Also, the fans have sympathy for all the clubs named "Heracles" worldwide, most notably the Spanish Hércules CF. Since 2003, fans of both teams formed a friendship through the internet. There is even a Hércules CF supporters club that bears the name "Iraklis", in honor of their friendship. [68] Ownership and financing [ edit ] Professional era [ edit ] In the following years Iraklis faced mid table mediocrity, with the exception of the 1936–37 season, when the club was only one point short to Macedonia Football Clubs Association champions PAOK. [6] The 1938–39 season was a successful one for Iraklis, as it won both the Macedonia Football Clubs Association championship and the Northern Group of the National Championship, the second resulting in the qualification of Iraklis in the National final. [6] [7] In the national final Iraklis lost to AEK both away and at home (1–3 and 2–4 respectively), failing to win the silverware. [6] [7] In the following season Iraklis celebrated its consecutive win in the Macedonia Football Clubs Association Championship but failed to qualify for the National final. [6] On 10 July 2007 Iraklis' administration building was set on fire by supporters in an attempt to express their discontent for the cancellation of the club's takeover from Antonis Remos. [78] A few days later a deal was reached and Remos took over Iraklis. [79] In the summer of 2010, Ioannis Takis took charge as the new chairman. Two years later, despite successfully retaining Super League status once again by finishing 12th the team was again relegated to gamma ethniki (third tier) while the financial situation of the club was again under severe deterioration. This urged Papathanasakis, on 7 September 2017, to declare Iraklis' inability to satisfy financial obligations, causing the club to be disbanded for the second time in five years. Papathanasakis stepped down as owner and chairman of Iraklis FC. For this reason, a brand new committee with Nikos Vafeiadis as its chairman was made by Iraklis's Legends and fans to save the club. a b "Disciplinary Committee – Decision 195/2011" (PDF) (in Greek). Super League Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2011 . Retrieved 20 May 2011.

Iraklis' supporters hold ties with the supporters of FSV Mainz, Rayo Vallecano, Zemun and FK Buducnost Podgorica as those have shown their support during Iraklis' supporters rallies against Super League's refusal to grant Iraklis a license to participate in the 2010–11 Super League season. [67] August 2012, AEP Iraklis was incorporated as AEP Iraklis 2012 FC. The new merged club has no legal connection to the original Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C., but is essentially considered as a direct continuation of it. Therefore, G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki has no shares of the new company, but instead still holds the 10% of the bankrupt original Iraklis FC company, which remains to be dissolved. Currently, MAE Pontioi Katerini own 10% of the new merged club, as required by the Greek sports law, the club's chairman Theodoros Papadopoulos and team fans own the rest, with the chairman possessing a relative majority. [80] Spyros Papathanasakis era (2014–2017) [ edit ] The 1990s were a period of reconstruction for the club, as aging players either left the club or retired. Hatzipanagis' retirement in 1990 had a major negative impact on the team's success. Fans began calling for a change in the club's management, as club president Petros Theodoridis began selling the team's most talented players ( Christos Kostis, Giorgos Anatolakis, Savvas Kofidis etc.). Iraklis competed in 1990 against Valencia in the UEFA Cup, being eliminated in overtime at Mestalla.Before the formation of the nationwide league of Alpha Ethniki, Iraklis competed in the league that was run by the Macedonia Football Clubs Association, winning it on no less than five occasions. The club has also played in five Greek Cup finals, lifting the trophy once in the 1976 final, which is the club's only domestic trophy. They have also an international title, as they won the Balkans Cup in 1985. a b Οι 10 συγκλονιστικότεροι τελικοί Κυπέλλου (in Greek). Sport24.gr. 24 April 2010 . Retrieved 27 October 2013. in Greek). Ελληνική Ποδοσφαρική Ομοσπονδία (Hellenic Football Federation). Archived from the original on 11 May 2010 . Retrieved 14 February 2011.

