Dimitris Salpingidis ( Greek : Δημήτρης Σαλπιγγίδης born 10 August 1981 in Thessaloniki , Greece ) is a Greek footballer currently playing for Panathinaikos FC and Greece .

Salpingidis started his career through the youth ranks of PAOK FC , the team he supported as a child. Acknowledging his potential and in order to gain much needed experience, the team soon loaned him for two successive seasons to Kavala FC where he finished top scorer of the Second Division. His plea for a return to PAOK FC was materialized by his mentor, Angelos Anastasiadis who in the coming years built the team around him.

Salpingidis showed his determination and strong work ethic, when despite playing out of position as a right midfielder he managed to earn a place in the starting line-up, just a few months after returning from loan. The next season as the team, plagued with financial problems, experienced an exodus of it's top players such as striker Ioannis Okkas and prolific ex- Newcastle United forward Giorgos Georgiadis , Salpingidis, at the age of 21, not only got the chance to show his predator instincts as a Striker but he was made captain of the team as well. The 2003-2004 season proved to be the best in many years for the team as it finished an unexpected 3rd, qualifying for Champions league, despite running on a very low budget with Salpingidis establishing himself as it's most valuable asset . His significance for PAOK FC was so great that in the summer 2004 he was given permission to miss a match with the Greek Olympic team so that he could participate in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers against Maccabi Tel Aviv . The elimination at the hands of the Israeli team, followed by the sack of coach Anastasiadis and subsequent financial turmoil hit the team badly, resulting in his exodus less than 2 years later. He went onto score 55 goals in 108 games for PAOK FC becoming the league's top scorer in his final season.

In the summer of 2006, as the team's president Giannis Goumenos was desperate to cash in, he was openly chased by Olympiakos , AEK and Panathinaikos . Due to his affiliation with PAOK Thessaloniki FC Salpingidis publicly refused the offer of bitter rivals Olympiakos despite being the most profiting one among the three. On August 16th, after a lengthy negotiation period, he agreed to continue his career to Panathinaikos . His transfer worth of 1.8 million € in cash and with PAOK Thessaloniki FC additionally receiving 3 players ( Sandor Torghelle , Kostas Chalarambidis and Athanasios Tsigas ) is the third most expensive of all time between Greek teams as it was estimated at 5 million € in total. On August 20th 2006, during his debut with Panathinaikos in the Super League, he scored a hat-trick, helping his new team win 1-4 against Aigaleo .

PAOK

1  Galinović  • 3  Sarriegi  • 4  Mattos  • 5  Morris  • 6  Darlas  • 7  Ninis  • 8  Goumas  • 9  Romero  • 11  Papadopoulos  • 14 Salpigidis • 15  Fyssas  • 18  Malarz  • 19  Šerić  • 20  Leontiou  • 21  Karagounis  • 22  Tziolis  • 23  Simão  • 24  Vyntra  • 25  N'Doye  • 27  Ivanschitz  • 29  Nilsson  • 30  Dimoutsos  • 31  Spyropoulos  • 32  Pantidos  • 33  Karnezis  • 35  Ntantamis  • 36  Manucho  • 38  Boutzikos  • Manager:  Vacant