What real football support is all about

The letter Hardly The Best Supporters by Alan Cordina (July 5) refers.

I'd like to point out to Mr Cordina that Ħamrun Spartans fully deserved the Best Support Award. Firstly, during the final of the U-Bet FA Trophy against Birkirkara, which we lost towards the end, our supporters remained in their seats till the final whistle and even beyond. We cheered our players, who put up a brave display against vastly superior opponents, even though they ended up on the losing side. This act is very rare in local football.

Mr Cordina must remember that his team clinched the title with three matches to go, losing two of them. In their final match, the new champions suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the outgoing ones. Their supporters left the stadium in droves well before the end and did not even bother to watch their heroes being presented with the coveted trophy! Is that the kind of support Mr Cordina boasts to belong to? The contrast between these attitudes is too evident.

Regarding the SMS claim, Mr Cordina must have been misinformed about the procedures of the awards. They were awarded 50 per cent by an independent jury and 50 per cent via SMS and not totally by SMS as he stated. Our supporters club went on to win both of them.

Ħamrun Spartans' aim in this year's Premier League campaign was to finish in the top six. Against all odds, with their limitations, they made sure of this achievement early enough in the campaign. All along, the team was encouraged by unrelenting support, not by groups of 25 people, as anybody present at the stadium would tell. Once this objective was reached, then some interest was lost and it was only then that supporters started dwindling. In the march towards the U-Bet FA Trophy final, supporters started turning up again enthusiastically.

Maybe Mr Cordina must have been too blinded by the euphoria surrounding his favourite team's camp to realise this. He has every right to support whichever team he wants. But, at least, like the majority of football supporters worldwide, he should behave sportingly enough and acknowledge achievements of other teams and not attempt to ridicule them.