'Winter champions' honour good omen for PAOK
PAOK have an eight-point advantage atop the Greek Super League standings, giving the club the informal title of 2018 winter champions. AGONAsport analyses further.
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For the fifth time in the last 59 years, PAOK will go into the second half of the league campaign atop the standings. Looking at the statistics, the informal title of ‘winter champions’ shows that 74.5% of teams that begin the second half of the season in first place go on to lift the league title at the end of the season. In the previous 59 seasons, 44 winter champions have gone on to win the league title while 15 winter champions have missed out on crown at the conclusion of the season.
The last time PAOK led the league at this stage in the campaign was in the 1989/90 season, however, they fell short of claiming the league title with rivals Panathinaikos taking home the championship that season.
Taking into account the ‘winter champions’ statistics, PAOK are the heavy favourites to secure the Super League crown and break a 34-year league championship drought. The Thessalonikis currently hold a comfortable eight point advantage ahead of second placed rivals, Olympiacos.
Below is a list of both the Winter Champions and the actual First Division Champions since the 1959/1960 season.
Year: Winter champion, League champions
1959-60: AEK, Panathinaikos
1960-61: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1961-62: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1962-63: Olympiacos/Panathinaikos, AEK
1963-64: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1964-65: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1965-66: Panathinaikos, Olympiacos
1966-67: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
1967-68: AEK/Aris, AEK
1968-69: Olympiacos/Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1969-70: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1970-71: AEK, AEK
1971-72: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1972-73: PAOK, Olympiacos
1973-74: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
1974-75: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
1975-76: AEK, PAOK
1976-77: Olympiacos, Panathinaikos
1977-78: AEK, AEK
1978-79: AEK, AEK
1979-80: PAOK, Olympiacos
1980-81: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
1981-82: Panathinaikos, Olympiacos
1982-83: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
1983-84: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1984-85: PAOK, PAOK
1985-86: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1986-87: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
1987-88: AEK, AEK
1988-89: AEK, AEK
1989-90: PAOK, Panathinaikos
1990-91: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1991-92: AEK, AEK
1992-93: AEK, AEK
1993-94: AEK, AEK
1994-95: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1995-96: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
1996-97: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
1997-98: AEK, Olympiacos
1998-99: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
1999-00: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2000-01: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2001-02: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2002-03: Panathinaikos, Olympiacos
2003-04: Olympiacos, Panathinaikos
2004-05: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2005-06: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2006-07: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2007-08: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2008-09: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2009-10: Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos
2010-11: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2011-12: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2012-13: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2013-14: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2014-15: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2015-16: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2016-17: Olympiacos, Olympiacos
2017-18: Olympiacos, AEK
2018-19: PAOK, ?
