PAOK FC wish all the best to the team’s head coach Angelos Anastasiadis, who celebrates his 62nd birthday today.

As a player, Angelos Anastasiadis started his career at the youth ranks of PAOK and was promoted to the senior side in 1973. He remained at Toumba until 1981, having won the league title of 1975-76. He hung up his boots in 1987 at Diagoras Rodos (before going to the United States where he played for a club of the local Greek community). He started his coaching career at the Rhodes club. He collected 12 caps with Greece senior national squad and scored one goal (on his debut).

He made his debut as PAOK coach back in 9 February 1997, taking the baton from Christos Archontidis and leading his troops to a 2-0 victory over Kalamata. Under his guidance, PAOK went on to record 13 victories, 1 draw and 1 defeat, securing a UEFA Cup berth after having missed out on European competition for five consecutive years.

PAOK’s return to European Cups is highlighted by the epic comeback in the encounter against Spartak Trnava at Toumba Stadium (from losing 0-3 they went on to win 5-3), their famous qualification at the expense of Arsenal FC with a goal by Zisis Vryzas and by their spectacular performances against Cristian Vieri’s Club Atlético de Madrid. In the league, the “Double-Headed Eagle” are doing well, ending up in 4th place of the standings and securing once again their participation in the UEFA Cup.

In the summer of 1998, Anastasiadis resigned during the preseason stage, but returned almost immediately, after PAOK , led by Oleh Blokchine, kicked off the domestic season with two defeats and got eliminated from European competition by the Glasgow Rangers.

The Greek tactician returned to the helm on 13 September 1998, but he didn’t get to finish the season at Toumba. He was released of his contract on 7 February 1999 after the away goalless draw against Ionikos.

His third and most successful coaching spell began in the summer of 2002. He ended up with the Greek Cup trophy, as PAOK defeated Aris 1-0 at Toumba in the competition’s final, and his team’s inspired football led them to 3rd place in the standings, meaning they earned a spot in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. Anastasiadis was voted best Greek coach of the league.

PAOK failed to progress to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. On 26 September 2004, Angelos Anastasiadis sat for the last time on the bench of the “Double-Headed Eagle” in their outing to Panionios.

The 61-year old coach holds to this day the record for more matches at the helm of PAOK!

Watch the video compiled by PAOK TV for our coach, who has linked his life with the «Double-Headed Eagle» and register on the club’s official YouTube channel to learn all news about your favourite team.