In season 1919-20, Floriana did not take part in the league.
The Greens had been missing from the scene since 1918. This, however, does not mean that they were inactive. In those days, when continuity in the league was lacking, Floriana liked to play a game of hide and seek. If they reasoned that their team was not good enough to win the championship, they would go into hibernation.
In 1917-18, the Greens finished a poor fifth in the league. Thus, to eliminate the risk of tarnishing their reputation further, they opted to stay out and wait for better times.
Floriana enjoyed an awesome reputation in those days especially among the members of the British Services stationed in Malta. Their name was carried far and wide wherever the British flag was flying.
Therefore, although officially Floriana were not active that season, a match was arranged between the club and the pick XI of the United Services League.
This was a great honour and a mark of esteem for Floriana. The United Services League XI had in its ranks a good number of British professionals who were drafted in the Services for the duration of the war.
This was the first time that the full Services XI was playing against a club side. Before, the combination had only played against the MFA XI.
This game, the proceeds of which went for the St Dunstan's Home for blinded sailors and soldiers, took place at the Mile End on a Saturday afternoon in December 1919.
It was an ideal day for football and it was gratifying for the organisers to see such a huge crowd filling the old Pietà stadium.
Many well-known Maltese and British personalities were present for the occasion and the Governor of Malta, Field Marshal Lord Plummer, was given an enthusiastic reception from the huge assembly as he appeared in the Grand Stand.
The teams lined up as follows:
United Services: Lockwood, Dodd, Rush, Clinch, Clay, Hooper, Beatie, Fisher, O'Brien, Clevely, Stuart.
Floriana: G. Enriquez, Ġ. Micallef, R. Friggieri, M. Vella, C.F Huggins, S. Tabone, C. DeCesare, G. Psaila, C. Hedley, A. Troisi, J. Herbert.
Floriana had three guest players in their team. C.F. Huggins was the centre-half and captain of the Exiles FT and Sliema Wanderers. Anthony Troisi played for Ħamrun Spartans while Gejtu Psaila was still in the Police and had to obtain special permission from his superiors to play in this game.The referee was H.J. Dormer and his linesmen were Mills and Bushell, of the RAF.
It was apparent from the start that Floriana had a significant advantage. Despite having guest players, the Greens performed much better than the servicemen.
Their passing was fast and accurate while that of the services left much to be desired.
As the game wore on, however, the Services team settled down and play became more even. The Greens held a slight edge though and it was much with the run of play when on 30 minutes Troisi scored the only goal of the game.
Troisi's goal fired the enthusiasm of the Maltese and for the rest of the game they shouted themselves hoarse to encourage their heroes.
At the end everybody agreed that it was a fine game and everybody was happy especially the organisers who pocketed a 'hefty sum' of just over £100.
This game, now long gone and forgotten, was one of the last to be played at the Mile End Sports Ground before it made way for the then new venue in Gżira.