Freddie Mallia - the Hibs left-back who shone against United and Real

Born and bred in Paola, Freddie Mallia learned to kick a ball in the streets and fields surrounding the Schreiber Sports Ground.

Mallia was born on May 18, 1946. Therefore, being more or less my own age, it was inevitable that our paths would cross, especially since he only lived around the corner from my home. We played football together and we attended the same school, although I was a year older.

Mallia was always strong and tough and used these qualities freely when playing football. His natural skills and talent made him an easy target for the school's sports master, Karmenu Zerafa.

A shrewd judge of football, Zerafa was always on the look-out for lads with exceptional talent.

Under his guidance, Mallia's game improved considerably and it was not long before he was playing for the Hibs minors' team.

In those days, as at present, Hibs had a very good youth policy and it was very rare for someone with Mallia's talent to escape their attention. He fitted perfectly in the set-up and by the time he had finished his apprenticeship, he had already won the Minors League in 1962-63 and 1963-64 and the U-21 League in 1963-64.

Mallia made his senior team debut on March 14, 1965 against Sliema Wanderers. Hibs were losing 4-0 when he came on as a substitute. Mallia was instructed to mark the great Joe Cini who was creating havoc in the Hibs defence with his forceful running.

I remember that game as if it were yesterday. Mallia had hardly reached the centre of the pitch when he put in a desperate tackle which sent the burly Sliema striker flying.

No-one pushed Cini around in those days. He jumped angrily to his feet and turned his sights on his aggressor but when he saw this scrawny youngster in front of him, he hesitated.

Biting his lip, he looked Freddie straight in the eye, turned and carried on with the game. That was some introduction to senior football but it marked the start of a very successful career with Hibernians and Malta.

Between 1965 and 1976, Mallia played 128 first-team games for Hibs, winning the championship in 1966-67 and 1968-69 and the FA Trophy in 1969-70. He also won the Sons of Malta Cup in 1969-70 and the Independence Cup in 1967-68 and 1970-71.

Mallia only made four appearances for Malta but had the distinction of playing in the classic encounter against England at the Gżira Stadium in 1971 when our national team was narrowly beaten by the world champions 1-0. Still, that was a meagre reward for one of the finest left-backs of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Mallia continued to play up to 1976 when an injury forced him to quit at the age of 28 when still at the peak of his career.

In 1982, at a time when Hibs were going through a crisis, he tried to make a belated comeback but his long lay-off proved too much for him and after a few training sessions he gave up.

Mallia will always be remembered for his honest, down-to-earth and aggressive style of football.

He played many fine games in his career but perhaps his best performances were in the European Cup against Manchester United in 1967 and in the Cup Winners' Cup against Real Madrid in 1970.

Against United, Mallia faced the legendary George Best but the Hibs man was not awed by his opponent's huge reputation. The Irish wizard tried every trick in his vast repertoire to try and beat the Hibs defender.

Mallia held firm though and Best had to keep switching from one side of the pitch to the other in a vain attempt to shake off his marker.

Mallia had another great game against Real Madrid. His showing, perhaps, was even better than the one against United if only for the way he blotted out of the game Spanish superstar Amancio.

Indeed, his performances against two giants of world football are still fondly remembered by many Hibs fans.