Their morale sky-high after the U*Bet FA Trophy triumph, Sliema Wanderers received another boost yesterday in the shape of a one-year extension of their sponsorship with Robert Arrigo and Sons Limited.
Robert Arrigo, the former president of Sliema Wanderers who has retained close links with the club, yesterday presented the sponsorship cheque to Steve Abela, the current president, and vice-president Nicky Dimech.
Arrigo, who called time on his long tenure as president at the end of season 2007-08, also handed over the keys of the newly-refurbished premises to the Sliema officials during a short ceremony in the trophy room of the clubhouse in Tower Road.
Sliema ended their season on an uplifting note by winning the KO after beating Valletta on penalties in a pulsating final.
In the league, Sliema finished fourth after an up-and-down campaign but their Trophy success has increased motivation to restore the club among the contenders for the title.
For much of the past four months, Sliema's top brass and coach Stephen Azzopardi have been scouring the market to identify transfer targets for next season. Their efforts prompted Arrigo to pour a significant amount of money into the club's transfer kitty by renewing the shirt sponsorship for another year.
"My company is extending the sponsorship for Sliema Wanderers for another year," Arrigo told The Times.
"The idea is that the money will be used to fund the club's activity in the transfer market. As the new season is due to start in a few weeks' time, Sliema need to act quickly to make new signings."
Abela said Sliema were looking to bring in between five to seven new players but he'd not be drawn into revealing the names of their transfer targets. Reports have linked Sliema with imminent moves for Clayton Failla, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza and Ryan Fenech.
What Abela did confirm is that Romanian defender Lucian Dronca will continue to play for Sliema but Australian midfielder Daniel Severino, who fell out with the club in the final weeks of the season, and Costa Rican-born striker Victor Ortega Coto were not in their plans.
Rumours also claimed that veteran club captain Noel Turner was thinking about retiring from football at the end of the outgoing season but Abela stressed that that decision lay with the former Malta international.
"It's up to him really," Abela said. "We will respect whatever decision Turner makes about his future."
The Sliema president also reiterated his confidence in the work of coach Azzopardi and the other members of the technical staff.
"All the members of our technical staff have worked so hard this season," Abela said.
"They are the catalysts for Sliema's FA Trophy success and they have our full confidence."
For his part, Dimech spoke about the committee's desire to revive the tradition of the club premises being a hub for all their activities, including team talks and player meetings.
The Sliema players reported for duty at the club before last Friday's FA Trophy final and Dimech wants this practice to become the norm during the season.
With regards to Sliema's training facilities, Dimech is hopeful that the new pitches and dressing rooms within the Tigné Complex will be ready for use within the next three months.