THESSALONIKI, Greece: Tens of thousands of fans in Greece鈥檚 second-largest city partied through the night and into Monday after PAOK Thessaloniki became the first team outside Athens to win the Greek league title in more than three decades.
In wild scenes of celebration, fans packed along the city鈥檚 seafront 鈥� hundreds holding red flares 鈥� to catch a glimpse of the winning team on a double-decker bus after its 5-0 win over Levadiakos sealed its undefeated run to victory.
At the heart of the party was Ivan Savvidis, a stout Russian billionaire who transformed the club and bet heavily on the northern Greek economy. Supporters chanted his name as he walked between two rows of flame machines during a celebration ceremony.
The 60-year-old businessman, whose family is partly of Greek ancestry, took over PAOK in 2012 and rescued the club from financial ruin, settling debts and building a 63 million euro ($70 million) roster equal in value to that of the country鈥檚 largest club, Olympiakos.
Savvidis, who made his fortune in agriculture in southern Russia, tapped into PAOK鈥檚 underdog status and broader resentment throughout the city, which believes it has been overlooked by decision-makers in Athens.
鈥淲e have laid the foundations for what I hope is the start of some great achievements,鈥� he said late Sunday, speaking through an interpreter. 鈥淟et those in Athens think with a clear head: What they did to us made us stronger by the day.鈥�
Over the past decade, Savvidis has invested in northern Greek businesses, some on the brink of failure, as well as television stations and newspapers that are generally supportive of the country鈥檚 left-wing government. Despite his popularity in Thessaloniki, he is seldom far from controversy.
Greece鈥檚 western allies have noted his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he served as a member of Russia鈥檚 parliament before setting up his Greek businesses. And Savvidis鈥� dream of building a major club was almost toppled last season in a league game against AEK Athens, during which he stormed onto the field to challenge the referee鈥檚 decision with a handgun holstered in his belt.
He remains banned from attending PAOK鈥檚 games, but fans late Sunday were forgiving, chanting under the White Tower, the city鈥檚 main monument, 鈥淚van, get your gun.鈥�
PAOK last won titles a generation ago, in 1976 and 1985, and Larissa was the last team outside Athens to claim the championship trophy when it did so in 1988. Olympiakos dominated subsequent decades, winning 19 out of 21 titles before AEK鈥檚 victory last season. (Another Athens club, Panathinaikos, won the other two.)
The stranglehold fueled bitterness among PAOK鈥檚 owners and fans. Controversy surrounding big-game refereeing decisions, as well as match-fixing prosecutions in the top-flight league, prompted league organizers to use foreign referees at all key matches this season.
PAOK was founded in the mid-1920s by Greek refugees who fled to the city after a catastrophic war with Turkey and owes much of its loyal following to that history.
Not only veterans and fans feel that burden.
Vieirinha, PAOK鈥檚 Portuguese captain, wasn鈥檛 born the last time the team won the league. On Sunday, in tears, he received a standing ovation from 25,000 fans at Toumba Stadium, playing the last five minutes despite an injury.
鈥淎 great team like PAOK does not deserve to wait 34 years to win a championship,鈥� Vieirinha said. 鈥淲hat we lived through this past year is a dream for every PAOK fan. I am one of them. I come from them. For me, PAOK means everything.鈥