Valletta F.C.

Football club infobox

| fullname = Valletta Football Club
clubname = Valletta F.C.
nickname = City, Chickens,Lily Whites,tal-Palestina
founded = 1943
ground = Ta'Qali Stadium
capacity = 17,800
chairman = flagicon|Malta Victor Sciriha
manager = flagicon|Malta Paul Zammit
league = Maltese Premier League
season = 2007-08| position = Champions
pattern_la1=_whiteshoulders|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=_whiteshoulders
leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=_whiteshoulders|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=_whiteshoulders
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FF0000|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=FF0000|socks2=FF0000

Valletta Football Club is a Maltese football club based in the capital city of Malta, Valletta.They are the current champions of Malta. But still lie six championships under neighbours Floriana

Valletta Football Club was founded in 1943, as merge of "Valletta Prestons" and "Valletta St. Paul's", inheriting the successes of the extinct "Valletta United", which had won two league championships before the World War II.

Early history

It is a well-known saying that it is Valletta F.C.'s supporters that make this team so extraordinary, and so much more worth being supported than other teams. Football in Valletta reportedly started in 1886, that is in the same year that Cospicua and Floriana also started playing football.

In those early years between 1886 and 1919 there were about fourteen teams representing Valletta. Obviously not all teams were so good, but the three most popular teams were the Boys Empire League, the College, and the Malta Athletic Club. An important fact is that the early history of Valletta F.C. started off with the creation of a team that in those days was known as Valletta United. Colloquially, Valletta United were known as the 'team of the square' since the club was located in St. George's Square, that is just opposite the Grandmasters' Palace. Valletta United represented people from the capital city of Malta between 1904 and 1932.One must state that although in those days Valletta United was not as strong a team, it had its positive times too. Unfortunately they were always behind the Sliema and Floriana football teams; one must take into consideration that Sliema and Floriana always dominated the Maltese football scene before the second world war.

Some of the honours Valletta United obtained include the Championship twice in 1914/15 and 1931/32. They were also runners up for two seasons 1925/26 and 1926/27 and then one of the United success was that of winning the Cousis Shield, which is also known as the Knock Out Competition (although the word "Trophy" is even more familiar) - they won this twice in 1914/15, and they did the double in that season and in 1920/21.

By winning these trophies, Valletta United was breaking the barriers of Sliema and Floriana football for the first time in Maltese history. Although Sliema and Floriana both dominated the local scene in those times, it was Valletta United that started to break into this monopoly and induce greater competition. Valletta United were very active in the Championship of the first division and in fact played 97 games.

During the period that Valletta United played within the M.F.A. (i.e. from 1909 to 1932), Valletta United won the championship in 1931/32. However for some reason in the following season when they were obviously ready to defend the title, Valletta United disappeared from the football scene and thus the monopoly of Sliema and Floriana football clubs recommenced.

Valletta United was the not the only team that played in the highest Division of the M.F.A. In the 1925/26 and the 1926/27 seasons there were Valletta Rovers who played in the highest Division of the M.F.A., then in the season 1937/38 and 1938/39 there was Valletta City, who were known as the "market team". There were St. Paul's and the Valletta Prestons who were playing in the second division. It is to be noted that St. Paul's were always in a better division than the Prestons until the end of season 1939-40 when Valletta St.Paul's finished last of Division 1 an relegated to division 2,while Valletta Prestons finished top of 2nd division and promoted to 1st division.

The Amalgamation between St. Paul's and Prestons

It was 1935 that the M.F.A. started its campaign so that each city and village will be represented by one team, obviously during that time, as we have already said, the St. Paul's and the Prestons were the big teams so to say in Valletta City and negotiations for the amalgamation had to start and which amalgamation took long time and there were arguments between the two clubs. There was also War in between which impeded us from concentrating on amalgamation, but after the end of the second World War, football started again, so did the M.F.A. Competitions.

