Victor Cassar... a leader in the Hibernians forward line.

If I was asked to describe Victor Cassar in just one phrase I would say, ‘brave as a lion’.

Cassar had everything that a leader in attack required in the hustle and bustle of league football of the 1960s. The game was much tougher in those days when a defender could get away with just about everything.

Born in Żebbuġ on November 4, 1941, Cassar could out-leap any centre-half and in those days there were many strong defenders.

There was a crispness about his play which reflected exactly the enthusiasm he had for the game. The gritting teeth which were often seen on the face of this rugged forward just about summed up the determination and fearlessness which he put into his game.

Cassar never gave up, no matter the score and he was always an inspiration to his team-mates.

I have been privileged to see Cassar in action on many occasions. Indeed, I relish the memory of the clashes he had with the great Valletta FC and Malta central defender Joe Cilia.

Cassar made his debut for Hibs on October 10, 1960 in the 2-1 victory over Floriana. He kept his place in the team and ended up winning a championship medal in his very first season in the top division of Maltese football.

Forming a formidable partnership with Jimmy Mizzi, he scored seven goals, just one fewer than his attacking partner.

1960-61 was a great season for Cassar and Hibs but pressure of work forced him to miss the entire 1961-62 campaign and a chance to add an FA Trophy and a Cassar Cup medal to his collection.

He also missed the chance to make football history with Hibs and play against Serviette, of Switzerland, in the first-ever European match played by a Maltese club.

Cassar played seven times for Hibs in Europe but his greatest moment came on September 17, 1969 in the Champions Cup against Czech side Spartak Trnava.

Hibs started the game in style. The Paolites shared the early exchanges with their opponents and although they played a cautious game they kept pegging away at the opponents’ defence with quick counter-attacks.

At half-time the result was 0-0 but the crowd was sensing that something spectacular was about to happen. Luck, however, dealt Hibs a deadly blow when a few minutes into the second period key player Johnnie Privitera was injured in a tackle.

It was a cruel blow for the Paolites because their international full-back was creating panic in the Trnava defence with his forays.

Hibs’ medical staff signalled the bench to make a substitution and Cassar, who himself was nursing an injury, raced into the thick of the battle. A long ball was booted into the penalty area and Cassar who had hardly stepped on the pitch scored with a great header.

It was a goal typical of the burly striker as the Paolites went on to hold the strong Czechoslovakia side to a creditable 2-2 draw.

Cassar stayed with Hibs up to the end of the 1968-69 season when he was surprisingly transferred to Msida St Joseph.

At Msida, he was dropped back to the centre-half position. However, he never lost his knack of scoring goals and in 32 appearances for the Saints, he scored six times before retiring in 1976.