Michalis Simigdalas
FullnameMichail Simigdalas
Height1.71 m
Birth date23 June 1944 (age 82)
Birth placeNea Filadelfeia, Athens, Greece
PositionMidfielder
Youthyears 11958–1963
Youthclubs 1AEK Athens
Years 11963–1969
Clubs 1AEK Athens
Caps 118
Goals 12
Years 21969–1972
Clubs 2Apollon Athens
Years 31972–1974
Clubs 3Panegialios
Years 41974–1975
Clubs 4Acharnaikos
Years 51975–1976
Clubs 5Athinaikos
Years 61976–1977
Clubs 6Ilioupoli
Years 71977–1978
Clubs 7Athinaikos

Michalis Simigdalas (Greek: Μιχάλης Σιμιγδαλάς; born 23 June 1944)[1] is a Greek former professional footballer who played as midfielder.

Club career

Simigdalas started playing football in 1958 at the academies of AEK Athens, under Giorgos Daispangos.[2] In 1963 he was promoted to the men's team. His coextistanse with great players of the time did not allow him to establish himself in the club, however he stayed at the club for 6 seasons. He was a member of the squad that won second place in the Balkans Cup in 1967, losing in the final by Fenerbahçe.[3] He was a regular in the team that reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup in 1969.[4] During his spell at AEK, he won the Championship in 1968 season and 2 Cups.

In the summer of 1969, he left AEK and signed for Apollon Athens, where his older brother Nikos also played. On 31 July 1972, he was released from Apollon alongside his brother,[5] due to disagreements with the manager, but also due to his disappointment by the behavior of a portion of the fans towards him, while he had pending financial issues with the management. He then moved to Panegialios. In the summer of 1974, he was transferred to Acharnaikos for a season.[6] Afterwards, he played for Athinaikos and Ilioupoli for one season each, before returning to Athninaikos to end his career in 1978.[7]

Personal life

His brother, Nikos was also a footballer, who played mainly for Apollon Athens. [8][9] There, they played together for a period, while Nikos was also his manager during their time at Ilioupoli.

Since the end of his career as a footballer, Simigdalas is constantly "close" to AEK Athens, while he also has a strong participation in their Veterans' Association. He has also served as the manager of the veteran team of AEK.[10]

Honours

AEK Athens

References

  1. ^ "Μιχάλης Σιμιγδαλάς". football.aek.com
  2. ^ Κουμουρτζής, Δημήτρης (21 November 2021). "Γιώργο Δαδίτσο "ζεις" για πάντα στις καρδιές μας!". flogasport.gr
  3. ^ "Balkans Cup 1966–67 season". RSSSF
  4. ^ Καζαντζόγλου, Σταύρος (15 June 2019). "1968/69: Η πρώτη ελληνική ομάδα σε ευρωπαϊκή οκτάδα, η απογοήτευση εντός συνόρων". enwsi.gr
  5. ^ Μίμης Βαζογιάννης (1 August 1972). "Ο Απόλλων απεδέσμευσε τους Τακτικό Ν., Μ. Σιμιγδάλα" (in Greek). Athletic Echo. p. 7.
  6. ^ "Μιχάλης Σιμιγδαλάς". aekpedia.com
  7. ^ "Λάμψη ανθρωπιάς και AEK στον Δήμο Ηλιούπολης". aek365.org
  8. ^ "Νίκος Σιμιγδαλάς ρέκορντμαν συμμετοχών 352 του Απόλλωνος Αθηνών όλων των εποχών". koinoniki.gr
  9. ^ ""Καλό ταξίδι" στην Ελένη Σιμιγδαλα". aek365.org
  10. ^ "Μιχάλης Σιμιγδαλάς στο "Π": Ταπεινός και γίγαντας μαζί". paron.gr. 10 January 2022.