The Malta FA’s end-of-season reception for media personnel and sponsors, held last week at the Le Meridien St Julian’s, had a literary theme as football historian Carmel Baldacchino and former FIFA referee Adrian Casha presented two books to Norman Darmanin Demajo, the MFA president.

Baldacchino and Michael Schiavone, director of PIN Publishers, presented Darmanin Demajo with a copy of Volume One of the Encyclopedia of Maltese Football.

Each of the 10 volumes of the encyclopedia is divided into four sections, namely the history of Maltese football, the national team, matches against foreign teams and an A to Z of Maltese football.

Volume One is already out on sale from the Malta FA offices at the Millennium Stand, Ta’ Qali and from leading booksellers.

For his part, Casha presented Darmanin Demajo with a copy of his thesis entitled ‘Translation of the official regulations of the game of football’. Casha wrote the thesis as part of his studies for a Masters Degree in Translation at the University of Malta.

The thesis consists of a translation from English to Maltese of the 17 official regulations of football as issued by FIFA and other procedures related to these regulations plus a glossary of over 300 football-related phrases.

“Football has given me so much in my 20-year career as a referee,” Casha said.

“My love for the sport inspired me to write this thesis as I wanted to contribute something back to Maltese football.”