PANAYOTIS TODORYA: FROM WELLINGTON, NZ TO THE BIG LEAGUES OF EUROPE
Thanks for that amazing info on Panayotis Todorya.
Digging around online, he seems to be one of the great lost talents of NZ football who went overseas and signed for some big clubs but none of us here has heard of him.
(Apart maybe from some stalwarts at his original club Wellington Olympic who will no doubt remember him)
Some details here on him:
http://www.zerozero.pt/jogador.php?id=174755
He was known as "Santamaria" during his time in Portugal. Also known as "Dougle" (Douglas) Todorya on occasion. Born in 1964 in Wellington.
A NZ u-20 international in 1982. Also known in NZ as "Douglas Todorya".
Todorya was also on the books at major clubs Club Brugge (Belgium) and Fenerbahce (Turkey) in the 1980's as well as Farense in Portugal as you mention.
He's in Fenerbahce's squad list for the 1986-7 season but didn't appear for the first team:
https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenerbah%C3%A7e_Prof...
From Farense he seems to have then spent some years playing in his parents' country, Greece.
I found this blog piece by him in English from 2008 on his time at Farense:
http://algarve-desunited.blogspot.co.nz/2008/02/fe...
Todorya now runs a sporting goods manufacturing business in China:
"Now I have a FACTORY in China and manufacture sporting goods and toys."
Panayotis Todorya "Santamaria":
"Santamaria, the New Zealand player who played for Farense in 1987/88, played a local cup match between Farense and Olhanense on August 16, 1987 (it was broadcast on RTP2) in which he scored in the tie:
OLHANENSE, 2 – FARENSE, 2
Estádio José Arcanjo
Árbitro: Cesário Evaristo
Olhanense: Gorriz; João Reina, Herculano, Lima (Vitor Ova aos 46) e Tito; Carlos Reis, Nelson Silva, Rui Esteves (Oliva aos 46) e Aldeias; Floris (Martens aos 66) e Raul Mejia;
Farense: Tavares: Coelho (Brito aos 54), Marcos, João Gilberto (Patrick aos 77) e Arújo; Pereirinha, Rogério (Capela aos 46), Barrocal e Nelo; Fernando Cruz e Cadri (Dougle Todorya aos 46);
Golos: Raul Mejia (27), Aldeias (32), Fernando Cruz (61) e Dougle Todorya (90)
Comment from a Farense fan:
"I remember Santa Maria. Even had good looks, tall, strong fiscamente, and with good technique."
A shame he never played for the All Whites after appearing at u-20 level.
He must have dropped off the radar after leaving for Europe and never coming back.
Todorya in 1985 Wellington Olympic Central League side (with Leo Bertos' relatives in back row):
1985-05-16 - Olympic 1985 v Masterton
L-R, Back: C. Palamidis, J. Nathu, G.Bertos, A. Brown, T. Palamidas, A. West, D. Todorya, T. Bertos, D. Shilson, H. Kotsapos, N. Androutsos, T. Grundy Front: P.Brown, N. Halakias, A. Iannou, G. Freer, J. Adams