Panajot Pano

Early career

Pano begun his football career in 1954 by playing as a goalkeeper for 17 Nëntori Tirana. He their youth team which was coached by the former national team manager Adem Karapici initially and then Xhavit Shyqyri Demneri until the age of 16. He was handed his under-19s debut with Tirana by Demneri on 18 July 1956 in a youth national championship game against Korabi Peshkopi and he scored his first goal for the side on 5 August of the same year against Kukësi.

Tirana

Pano was handed his professional debut by manager Myslym Alla in senior side in 1958 as an 18-year-old, entering as a substitute in a Republic Cup game against Besa Kavajë which ended in a goalless draw. He scored his first senior goal in the returning leg but the team lost 2–1 and was eliminated from the competition. Pano remained a member of the under-19 team at the time and had to wait until the following season before he would establish himself as a first team member. His league debut occurred on 4 May 1958 in the Tirana derby match against Dinamo Tirana, where he contributed in the 4–0 win by scoring a goal. Pano changed his role from goalkeeper to striker during a league match against Partizani Tirana where 17 Nëntori was losing 4–0. It was coach's Demneri decision to play him as a striker. He played his final game for Tirana on 9 December 1959 against Besa Kavajë in a game which ended in a 4–2 win for Pano's side.

Partizani Tirana

On 12 December 1958, Pano was called…

Pano has been an Albanian international, earning 28 caps and scoring 4 goals between 1963 and 1973. He also captained the national team in 10 occasions. He scored his first international goal on 30 October 1963 against Denmark in the 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying stage which marked Albania's first ever win in a qualifying match.

Panajot Pano (Panayiotis Thomas Panou) was born in Durrës, to ethnic Greek parents Thoma and Vasilika Pano who came from Lefterhor, Delvinë, Albania. He developed a passion for the sport when he was around 4–5 years old. His parents were against him playing football and instead wanted him to focus more on school.

His son Ledio Pano, became also a well known football player and played for the football clubs of Partizani, Luftëtari, Xanthi and PAS Giannina. He was also capped several times with Albania. He died at 70 in Jacksonville, (Florida, United States) on 19 January 2010 after suffering a heart attack.