At the start of the 1961-62 season, reigning champions Hibernians were firm favourites to retain the championship which they had won for the first time the previous campaign.
There were huge expectations in Paola and the least their fans expected was that their team would be among the contenders for the championship crown.
Hibs, however, belied expectations and finished a disappointing fourth in the final standings.
The 1961-62 league campaign belonged exclusively to Floriana.
The Greens brushed aside the weak challenge put up by Valletta, Sliema and Hibernians to win the championship without losing a single point.
They also realised their life-long ambition of adding their name to the Scicluna Cup.
On January 14, 1962, Floriana beat Hibernians by the odd goal in three to win the elusive trophy.
Following their indifferent displays in the league and their upset to Floriana in the Scicluna Cup, Hibs’ fans gave up all hope that their team would win any honours that season.
But they were wrong, because the club from Paola was about to write another golden chapter in its history by winning for the first time, the Cassar Cup and the FA Trophy.
In the Cassar Cup, the cause of charity was well served because both semi-finals ended in draws. Two extra matches were played which increased the revenue of the competition.
Sliema Wanderers had only themselves to blame for letting Floriana force a 2-2 draw in the first semi-final. The other last four match between Hibs and Valletta ended in a drab goalless draw.
In the following replays, the Wanderers beat a depleted Floriana side 4-1, while Hibernians had the better of Valletta by the odd goal in three.
This encounter was certainly no classic but it was an honest tussle with both sides doing their best to entertain the big crowd present.
Valletta went ahead after 29 minutes but a few minutes later, Freddie Church scored the equaliser with an accurate header.
Play was now limited to midfield as scoring chances were few and far between.
But nine minutes from the end, Frans Xuereb slid a through-pass to Jimmy Mizzi who sped past Joe Cilia and shot past goalkeeper Zarb Cousin.
It was a fine goal which deserved to be the winner.
The final was played on Sunday, February 2, 1962.
Sliema were always Hibs’ bogey team and few expected the Paolites to beat the Wanderers.
Thrills and good football, which one usually associates with finals, were conspicuous by their absence.
Hibs won because they put more life into their play and it was only in the second period, when they elected to defend their narrow 1-0 lead that Sliema came into the picture.
It was here that Frans Xuereb showed his worth.
He changed places with wing-half Sunny Anastasi, who had a recurrence of an old leg injury, and played his heart out to prevent Sliema from getting the equaliser. Thanks to Xuereb, Jimmy Mizzi’s first-half goal proved to be enough to take the cup to Paola.
Floriana were of course favourites to win the FA Trophy.
But it was the Paolites who confounded their critics by adding the FA Trophy to their earlier success in the Cassar Cup final.
Hibs had a difficult passage to the final.
Their first victims were none other than Floriana whom they beat 3-2 in a thriller.
The winning goal was scored by full-back Johnnie Privitera in the final minute of extra-time.
Then, in the semi-finals they defeated St George’s 3-0 courtesy of a well-taken hat-trick by Jimmy Mizzi.
It was therefore a final between Hibernians and Valletta.
In the first period, Valletta attacked persistently and it seemed to be only a matter of time before Hibs’ fort would crumble.
The Citizens seemed to be sweeping their opponents off their feet but in football it’s the goals that count.
In the second period it was another story. Hibs dictated play and with Eddie Theobald in brilliant form the Citizens were forced to defend grimly.
The score remained goalless but seven minutes from the end, Valletta’s international goalkeeper Tommy Taylor kicked the ball into his own net when trying to clear his lines to give Hibs the winner and the coveted trophy.