Platanias F.C.

Formation and recent years

The association was founded in 1931 by Antonis Varouxakis.

In 1942–43, AO Platanias struggled in the final Cup against the traditional rivals Talos but having significant absences, such as Galanis, who brought a gun wound in the abdomen.

Although Platanias lost the match, the final had a special importance because of the shirts of the players. The jerseys were made from Nazi flags that had been stolen from the warehouses of the Germans, and residents had turned into the athletic apparel seamstresses in the village. From this fact it was introduced the red on the jerseys of the team. With the same jerseys, the team competed even against football teams of German soldiers.

In 1945, the team languished due to heavy immigration and the civil war that caused many players to leave their homeland.

In 1958, the club was reestablished by Manolis Mathioulakis and first president Emmanuel Kallitsakis playing at local third category.

Then Platanias became a member of the Union of Football Associations of Chania and from the first year climbed category, where it remained until 1969.

In 1970, they played for the first time in the first "local category".

In 1971 Platanias had another important game against the Renaissance Chania (today Ionia), but because of the political situation of the time, the team was punished and remained inactive until 1975.

After the restoration in 1975, Platanias was reestablished, struggling to C local class, where they remained for two years and then went to B', where they played another two years before to play in the A category.

From 1980 begins the rise of Platanias, who participated in the National Amateur Championships (equivalent to the existing C "National") contestant in Greece.

After their first two matches, the team demoted and then took a radical renewal, with footballers inhabitants of Platanias.

In 1985, they moved category (D "National"), but relegated the same year. For three years they fought in the First local championship Chania.

In 1989, they went to the Fourth National class for two periods.

In 1993, after relegation, struggled for a year in the Regional Championship and won. After relegation in 2002 they fought in the local league.

Between 2002 and the period from 2008 to 2009, they played in the Crete Regional Championship having a starring role collecting 305 points in total.

The best, by then, football year in the history of Platanias, was the 2008–09 and after a stunning season champion emerging regional championship.

The road to the top

In 2009–10 season, the team fought for first time entry to Gamma Ethniki and managed, after a long effort, to remain in this class. Specifically, Platanias won 38 points in all 34 games, finishing in 12th position in the league.

The next year 2010–11 Football League 2 Platanias had excellent performances and managed to finish in 5th place but gained promotion due to the Koriopolis scandal, when many teams were relegated from the Football League.

The period 2011–12 at the Football League started with the best conditions for Platanias, who managed to stand out from the beginning and even won the title of "champion of winter." The last day found Platanias in fifth in the standings with 60 points, while promotion play-offs of the 2011–12 Football League the team made excellent appearances against Kallithea, Kalloni and Panachaiki to take first place and ascend,^[1] to the 2012–13 Super League, for the first time in their history, but also more generally in the history of the Chania region football.

Six seasons in the Super League

In their first season in the Super League, Platanias finished in 9th place with 36 points. They beat historically powerful teams such as Panathinaikos with 2 wins home & away (totally 3 with a Greek Cup win), AEK with 1 home win & Aris with 2 wins home & away. Their biggest impact of this season, was eliminating Panathinaikos in the Fourth Round of the Greek Cup in a two-legged match.

The team's best performance was finishing 7th in the 2016-17 Super League season, however, the following year 2017-18 Platanias finished last and were then relegated to the second division.

Platanias & Maleme Municipal Grounds

The municipal ground of Platanias, built in 1959, was built by the same residents who were using hoes to dig the field with donkeys carrying soil used to fill the field. However, at that time an employee and resident of Platanias, Kostas Tsigounakis, volunteered to help build the stadium using a machine – loader base. Today, Platanias FC uses Maleme sports ground (in the Municipality of Platanias) and previously Perivolia Municipal Stadium (Municipality of Chania) during the Super League period. The ground of Platanias, which was located within the village, was demolished in 2023 to make way for a playground.

The municipal ground of Maleme is land granted by the Greek Air Force in Platanias, who built the stadium with natural grass. Platanias FC played at this ground until the 2011–12 period, and returned again after its relegation from the Super League in 2018.^[2]

Perivolia Municipal Stadium

From the season 2012–13 until 2017-2018, Platanias FC competed at the Perivolia Municipal Stadium of Chania, which took place in record time, extensive upgrading and modernization work at all levels to meet in full all the obligations set by the organizing principle of Super League and NOVA TV. The Municipal Ground of Perivolia has now "morphed" into a modern football stadium, with two tiers (one of them covered), journalists theories, comfortable – brand new changing rooms for athletes and referees (female assistants are separate changing rooms), dispensary, gym, comfortable office for the observer of the match, great room for press conferences and other venues. ^[3]

Domestic

Most appearances in professional divisions

More information Player, Matches ...

Player	Matches
Kostas Mendrinos	91
Fanouris Goundoulakis	91
Yaya Banana	90
Juan Aguilera	89
Thomas Nazlidis	86

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Top-scoring players in professional divisions

More information Player, Goals ...

Player	Goals
Thomas Nazlidis	23
Giannis Loukinas	22
Miguel Bianconi	22
Nikos Katsikokeris	19
David Torres	18

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