Apostolos Vellios

Apostolos Vellios (Greek: Απόστολος Βέλλιος, born 8 January 1992) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a striker for Italian Serie B club Ascoli.

Apostolos Vellios
Vellios with Nottingham Forest in 2016
Personal information
Full name Apostolos Vellios
Date of birth (1992-01-08) 8 January 1992
Place of birth Thessaloniki, Greece
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Ascoli
Number 39
Youth career
2006-2008 Iraklis
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Iraklis 22 (4)
2011–2014 Everton 22 (3)
2014 → Blackpool (loan) 2 (0)
2014–2015 Lierse 13 (1)
2015 → Vestsjælland (loan) 16 (3)
2015–2016 Iraklis 27 (11)
2016–2019 Nottingham Forest 40 (7)
2018–2019 → Waasland-Beveren (loan) 17 (4)
2019–2020 Atromitos 27 (6)
2020– Ascoli 7 (0)
National team‡
2008–2009 Greece U17 3 (0)
2009–2011 Greece U19 17 (9)
2011–2014 Greece U21 24 (4)
2016– Greece 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:05, 11 January 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:00, 9 November 2017 (UTC)

Club career

Iraklis

Vellios started his professional career at Iraklis in 2008.[1] He made his debut against in a 4–1 away defeat by Skoda Xanthi on 26 April 2009, as he came in as a late substitute for Dimitris Giantsis, for the last round of the 2008–09 season.[2] His first goal was an equalizer in injury time against Olympiacos in Karaiskakis Stadium on 7 November 2009, to help Iraklis escape with an away draw against the Greek giants.[3] He was named MVP of the 10th round of the Greek Superleague for his performance in that match.[4] At the end of the season, he totalled nine appearances for the club, all as a substitute, and two goals.

Everton

Following interest from Fulham,[5][6] Olympiacos,[7][8][9] AEK,[10][11] and Bologna,[12] Vellios signed for Everton in January 2011 for a fee of £250,000 on a 4-year deal.[13] Vellios scored Everton Reserves' only goal in his debut, as they suffered a 5–1 home defeat against Blackburn Rovers Reserves.[14] Vellios made his first-team debut for Everton against Aston Villa in the Premier League, on 2 April 2011, replacing Jermaine Beckford after 80 minutes. He scored his first goal for the first team in a home 3–1 win against Wigan Athletic on 17 September 2011.[15] His second goal was scored away against Chelsea after being on the pitch for only 18 seconds, 8 seconds from play being restarted, in a 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge. Once again he appeared as a substitute away at Bolton Wanderers, he scored with a right footed shot to make it 2–0, making it his third goal for Everton after playing just 235 minutes on the pitch.[16]

However, he was subsequently completely dropped from the squad by Moyes and pushed into the reserves despite being the top scorer. At the time of his Everton career, Velios mainly played for Everton Reserves, however still holding the Premier League statistic of a goal every 86 minutes, still the highest rate at Everton during 2011–2012 season. He made his 2012/13 first team debut by coming on as a sub against Sunderland, which Everton won 2–1 with Marouane Fellaini and Nikica Jelavic getting the goals for the Toffees. On 10 May 2014, after 3 and a half years with the Toffees, Vellios announced his removal from the club on Twitter. Throughout these years did not succeed to be one of the regulars of the club. "I would like to thank Everton for these three and a half years of my life, but mostly I have a big thanks for the supporters. You will be forever in my heart" he stated.[17]

Loan to Blackpool

In March 2014, Vellios joined Blackpool on loan for the remainder of the season.[18] He was given a starting debut at Queens Park Rangers on 29 March, but in the next match — a 2–1 home defeat to Yeovil Town — he was substituted five minutes into the second half and did not feature again.[19]

Lierse

In July 2014 Vellios signed a two-year contract with Jupiler League club Lierse.[20]

Loan to Vestsjælland

On 26 January 2015 Vellios was loaned to FC Vestsjælland until 1 July. He became the first ever Greek footballer to play in the Danish Superliga. He played 16 games, and scored 3 goals for the club, in the Superliga. But he also manages to score 3 goals in 4 games in the Danish Cup, including a goal in the final against F.C. Copenhagen, a game FC Vestsjælland lost 2–3, after extra time.[21]

Return to Iraklis

On 15 July 2015 Vellios signed a two-year contract with Iraklis.[22] On 26 September 2015, he equalised for the final score of 1–1 from a Costin Lazăr assist on the fifth day of the Greek Super League against Skoda Xanthi. It was his first goal with Iraklis after his return to the club.[23]

On 26 October 2015, he scored in a record fourth consecutive Super League match in 2015, equalizing Joël Epalle's club decade record.[24] On 17 November 2015, Vellios stood alongside Nikos Kyzeridis, giving his jersey for fundraising, thereby demonstrating support for the former Aris player struggling with cancer.[25] On 28 November 2015, he netted the only goal in a 1–0 home win against giants Panathinaikos for the Greek Super League.[26] On 5 December 2015, he scored in the 2–1 home win against Asteras Tripoli,[27] helping his club to maintain its unbeaten run against the Arcadian club. Since then, Vellios has been linked to Greek giants, Olympiacos, and also PAOK.[28] On 2 January 2016, a hat-trick by Vellios led Iraklis to a 3–0 home win over AEL Kalloni[29] becoming the first Iraklis player to achieve this feat in the last 15 years.[30] On 7 February 2016, Vellios' 10th Super League goal helped his club to win 1–0 PAS Giannina at Kaftanzogleio Stadium. It was the first victory for Nikos Papadopoulos' team after six negative results.[31] He scored his eleventh goal with a header during a home game against Veria.[32]

