OK, so football may not be everyone’s cup of tea but the recent, historic achievement of Kalamata FC, known as “the Black Storm” (Η Μαύρη Θύελλα), is worth noting. The club has spent 25 years outside the top flight of Greek football, known as the Super League. But from reaching a fairly convoluted play-off system to get promoted from Super League 2, the recent 1-0 victory against Panionios ensured promotion for Kalamata. Cue huge city-wide celebrations. But today the promotion will be officially recognized and is guaranteed to lead more partying in the city center.

Proceedings will begin at the Paralia Stadium where, after another play-off game has finished, the team will be presented with the trophy for finishing top of the play-off mini league. They will then board an open top bus to drive through the town to the main square where the fiesta will truly begin, with top DJ’s pumping out music to fuel the fans reveling. The club’s administrative leader, George Prassas , will be in attendance, having flown in from Chicago. It promises to be a wild night!

To quote the headline of local news outlet, Tharros, Kalamata Rising: Today the whole city will be intoxicated with the awarding of the Cup to the champions

€3 million have been allocated to upgrade the Paralia stadium to meet the standards of playing in the Super League next season, where teams like Olympiakos, Panathinaikos, AEK and PAOK will be the visitors once again. Yet strangely to me, as a football fan loyal for life to my local team, from my very limited experience of watching Greek games live, having such illustrious teams coming to town may not result in an increase in the number of fans supporting the Black Storm. In 2000, the season they got relegated and subsequently dropped further down the football pyramid, I went to one game- Panathaikos ( a rather dull 0-0 draw I seem to remember). What surprised me was that most fans in the stadium were supporting the team in green, not black and white, even if they were local. Hopefully things will be different next season and more Messinians get behind their local club. Either way, match day is sure to bring a real buzz to the town and I for one, will be in the stands for the big games (if I can get a ticket!).