Panagiotis Katsouris
Encyclopedia
Panagiotis Katsouris was a Greek
football player.
He played for Naoussa F.C.
and PAOK FC
until his sudden death on 9 February 1998 in a car accident outside Thessaloniki. He was 22 years old.
After two seasons at the Second Division he transferred to PAOK in the summer of 1996, along with major players such as Theodoros Zagorakis
, Paris Zouboulis, Alexis Alexiou, Giorgos Toursounidis
and Zisis Vryzas
.
Katsouris made his debut that season in match against OFI in the Greek League and scored his first goal in a 1–0 victory over Athinaikos
. By the end of his first season he had played in 21 league games, scoring 1 goal.
He played a total of 29 games with PAOK, of which 24 were League appearances, 4 were Cup appearances and one was in the UEFA Cup, away against Atletico Madrid.
match, when his car skidded due to excessive speed, hitting the barriers at the Thermi
interchange
outside Thessaloniki. His death was verified in AHEPA hospital shortly afterwards. He was buried on 12 February in the Anastaseos Cemetery in Thessaloniki.
A bust was erected in his memory in Toumba Stadium
, and a memorial was erected near the spot where he died. Memorial services are held each year, where the players and board of PAOK FC are ever present.
In February 2009, PAOK FC announced that an football tournament, which bearing his name, would be held annually.
Katsouris' number 17 shirt was permanently retired by the club in his memory.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
football player.
He played for Naoussa F.C.
Naoussa F.C.
Naoussa F.C. or F.A.S. Naoussa is a Greek semi-professional football club based in Naousa, Imathia, which participates in the Delta Ethniki, the fourth tier of Greek football...
and PAOK FC
PAOK FC
P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
until his sudden death on 9 February 1998 in a car accident outside Thessaloniki. He was 22 years old.
Career
Katsouris began his professional career in Naoussa at age 17,making his debut in the First Division in 1993, with Naoussa being relegated that season.After two seasons at the Second Division he transferred to PAOK in the summer of 1996, along with major players such as Theodoros Zagorakis
Theodoros Zagorakis
-Kavala:Zagorakis was a defensive midfielder who usually operated on the right hand side of midfield. He started his career with Kavala, the club that also produced Zisis Vryzas, with whom he became close friends...
, Paris Zouboulis, Alexis Alexiou, Giorgos Toursounidis
Giorgos Toursounidis
Giorgos Toursounidis is a retired Greek footballer. He played for PAOK and Xanthi.Toursounidis was born in 1970. He made 263 league appearances for PAOK, scoring 35 goals, and became a fan favorite due to his work ethic and obsession with the club...
and Zisis Vryzas
Zisis Vryzas
Zisis Vryzas is a former football player, and had been the vice president of PAOK FC for the past 3 years. He was born 9 November 1973 in Kavala, city of northern Greece, located in the region of Macedonia . He played as a striker for various teams in Greece and abroad, as well as the Greek...
.
Katsouris made his debut that season in match against OFI in the Greek League and scored his first goal in a 1–0 victory over Athinaikos
Athinaikos
Athinaikos, officially known as Athinaikos AS FC , the Athenian Athletic Association, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece...
. By the end of his first season he had played in 21 league games, scoring 1 goal.
He played a total of 29 games with PAOK, of which 24 were League appearances, 4 were Cup appearances and one was in the UEFA Cup, away against Atletico Madrid.
Death
At early morning of 9 February 1998 Katsouris was returning from an amateur 5x5Five-a-side football
thumb|240px|alt=Men playing football on artificial grass pitch.|Five-a-side game on astroturf pitch.Five-a-side football is a variation of association football in which each team fields five players , rather than the usual eleven on each team. Other differences from football include a smaller...
match, when his car skidded due to excessive speed, hitting the barriers at the Thermi
Thermi
Thermi is a municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece.-Municipality:The municipality Thermi was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:*Mikra*Thermi...
interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
outside Thessaloniki. His death was verified in AHEPA hospital shortly afterwards. He was buried on 12 February in the Anastaseos Cemetery in Thessaloniki.
A bust was erected in his memory in Toumba Stadium
Toumba Stadium
Toumba Stadium is a football stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece, owned by the multisports club A.S. PAOK. It was built in 6 September 1959 as the club's prime sporting venue and served the home ground for the club's football team, which was participating in the then national football league. The...
, and a memorial was erected near the spot where he died. Memorial services are held each year, where the players and board of PAOK FC are ever present.
In February 2009, PAOK FC announced that an football tournament, which bearing his name, would be held annually.
Katsouris' number 17 shirt was permanently retired by the club in his memory.