P.A.O.K. H.C.

PAOK Handball Club is the handball section of PAOK, the major multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. PAOK has both men's and women's team. So far, men's team has won 3 Greek Championships and 4 Greek Cups and women's team has won 6 Greek Championships and 7 Greek Cups. Despite its relatively short history, it is considered amongst the most successful departments of the club.

Thessaloniki
Location of P.A.O.K. H.C.

PAOK
Full namePanthessalonikios Athlitikos Omilos Konstantinoupoliton Thessaloniki Handball Club
Nickname(s)
  • Double-Headed Eagle of the North
  • White-Blacks
Founded1999 (1999)
ArenaMikra Indoor Arena III
Capacity1,380
PresidentAthanasios Katsaris
Head coachStelios Seirekidis
LeagueHandball Premier
2022–233th
Club colours   
Home
Away
Website
Official site
Active departments of P.A.O.K.
Football
(Men's)		 Football B
(Men's)		 Football
(Women's)
Basketball
(Men's)		 Basketball
(Women's)		 Volleyball
(Men's)
Volleyball
(Women's)		 Handball
(Men's)		 Handball
(Women's)
Water Polo
(Men's)		 Water Polo
(Women's)		 Boxing
Taekwondo Cycling Athletics
Ice hockey Futsal (Men's) Wrestling
Weightlifting Swimming Judo
Esports Chess

History

PAOK Handball Club was founded in 1999 after it merged with another club from Thessaloniki, Triton. Stelios Seirekidis, former club's coach, has connected his name with the whole club's history. PAOK was promoted to A1 Ethniki for first time in 2000–01 season. Three years later, they relegated to A2 Ethniki, but they were promoted back to the top-tier level the following season. As the years passed, the team became stronger and they won two consecutive Greek Handball Championships in 2009 and 2010. PAOK defeated Panellinios at the last game of the 2009 play-offs and Doukas at the last game of the 2010 play-offs. In 2009–10 season, PAOK became the second Greek team after Filippos Veria, who reached the EHF Champions League group stage. In 2011, even though PAOK needed only a draw in the last home game in Thessaloniki to secure their third consecutive title, they lost the championship to AEK. In 2012, PAOK won the Greek Cup by beating AEK 25–24 in Patras. In 2015, PAOK claimed the double for the first time overcoming Diomidis Argous in the Greek Championship play-off finals and beating AEK 29–27 in the Greek Cup final held at the P.A.O.K. Sports Arena in Thessaloniki. In 2017, PAOK prevailed over Panellinios with 25–23 in Kozani, winning the Greek Cup for the third time. In 2024, PAOK won 21–20 against Drama and earned their fourth Greek Cup title.

Crest, colours, supporters

Kits

Team

Current squad
Squad for the 2023–24 season[1]
P.A.O.K. H.C.

Technical staff
  • Head coach: Stelios Seirekidis
  • Assistant coach: Dimitrios Pelekidis
  • Assistant coach: Vassilis Skandalis
  • Physiotherapist: Panagiotis Papadopoulos

Transfers
Transfers for the 2023–24 season

Honours
  • Greek Championship:
    • Winners (3): 2009, 2010, 2015
    • Runners-up (2): 2011, 2021
  • Greek Cup:
    • Winners (4): 2012, 2015, 2017, 2024
    • Runners-up (2): 2013, 2021
  • Double
    • Winners (1): 2015

Recent seasons
Season Division Place Notes
2000–01A1 Ethniki9th
2001–02A1 Ethniki7th
2002–03A1 Ethniki7th
2003–04A1 Ethniki11thRelegated to A2
2004–05A2 Ethniki2ndPromoted to A1
2005–06A1 Ethniki5th
2006–07A1 Ethniki5th
2007–08A1 Ethniki4th
2008–09A1 Ethniki1st
2009–10A1 Ethniki1st
2010–11A1 Ethniki2nd
2011–12A1 Ethniki3rdGreek Cup Winner
2012–13A1 Ethniki4thGreek Cup Finalist
2013–14A1 Ethniki5th
2014–15A1 Ethniki1stGreek Cup Winner
2015–16Handball Premier3rd
2016–17Handball Premier5thGreek Cup Winner
2017–18Handball Premier3rd
2018–19Handball Premier4th
2019–20Handball Premier5th
2020–21Handball Premier2ndGreek Cup Finalist
2021–22Handball Premier3rd
2022–23Handball Premier3rd
2023–24Handball Premier3rdGreek Cup Winner

European competition
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate Advance
2006–07 EHF Challenge Cup R2 RK Vardar 29–34 29–43 58–77
2007–08 EHF Challenge Cup R2 RK Kolubara 28–31 3rd place
Great Dane HC London 32–21
Burevestnik Lugansk 28–32
2008–09 EHF Challenge Cup R3 Sungul Snezhinsk 23–23 25–25 48–48
1/8 Știința Bacău 28–31 29–31 57–62
2009–10 EHF Champions League QR SPE Strovolos 32–29 1st place
ZTR Zaporizhia 30–30
Group Stage Chekhovskiye Medvedi 25–37 22–46 6th place
Montpellier HB 23–34 20–46
SC Pick Szeged 27–26 24–27
BM Valladolid 27–37 19–38
HCM Constanța 26–30 23–34
2010–11 EHF Cup R2 A1 Bregenz 23–31 24–27 47–58
2011–12 EHF Cup R2 Tatabánya KC 23–27 25–29 48–56
2012–13 EHF Challenge Cup 1/16 IL Runar 31–32 26–36 57–68
2013–14 EHF Challenge Cup R3 HC Victoria Regia MINSK 26–27 21–28 47–55
2017–18 EHF Challenge Cup R2 Aloysians Von Taine 39–15 34–17 73–32
R3 Göztepe SK 29–28 26–35 55–63
2021–22 EHF European Cup R3 TENAX Dobele 29–24 28–25 57–49
1/8 CS Minaur Baia Mare 28–27 21–32 49–59
2022–23 EHF European Cup R2 Sesvete 21–27 24–29 45–56
2023–24 EHF European Cup R2 Linz AG 25–25 26–27 51–52

EHF ranking
As of 12 June 2023[2]
RankTeamPoints
126 Granitas Kaunas37
127 HV Hurry-Up37
128 P.A.O.K. H.C.36
129 HC Tallinn36
130 BSV Bern36
131 GC Amicitia Zürich36
132 Belenenses36

Former club members

Notable former players

References
  1. https://ehfec.eurohandball.com/men/2023-24/clubs/details/X7wrKDWnBfXXApPf9egmHg/a-c-paok/
  2. "Eurotopteam, classement européen des clubs de Handball".
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