A raucous encounter in 1886

This story takes us back to the very first days of Maltese football when the thud of a ball on the hard ground was still as scarce as rain in July.

During the last 20 years or so of the 19th century, a strange pheno-menom seemed to grip Cospicua.

Every day, scores of youngsters would kick makeshift balls around the streets to the consternation of their elders, the majority of whom spurned this devil of a game which they called ‘fitbol’ or ‘il-logħba tal-ballun.’

It was sometime around 1886, that a group of youngsters used to hang around the parade ground at Verdala Barracks on Santa Mar-gherita Hill to watch the soldiers play football. According to local legend, they used to compete with each other to fetch and kick the ball back into play every time it ran out of the ground.

One day, an officer, noticing the skill and enthusiasm of the lads, gave them a brand new ball so that the boys could form their own team.

Among those youngsters was a certain Anthony Portelli, who is said to have founded the first football club in Cospicua, St Andrew’s FC.

Born in October 1860, Portelli served the club until a few months before his death in 1910, first as player and captain and later on as committee official of St George’s.

Portelli was a man who lived only for football and he used to recount many stories about the early days of football in Malta. Frankie Debono narrates some of these stories in his publication MAFA Yearbook 1955-56. However, although they make good reading, these stories are not backed by documents.

In his article ‘When the referee’s whistle was first used in Malta’ Debono quotes from the Athletic News of May 1886. I did manage to trace a newspaper with that name at the British Library but the said article was not included.

The article, however, has a ring of truth about it which makes me confident about its authenticity. This made me wonder if I traced the right newspaper!

The article describes one of the first attempts of the Maltese to play football. It also gives an insight into the boisterous character of the Maltese, at least in sport.

The article goes like this:

On such a piece of land called Zabbar Ground, a friendly football match took place on April 10, 1886, between eleven from the historic playing fields of Cospicua and eleven nondescripts from the Shropshire Regiment; on that occasion the referee’s whistle was used for the first time on the island.

Inside 15 minutes, the soldiers were 2 goals up. Davies headed one from a Mitchell cross and soon afterwards a misunderstanding between Borg and Zammit, caused the latter to put through his own goal – a proceeding greeted by dead silence! Then the fun started! After those two goals, the Maltese surged in threatening fashion; even before a ball had been kicked it was plain that there was a likelihood of disaster.

Many of the present crowd failed to find an entrance to the overloaded ground. Davies had his head bruised by a deliberate kick and the Maltese ran amok, kicking all and sundry. To all appearances having it well in hand for at least two players of the Cospicua St Andrew’s including Borg in goal, were unfit as the result of the previous struggles.

Half an hour from time, Davies returned and Mitchell scored once again and the Maltese, breaking all the rules of the game, got two goals from Zarb. It was a relief when the final whistle went, for Davies and Knee were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Cospicua St Andrew’s: Borg, Zammit, Portelli, Abdilla, Muscat, Zahra, Vella, Cachia, Zarb, Hili, Pavia.

Shropshire Regiment: Smith, Jackson, Lt. Brown, Knee, Price, Thompson, March, Haigh, Captain Davies, Mitchell, Marshall.

This furious game was typical of others played during that era.

Ground conditions were primitive, to say the least. Skills fell well below the required standards but the enthusiasm of the Maltese players and spectators knew no bounds.

This game tickled the natural pique and parochialism of the Maltese and from then on they were hooked on the game.

Here at last was a game that fitted our noisy spirit like a glove!