Hibernians stalwart Clayton Failla earmarked continuity and the impact of the club’s summer signings as the two main factors behind their title success this season.

Top of the league from the outset of the 2014/15 campaign, Hibs accomplished their mission with three matches still to play on Saturday after a 3-1 victory over Floriana gave them an unassailable lead.

In so doing, the imperious Paolites stretched their unbeaten run to 30 games, of which 26 have been wins.

“The difference compared to the previous years is that, last summer, the club signed four new players who have enhanced the quality of a squad that has been gradually built over the past four years,” Failla told Times of Malta.

The Malta wing-back was alluding to goalkeeper Henry Bonello, signed on loan from Sliema Wanderers, Malta defender Andrei Agius, Equatorial Guinea centre-half Rui De Gracia Gomes and Brazilian forward Jorginho.

The latter’s clinical brace on Saturday took his league tally to 22 goals, only three adrift of leading scorer Luis Edison ‘Tarabai’ who left Hibs last month to join South Korean club Seoul E-Land.

“In the last few seasons, we were among the main challengers but somehow we never managed to go the distance,” Failla added.

“This year, the club addressed those areas that needed strengthening and the new signings fitted in perfectly.

“I believe that the squad’s unity was also crucial to our success. You also need luck to win sometimes and we also had that.”

The destination of this season’s title has never been in doubt as Hibs romped clear of their rivals from the first round. Their dominance has been such that, had the points not been halved at the end of the first phase, the Paolites would have sealed the issue long ago.

“At one point we had a 15-point advantage but the format of our championship means that you can never relax,” Failla said.

“Once the points were halved, our lead was trimmed to seven points. Granted, seven points is still a healthy advantage but if you lose one game, the other teams are back in the race.”

Hibernians may be home and dry now, in so far as the title is concerned, but Failla warned that the newly-crowned champions are not prepared to rest on their laurels.

“At the start of the season, our aim was to challenge for the championship,” the 29-year-old said.

“Now that we have won the league, we want to finish the season unbeaten but we also have another important objective... the FA Trophy.”

The confirmation of Hibs as the new kings of Maltese football on Saturday was inevitable after Valletta’s draw against Sliema left the leaders three points away from securing the title.

They suffered an early scare after Floriana took the lead on 10 minutes but Hibs turned the game around with three goals in 30 minutes.

“After Valletta’s result on Friday, we were determined to secure the title as early as possible, also because fatigue can set in now that we’re in the final weeks of the season,” Failla said.

“Everyone expected us to get the job done on Saturday but Floriana scored after just a few minutes.

“We stayed calm to go 2-1 ahead and the third goal before half-time settled it. The title was in our hands and we controlled the game thereafter.”

By walking away with the title in a manner rarely witnessed in the past two decades, Hibs have clearly set the bar high for their rivals.

Sustained success

Their supremacy will also enhance their fans’ optimism that this triumph will herald the start of another glorious period for Hibs who have not won back-to-back titles since the mid-nineties when Brian Talbot was in charge of the team.

“Winning a title is not easy but staying at the top is even harder,” Failla acknowledged.

“I believe that if we retain this squad and make some adjustments we will be among the main challengers again next season. But, I also expect the likes of Valletta and Birkirkara to strengthen their ranks after the season they’ve had.”

On a personal level, Fallia can’t be happier as he has now claimed his second Premier League medal with Hibs just over three weeks after the birth of his first son, Beppe.

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