 The club's star dipped as they were relegated the following season, yet Pantos remained at the Korrydallos stadium and was an influential figure as they won promotion back to the Alpha Ethniki two years later.He scored his first top-flight goal for Proodeftiki against AEK Athens FC in December 2002.After playing regularly for Proodeftiki in 2002/03, he announced in April that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season after agreeing, along with team-mates Thymios Koulouheris and Alekos Tatsis, to join Olympiacos FC.