In 1943, the amalgamation took place between Valletta St. Prestons and St. Paul's, originally the notes read that they are named Valletta St. Paul's but such name was immediately changed into the Valletta F.C. In this amalgamation between St. Paul's Valletta Prestons there were number of people connected with, referring to these two Club's Committees, but particularly one must name Guze Muscat who was the President of St. Paul's, Emanuel Calleja and Joseph Salinos known as the 'Chief' who both were the 'factotum' of the Prestons,these three persons worked hard in fact they also formed part of Valletta F.C. for many years.

"One must say that regulation number 3 of the statute, says that Valletta F.C. must recognize Valletta United, St. Paul's, Valletta City and Valletta Prestons as well as those who proceeds them. That is why Valletta F.C. prove that before the war they won the Championship twice, these had been won by Valletta United.With this regulation number 3 they had to except that one of the amalgamated club Valletta St.Paul's was relegated to 2nd division in season 1939-40,while the other amalgamated club Valletta Prestons where 2nd division champions in season 1939-40.This means that the only club in maltese football that always played in the top division is Hibernians FC."

As we have already stated, the amalgamation took place in 1943 and on the re-opening of the M.F.A. activities, after the World War II, Valletta F.C. had a great success- do not forget , it was a team amalgamated between St. Paul's and Prestons and in the first season 1943/44, the M.F.A. had created the Malta Cup instead of the league. At first the Malta Cup, was the significant of being the Championship, but then the M.F.A. decided to be played on knock-out basis, owing that football had just been reviving after the war. Valletta F.C. became final against Floriana where we noticed the youthful of the Valletta Team which consisted of St. Paul's and Prestons' players against the big experience that the Floriana team had, but notwithstanding all this experience, the Valletta spirit has risen for this occasion and defeated Floriana by 2-1.

This beautiful Malta Cup is up to this day in the Club and it is one of the most precious honours that the Valletta F.C. have won, but we must also say that after the Malta Cup, the Valletta Team did not stop here, as this was not something created by chance. In fact, between 1943 and 1948, Valletta F.C. have won not less than three times, the Championship in 1944/45, 1945/46 and 1947/48 and they also won the Cassar Cup in the year 1944/45 just after they had won the Malta Cup.

When we mention the Cassar Cup, at that time this was considered as the true Malta Champion, because in this Cup very good British Services' Teams mixed with Maltese ones used to take part too. Then there was a stop from honours wins, in fact between 1948/49 and 1958/59 seasons, Valletta F.C. did not win any particular honours.

The start of more honours

Valletta F.C. started again with a train of honours, just at the end of the fifties 1958/59, 1959/60. They were Champions twice. If we look at every ten years of honours won by the Valletta F.C., we find that in the years of sixties, the Valletta F.C. were champion ones- in 1962/63, but then in the year of seventies, Valletta won the Championship three times, 1973/74, 1977/78, 1979/80 and in the eighties they also won two more times, 1983/84 and 1989/90.

The best time for Valletta F.C. is the nineties where Valletta won five from ten Championships: 1991/92, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/1999 and 2000/01. This is in short the history of Valletta F.C. but obviously, Valletta did not only win the Championship, there was the history of the Trophy, one of the competitions that hindered Valletta F.C. most to win it; but now time passed on, and the Valletta F.C. has now become one of the teams that win the honours. Enough to say that, between 1959/60 and 2000/01, Valletta won the Trophy not less than eleven times. As we have already said, then there were other competitions that Valletta won four times- between 1944/58/65 and 1968, as well as Scicluna Cup which was actually considered as the Cup of the Sliema team which they used to win every year, but it was the Valletta Team that has broken this Sliema monopoly, by winning this Cup in two seasons, in 1960 and 1963, Valletta have also won the Testaferrata Cup and also the Sons of Malta Cup which the latter Cup was won twice by the Valletta F.C. Another success by Valletta F.C. was the winning of the Lowenbrau Cup, which Cup is played between those three teams representing the Maltese Football in UEFA competition.

The winning of five cups in one season

Valletta F.C. have also made a fine record when in 1996/97 they won the five competitions that the Maltese football offers. This was done by succeeding to win the Premier League, Rothmans Trophy, Super Five Cup, Lowenbrau Cup and Super Cup.

