PAOK

Gate 4 – Toumba Stadium – Thessaloniki, Greece.

PAOK FC ( Greek: ΠΑΟΚ ) is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. According to a 2008 research, about 21% of all active Greek football fans support PAOK, with the club’s strength being mainly in Thessaloniki and the rest of Macedonia.

PAOK is the historical continuation of the Hermes SC (later Peraclub) from Constantinople (modern Istanbul) established by Greek residents of the city in 1875. In 1923 following the Asia Minor Catastrophe the Turks expelled countless Greeks from the coastal regions of Turkey. Those who fled settled in Thessaloniki and in 1926 established PAOK (which translated means the Panthessalonikian Athletic Club of Constantinople), retaining the symbol of the twin-headed eagle of the Byzantine Empire combined with mourning black to symbolize their tragic history and white, the color of optimism. This club’s history is stretching back to the 19th century in effect makes PAOK one of Greece’s oldest athletic clubs but also means that it shoulders a heavy historical burden.

PAOK is also known to have one of the most fanatical supporter bases in the world.
It is estimated that PAOK fans are totally about 8 million worldwide (2 million in Greece and 6 million in other countries such as Germany, Australia, USA, Russia and more). The best known PAOK supporters are in “Gate 4″ (Thira 4) as seen in this picture…

Kevrekidis Photography

© 2009 Jordan Kevrekidis