In season 1954-55, Floriana carried off the championship by a clear five-point margin over Sliema Wanderers. The Greens ended the competition with a total of 26 points out of a possible 28, thus breaking their own record of 24 points achieved in 1949-50.

However, Floriana’s path to glory was not as easy as it may seem.

Injuries and suspensions hampered the Greens’ progress throughout the season. Their strength-in-depth, however, stood them in good stead and enabled the team to overcome all the hurdles.

As was nearly always the case in those days, the championship evolved into another two-legged race between Floriana and the Wanderers.

That was the pattern of the 1950s. The Celtic and Rangers of Maltese football were always there in the final stages of each and every competition.

The other clubs served only as stumbling blocks to the two giants of the Maltese game. Sometimes, one of the other clubs reared its head stubbornly but at the end it was always green or blue ribbons which adorned the trophies.

In 1954-55, Floriana and Sliema set the pace from the very start and continued to occupy the top positions until the end of the championship.

At the end of the first round, the two rivals were still at the top of the league table on equal points with Ħamrun Spartans a close third.

This situation changed when the Wanderers unexpectedly lost 1-2 to Rabat who were rooted to the bottom of the table at the time.

The battle for the honours continued when the Wanderers drew 0-0 with Ħamrun.

Floriana were now three points clear and clinched the championship by winning all their remaining matches.

This was also their fifth championship in six years. It was a league marked with the sharp difference between Floriana and their opponents. This was by far the greatest period in the history of the club.

Towards the end of the season, Southend United and Catania FC made a short visit to the islands.

Because of this, the FA Trophy commenced in late May. Attendances were poor.

The competition started in a blaze of glory for the Spartans when, on May 21, they trounced Hibernians by the mammoth score of 10 goals to nil!

The next day Rabat needed extra-time to eliminate relegated St George’s 2-0. Floriana and Sliema, however, found little difficulty in disposing of Valletta and Birkirkara, respectively, in the other two quarter-finals.

Sliema met Ħamrun in the semi-finals. The Spartans took three points off the Blues in the league and were confident of surpassing this difficult obstacle.

The Wanderers, however, found their best form in this match and reached the final with a last-gasp winner.

Floriana ambled through to the final with an easy 6-0 victory over Rabat.

‘Finis’ was written to the closing chapter of the season on June 9, 1955.

Any criticism of the players’ efforts in this match was downright unjust. The sweltering heat, the bone hard and dusty pitch, and, of course, the importance of the occasion sapped the players’ strength and concentration.

It was by all standards a poor game and it had to be a typical Demanuele goal that gave the decision to Floriana.

Thus Floriana equalled the Wanderers’ record established between 1935 and 1937 of winning the FA Trophy three times in succession.

Where there any more fields left for Floriana to conquer?

The answer seemed to be no, but the task of defending what they had already achieved was bound to be exacting.

The ‘Ajax’ fame made it compulsory for their opponents to pull out that little bit extra in an attempt to topple them off their pedestal.

Yet, there was still one honour left for Floriana to gather before the season was over.

Lolly Debattista was named Footballer of the Year for season 1954-55. This was the first time that the honour was awarded.