near Thiva, on their way to Athens for a training with the U-21 National team. Giannis Valaoras, who had survived the accident and overcame the shock, has been one of the greatest members of the team of the 80s. The "Small Hamburg": 1981–82 Greek Cup finalists, 1982–83 Greek League runners-up With a stable administration, new faces on the roster, Maloumidis, Galitsios, Golandas and gradually Voutyritsas and Mitsibonas and with the advent of the technical leadership of Antonis Georgiadis, AEL was beginning to show its "teeth". Best Regional team for the 1980–81 season, AEL claimed the European exit in the final league game. Participation in the Greek Cup final in the summer of '82, for the first time in its history, and a 1–0 defeat by Panathinaikos in the Nea Philadelfeia stadium. The "greens" succeeded to the finals before the end of the championship and the barrage against Olympiakos, in the neutral Volos, having the certainty that it would provide them in advance the Cup. On that historic first final that was held on 19 June 1982, AEL lined up with the following players: Plitsis, Parafestas, Patsiavouras, Galitsios, Argiroulis, Dramalis (82' Voutyritsas) Maloumidis, Golantas, Koutas (82' Mitsibonas) Andreoudis, Valaoras. The next season (1982–83) they came to claim the title after a great victory in the second round at the Karaiskaki Stadium derby against Olympiakos. Eventually, the second place constituted the ultimate fulfillment for Jacek Gmoch's players, who had been under strong denial because of the modest beginning of the team in the first round of the championship. 1983–84 Greek Cup finalists The legacy left by that season in living material, was a defender named Giorgos Mitsibonas, one forward in the person of Michalis Ziogas, (a player who knew as much as anyone else to be at the right time and in the right place) and of course a "coach on the field", which was none other than the Polish international, Kazimierz Kmiecik. The team of '82–83 season yielded modern, fast and sophisticated football and fairly won the nickname "Small Hamburg", taken by the great German team of the 80s. The first exit in Europe was a rewarding and meaningful vindication of an effort that lasted several years, even though AEL ultimately failed to overcome the obstacle of the very strong Hungarian Honvéd. Austrian coach Walter Skocik had found a good, technical but somewhat tired team. And even if they didn't show