Marsaxlokk FC will continue to exist after a new committee was elected during an Extraordinary General Meeting, held on Friday at the Division Three club’s training grounds.
Until a few weeks ago, the future of Marsaxlokk FC looked bleak after they failed to form a new committee, owing to a shortage of candidates, by the deadline stipulated in the Malta FA regulations.
This scenario raised fears that Marsaxlokk might close down but the Malta FA responded to this crisis by taking over the running of the club on an interim basis in an effort to find a solution.
Chris Bonett, the Malta FA vice-president, presided over Friday’s EGM which was attended by around 50 persons.
Dr Bonett told the club members that the Members Status Committee within the Malta FA, which took charge of the club after it failed to submit the names of its officials as required by the association’s rules, will now advise the MFA council to officially recognise the new club committee.
Frank Cachia has been elected president of Marsaxlokk FC while Royin Grech and Vincent Grech are the two vice-presidents. The latter will also head the nursery.
The club’s new secretary is Joseph Mifsud.
The new Marsaxlokk committee have two months to provide the Malta FA with a new statute and accounts approved by its members with the aim that the delicate situation the club has experienced in the last two months will not repeat itself.
“The Malta FA is very satisfied with the outcome of the Extraordinary General Meeting (held by Marsaxlokk),” local football’s governing body said in a statement.
“We believe that this could be the dawn of a new start for a club which, just over 10 years ago, was celebrating winning the Premier League title.”
The Malta FA added that its Member Status Committee, led by Dr Bonett, will keep monitoring the situation to enable the new committee to succeed in their work “so that the people of Marsaxlokk will have a football club built on solid foundations”.
With a new committee in place, Marsaxlokk were given the go-ahead to take part in the Division Three championship.
The southseasiders, who have struggled to make ends meet since former president Victor Sciriha left the club in 2007 to take charge of Valletta, will start their 2015/16 league campaign with a match against Mdina Knights.
New committee
Frank Cachia – president; Royin Grech – vice-president; Vincent Grech – vice-president/nursery chairman; Joseph Mifsud – secretary; Nikos Karamitsios – treasurer; Cedric Baldacchino – MFA council member; Daniel Zerafa – PRO; Frank Buhagiar, Adrian Baldacchino, Saviour Bonnici, Laurence Camilleri – members.