A product of the old U-21 league

One of the problems blighting Maltese football at the moment is the lack of serious competition for our young players between the Youth League and the Premier League.

Although many permutations have been tried, the Reserves League has never been popular in Malta. The U-21 league, however, was in the past a very different proposition. When it was introduced in the late 50s, this competition was a great success and up to 1967, when for some strange reason it was interrupted, it drew huge crowds to the Schreiber Sports Ground. It provided future Maltese stars with much-needed match practice in between appearances with their first XI's.

The demise of Edward Previ, Id-Daddu, a few weeks ago, brought back to mind the 1956-62 period of the game when the U-21 league was at its best. Previ was a product of that popular competition.

Although, perhaps, not very well known as a footballer, he gave invaluable service to the game mostly as an administrator.

Born in Senglea, on November 9, 1941, he was brought up in Paola. Educated at the Hamrun Lyceum, Previ played regularly for the school team and for Hibs' minors before graduating to the U-21 XI.

In those days, the team was full of promising youngsters some of whom had already established themselves in the senior squad. One need only mention players of the calibre of Eddie Theobald, Johnnie Privitera, Freddie Mizzi and Victor Cassar as examples.

Previ kept his own quite well in such illustrious company and he was considered to be one of the best full-back prospects of the future. He was a regular in the team which won the U-21 title twice in succession between 1959 and 1961.

In 1961-62, Previ made some appearances for Hibernians in the First Division. Hibs, however, were well served in defence in those days and rather than wait for his chance, he decided to join Rabat FC. Luck deserted him when he needed it most and a number of serious injuries forced him to cut his career short.

For a while, Previ disappeared completely from the football scene. Then, in the 80s, he returned to the game as a member of Hibs' FC committee.

Serving for some years as manager he was instrumental in many ways in his capacity as an officer with the Public Works Department to push forward the Hibs Football Ground project at Corradino.

Although many people gave their contribution, and it would be wrong to single out one person, I think it is very fair to say that Previ was perhaps the man most involved in the project.

His contribution was acknowledged by the late Minister of Works and Sports, Lorry Sant, who, when the project was completed insisted to hold the handing-over ceremony on Previ's birthday on November 9, 1986.

A bigger tribute could not perhaps be paid to Previ's commitment to the project. He was married to Gergiev Galvanize and had three children, Jackie, Pamela and Andrei.

For the record...

U-21 league winners

1956-57 Hamrun Spartans

1957-58 Hamrun Spartans

1958-59 Hamrun Spartans

1959-60 Hibernians FC

1960-61 Hibernians FC

1961-62 Valletta FC

1962-63 Hibernians FC

1963-64 Sliema Wanderers

1964-65 Sliema Wanderers

1965-66 Valletta FC

1966-67 Floriana FC

1967-84 no competitions

1984-85 Rabat FC

1985-86 Birkirkara FC

1986-93 no competitions

1993-94 Sliema Wanderers

1994-95 Hamrun Spartans

1995-96 Hamrun Spartans

1996-97 Valletta FC

1997-98 Naxxar Lions

1998-99 Sliema Wanderers

1999-00 Floriana FC