John Delia

Anton Naudi writes:

Melita Football Club recently lost one of its greatest players of all time, John Delia.

Malta has lost one of the greatest personalities in its history of amateur football.

The news of his passing away saddened the hearts of everyone in local sports. As a former player and president of this great club, having worked closely and played with John for many years along with another surviving former president, Ronnie Micallef, I had to stifle my tears and emotions when I was told of his demise.

His death instantly brought to my mind the many wonderful seasons we spent together at Melita between 1961, when I joined the club two years after he did, and 1973, when John had to give up his favourite game due to injury.

He had all the qualities worthy of a captain and a leader. His honesty, loyalty, dedication, unselfishness and sense of responsibility were part of all aspects of his life but, above all, were the ingredients that made John the perfect gentleman.

His jovial character and humour added to his overall personality. He was a leading example of a great man and all at Melita still look to him today as a model of how to live and perform.

All this was amply evidenced by the large congregation which packed St Gregory’s church to pay its last respects at his funeral.

John’s football skills won him many an honour with Melita and, on a personal level, the club’s prestigious Footballer of the Year trophy on two occasions.

Another former pillar of the club, the late Ronnie Tabone, used to admire John’s camaraderie towards his players, on several occasions in tough games, especially when the safety of the players was a concern.

Apart from the club’s many successes, which he played an active and effective part in, John also represented the Malta Amateurs XI on many occasions in tournaments abroad and locally, and captained the Malta Olympic team at the Mediterranean Games in Naples in 1963.

Although he was a Floriana man, he spent almost his entire career with the amateurs having been brought to our club by his brother-in-law, Frank Bonello, also another dedicated player. He never looked anywhere else in his 14 seasons with the club, displaying his loyalty to the full, even though he was tempted on many occasions by other clubs.

Our deepest and sincere condolences to his caring and dearest wife Agnes, his children Patrick, Angela and Jon Jon, and their families.

They should all feel proud and honoured of their beloved John’s affection, duties and responsibilities as a husband, father and grandfather and above all, as a devout Catholic who treasured and lived his belief to the end. This was evidenced in his last months when I used to administer Holy Communion to him at the hospital, to which he participated fully, albeit with some difficulties due to his illness.

John, I am convinced you are enjoying God’s presence in heaven, the reward which God promised us all for all our good deeds on Earth.

Goodbye, my friend and rest in peace.