The historic season - 2000/2001 - Six cups in one season

In the season 2000/01, Valletta F.C. succeeded in breaking their own record of winning all five competitions organized by the M.F.A. in 1996/97. This time they won six competitions offered by the M.F.A. Six competitions due to the fact that another one, namely the Centenary Cup, had been added to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the M.F.A. The Centenary Cup win was possibly the most prestigious as in the final they defeated their rivals Floriana. One must mention that Valletta F.C. is the only team that ever won the five competitions organized by the M.F.A. as well as the six competitions namely: the Premier League, Rothmans Trophy, Centenary Cup, Lowenbrau Cup, Super Five Cup and Super Cup, all organized by the M.F.A. too. We can say that unless other additional tournaments are introduced, the record of Valletta F.C. can only be equalled by the next turn of the century.

Recent history

In 2001/2002 Valletta had almost the same squad available as during the so successful 2000/2001 season. Yet the citizens couldn't deliver the consistency of the previous season and finished fourth. One factor was the confusion after coach Krasimir Manolov resigned for personal reasons early in the season. Gilbert Agius spent part of the season on loan with Pisa and his absence also had an effect. With some of the other key players underachieving, Valletta fell behind and the string of seasons with a top-2 position in the league came to an end.

The 2002-2003 season brought a change in coach with Dennis Fenech taking charge of the team. Valletta began the season well but when it came to the championship pool they couldn't keep up with Sliema and eventually finished 3rd. However Fenech was sacked and Atanas Marinov was brought instead.

The 2003-2004 season has got to be the worst season in the history of Valletta FC. The Citizens disappointed and ended up playing in the relegation pool. Following this season the committee began to realise the harsh reality. Despite Valletta making history in 2001 they were quickly disappearing from the top of Maltese Football.

Under J.J Aqulina Valletta fared better in 2004/2005 but still failed to win a trophy.

Valletta began the 2005/2006 season under J.J. Aquilina but after a poor start he resigned in November and was replaced by the young promising Mosta FC coach Paul Zammit. He had an immediate effect as Valletta started getting positive results. They ended the season 5th.

In the 2006/2007 season Valletta remained with coach Paul Zammit but once again finished 5th. For six years the "Citizens" failed to place in the top 2 or reach a cup final, but things started looking brighter with Victor Sciriha appearing on the scene.

2008: Champions again

The hope of the first trophy in 7 years was a huge thought running through Valletta fans this summer. Victor Sciriha, one of the richest men in Malta was elected President of the club. Valletta spent a lot of money in the transfer market and expectations were high. Valletta began the season in the worst possible fashion, with a 3-2 defeat to Eternal rivals, Floriana. Valletta's poor start continued with a 1-1 draw against Hibernians, defeat to Sliema, a 0-0 draw with Ħamrun and Msida respectively. However eventually Valletta hit good form with a 1-0 win over Birkirkara, a 7-0 trashing over champions Marsaxlokk and they gained revenge over Floriana with a 4-0 win on the 8 December. After wins over Msida, Mqabba, Ħamrun, Sliema and Marsaxlokk the club showed its winning pedigree. Valletta headed to the final round of the season on a high note.

Valletta won their 19th Premier League title after Marsaxlokk failed to beat Birkirkara on Saturday 3 May after a very successful Championship Pool campaign. However with the title in the bag the long unbeaten streak soon came to an end, and the season ended with a number of defeats. The team also failed to reach the U*Bet F.A. Trophy 2008 final, after losing 4-2 to rivals Birkirkara F.C. in the semi final. But except for the early stages and the post-championship games, Valletta had been by far the most consistent side.

Valletta in Europe

Valletta FC's baptism in European football was in season 1963/64, against Dukla Praha (0-8 agg.) in a Champions' League qualifying round against Czechoslovakia giants Dukla Prague which were led by Josef Masopust.

To date (season 2001/2002), Valletta FC participated 25 times in European competitions; 11 editions of the European Cup and 7 editions each of the Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup.

Through the years, Valletta FC were polled against several high-profile European clubs- Juventus FC and Internazionale (Italy) (1-7 agg.), Leeds United (England) (0-7 agg.), Glasgow Rangers (Scotland) (0-18 agg. losing the home leg 0-10), Porto (Portugal) (0-4 agg.) and Dinamo Moscow (USSR) (0-7 agg.) to mention just a few.

