had won the 1982–83 European Cup Winners' Cup by defeating Real Madrid in the final, was a strong team. The first game was at Tsirion Stadium on 19 September 1990 before 8,000 fans. Nea Salamina was defeated, 2–0, after a scoreless tie at halftime. A rematch, played at Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen on 3 October, resulted in a 3–0 loss.

The 1990s were the most successful decade for Nea Salamina. Apart from winning the cup, shield, and the right to play in the Cup Winners Cup, the team claimed the championship. In addition, the team acquired Ammochostos Stadium in Larnaca, built by volunteer supporters.

Nea Salamina claimed the 1992–93 Cypriot First Division championship. At the end of the first round they were in first place, ultimately finishing third. During the 1994–95 season, they were the first Cypriot team to participate in the Intertoto Cup. Pambis Andreou was the league's top scorer, with 25 goals. The team also played in the 1997 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

2000s
During the first decade of the 21st century, Nea Salamina was relegated four times. The 1999–2000 season saw the team finish in fourth place, winning a spot in the 2000 UEFA Intertoto Cup. During the 2000–01 season, Nea Salamina finished twelfth and was relegated to the second division for the second time in its history. After defeating APOEL in the semifinals, the team lost the Cyprus Cup final on 12 May 2012 to Apollon, 1–0, at GSP Stadium, becoming the first Cypriot football team to play in a cup final despite being relegated.

Nea Salamina became 2001-02 second-division champions, winning promotion to first division. The team eliminated future champion APOEL away in the 2001–02 Cypriot Cup, its second defeat of APOEL in several months in Cypriot Cup, and made the quarterfinals.

In the 2002–03 season, the team was relegated again to second division, winning the championship of that division the following year and promoted again to first division. The 2004–05 season saw the squad finish sixth. With its stadium closed for repairs, the team played at Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium (except for two games at Makario Stadium). Nea Salamina returned to Ammochostos Stadium for the 2005–06 season, again finishing sixth. It finished 10th in the 2006–07 season and 13th in 2007–08, again relegated to the second division. After a difficult season in 2008–09, the team returned to first division, winning in the final game and leaving opponents Olympiakos, who only needed a draw to win the promotion, in the second division.

Since 2010
Nea Salamina was again relegated to the second division during the 2009–10 season but was promoted to first division the following year. In the 2011–12 season, the team finished in seventh place. Due to finishing eleventh in the 2012–13 season, the team faced the 2012–13 Cypriot Second Division side Anagennisi Dherynia in a single-legged playoff for one spot in the 2013–14 Cypriot First Division. Nea Salamina won by 3–0, retaining its first division spot for the 2013–14 season. The next season, the team finished in seventh place.

1: Nea Salamina won 54 points, but because on 17 May 2013 the team were deducted three points by CFA because they failed to meet the financial criteria of UEFA, they finished the season with 51 points.

Class A statistics
The table below shows the overall record of Nea Salamina in the Cypriot First Division from 1955 to 2013. The score is the sum of the actual score of each period, regardless of the scoring system. Using the modern scoring system (win, three points; draw, one point; loss, no points), the score is 1631 points. The interrupted 1963–64 season is not included.

Club records include:
 * Wins (17) in 1994–95 (33 games) and 2013-14 (36 games). Next is 1992–93, with 15 victories. The fewest wins (two) were during the 2009–10 season.
 * Draws (12) in 1977–78 and 1984–85. The 1997–98 season had one draw.
 * Defeats: Fewest defeats (four) in 1955–56 and 1965–66. The most defeats (17) were in 2012-2013.
 * Most goals (59): 1994–95, with a three-round championship. Next is 1999–2000 (58). The fewest goals (14) were scored in 1973–74.
 * The fewest goals against (21) were scored in 1965–66 (when the team had the best defense in the league) and 1966–67 (second-best defense in the league). The team's most goals against (59) came in 1997–98.
 * The best goal difference (24) was in 1999–2000; the worst (-26) came in 2007–08 and 2009–10.
 * The most points earned (57) came in 1994–95 season (33 games), followed by 2013–14 (36 games) with 54 points and 1961–62 with 52 points (22 games, scoring 3-2-1). The fewest points (14) came in 1956–57 and 2009–10.

Source: Stilianou (1998), Gavreilides; Papamoiseos (2001), RSSSF, , , , , , , , , , , , CFA , , , ,

Statistics by opponent
The table below has statistics for Nea Salamina for all Cypriot First Division matches from 1955/56 to 2013/14 by opponent.

Points calculated under the contemporary scoring system: 2–1–0, 3–2–1 or the current 3–1–0 system. 1963–64 season not included. Source:
 * From 1948–1998: Stilianou (1998)
 * From 1953-2001: Gavreilides; Papamoiseos (2001).
 * From 2001-2013: RSSSF, , , , , , , , , , , ,
 * From 2008-2014: CFA, , , , , ,

Nea Salamina in Cypriot Cup
Nea Salamina has 58 entries in the Cypriot Cup, having one win, three appearances in the final, semi-final appearances in 12 and 32 appearances in the quarter-finals. The table below shows the statistics of Nea Salamina for all cup matches in Cyprus (1953/1954-2013/2014) per opponent.

Source:
 * From 1948–1998: Stilianou (1998)
 * From 1953-2001: Gavreilides; Papamoiseos (2001).
 * From 2001-2010: RSSSF, , , , , , , ,
 * From 2008-2014: CFA, , , , , , , , ,

European participation
Playing in European competition for the first time in 1990, Nea Salamina was defeated in the first round by Aberdeen FC. The team played in the Intertoto Cup in 1995 and 1997. In the 2000 UEFA Intertoto Cup, the team qualified for the second round, with two victories against the Albanian KS Vllaznia Shkodër, but were eliminated in Vienna by Austria Wien, 3–0.

Honours

 * Cypriot Cup winners, 1990
 * Cypriot Super Cup winners, 1990
 * Cypriot Second Division champions (1955, 1980, 2002 and 2004)