One of the most popular foreign teams in Malta, at least among the older generation, is Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The English Midlands club enjoy a big following here although the support for Wolves has become more subdued due to the club's poor showing in recent years.
Wolves are one of the oldest clubs in the world. Founded in 1877 as St Luke's, they changed their name to Wolverhampton Wanderers two years later.
The club were one of the 12 founders of the English Football League in 1888 and finished the inaugural season in a creditable third place. They also reached the FA Cup final for the first time, losing 3-0 to the first 'Double' winners, Preston North End.
Even in those early days the Maltese followed the fortunes of English clubs because the results of the English league and cup matches were featured quite regularly in the Daily Malta Chronicle, the Malta Times, the Malta Standard and Malta Herald.
Wolves' connection with Malta goes back to the early years of Maltese football. It is a known fact that when Sliema Wanderers were formed in 1908 they borrowed their name from the English club and even adopted the famous old gold and black as their first colours.
Wolves have a long and chequered history in the English league.
There were times of glory and others when they tasted the bitter pill of relegation. Their following in Malta, however, has never waned. The most glorious period was undoubtedly that which is known as the Stan Cullis era.
Captained by the legendary Billy Wright, Wolves won the league championship for the first time in 1954, overhauling fierce rivals West Bromwich Albion late in the season.
The club was described by some as the greatest football team in the world after beating the Hungarian side Honved 3-2, having been 2-0 down at half-time.
Spartak Moscow, Dynamo Moscow and Real Madrid all went to Molineux and were conquered. Wolves were also league champions in 1958 and 1959 and in 1960 became the first team to pass the 100-goal mark for three years in succession.
Coming agonisingly close to a hat-trick of titles and the first 'double' of the 20th century, Wolves finished just one point behind Burnley and had to make do with a fourth FA Cup win, beating Blackburn Rovers 3-0 in the final.
The early 1960's heralded the start of Wolves' decline, and Cullis was sacked in September 1964 at the start of a dreadful season during which the club never moved out of the relegation zone.
The club's first spell outside the top division in more than 30 years would last just two seasons, as an eight-game winning run in spring of 1967 paved the way to promotion.
The club's return to the English top flight marked the start of another period of relative success, finishing the 1970-1971 season in fourth place, qualifying them for the newly created UEFA Cup. Stars of this era included Derek Dougan, Kenny Hibbitt and Frank Munro.
En route to the final, they eliminated Academica, ADO Den Haag, FC Carl Zeiss Jena, Juventus in the quarter-final and Ferencvaros 4-3 in the semi-final.
Thus, Wolves reached the UEFA Cup final, losing the home leg against Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 and drawing at White Hart Lane 1-1. It was during this season that Marsa FC took the initiative to invite Wolves to Malta. It was a God-sent opportunity for their thousands of fans in Malta to watch their favourite team in action.
Packed defence
Wolves played against Marsa on February 24, 1971. The English team found no problems to adapt to the notorious pitch of the Gzira stadium.
Their real difficulty was how to find a way past a well-drilled, packed defence.
Nevertheless, the professionals from Wolves, with the affable Derek Dougan, midfielder Jimmy McCallog, striker Hugh Curran and Derek Parkin, were vastly superior to the Maltese part-timers.
Marsa held on by the skin of their teeth but towards the end of the game, Wolves' superior physical fitness proved too much for them.
Wolves scored four goals in the last 13 minutes to win a one-sided but highly enjoyable game 5-1.
Marsa's defence was made to work overtime with J. Cassar and Vella taking the honours with a great-hearted performance. Collings, in goal, effected several difficult saves but could do nothing when after 19 minutes Bobby Gould fired in a great grounder.
Wolves dictated the proceedings thereafter but as the game progressed we saw more and more of Marsa.
Then, after 72 minutes, Farrugia burst through the Wolves' defence. Bernard Shaw brought him down and referee Joe Cassar Naudi did not hesitate to point to the spot. Accarino gave Parkes no chance with his spot-kick.
Marsa were level at 1-1 with 17 minutes to go. Could they hold on to an honourable draw? That was the big question.
Five minutes later, however, Holsgrove made it 2-1 with a great shot. Hibbitt soon made it 3-1 and Gould added a fourth following some fine work on the bye-line by Wagstaffe.
These three goals were scored in the space of five minutes. Then with three minutes to go, Hibbitt sealed the issue with the fifth and last goal. It was a polished and professional performance by Wolves but Marsa earned the admiration of the crowd for the way they battled gamely till the end.
Wolves went through a bad spell in the 1980s. After bouncing straight back from relegation in 1982, the club suffered three consecutive relegations in 1984, 1985 and 1986, sliding into the Fourth Division for the first time in their history.
It was during this period that they paid another visit to Malta. In 1984-85 they came over for a training camp, playing two matches in the process.
On May 18, 1985, they beat Xewkija Tigers 5-1 and then four days later they lost 2-5 to other English visiting club Shewsbury Town.
For the record
February 24, 1971 - The Empire Stadium, Gzira
Marsa vs Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-5
Marsa: Collings, Marmara, Cassar, Accarino, Vella, J. Cassar, Portelli, Brincat, Farrugia, Tonna, Camilleri.
Wolves: Parkes, Taylor, Shaw, Bailey, Holsgrove, McAllee, O'Grady, Hibbitt, Gould, Richards, Wagstaffe.
Referee: Joe Cassar Naudi.