The results obtained by Valletta in European competitions, were however not always so positive. Disastrous results such as 8-0 defeats against Grasshoppers of Switzerland and Honved of Hungary as well as a 10-0 trashing against Glasgow Rangers were amongst the worse defeats experienced. However amidst all this, Valletta also achieved positive results such as minimal 1-0 defeats to Porto and Internazionale as well as victories against HJK Helsinki and Barry Town.

Without any doubt Valletta's qualification to the first round proper of the European Cup in season 1999/2000 was the most successful participation ever, eliminating Barry Town of Wales 3-2 on aggregate. In season 2000/2001, Valletta just missed qualification in extra-time losing 8-6 on aggregate to Rijeka in the qualifying round of the UEFA cup.

In season, 2001/2002, Valletta FC participated in European competitions for the 13th consecutive year. In fact no other local club has ever managed to participate for such a long period consecutively.

Achievements

*Maltese Premier League: 19:: 1914/15*, 1931/32*, 1944/45, 1945/46, 1947/48, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1962/63, 1973/74, 1977/78, 1979/80, 1983/84, 1989/90, 1991/92, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 2000/01, 2007/2008:: * as "Valletta United"

*Maltese Cup: 11 :: 1959/60 1963/64 1974/75 1976/77 1977/78 1990/91 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1998/99 2000/01

*MFA Super Cup: 6 :: 1989/90 1994/95 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 2000/01

*Löwenbräu Cup: 6 :: 1993/94 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 2000/01

*Super 5 Lottery Tournament: 4 :: 1992/93 1996/97 1999/00 2000/01 2007/08

*Centenary Cup: 1 :: 2000

*MFA Malta Cup: 1 :: 1943/44

*Cassar Cup: 4 :: 1943/44 1958/59 1965/66 1967/68

*Cousis Shield: 2 :: 1914/15* 1920/21*:: * as "Valletta United"

*Coronation Cup: 1 :: 1953/54

*Scicluna Cup: 2 :: 1960/61 1963/64

*Sons of Malta Cup: 2 :: 1974/75 1978/79

*Independence Cup: 3 :: 1974/75 1979/80 1980/81

*Testaferata Cup: 1 :: 1979/80

*Euro Cup: 3 :: 1983/83 1987/88 1989/90

*Division 2 Champions: 1 :: 1939/40 *:: * as "Valletta Prestons"

*BetFair Cup (Exibition Match) : 1 :: 2008

Current squad

Technical staff

* Coach: Paul Zammit
* Assistant Coach: Anton Cremona
* Team Manager: Nicky Saliba
* Technical Staff: Jason Galea Lucas
* Club Doctor: Dr. Pierre Sammut
* Physiotherapist: Ronald Attard
* Kit Manager: Anthony Caruana

Transfers for 2008/09

In

*Fs player | no= 6 | nat=Malta | pos=DF | name=Luke Dimech | other=from flagicon|ENG Macclesfield Town
*Fs player | no=11 | nat=Malta | pos=MF | name=Edmond Agius | other=from Hibernians
*Fs player | no=18 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Jamie Pace | other=from Marsaxlokk
*Fs player | no=22 | nat=Malta | pos=FW | name=Cleavon Frendo | other=from Marsaxlokk
*Fs player | no= | nat=Brazil | pos=FW | name=Marcelo Peabirú | other=from flagicon|ARG Ferro Carril Oeste
*Fs player | no=25 | nat=Cameroon | pos=FW | name=Njongo Priso | other=from Msida Saint-Joseph

