Full name Apostolos Vellios Years Team Weight 78 kg Name Apostolos Vellios Career start 2008 | Playing position Role Football player Parents Kostas Vellios Number 39 Height 1.91 m | |
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Date of birth (1992-01-08) 8 January 1992 (age 23) Current team Iraklis 1908 Thessaloniki F.C. (#39 / Forward) Profiles | ||
Place of birth Thessaloniki, Greece | ||
Blueseye apostolos vellios
Apostolos Vellios (Greek: Απόστολος Βέλλιος) (born 8 January 1992) is a Greek football striker who plays for Nottingham Forest. He came out of Iraklis' academies before moving to the club's first team. Vellios played in England for three and a half years representing Everton and Blackpool. He has also represented his country at all levels.
Contents
- Blueseye apostolos vellios
- Apostolos vellios makes his blackpool debut
- Iraklis
- Everton
- Blackpool
- Lierse
- FC Vestsjlland
- Second Iraklis spell
- Nottingham Forest
- International career
- Personal life
- Club
- References
Apostolos vellios makes his blackpool debut
Iraklis
Vellios started his professional career at Iraklis in 2008. 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. 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. He was named MVP of the 10th round of the Greek Superleague for his performance in that match. 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, Olympiacos, AEK, and Bologna, Vellios signed for Everton in January 2011 for a fee of £250,000 on a 4-year deal. Vellios scored Everton Reserves' only goal in his debut, as they suffered an 5–1 home defeat against Blackburn Rovers Reserves. 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. His second goal was scored away against Chelsea after being on the pitch for only 18 seconds, 8 seconds from play being restarted. 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.
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.
Blackpool
In March 2014, Vellios joined Blackpool on loan for the reminder of the season. He was given a starting debut at Q.P.R. 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.
Lierse
In July 2014 Vellios signed a two-year contract with Jupiler League club Lierse.
FC Vestsjælland
On January 26, 2015 Vellios was loaned to FC Vestsjælland until July 1. 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 Danish 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.
Second Iraklis spell
On 15 July 2015 Vellios signed a two-year contract with Iraklis. 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.
On 26 October 2015, he scored in a record fourth consecutive Super League match in 2015, equalizing Joël Epalle's club decade record. On 17 November 2015, Vellios stood alongside to Nikos Kyzeridis, giving his jersey for fundraising, thereby demonstrating support for the former Aris player struggling with cancer. On 28 November 2015, he netted the only goal in a 1–0 home win against giants Panathinaikos for the Greek Super League. On 5 December 2015, he scored in the 2–1 home win against Asteras Tripoli, 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. On 2 January 2016, a hat-trick by Vellios led Iraklis to a 3–0 home win over AEL Kalloni becoming the first Iraklis player to achieve this feat in the last 15 years. 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. He scored his eleventh goal with a header during a home game against Veria.
Nottingham Forest
On 29 June 2016, it was announced that Vellios had signed a four-year contract with Championship side Nottingham Forest for a reported £950,000, and became the first signing under new head coach Philippe Montanier. 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, he won his club a penalty in a 4–3 home win against Wigan Athletic F.C. in the Championship. Vellios failed to capitalise on this opportunity to score his first goal for Forest as his penalty was saved. 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. 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. Vellios scored in his third match running as Nottingham Forest lost 1–2 to Norwich City on the 17 September.
On 1 October, Vellios gave the visitors an early lead at Ashton Gate for his fourth goal of the season, as he found the back of the net via the post after an assist from Henri Lansbury in a 2–1 away loss against Bristol City In a poll published by the Nottingham Post on the 4 October, Nottingham Forest fans chose Vellios as the best player of the team until that moment, with 39% of the voters picking him On 14 October Vellios netted the second goal from Henri Lansbury's cross in a 3–1 home win game against Birmingham.
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. 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. On the 16th of 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.
Personal life
Vellios is the son of Kostas Vellios, who played for Iraklis. 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. Vellios is also known for being a lifelong supporter of Iraklis.