a b c Για να θυμούνται οι παλιοί και να μαθαίνουν οι νέοι (in Greek). BlueArena.gr. 7 September 2011 . Retrieved 11 January 2014. Further information: Kaftanzoglio Stadium Commemorative plaque for Iraklis' first ground near the White Tower of Thessaloniki Kaftanzoglio Stadium The first ground of the team was placed in the centre of Thessaloniki, nearby the White Tower. [48] Its construction was funded by the members of G.S. Iraklis, but, after Thessaloniki became a part of Greece, the club was ousted from its owned ground, so a park could be created in its place. [48] In 1915, Iraklis rented an area in the centre of Thessaloniki for a ten years period, but the club was unable to use its facilities until 1919, due to World War I. [48] In 1927 the club renewed the contract for the use of the area, but in 1930, the newly founded Aristotle University of Thessaloniki tried to take the ownership of the field. [48] For almost two decades the ground was used by both the athletes of Iraklis and the students of the university, until in the 1950s the university managed to get the ownership of the ground, so it could demolish it to construct a square, that is nowadays known as Platia Chimiou. [48] a b c d e f Η μεγάλη βραδιά της 9ης Ιουνίου 1976 (in Greek). BlueArena.gr. 14 April 2009 . Retrieved 27 October 2013.a b c d Ο Ηρακλής έχασε το ρόπαλο (in Greek). Ελευθεροτυπία. 13 November 2005 . Retrieved 14 February 2011. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. On 22 November 1975, the club acquired Vassilis Hatzipanagis, a USSR national of Greek descent, who was late voted a Greece's Golden player for UEFA Jubilee Awards. [13] [14] In the 1975–76 Greek Cup competition Iraklis eliminated Veria, Pierikos, Trikala and Panetolikos to reach the semi-finals. [15] In the semi-finals Iraklis beat Panathinaikos 3–2, at home. [15] Panathinaikos appealed against the result claiming the Iraklis' winning goal came from an offside position. [15] Finally the courts turned down Panathinaikos' appeal and Iraklis qualified to the final to face Olympiacos. [15] On 9 June 1976 Iraklis won the Cup after a 6–5 penalty shootout. [15] [16] In the final Hatzipanagis scored twice, Kousoulakis and Gesios scored once each, in a match that ended 2–2 in full-time and 4–4 in extra-time. [15] [16] In the league Iraklis finished in the 8th position led by Gesios and Hatzipanagis, that scored 9 and 6 goals respectively. [17] In January 2004, Savvas Kofidis, famous as a player of the team in the 1980s, became the team's manager. During the 2005–06, he led Iraklis to an acclaimed 4th-place finish, playing effective and attractive football, creating a club record for 13 consecutive wins at home. However, with considerable debts to players, coaches and the state, Spanoudakis started the 2006–07 season attempting to reconcile Iraklis finances by selling Joël Epalle and Panagiotis Lagos, who were instrumental in the previous year's success. Next year Kofidis resigned as manager of a considerably weakened team after Iraklis lost 7 and drew 2 of his first nine games in Greek Super League and additionally was eliminated from the UEFA Cup in extra time by Wisła Kraków. Eventually the 2006–07 season ended in a hard breaking fashion as the team gained its survival to Greek Super League only in the last matchday, after breaking a 39 matches unbeaten home run of Skoda Xanthi. Demoted to fourth division (amateur division) because the Professional Sports Committee stripped Iraklis from its professional licence.

At the end of the season Iraklis was demoted to the Beta Ethniki, due to the alleged bribery scandal. [23] Iraklis appealed against that decision, and the club was, later on, declared not guilty, but the club already played in the Second Division. [23] [24] In the 1980–81 season Iraklis had to compete in the Beta Ethniki without his star player Vasilis Hatzipanagis. [10] The club won the championship in the Northern Group with Ilias Chatzieleftheriou being the top scorer with 24 goals. [10] Iraklis scored a total of 99 goals, conceding 22, and achieved a club league record 12–0 win against Edessaikos. [25] Upon its return to the top tier Iraklis managed to finish in the 6th position in the league and achieved the club's best goal difference at the time with +14. [26] In 1983–84 Iraklis finished in third place overall, which remains to date the club's best positioning, since professional football was established in 1959. [8] The club, led by Hatzipanagis that scored 12 goals in the season, also had its best goal difference since the establishment of Alpha Ethniki with +27 goals and its best defence record, conceding only 20 goals. [27] ACTION 24 ολόκληρου του αγώνα ΑΟΝΣ ΜΙΛΩΝ – ΑΟ ΜΥΚΟΝΟΥ και στιγμιότυπων από τους αγώνες ΓΣ ΧΑΡΙΛΑΟΣ ΤΡΙΚΟΥΠΗΣ – ΑΕ ΔΟΞΑ ΛΕΥΚΑΔΑΣ & ΑΣΑ ΚΟΡΟΙΒΟΣ – ΓΣ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΥΠΟΛΗΣ, της 16/12/23 για την 13 η αγωνιστική του Πρωταθλήματος της ELITE LEAGUE – ΕΡΡΙΚΟΣ ΝΤΥΝΑΝ αντί ώρας 17.00, θα διεξαχθούν ως εξής: Massive demonstration of Iraklis fans in Aristotelous Square". Eleftherotypia (in Greek). 10 May 2011.The 1979–80 season was the first season of fully professional football in Greece. [20] Iraklis finished in the 8th position in the league having his best goal difference since the establishment of Alpha Ethniki with +11. [8] The highlight of the season was a 6–0 against title perennial contenders Panathinaikos, which is Panathinaikos' biggest league defeat to date. [21] In the Greek Cup competition of the season Iraklis eliminated Veria, Niki Volos, Almopos Aridaea and Panarkadikos to reach the semi-finals. [22] In the semi-finals Iraklis eliminated PAOK, but the club's chairman was accused for a bribe attempt by PAOK's player Filotas Pellios. [22] [23] Iraklis proceeded to play in the Cup final, but as the players' morale was damaged the club was defeated by underdogs Kastoria by a 5–2 margin. [22] a b c Χαμένος τελικός με γκολ από... πλάγιο άουτ (in Greek). BlueArena.gr. 14 April 2009 . Retrieved 11 January 2014.