New site hosts Hamrun Spartans' debut vs King's Royals Rifles

The first league competition to be played at the Lyceum Ground in Marsa, in 1909, was a huge success. At the time, the future of the game looked bright and rosy.

Then, like a bolt out of the blue, the British authorities decided to terminate the lease which the students of the University and the Lyceum had on the ground.

The British, so protective of their sporting facilities, did not take kindly to the sometimes rowdy crowds thronging the Marsa ground during the 1909-10 season. Rather selfishly, one would think, they decided to stub the problem in the bud by taking away the only football ground the Maltese had at their disposal.

At the start of the next season, football came to a standstill. The game, however, received a shot in the arm in autumn 1910 when a new ground was opened at Pietà, close to the cemetery at Ta' Braxia. Although this venue was nothing more than an enclosed field, it was pompously called the 'National Ground'.

It was, however, a heaven-sent gift for the clubs... now they had a place where they could organise their matches. Unfortunately, the ground posed many difficulties and it was hardly suitable for football. Beggars cannot be choosers though and the locals quickly adapted themselves to the new, but strange, conditions.

The main handicap was an uneven surface and the team that had to attack against the slope had a hard time containing their opponents, especially on windy days.

In such conditions, defenders had to kick the ball against the howling wind and the slope at the same time.

The first match at the National Ground, at least as far as the records show, was between the King's Royal Rifles (KRR) and the newly-formed Hamrun Spartans on November 9, 1910.

Hamrun St Joseph's were formed some time around 1906 but this team had nothing to do with the Spartans.

Then, in 1910, the Boys Empire League were disbanded and since many of the players lived in Hamrun, they formed a new team which they named Hamrun Spartans.

The first Spartans team that lined up against KRR was: Callus, Caruana, Azzopardi, Calaphai, Cricchiola, Psaila, Dimech, Ellul, Pisani, Casha, Bellia.

Despite having the notorious slope factor in their favour, the Spartans suffered an early goal. For the rest of the first half, they defended well and relied mostly on counter-attacks.

Towards the end of the first half, they netted what looked like a legitimate goal but the referee disallowed it for an infringement.

During the second half KRR, now aided by the gradient, ran rings around the Spartans, scoring three more goals to win 4-0.

The National Ground was soon bursting with activity. Matches were played daily. Floriana, Valletta United and Hamrun Spartans made good use of the ground.

St George's, who considered the venue as the home ground of Floriana, at first stayed away and, according to the records available, only played there during the last days of the ground's existence.

In May 1911, Floriana and Valletta contested the first Maltese Cup final at the National Ground in front of a reported crowd of over 6,000.

During this game, a curious incident occurred which spelt the end of the ill-fated National Ground.

Ruggieru Friggieri drove one of his tremendous long kicks that went over the touchline and into the adjoining cemetery of Ta' Braxia.

The ball bounced in front of an English woman who was kneeling with devotion in front of one of the graves, scaring her out of her wits.

The incident caused such uproar that the place was closed soon afterwards.

It was a sad end for this ground which, despite its disadvantages, had served its purpose by providing the Maltese with a much-needed venue after the Lyceum Ground was declared a no-go for locals.