Jimmy Patikas

NSL Career: Sydney City, Sydney Olympic, Sydney Croatia/United 159 (41) / 1979 - 1995/96

Socceroos Career: 10 (2) A Internationals / 17 (2) B Internationals

One of the shining lights of Australian football during the 1980s, Jimmy Patikas was a lightning quick and tricky attacking midfielder with an eye for goal who made his NSL debut at the age of 15 years and 228 days. Patikas was one of the first Australian footballers to establish himself as a star in the Greek top flight and was the fifth youngest Socceroos debutant of all time.

Patikas began his junior career at Leichhardt Police Boys at the U-7 level before moving to APIA. After progressing through the APIA junior ranks, Patikas was signed by Western Suburbs before joining NSL club Sydney City where he became the then second youngest (fourth all-time) NSL debutant as a 15 year old.

Developing his game to compete with City's senior players for a spot in the star-studded side, Patikas made just 11 league appearances in his first two seasons, including an appearance off the bench in City's 1980 Play-Off Series Grand Final loss to Heidelberg. Patikas received Play-Off Series and NSL Championship medals in his first two seasons before joining Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen as an apprentice.

Patikas struggled to adjust to conditions in Scotland and returned to City where he became a regular during the 1981 season and won his second NSL Championship. Patikas made his full international debut towards the end of the 1981 season in Australia's 1982 World Cup qualifying match against Indonesia at just 17 years and 316 days of age. 

The promising attacking midfielder found the back of the net 10 times during the 1982 season as City completed the first (and only) three-peat in NSL history before playing in the club's record fourth Play-Off Series Grand Final where they lost three-one to St George. 

In 1983, Patikas joined Sydney Olympic and won the NSL Cup, scoring in the semi-final against Marconi and set up Terry Patalis in the second leg of the final against Heidelberg. Playing alongside brilliant attacking players such as Marshall Soper, Chris Kalantzis, Mark Koussas and Peter Katholos - Patikas scored 10 league goals during the 1984 season as Olympic reached the grand final for the first time. 

Patikas came off with an ankle injury during the first leg of the grand final as Olympic suffered a four-two defeat on aggregate. Despite playing in a number of B internationals for Australia during 1984, Patikas failed to make an A appearance during his time at Olympic before Sydney Croatia signed the talented attacker for $25,000 in 1985. 

At Croatia, Patikas had a strong season in front of goals, scoring 16 goals in 25 league games and helped the side reached the Northern Conference Preliminary Final for the second consecutive season. Following a strong season for Croatia, Patikas made his first Socceroos A appearance since 1981 during Australia's 1986 World Cup qualifying campaign.

When Australia qualified for the UEFA-OFC play-off, Patikas was scouted by his favourite Greek club AEK Athens and following Australia's two-nil loss to Scotland on aggregate, the Socceroos midfielder signed for the club. Patikas spent seven and a half seasons at AEK in the Greek top flight where he was one of their star players during the late 1980s and became the first player to represent the Socceroos A team while playing for an overseas club. 

Patikas won three championships, a Greek Cup and Greek Super Cup during his tenure at AEK before joining fellow Alpha Ethniki side Athinaikos during the 1992/93 season. Patikas spent less than two seasons at the club before moving to three division club Kastoria - helping them gain promotion to the second division. After 11 seasons in Europe, Patikas returned to Australia late in 1995, Patikas joined former club Sydney United (formerly Croatia) until the end of the 1995/96 NSL season before hanging up his boots at the age of 32.