Out

*Fs player | no= 1 | nat=Malta | pos=GK | name=Saviour Darmanin | other=to Marsaxlokk
*Fs player | no=11 | nat=Malta | pos=DF | name=Bryan Agius | other=loan return to Mosta
*Fs player | no=22 | nat=Germany | pos=MF | name=Heiner Backhaus | other=to flagicon|HKG Kitchee
*Fs player | no= | nat=Malta | pos=MF | name=Roberto Brincat | other=to Floriana
*Fs player | no=18 | nat=Malta | pos=MF | name=Claude Mattocks | other=to Marsaxlokk
*Fs player | no=21 | nat=Argentina | pos=FW | name=Omar Sebastián Monesterolo | other=to flagicon|CYP AEK Larnaca
*Fs player | no=14 | nat=Nigeria | pos=FW | name=Frank Temile | other=to flagicon|UKR FC Dynamo Kyiv

Out on loan

*Fs player | no= | nat=Malta | pos=DF | name=Renie Forace | other=on loan to Qormi
*Fs player | no= 6 | nat=Malta | pos=DF | name=Massimo Grima | other=on loan to Qormi
*Fs player | no= | nat=Malta | pos=MF | name=Mark Barbara | other=on loan to Marsaxlokk
*Fs player | no=16 | nat=Malta | pos=MF | name=Kurt Magro | other=on loan to Msida Saint-Joseph
*Fs player | no= | nat=Malta | pos=MF | name=Dylan Zarb | other=on loan to Floriana

Unknown if transferred or loaned

*Fs player | no= | nat=Malta | pos=DF | name=Clive Spiteri | other=doubt Msida Saint-Joseph
*Fs player | no= | nat=Malta | pos=DF | name=Brandon Bonnici

Notable former and current players

*flagicon|MLT Gilbert Agius
*flagicon|MLT Edward Azzopardi
*flagicon|GER Heiner Backhaus
*flagicon|MLT Alfred Borg
*flagicon|MLT Joseph 'Pesu' Borg
*flagicon|MLT Vincent Borg Bonaci
*flagicon|MLT John Buttigieg
*flagicon|MLT Tony Calleja
*flagicon|MLT Joseph Camilleri
*flagicon|MLT Paul Carbonaro
*flagicon|MLT Jeffrey Chetcuti
*flagicon|MLT Tony Ciantar
*flagicon|MLT Joseph Cilia
*flagicon|MLT Reginald Cini
*flagicon|MLT John Darmanin
*flagicon|MLT Alfred Debono
*flagicon|MLT Darren Debono
*flagicon|MLT Emmanuel Farrugia
*flagicon|MLT Leonard Farrugia
*flagicon|MLT Dennis Fenech
*flagicon|MLT Raymond Gauci
*flagicon|MLT Stefan Giglio
*flagicon|MLT Jack Grech
*flagicon|MLT Frank Grima
*flagicon|MLT Charlie Mackay
*flagicon|MLT Vincent 'Maxi' Magro
*flagicon|MLT Raymond Mifsud
*flagicon|ARG Omar Sebastián Monesterolo
*flagicon|CZE Pavel Mraz
*flagicon|GER Thomas Niesen
*flagicon|GER Christian Berg
*flagicon|SER Branko Nisevic
*flagicon|MLT Kristian Laferla
*flagicon|NGA Christopher Oretan
*flagicon|MLT Louis Pace
*flagicon|MLT Nicholas Saliba
*flagicon|MLT Raymond Sciberras
*flagicon|MLT Salvinu Schembri
*flagicon|MLT Hubert Suda
*flagicon|MLT Carlo Seychell
*flagicon|MLT Charles Spiteri
*flagicon|NGA Frank Temile
*flagicon|MLT Daniel Theuma
*flagicon|MLT Josie Urpani
*flagicon|MLT Eddie Vella
*flagicon|MLT flagicon|SER Nenad Veselji
*flagicon|MLT Charles Williams
*flagicon|MLT Ivan Zammit
*flagicon|MLT Frankie Zammit
*flagicon|MLT Joseph Zammit
*flagicon|MLT Joseph Zarb
*flagicon|MLT Jesmond Zerafa

External links

* [http://www.vallettafcofficial.net Valletta FC Official website]
* [http://www.vallettafcnursery.com Valletta FC Nursery Official website]
* [http://valletta.maltafans.com Valletta FC Fanzine]
* [http://www.whitewarriors.net White Warriors - Valletta Ultras]
* [http://www.vallettaside.com Valletta Supporters Forum - V-Blood]