Greek FCA Winners' Championship

The FCA Winners' Championship (Greek: Πρωτάθλημα Πρωταθλητριών Ε.Π.Σ.)[1] was a Greek football league competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all local Football Clubs' Associations championships in Greece. It is not considered part of the Greek football league system, due to a lack of formal structure, requiring all local FCA championships to have been completed prior to its start. The FCA Winners' Championship was ←founded in 1960, and held annually until 1962, as an experimental format for a 2nd tier in the Greek football league system. The competition was once again established and held annually during 1968−1977 going by the name "Amateur Championship" as a means of achieving promotion to the formally-structured Beta Ethniki (the official 2nd tier of the Greek football league system, renamed in 2010 to Football League).

FCA Winners' Championship

Founded	1960
Folded	2017
Country	Greece
Confederation	UEFA
Number of teams	55, divided in 14 groups (2013–14)
Level on pyramid	4
Promotion to	Gamma Ethniki
Relegation to	Local football championships of Greece
Most championships	Anagennisi Arta (4 wins)
Website	epo.gr
2017

As of 1987, the FCA Winners' Championship role was diminished to determining promotion to the Delta Ethniki (the fourth tier of the Greek football league system) by the local FCA champions. In fact, during the 2002−03 season, due to a re-structuring of the Greek football league system, the FCA Winners' Championship was contested by Delta Ethniki Group winners, as a means of determining which clubs would eventually earn promotion to the Gamma Ethniki (thus effectively cutting down the number of promoting teams from 10 to 5, winners being determined in single knockout matches held at neutral grounds). The 19th edition of the competition took place during the 2011−12 post-season period.

On July 25, 2012 the Hellenic Football Federation decided to effectively neglect the outcome of the 2012 edition of the competition, thus allowing all local FCA champions to promote to the Delta Ethniki.[2] The competition was not abolished however, and after merging the Delta and Gamma Ethniki into an amateur third level football league comprising six (and later four) Groups,[3] the FCA Winners' Championship was re-purposed to determine promotion from local competitions to the national level.[4] In the 22nd edition of the competition (2015), the 14 Group winners earned promotion to the Gamma Ethniki, while the 2016 edition allowed twice as much clubs (28 in total, including Group runners-up) to advance to the Gamma Ethniki.

1960–1962 winners

After the conclusion of all local FCA championships, each tournament edition involved three, four and ten Groups respectively, and contested by the local champions for earning promotion to the Alpha Ethniki, the highest professional football league in Greece.

1960	Fostiras  • Atromitos Piraeus  • Thermaikos Thessaloniki
1961	Egaleo  • Panelefsiniakos  • Niki Volos
1962	Panegialios  • Pierikos

1968–1977 winners

The winners of the single knockout matches that were held as part of the "Amateur Championship" between local FCA champions in the years spanning between the 1967–68 and 1976–77 seasons were promoted to the Beta Ethniki.

1968	Argonaftis Piraeus  • Megas Alexandros Thessaloniki
1969	Anagennisi Arta  • Anagennisi Karditsa
1970	Pandramaikos  • Apollon Krya Vrysi  • A.O. Karditsa  • Panaspropyrgiakos  • Ergotelis  • Panargiakos
1971	Orestis Orestiada  • Naoussa  • Orchomenos  • P.A.O. Rouf  • Orfeas Egaleo  • Paniliakos
1972	Moudania  • Thiva  • Anagennisi Epanomi  • Ilisiakos  • Fivos Kremasti  • Pannemeatikos
1973	Nestos Chrysoupoli  • Niki Polygiros  • Achilleas Farsalon  • Lamia  • Panetolikos  • Panarkadikos  • Olympiakos Neon Liosion  • Syros  • Apollon Mytilene
1974	Ethnikos Sidirokastro  • Kozani  • Makedonikos Siatista  • Dimitra Trikala  • Patras  • Doxa Vyronas  • Moschato  • Diagoras
1975	Akrites Sykies  • Kampaniakos  • Rigas Feraios  • Ethnikos Asteras  • Agios Dimitrios  • Amfiali  • Orfeas Egaleo
1976	Kilkisiakos  • Apollon Kalamarias  • Ethnikos Sidirokastro  • Anagennisi Arta  • Niki Volos  • Paniliakos  • Kallithea  • Irodotos
1977	Makedonikos  • Edessaikos  • Thyella Serres  • Elassona  • Chalkida  • Messolonghi  • Agios Dimitrios  • Ionikos

