Football as a tourist attraction
A Π.Α.Ο.Κ. (PAOK) game, especially to a tourist, is an event of a lifetime. The games are an explosion of energy and extraordinary display of loyalty to the team. The atmosphere in the stadium can be overwhelming, to say the least , but you quickly get used to it and find yourself getting carried away by the chanting crowds and begin cheering along.
There are plenty of spectacles to grab your attention apart from the actual game: such as smoke bombs, flares, and lots of shouting. If I could compare PAOK fans to anything else apart from team fans, I would say they seem like religious fanatics, only funnier. If you listen to the chants throughout the game itʼs almost moving. I recommend having a Greek translate the words and learning some of the simpler chants by heart in order to get the full experience.
Another thing to remember is to wear the right colors, or face the consequences of not doing so. The teamʼs colors are black and white, very basic. Jeans and a t-shirt will suffice. If you absolutely cannot find anything to wear, do not worry, you can buy official PAOK gear outside of the Toumba stadium, PAOKʼs home stadium, at the official store where they sell everything you can imagine from jerseys and sweatshirts to the grass from the field they play on! The PAOK fans are very serious about their team and welcome anyone and everyone who wants to help cheer them on
If you are the kind of person that likes to live on the ʽedgeʼ I propose you get a seat in gate 4. It is directly behind the goal and where the PAOK fanatics gather. They are PAOKʼs biggest fans! They cheer the most and the loudest and can really lose their temper if things donʼt go well for PAOK, if they do go well however, they are the ones having the most fun throughout the game. You will see people bouncing in unison, clapping as they cheer, throwing smoke bombs, flares, and generally ʽmis-behavingʼ!
Written by & Photos:
Olivia Mitchell
Tags: PAOK, Thessaloniki Football Club