The demise of Andrew Bartolo on Christmas Day last year, at the venerable age of 94, broke one of the last links with the good old days of Maltese football.
Bartolo was born in Floriana on January 22, 1920. Like most boys of his era he ran and played around the bastions of Valletta.
In 1936, Bartolo joined Floriana Swallows. This club was a sort of nursery for the famous amateur club, Floriana Tigers. Bartolo soon caught the eye of the Tigers committee and before he knew it, he was playing for the Tigers Juniors.
Season 1936-37 was a good one for Bartolo. Playing in the centre-forward position, he scored many vital goals for the club including the winning goal in the Junior Cup final against Valletta Youngsters.
Bartolo soon made the grade to the first team as clubs began to show interest in the young and promising centre forward.
In 1939, Valletta Prestons were making a bold attempt to win promotion to the First Division. They needed a reliable striker and approached Bartolo, who willingly accepted the new challenge.
In 1939-40, the Prestons took the Second Division by storm and won promotion at the first time of asking. Ironically, when Valletta Prestons got promoted to the top division they took the place of their neighbours, Valletta St Paul’s.
Certain people in the capital suggested that the two clubs should merge forces for 1940-41 so that Valletta would once again be represented by a strong team as in the days of Valletta United.
Looming hostilities
The war, however, interrupted the plans and for the time being this dream had to be abandoned.
In 1939, because of the looming hostilities stadium owner Meme Scicluna could not organise the traditional Christmas Tourney.
This left a huge void in the local football calendar and in an attempt to fill the gap, the MFA decided to organise two new competitions over the Christmas period, one for First Division teams and the other for those from the Second Division.
On December 31, Bartolo led Valletta Prestons against Żabbar Amateurs in the first round of the Second Division Christmas Cup.
It was a tough game which produced a lot of good football but few goals. At the end, Prestons won 1-0 to join Sliema Rangers and Vittoriosa Stars in the semi-finals.
On the same afternoon, Attard United failed to turn up against Birkirkara St Helena.
The semi-finals were played on January 7, 1940. In the first game, the Prestons beat Rangers 4-0 in a one-sided match.
The other semi-final was much more interesting.
Both Vittoriosa and Birkirkara strove hard to obtain an advantage but the match seemed to be heading for a draw when the Stars broke the deadlock to win the match with the narrowest of margins.
The final also seemed to be heading towards a goalless draw when the Prestons scored a late winner.
At the end of the game, there was great rejoicing among the Prestons supporters as Bartolo received the Christmas Cup to take home to Valletta.
That season Bartolo also finished as the league’s top scorer. He was destined for big things but war broke out and competitive football was suspended.
During the war, Bartolo served in the RMA with the 5th Coast Regiment and later with the 1st Coast Regiment.
Then, in 1943-44, he joined Floriana. In those days, the Greens were still finding their feet after many years of inactivity.
They needed a steady half-back badly and Bartolo was asked to try his luck in a Green shirt.
Playing in midfield brought out the best of this fine footballer. In 1944-45, Bartolo produced some of his best football and was picked to play for the Pick Army and MFA XI against the famous Hajduks.
Bartolo also represented the Malta Army Command in their successful tour of Italy. The team played in Naples, Bari, Rome, Bologna and Milan.
In 1947 Bartolo left the Army and joined the Navy. Now he had less time to play civilian football but he was picked many times to represent the Pick Navy.
In Malta, he played regularly for the HMS Triumph, HMS Falcon and HMS St Angelo teams. In 1946-47, he helped Floriana win the FA Trophy and kept playing up to 1953-54 when he finally retired.
Bartolo was a great clubman and above all a fine sportsman.
During his career, he left an impression of fine football. Unfortunately, however, the war and his career in the Navy robbed him of some of his best years.
In other circumstances, I am sure that he would have established himself as one of the best Maltese players of the post-war period.