1987–2001 winners

As of the 1986–87 and until the 2000–01 season the winners of the single knockout matches, contested by local FCA champions, were promoted to the Delta Ethniki. Due to the fact that the latter was organized into 4 Groups during these years, it was impossible for all FCA Winners' Champions to earn promotion to the Delta Ethniki.

1987	Aiginiakos  • Evros Soufli  • Astrapi Mesopotamia  • Amvrakia Arta  • Olympiakos Kerkyra  • Thyella Filotas  • Minoiki Heraklion  • Anagennisi Ierapetra  • Fivos Kremasti  • Apollon Eretria  • Pankorinthiakos  • Agrampeli Grevena
1988	Atsalenios, AO Chania  • Kos, Panthiraikos  • Pamisos Messini, Pelopas Kiato  • Messolonghi, Asteras Amaliada  • Pallamiaki, PAO Kyriakio  • Thyella Eleousa, Kentavros Volos  • Almopos Aridaea, Apollon Litochoro  • Tilikratis, Thesprotos  • Panargiakos Argos Orestiko, Makedonikos Siatista  • Serres '85, Ambelokipi Drama  • Aspida Xanthi, Orestis Orestiada
1999	Orfeas Komotini  • Doxa Amygdaleonas  • Evosmos  • Megas Alexandros Kalochori  • Panargiakos Argos Orestiko  • Achilleas Mparas  • Iraklis Volos • Lefkimmi  • Skoufas Kompoti  • Panathinaikos Skagiopouleio  • Iliakos Lechaina  • Asteras Drepano  • Olympiakos Anthili  • Agios Dimitrios  • Ilisiakos  • OFI '94  • Apollon Kalythies  • Aegeas Plomari
2000	Α.Ε. Kastoria, Akritas Nea Kromni  • Epameinondas Leuctra, Anagennisi Arta  • Olympiakos Chersonissos, Dafni Dafnonas  • Pyrsos Grevena, Kassandra  • Agioi Anargyroi, Iraklis Roditsa  • Aias Salamina, Kos  • Ptolemaida, Megas Alexandros Irakleia  • Artaki, Agia Eleousa  • Asteras Amaliada, Atromitos Piraeus
2001	Orfeas Souroti  • Kallikratia  • Orfeas Elefteroupoli  • Iraklis Chalki  • Svoronos  • Alexandreia  • A.E. Irakleio  • Stylida  • Ilisiakos  • Aetos Petsali  • Phaeakas Kato Korakiana  • Messolonghi  • Mani Piraeus  • Ermis Korydallos  • Thyella Patras  • Rodos  • Kissamikos  • Aiolikos

2012–2016 winners

In 2012, the Hellenic Football Federation re-instated the FCA Winners' Championship in order for local champions to earn promotion to the recently re-formatted Gamma Ethniki. The Table below presents all FCA Winners' Championship winners, as well as clubs also earning promotion to the Gamma Ethniki as runners-up (where indicated).

