The last “farewell” to the legendary Yannis Ioannidis said Thessaloniki.
The body of “Xantho” was placed in a popular pilgrimage at noon on Friday and a crowd of people found themselves outside the Alexandria and continues to flock to say goodbye to him.
THE KAE Aris sent a very moving message through its official website, highlighting the thousands of people, many of them loved ones of Ioannidis, who gathered to honor his memory and say goodbye.
What Aris wrote in detail:
“XANTHE”, EVERYONE WAS HERE
At your home. In Alexandrio Melathros of Thessaloniki.
They were your teammates and your players, your “children”, from the “golden” era of ARIS.
They were your partners and administrative agents, your companions off the floor in what it took to make ARIS Emperor.
The current team of ARIS Midea, with its entire staff, was united. The ones who carry the golden legacy you left to the club.
The management of KAE was united, with your old companion on and off the court, Haris Papageorgiou, unable to contain his sobs.
They were actors of the political scene, of the local self-government, as was the Commissioner of the Commission, Margaritis Schinas.
And above all:
There were hundreds of fans, who came to your “home”, their “home”, to give you their final cheer. To wait for you on the stairs, like when the thousands of sports fans lined up for the ARIS games. With tears in the eyes, with pain in the soul. All of them, your “children”.
I’LL PICK UP JANNI TO SEE
To see your beloved Nikos Filippou start, as another organizer of the stands, the anthem of ARIS.
MARS, MARS, MARS, winner you always move forward…
To see the invincible Nikos Galis unable to bear the sight of his coffin, wrapped in the yellow-black flag and “smothered” in flowers, and burst into tears.
To see your wife, Ioula, and your only daughter, Eleni – Theodora, bent by what they experienced in Alexandria. And thank everyone for the honor done to you.
To see your old companions and the players of the current team holding ALL the trophies from the titles you won with ARIS.
To see and hear the slogans shouted by all those present, slogans from the years of the Empire which you founded and continued.
Yannis Ioannidis, our “Xanthe”, you were, are and will be in our hearts, souls and minds. It seemed even today that we will never forget you. The people of ARIS shouted it too, your people:
YANNI ALIVE, FOREVER A MARIAN!
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
