George Sideris: The man who never fell

The legendary George Sideris was a mythical figure for the port team and the top scorer in the history of Olympiacos. Looking back on the golden glory pages of Olympiacos, in these 100 years of life of the legend, he is sure to distinguish the name of George Sideris in a prominent position.

And things could not be different because very simply, many of the legendary stories on a red -white background, bear the heavy signature of the huge background.

With this nickname, George Sideris built his legend, by this name he was given him on every stadium in the country.

This name was treated by the opposing defenses, knowing very well the strength and momentum of the huge Sideris.

One of the biggest decorations in the red -white shirt of the veteran ace was the reference to Leonidas Andrianopoulos, who was passionately saying to Olympiacos’ center. « They struck men when Sideris was going. »

Only these words are undoubtedly enough to describe the ability of the fret in scoring but also his ruthless way of playing.

Sideris was born on April 5, 1938 and from an early age showed his talent in football. He showed that he was born to become a legend.

Sideris’s power was not only built on the court, but in life. From the vegetables of the vegetable market in the defenses of opponents, no one threw him down

The work on the vegetable market

The nickname of Fontakas was taken by the Olympic world because George Sideris’ older brother was called Fotis. And from there came the mythical Fondakas, a legend that was about to write a story about the Piraeus team.

We referred to his way of playing and it is no exaggeration to claim that Olympiacos had a « lion » in his attack. He was so strong that his opponents were unable to deal with him and could not even counter him.

Sideris was not down, even if he was holding him … the whole opposing team. He began his career at Apollo Rentis, and there are many who say he had such great power because at an early age he was helping his father, who was a grocery store.

Little George Sideris went to the vegetable market and lifted the boxes, so his power was incredible, which helped him with his huge football career.

The transfer to Olympiacos

George Sideris sent the first … messages of his enormous value wearing the Atromitos Piraeus jersey for a five-year period (1953-1958) and for the goals of Fontakas there was a big battle between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.

Both the Reds and the Greens made a great effort to acquire it and eventually prevailed the Piraeus team. Sideris signed to Olympiacos and those who knew the story well have to say about the catalytic role played by Savvas Theodoridis to sign the player to the Reds.

The power with which he entered the phases was proverbial. He literally passed over his opponents!

George Sideris wore the jersey with the laurel teenager and the rest are … history. A golden story that was to become a dream in the eyes of young children who watched the legendary Fontakas growing up with the jersey of the Piraeus team.

And these kids dreamed of becoming the next … Sideris of the legend.

Top scorer

Giorgos Sideris is one of the players who raised the port team, giving triumphant dimensions to the huge successes of Olympiacos.

We are also talking about the top scorer in the history of the club, as Fondakas scored 224 goals with the Olympic jersey in the league, a mythical performance that remains … still today.

Sideris played for twelve years in the Reds (1959-1970 and 1972), even closing his career in the port team.

He won the Balkan Cup with the Reds, two championships and five cups, and was three times the top scorer in the Greek championship.

He also competed in our national team, scoring 14 goals with the jersey of our team and it is obvious that there was a legendary, unparalleled form in the centenary of Olympiacos.

With Patakos

The Panathinaikos -Olympiacos derby for the Cup in 1967 has remained in history, and more specifically on November 22, with the junta throwing Greece into the darkness.

So in the game of the two teams, George Sideris gave everything to help Olympiacos.

But he was surprised by a police officer approaching him and driving him in front of the official platform. There, Stylianos Patakos, one of the leaders of the April 21, 1967 coup, told Sideris « Play more calmly, don’t be tough ».

Fontaka’s answer was immediate, with Olympiacos’ legendary center -fashioned telling Patakos: « I play hard I don’t play hard. Football is a dynamic sport.  »

It was a crude intervention by Patakos against the Piraeus, but the leader of Olympiacos again showed that he was made of steel and was not the hamblance of anything.

With 224 goals, two championships, five cups and the 1969 silver shoe, remains unmatched legend of Greek football

The silver shoe

As mentioned above, George Sideris is the top scorer in the history of Olympiacos and in 1969 received a huge distinction. He scored 35 goals and was the second best scorer in Europe, taking the silver shoe.

That same year he was 17th in the referendum for the best player in Old Epirus and that says it all. Bayern legend Franz Beckenbauer was the first to vote.

So 1969 it was a mythical year for Fontakas and it is not of course no coincidence that large European teams showed interest in acquiring it.

Eventually Sideris became the first Greek player to compete abroad, as he transferred to Belgian Antwerp in 1970.

He stayed for a year and a half in Belgium and in 1972 returned to our country to wear the Olympic jersey again, completing a huge career.

Many years have passed since George Sideris was in the midst of Olympiacos, leading the legend to huge successes.

He was very much loved by the world of Olympiacos and even today the name of Sideris is synonymous with the power and momentum of the port team.

A name a legendary story. Fontakas will always be a myth for Olympiacos, he will always be the one who could put them with a… team and stay up. This is the huge George Sideris.