1966 Articles

The Greek Orthodox Football Club always HAD a problem with summer training.

The ground was always like concrete, with cows running around and eating what grass was left.  Large cracks appeared all over the ground.  Anyway, after complaints from the players and opposing teams, the Club was given the all clear to put showers in the change shed.

The problem was that the Club had to pay for it.

Senior player and apprentice plumber, Peter Barris, was called upon by the Committee to organize the works.

A trench approximately 200 yards long from South Terrace to the shed had to be dug.  Coaches realizing training was always poorly attended anyway and seeing as the Club had no money the idea came up to get all the players out with pick and shovel.  The parkland grounds were so hard that buckets of water were used to soften the ground while digging.

It looked like a very long chain gang.  It was hard work but the funny thing was that the boys seemed to enjoy it.  Cold and waste water pipes were installed and to our credit the job was accomplished within about 2 weeks.

A concrete floor was laid and Peter Barris installed the hot water system.  Life at the Football Club was never better!!!!!!

With the improvements completed (which the Club had paid for) the Council promptly saw fit to increase the rent.

Fred Carrangis was re-elected President.

After a disappointing end to the 1965 season, Tom Frossinakis, with his university studies found it hard to take training on Tuesday and Thursday nights so a compromise was made. A Grade player, Con Bambacas would take training and Senior Coach Tom Frossinakis would take game days.

This had an unsettling effect on the players which resulted in low attendances at training and on game days.

At every game at home in 1966 there was no less than 6 AP5/AP6 Valiants (all white) parked around the northwest boundary all owned by players, Bill Kargas, Dennis Paxinos, Tony Hadgecostas, Peter Dimitri, George Pallaras and Steve Dimitri. All commonly known as the Greek Mafia.

Every time the team kicked a goal the horns would blow madly and when the opposition player was lining up for goal the horns blasted out as a distraction.

It sounded like a traffic jam in the middle of Athens!!! Ha Ha !!!

Both Teams finished 5th.

Best and Fairest for the A’s was Ojar Nimanis (Nimmy) who always played in dessert boots.

Best and Fairest for the B’s was Jim Psaltis.

SUCH WAS THE YEAR OF 1966