Social rivalry

Socially, Ergotelis and OFI have always represented different cultures. Ergotelis, being based in Martinengo (inside the city center) primarily represented the Heraklion upper middle class, while OFI, based in the western suburb of Kaminia traditionally attracted supporters from the surrounding working class areas.^[2] The two clubs were founded almost simultaneously, as OFI was established in 1925 and Ergotelis merely four years later. For several decades the two clubs were competing head-to-head, intensifying the animosity between their fans whenever the two clubs were about to play against one another. OFI-Ergotelis match-ups during the 60's have been attributed as a "social event" for the city of Heraklion, being the dominant topic of discussion for many days prior as well as many days after the actual games.^[2]

Football rivalry

As any regional Greek football rivalry, the OFI-Ergotelis Cretan derby traditionally stands as a rivalry between the two most successful football clubs representing the city of Heraklion in the Greek professional football leagues. Even before their professional debuts, the two teams would often clash for the title in Crete's regional football leagues, as well as the honor of being Crete's most successful club in the Greek Cup. However, following the events that led to Ergotelis' relegation to amateur status in 1967, the two clubs went on in completely opposite ways. Today, OFI is considered the most successful club on the island, being the first to earn promotion to Greece's top professional football league, merely a year after Ergotelis was dismantled by the junta, and once again in 1976 which started a notable 33-year run in the competition. Being the sole representative of Crete in the top-level football competition in Greece for almost 30 years, OFI attracted a lot of support over the years across the whole island, and is currently considered the most popular football club in Crete. Further adding to the club's prestige, OFI have reached the Greek football Cup final twice, actually winning the trophy in 1987, which marks the first, and to this day only major honor won by a Cretan club in Greek football history. Additionally, they placed second in the 1985–86 Alpha Ethniki season, which marks the best finish of a Cretan club in the competition, as well as being the only club on the island to boast a string of relatively successful European campaigns and a Balkans Cup trophy win in 1989.

In contrast, Ergotelis languished in the lower regional and national competitions for 32 years, before making an explosive comeback in the early 2000s and earning their first ever promotion to the Super League in 2004.^[6] Making the most of OFI's decline during the 2000s, Ergotelis quickly established itself as the second most successful club in Heraklion, winning the 2nd National Division title in 2006, and starting its own consecutive top-flight run alongside their weakening rival. Ergotelis actually out-performed OFI in the competition during 2008−11, in which for the first time in their history the two clubs played at different levels in the Greek football league system, in which Ergotelis was the sole representative of Heraklion in the Greek Super League. In recent years however, both clubs went bankrupt, and therefore returned to amateur competitions before meeting up once again in the 2017–18 Second National Division, the first time in the competition since their controversial season in 1966−67.

In contrast to other regional Greek football rivalries, the rivalry between OFI and Ergotelis has rarely shown signs of extreme intensity, as the two teams have played numerous friendly games against each other. However the very first game between the two teams, a friendly in 1929, was abandoned after violence between the players broke out, just 35 minutes into the game.^[1]

Head-to-head

¹ Including play-off games

Records

• Record Super League win
  • Ergotelis
    • Home: Ergotelis – OFI 2–0, Pankritio Stadium (23 September 2006)
      (Melissas 21', Načevski 79')
    • Away: OFI – Ergotelis 1–3, Pankritio Stadium (4 February 2007)
      (Drulić 79' - Haxhi 15', Júnior 20', Budimir 91')
  • OFI
    • Home: OFI – Ergotelis 5–0, Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium ("Yedi Kule") (27 November 2004)
      (Nwafor 36', 41', 58', Machlas 46', 68')
    • Away: Ergotelis – OFI 1–3, Pankritio Stadium (14 December 2008)
      (Budimir 36' - N'Doye 43', Popović 52', Simić 62')
• Bigger grade difference
  • Ergotelis
    • Point system 3–1–0: +12 (36 vs 24), 2008–09
  • OFI
    • Point system 3–1–0: +12 (32 vs 20), 2004–05

Super League Greece (1959–60 − present)

Football League (Greek Second National Division since 1959–60)

¹ Match originally meant to be held 10−02−1963, postponed due to weather conditions.

Greek Cup

• Series won: Ergotelis 4, OFI 8.^[7]