Nottingham Forest

On 29 June 2016, it was announced that Vellios had signed a four-year contract with Championship club Nottingham Forest for a reported £950,000,[33][34] and became the first signing under new head coach Philippe Montanier.[35] On 12 August, he made his debut with the club as a late substitute in a 3–0 away loss against Brighton & Hove Albion. Eight days later, having come on as an early substitute for Britt Assombalonga, his penalty was saved in a 4–3 home win against Wigan Athletic in the Championship.[36] On 11 September, he netted his first Forest goal, putting his side ahead with a 25-yard strike in a 2–2 away draw against Aston Villa.[37] Three days later he scored with an overhead kick, giving a short lead to his club in a 2–2 away draw against Rotherham United.[38] Vellios scored in his third match running as Nottingham Forest lost 1–2 to Norwich City on 17 September.[39]

On 1 October, Vellios gave the visitors an early lead at Ashton Gate for his fourth goal of the season in a 2–1 away loss against Bristol City.[40] In a poll published by the Nottingham Post on 4 October, Forest fans chose Vellios as the best player of the team until that moment, with 39% of the voters picking him.[41] On 14 October Vellios netted the second goal from Lansbury's cross in a 3–1 home win against Birmingham City.[42]

Despite his overall performance, Vellios' participation during the 2017-18 Championship season was limited; after he was left out of Mark Warburton's squad for a match at Birmingham City on 18 November 2017, a match which Forest lost, his father, Kostas Vellios, made a post on Facebook describing his continued omission as "disgusting".[43] He was told by Warburton that he was free to find a new club in the January transfer window, although Warburton's successor, Aitor Karanka, wanted time to assess the players.[44] On 27 January, Vellios came off the bench ten minutes before the end of the game and scored his first goal of the season in a 2–1 loss to Hull City in the FA Cup.[45] He stayed for the second half of the season, but was mainly used as a late substitute. On 24 April 2018, he scored his first goal of the 2017–18 Championship, the third in a 3–0 home win against Barnsley.[46]

Loan to Waasland-Beveren

Vellios did not form part of Karanka's plans for 2018–19, and on 31 August 2018, he signed for Waasland-Beveren of the Belgian First Division A on a season-long loan.[47] On 29 September he scored his first goal of the season with a header in a 3–0 away win against Mouscron.[48] On 19 October 2018, he scored his second of the 2018–19 Belgian First Division A season, equalising after an hour of the visit to Club Brugge.[49] On 24 November 2018, Vellios scored his third goal of the season, against Mouscron in a 2–1 home loss.[50] On 15 December 2018, he scored in the last minute of the match as a late substitute, sealing a 2–0 away win against Royal Antwerp.[51]

Atromitos

On 21 June 2019, he agreed to join Atromitos on a two-year contract.[52] He scored his first goal for the club on 1 September with a spectacular overhead kick to secure a 2–2 draw away to Lamia.[53] On 14 September he scored twice as Atromitos lost 3–2 at home to champions PAOK.[54] On 27 October 2019, he scored with a low shot in an emphatic 4–0 home win against Panionios.[55] On 8 December 2019, Vellios opened the scoring for the home side with a wonderful bicycle kick, after 24 minutes in new coach Savvas Pantelidis’ first game in charge, in a 2–2 home draw against Aris.[56] On 18 December 2019, he scored a late header from Javier Umbides’ cross five minutes from full-time salvaged the home draw for Atromitos against Lamia.[57]

On 7 January 2020, he scored a brace in an emphatic 3–0 away win against Volos in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Greek Cup.[58] On 29 June 2020, Vellios' spectacular effort against Lamia for Atromitos has been named the Goal of the Season in the 2019–20 regular season.[59]

Ascoli

On 24 September 2020, he signed a two-year contract with Italian Serie B club Ascoli.[60]

International career

Vellios has been capped 16 times for the Greek U-19 team and has scored 9 goals for them. His last appearances to date, with Greece U-19, was in the two friendly matches against Macedonia U-19 in January 2011. The first was a 2–1 win for Greece U-19, a game in which Vellios scored the opening goal.[61][62] The other match was contested two days later and Vellios managed to score twice, in a match that Greece U-19 won by a 3–0 scoreline.[63][64] On 16 March 2016 Vellios was called for the first time to play for the Greece national football team in two friendly matches against Iceland and Montenegro.[65]

Personal life

Vellios is the son of Kostas Vellios, former footballer of Iraklis.[66] He was a student at Aristotelio High School and, on 18 March 2010, by playing for the school team he was crowned champion in the Greek High School Championship.[67] Vellios is also known for being a lifelong supporter of Iraklis.[68][69]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 18 October 2020[70][71]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Iraklis 2008–09 Superleague Greece 1000——10
2009–10 9200——403
2010–11 12200——383
Total 22400——224
Everton 2010–11 Premier League 300000—30
2011–12 1331010—153
2012–13 600000—60
2013–14 000000—00
Total 2231010—243
Blackpool (loan) 2013–14 Championship 200000—20
Lierse 2014–15 Belgian Pro League 13110——141
FC Vestsjælland (loan) 2014–15 Danish Superliga 16343——206
Iraklis 2015–16 Superleague Greece 271152——3213
Nottingham Forest 2016–17 Championship 2861020—316
2017–18 1211110—142
Total 4072130—458
Waasland-Beveren 2018–19 Belgian First Division A 17410——184
Atromitos 2019–20 Superleague Greece 25642—40338
Ascoli 2020-21 Serie B 3000——30
Career total 18739188404021347

References
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