Young Boys - a golden era

Half a century ago to the day a nucleus of sports-minded people from Sliema, led by the late Johnnie Zammit and Edgar Izzo, thought of bringing together a group of young men who practised different sports disciplines and form a club.

The other co-founders of this club were Ronnie Armeni, Alfred Axiak, Edwin Camilleri, Paul Cremona and the late Joe Izzo.

These gentlemen opted for an appropriate name which embodied the youths and their enthusiasm for all that is positive in life.

Thus 'Young Boys (Sliema)' came into being thanks to the endeavours of these founders, whose brainchild saw in sport an element which unified all the ideals of upright and healthy citizenship.

Football was the backbone of this club as their team competed in what was in those days known as the 'Sportsmanship Crusade' as well as other competitions organised by the Sliema & District Association.

Several footballers were groomed and flourished as a unit.

The team soon made a name for itself as Young Boys started to supply Sliema Wanderers FC with a posse of quality players, some of whom also made the grade at national team level.

It is interesting to note that a crop of this team's players, John Buttigieg, Paul Zammit and Noel Coleiro, are currently coaching three Premier League clubs, Birkirkara, Valletta and Tarxien Rainbows respectively.

Years rolled by and eventually the young men competing in different disciplines, which also included athletics, basketball, snooker and table-tennis, were incorporated within different sectors representing specific sports.

With the football nurseries looming ahead, which had Sliema as the pioneer thanks to that grand old man Gużi Fava, the raison d'etre of Young Boys (Sliema) waned and the group as a club gradually went into oblivion.

However, the impact of Young Boys still reverberates not so much in respect of athletic activity as in ideals which are still being promoted through sports.

Edgar Izzo, nowadays still very much involved in sports as ASA treasurer, will be organising a get-together for those who formed part of 'Young Boys (Sliema)', both actively and as administrators. That will be a fitting occasion to mark the golden era of sports within the Sliema community.

Details of this function will be announced later.