An unusual clash of champions

Salesian Youths, the team from the Oratory of Don Bosco, dominated football in Gozo from 1948 to 1959.

During that period, the Youths won the Gozo League Championship five times, the Galea Cup twice, in 1957-58 and 1958-59, the Liberty Cup in 1952-53, the Coronation Cup in 1952-53 and the Dingli Cup in 1956-57.

Salesian Youths, therefore, had every right to claim that they were the leading team in Gozo.

They were founded in 1945-46, in a house which served as the first Oratory in Pjazza Santu Wistin in Rabat, by Father Louis Mizzi SDB.

In their first season, the team took part in the Second Division but by 1948 they had already won their first Division One championship.

Fr Mizzi was the first president of the club but other pioneers of the Oratory team were Anton Scicluna, Karmenu Pace, Karmenu Xuereb, George Farrugia and Anton Theuma.

However, to introduce today's story we must go forward to March 30, 1958, when the Gozitan champions met Maltese champions Sliema Wanderers in a prestigious benefit match at the Silver Jubilee Football Ground.

It was a grand occasion not only for the thousands of Gozitan enthusiasts who filled the terraces but also for the hundreds of Sliema fans who crossed the channel. The excellent weather also helped to make the event one to remember.

During the first 15 minutes of the game, play was evenly divided. However, the Wanderers soon settled down in their new surroundings and it was not long before their experience began to tell.

Slowly, but surely, they gained the upperhand and began to show that rare brand of football for which they were renowned for in those days.

As Franco Masini wrote in his report of the match for The Bulletin of Wednesday, April 2, 1958, all eyes were focused on Sammy Nicholl and the rest of the 'Happy Wanderers'. But Ray Edwards, who had just returned to Malta from Canada, was the chief attraction.

Sliema eventually won the game 5-0 but the Gozitan champions, strengthened by Maltese guests, Joe Cilia, of Valletta, Pawlu Said, of Rabat FC, and Joe Cini, of St John's FC, fought back with great determination.

Three times the woodwork denied them a goal and towards the end of the game they made a great effort to score but only succeeded in forcing the Wanderers to retreat into their own half.

At the end of the game a handsome trophy was presented to the winners by Fr Mifsud SDB and medals were distributed to the players and officials.

This short ceremony brought to an end a very entertaining afternoon of football. It was an occasion to cherish which to the best of my knowledge, and here I stand to be corrected, was never repeated.

However, I feel that a game like this should be revived, perhaps at Christmas time, as an annual event between the Maltese and Gozitan champions. The match could alternate between the National Stadium and the Gozo Stadium and all the proceeds go to charity.

I feel that with some imagination such a game could be turned into one of the main events in the local football calendar.

karm_bald@yahoo.co.uk