West - an honest and loyal club man

The 1920s were for Maltese football a period of instability.

After the great years of the pre-World War One era, the novelty of the game started to wear off, the people began to lose interest, and for a time there were even fears for the game's very existence.

Yet, the game's hold on the Maltese was too strong to be broken and, when everything seemed to be lost, help came from an unexpected quarter.

The Amateur League was formed.

This competition gave junior players an opportunity to compete away from the pressures and squabbles of the professional game and in an atmosphere of sportsmanship and fair play. In these healthy surroundings, a new generation of footballers was bred.

The 1920s were, therefore, dominated by the amateurs. One such player was George West, of the Tigers.

Floriana were quick to spot the talents of this player.

At the time, the Greens were in the process of re-building their team and they desperately needed a substitute for the great Ġużi Samuel who had left for America.

West could play in any position in the forward line, showing the same commitment for his team in any role he filled in. His best position, however, was on the right-wing where his bursts of speeds and running with the ball made him one of the most feared wingers of his era.

West could also shoot accurately with both feet and his crosses into the penalty area were a dream come true for any centre-forward.

He fitted well into the team and immediately made the outside-right position his own. He always kept his place in the side although later he moved to inside-right to make way for Harry Samuel, another popular amateur player of that era.

It is not known how West came to Malta from England. He was certainly not in the Services. Therefore, he must have been employed at the Dockyards or in the Civil Service.

An honest and loyal club man, he won seven championship, four cup and two Cassar Cup medals for Floriana before he retired from the game in 1931.

In the meantime, he never gave up his amateur status and played regularly on Sunday mornings in the Amateur League for the Tigers with whom he won all honours the amateur game could offer.

Towards the end of his career he helped to form the famous Constitutionals of Paola who were the fore-runners of Hibernians FC. He was also an automatic choice for the MFA and the Amateur XI's.