Overwhelming vote for Sciriha
Cuschieri retains Spartans' post
Victor Sciriha got an overwhelming vote of confidence by the Valletta FC members earlier this week when an election for a new committee was held following last Sunday's annual general meeting.
Sciriha topped the poll with 415 votes as the majority of those in the committee of the previous season were reconfirmed, including vice-presidents Sergio Zampa and Joe Calleja. Former secretary Anton Abela did not contest the election. In all, there were 439 votes cast.
The newly-elected members will be holding a meeting later on this week to assign positions in the committee but Sciriha will surely retain his post as president of the club for a second year running.
Valletta, who won the league title last season after a barren spell of seven years, have already started the pre-season training.
With the first qualifying round of the Champions League approaching fast, the new committee's first task will be to engage three new foreign players following the departures of Sebastian Monesterolo, Frank Temile and Heiner Backhaus.
Valletta have already added four new players to their squad. These are Jamie Pace and Cleaven Frendo, both ex-Marsaxlokk, Luke Dimech, who last season played for Macclesfield in England's League Two, and Edmond Agius, the Hibs U-21 midfielder.
Ħamrun Spartans also elected a new committee this week with president Gaetano Cuschieri retaining his post along with Sean Scicluna, secretary, and Emanuel Fenech, treasurer.
The 2008/09 season will be the third successive one for Cuschieri at the helm of the Spartans, the beaten finalists in last month's FA Trophy final.
The Spartans will be signing two new foreign players in the coming days as the club have already announced that Nigerian striker Alfred Effiong will again be in their squad. Bratislav Timotic and Precious Monye will not be retained.