This summer saw the end of the Intertoto Cup competition after a short and rather undistinguished period of activity. It was at the end of season 1994-95 that UEFA introduced a new competition in conjunction with the European Football Pools Union.
Twelve groups of five teams played each other once. The winners in each group, together with the best four runners-up, then played each other on a knockout basis. The last four teams qualified for the preliminary round of the 1995-96 UEFA Cup.
On paper, the Intertoto Cup seemed to be a good idea. It was, after all, another opportunity for small countries like ours to participate in European competitions.
The big countries, however, shunned the Intertoto Cup and although they participated it was with great misgiving. The price, perhaps, was too small for professional clubs from England, Italy, Spain, France or Germany.
Whatever the reason, the competition never really took off and it was no surprise when at the start of the 2007-08 season UEFA announced that this would be its last season.
The honour of being the first club to represent Malta in the first edition of the Intertoto Cup fell to Floriana. The Greens lost 0-4 to Tirol Innsbruck at the Gozo Stadium. Then, they drew 1-1 away to Hapoel Petah Tikva, lost 4-0 at the Gozo Stadium to RC Strasbourg and 3-0 to Genclerbirligi in Ankara.
Played in the sweltering heat of a Maltese July afternoon, the games did not attract many spectators to the Gozo Stadium. Financially, Floriana did not do so well but the fact that they had to keep on training during that summer probably gave them the edge on the other contestants in the pre-season Super 5 tournament.
This competition was played during the first week of August at the end of the Lowenbrau Cup.
The next season, the MFA inaugurated a new electronic scoreboard at the National Stadium.
Hibernians FC, on the initiative of president Tony Bezzina, acquired the old scoreboard, which was redecorated and installed at the Hibs Ground in Corradino. The new scoreboard, apart from its obvious practical application, gave a new image to the stadium.
That season, the Intertoto Cup gave Hibs an opportunity to make a little football history. On June 23, 1996 Hibs became the first Maltese club to play a European encounter at their own stadium.
Hibs played against Uralmask Eketeringburg in the first match. The club from Paola lost 2-1 but this did not detract anything from the importance of the occasion.
Hibs played another match at Corradino when on the July 6, 1996 they lost 2-0 to Racing Strasbourg.
The other two matches played in that season's competition were against CSKA Sofia (1-4) and against Kocaelsipor (3-5). These two matches were played away from home.
The next season the competition was changed from a group format to straight knock-out ties. This made the competition more acceptable.
1998-99 saw Malta's only success in the competition. Floriana became the first Maltese club to advance to the second round after beating Aberystwyth Town, of Wales, 4-3 on aggregate.
The Greens could have advanced further but for the goal they conceded at home against FC Jokerit, of Finland. A 1-0 victory at home was well within their reach but a single slip cost them an historic third round place.
Between 1999 and 2008 our clubs obtained some good results.
There were no big names in the competition but all our opponents were well above our standards. No Maltese team, however, has succeeded in emulating Floriana's 1998-99 triumph.