The 1968-69 football season was typical of that time - a busy period, full of events and good football.

Events followed each other with such regularity that one was left almost breathless. Visits by foreign teams were frequent. It is enough to say that Arsenal, Milan, Progrusul and Watford all visited the island.

It was a good season and, on the whole, the public was treated to a feast of football. The only anti-climax, perhaps, was the FA Trophy which produced some of the most boring football in the history of the competition.

All four quarter-finals were desperately short of creative football. Even the usual big match between Sliema and Floriana, which ended in a 1-0 victory for the former, failed to relieve the boredom.

The semi-finals, held on the weekend of May 24-25, were much better.

On Saturday, Hibernians and Sliema drew 0-0. Hibs' supreme effort in midweek against mighty Arsenal had its toll on the players' stamina.

The champions looked jaded. Their defence, however, seemed impregnable and a draw was perhaps a fair result.

In the replay, Sliema did enough in the first half to win the game handsomely but it had to be a goal in extra time that finally put the Wanderers in the final.

Four minutes from time a ball was crossed into the Sliema box. A crowd of players went for the ball and a Sliema defender appeared to hit it with his hand. The Hibs' players surrounded referee Tommy Restall, claiming a penalty, but the official immediately whistled for the end of the match.

Both sets of players became embroiled in a brawl and it took the police the best part of five minutes to bring the situation under control.

The semi-final between Hamrun Spartans and Gzira was a shameful encounter full of kicks, punches, insults, three players sent off, two goals and very little football.

At the end of normal time, however, the score-sheet was still even and the match had to be replayed.

The replay ended in another 2-2 draw. Hamrun, however, should have won the game hands down but they wasted many scoring chances. Despite their obvious superiority, few people were prepared to bet that the Spartans would beat the Maroons with a five-goal difference in the second replay.

Yet, this was exactly what happened. They gambled with playing defender George Tonna in the centre-forward position and he responded with five great goals.

Hamrun were in the final for the first time since 1946 when they still competed under the name of Hamrun Liberty.

During the week leading to the final, Hamrun was ablaze with speculation.

It was a long time since they were in the final of a major competition and the football-mad population of this town could not contain their enthusiasm.

On the day of the final the stadium was transformed into another 'San Gejtanu' feast. The Wanderers were, however, not awed by this display and showing poise, ease and class, they outplayed the Spartans, winning quite easily by three goals to one.

This was much more than the Spartans supporters could stomach. At the end of the match, they went on a rampage.

For the shameful acts of hooliganism by their supporters, the Spartans faced the wrath of the Malta FA Council who immediately suspended them from competing in the league for one year. The ban was later lifted.

For the record

1968-69 FA Trophy final - The Empire Stadium
08-06-69 Sliema Wanderers vs Hamrun Spartans 3-1

Sliema: M. Sultana, L. Borg, J. Aquilina, F. Falzon, L. Micallef, E. Darmanin, R. Cocks, J. Bonnet, J. Cini, C. Camenzuli, V. Vassallo.

Hamrun: J. Mallia, Kelly, Bajada, Zammit (E. Moore), M. Attard, G.B. Attard, N. Attard, C. Attard. G. Tonna, Mangion (E. Maggi), L. Cauchi.

Referee: Paul Bonnett.

Scorers: Bonnet, Vassallo, Cini (Sliema); N. Attard (Hamrun).