2012	Asteras Magiko, PAO Kosmio (runner-up)  • Iraklis Ampelokipi, Doxa Petroussa (runner-up)  • Ethnikos Malgara, Enosi Apostolos Pavlos (runner-up)  • Makedonikos Kozani F.C., Panargiakos Argos Orestiko (w.o)  • Meteora Kalabaka, Anagennisi Perivoli (runner-up)  • Rigas Feraios, Achilleas Neokaisareia (runner-up)  • Euboekos, Achilleas Domokos (runner-up)  • Aris Aitoliko, Keravnos Thesprotiko (runner-up)  • Iasonas Nea Liosia, A.O Pefki (runner-up)  • Dikaios, APO Nikolakakis (runner-up)  • Pelopas Kiato, Panelefsiniakos (runner-up)  • Doxa Nea Manolada, Ethnikos Sageika (runner-up)  • Ethnikos Meligala, Portocheliakos (runner-up)  • Kissamikos, A.E. Katsampas (runner-up)
2013	Nestos Chrysoupoli  • Doxa Pentalofos  • Moudania  • Kastoria  • Thesprotos  • Machitis Terpsithea  • Kymi  • Preveza  • Doxa Vyronas  • Mykonos  • Thyella Rafina  • PAO Varda  • Messiniakos  • A.O. Agios Nikolaos
2014	Ethnikos Alexandroupoli  • Thermaikos  • Apollon Arnaia  • Thyella Filotas  • Flamouli  • Pyrasos  • Anagennisi Arta  • Opountios  • Ethnikos Piraeus  • Aiolikos  • Loutraki  • Zakynthiakos  • Ermis Kiveri  • Anagennisi Ierapetra
2015	Nestos Chrysoupoli  • APE Langadas • Apollon Krya Vrysi • Eordaikos • A.E. Farkadona • Pydna Kitros • Chalkida • Acheron Kanalaki • A.E. Irakleio • Kanaris Nenita • Ialysos • A.O. Levante • Sparta • Ermis Zoniana
2016	Orfeas Xanthi, Doxa Proskinites (runner-up) • A.O. Kardia, Apollon Paralimnio (runner-up) • Almopos Aridaea, Naoussa (runner-up) • Makedonikos Foufas, A.E. Pontion Vatolakkos (runner-up) • Mavroi Aetoi Eleftherochori, Asteras Petriti (runner-up) • Apollon Larissa, Diagoras Sevasti (runner-up) • Thiva, A.E. Istiaia (runner-up) • Tilikratis, Amvrakia Kostakioi (runner-up) • Proodeftiki, Agios Ierotheos (runner-up) • Rodos, Panthiraikos (runner-up) • Thyella Rafina, A.O. Zevgolateio (runner-up) • Achaiki, Asteras Amaliada (runner-up) • Tsiklitiras Pylos, Doxa Megalopolis (runner-up) • Atsalenios, AEEK INKA (runner-up)

See also

• Greek football league system

References

1. Οι όμιλοι του Πρωταθλήματος Πρωταθλητριών ΕΠΣ (Greek) (archive) epo.gr
2. "Πρωτοφανής απόφαση της ΕΠΟ" (Greek)
3. stoplekto.gr: Κλείδωσαν άνοδος- πτώση στη Δ Εθνική (Greek)
4. Periferiako.com:Συνεδριάζει και αποφασίζει η Επιτροπή (Greek)

Sources

• "ΑΘΛΗΤΙΚΗ ΗΧΩ"-29ης Ιουνίου 1987 (Greek)
• "ΑΘΛΗΤΙΚΗ ΗΧΩ"-6ης Ιουνίου 1988 (Greek)
• "ΑΘΛΗΤΙΚΗ ΗΧΩ"-3ης Ιουνίου 1999 (Greek)
• "ΑΘΛΗΤΙΚΗ ΗΧΩ"-5ης Ιουνίου 2000 (Greek)
• "ΑΘΛΗΤΙΚΗ ΗΧΩ"-5ης Ιουνίου 2001 (Greek)
• "ΑΘΛΗΤΙΚΗ ΗΧΩ"-22ας Ιουνίου 2003 (Greek)

External links

• Υπό κατάργηση η Δ΄Εθνική (Greek)
• Το σχέδιο για την άνοδο στη Δ΄Εθνική 2012-13 (Greek)