The Maltese national team was officially born in April 1912 but the first seed was really sown a month earlier in a game between the Malta Athletic Club and the Pick Navy XI.
That season, the Malta Athletic Club organised the Civilian Football League and, in the absence of a formal body, it assumed the role of a national association.
This game received a lot of publicity and it brought together for the first time a Maltese representative XI. It also fostered the idea in the minds of the Maltese of having a national team to represent the country.
The match in question was played under the patronage of vice-admiral Ernest A. Simmons, the senior naval officer in Malta with the aim of raising funds for the relief of the families of the victims of the Submarine A3 disaster.
The game was played on a crisp cold day in March 1912 at Corradino in front of a modest crowd of 3,000 spectators.
For this occasion, the two teams lined up as follows:
The Navy: Biddlecombes, Wilkinson, Percy Cooper, Holness, Holland, Wyness, Allen, Wallis, McGann, Lamp, Miller.
The MAC: Grech, G.C. Bryan, Victor Bonavia, Alex Semini, Thompson, H.H. Selley, J. Bellia, Salvu Samuel, Walter Bonavia, William McAllister, Ġużi Samuel.
This was the first time a full Navy XI played against a Maltese selection. The MAC being a club and not a national association, chose its team only from its members. The team therefore, could not be considered to be the national XI.
Still, it was made up of some of the best footballers in Malta of that period. One must especially mention the brothers Samuel and Bonavia and Scotsman William McAllister.
The club gave a good account of itself but the sailors were far more experienced and won 3-0.
The Maltese were not disheartened. There was an abundance of talent in the league but, alas, very little co-ordination and this hampered the development of football.
Fortunately, the Maltese learn very quickly and it was not long before our National XI was not only holding its own but also beating the best teams the Services could offer.
The improvement in the Maltese team could be gauged a month later when the MFA League XI made its official debut at the newly-opened Mile End Sports Ground.
The game between the Navy and the MAC was a huge success and it served its purpose well as £57 were collected.
This success is evident in the letter of thanks sent by the Navy authorities to the Malta Athletic Club expressing its gratitude the MAC’s participation in the charity match.
This letter is reproduced below:
“On behalf of the Committee formed in respect to the Charity Match between the Navy and the Malta Athletic Club on the 2nd March, we are desired to express our grateful thanks to you, your Committee, your players and your interested spectators generally and the thanks of the ranks and ratings at present in Malta representing the Naval element.
“We are conscious of the great trouble that the match in question occasioned you.
“We are appreciative of the excellent sportsmanlike attitude displayed by your players and are grateful engerally for the support you gave us which culminated in so successful a result in aid of the funds being raised on behalf of the men in the sad loss of the Submarine A3.
“The amount of the funds already realised is at present approximately £57.”
Yours faithfully,
C. Be Burgh, Lieutenant R.N
President Football Committee