Twenty years from the inauguration of the Hibs Ground

On November 9, 1986, exactly 20 years ago, the late Lorry Sant, then Minister for Works and Sport, officially handed over the management of the refurbished former Naval ground at Corradino to Hibernians who thus became the first Maltese club to run their own stadium.

The ground has a long and glorious history. When the Mediterranean Fleet Football League was introduced in 1898, all matches were played at Marsa. The Navy was allocated a ground near the canteen. For the first two seasons, everything went smoothly, but in 1900 the Army organised a league competition for the first time.

Marsa became a beehive of activity with sometimes two or more matches played simultaneously.

As the season progressed, it soon became obvious that some other arrangement would have to be made. Marsa had become overcrowded.

The Navy solved this problem by building a new ground inside the dockyard complex at Corradino.

Grounds existed in Corradino since 1888, but these were intended more for cricket. In reality, the Navy built two grounds; the main one was covered with rich red soil and the other had a sand pitch.

These grounds were a great improvement on the other pitches already available in Malta. Dressing rooms and a small stand were also built and, since the grounds were enclosed, spectators could be controlled much easier.

The ground was to be inaugurated on January 5, 1901 with an Army vs Navy match, but the game was postponed when, after a particularly heavy rainstorm, the pitch was flooded. The match was played a week later. The actual result is lost but the Army won the match.

With the passing of the years, the popularity of the Corradino grounds increased and, up to the opening of the Mile End Ground in 1912, it was the most frequented ground in Malta.

Its location inside the dockyard made it easy for the dockers and other Maltese who lived in that area to watch their favourite team play.

Interesting matches

When in 1905, it was decided to stage an annual Army vs Navy charity match, Corradino was chosen as the venue. For many years, this match was regarded as the most important of the Maltese football season.

Maltese teams also availed themselves of the Corradino grounds and many keen matches, between the civilian clubs and the best teams the Services could muster, were staged there.

Perhaps the most memorable was that of April 16, 1910 when St George's beat HMS Duncan 1-0 in one of the classic matches of local football folklore.

For many years, Corradino served the Navy as its home ground. After the war, however, the Mediterranean Fleet was drastically reduced and the ground lost its importance.

With the withdrawal of the British Forces from the islands in 1976, the ground fell into disrepair.

Organisations like the Malta Amateur Association used it now and then until in the late 1980s it was converted into a new stadium.

The ground was entrusted to Hibernians FC who, to their credit, have transformed it into one of the best grounds on the island.

Actually the legal title of this stadium was awarded to the Assocjazzjoni Sportiva Kordin but eventually Hibs were granted a sub-lease.

In December 1997, this property, along with the Corradino Sports Pavilion, was leased to the Assocjazzjoni Sportiva Hibernians for 49 years.

In May 1986 a multi-purpose sports hall was built at a former drill site within the Corradino Military Prison.

During the last 16 years, the Sports Pavilion has hosted basketball, volleyball, badminton, handball, boxing, wrestling, billiards, table tennis and darts competitions, often at international level.

Moreover, it has been used regularly for training purposes by the various teams of AS Hibernians. It has remained the largest sports project undertaken at Paola apart from the Hibs Ground.

This evening, the Hibs Ground Management Board (HGMB) will commemorate the 20th anniversary since taking over the running of the stadium in Corradino.

After a meeting of the Management Board at 7.30 p.m., Hibs president Anthony Bezzina, Anthony Tabone, the HGMB chairman, and Carmen Sant, wife of the late Lorry Sant, will plant a tree to mark this milestone.