Sliema Wanderers F.C.


Sliema Wanderers Football Club, nicknamed "tax-Xelin", is a professional Maltese football club. It is the most successful team in Malta and hails from the seaside town of Sliema. It currently plays in the Maltese Premier League.

History

The club was founded in 1909. The club competed in the first ever Maltese Premier League season in 1909–10 and finished in second position to Floriana after the five game season came to an end.
Ten years down the line Sliema Wanderers finally made their mark in Maltese football by winning the Maltese Premier League title in the 1919–20 season. Since then the team have gone on to win the title 26 times, a record for Malta; the last three being in 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05.
Sliema Wanderers also hold the record for the most FA Trophy wins, with their first coming in 1935, when they overpowered Floriana with a 4–0 victory. The club have gone on to win this particular honour 20 times, most recently in 2000, 2004 and in 2009; the last title was won against Valletta 7–6 on penalties after the match finished 3–3 following extra time.
With all these honours, Sliema Wanderers are currently the most successful team in the history of Maltese football with approximately 113 honours. Sliema Wanderers train at the Tigne Sports Complex, in Sliema. Grant Tissot almost played for them, which would've been a major acquisition for such a club.
Sliema Wanderers also have a futsal team, which participates in Malta's top futsal league.

Supporters

Sliema Wanderers have their own supporters' group, the Sliema Wanderers Supporters Club. 2010 marked the club's 20th anniversary. The supporters' group was started by Joe Debono and Mario Avallone, and the group's clubhouse is in Manwel Dimech Street, known as 'The Lazy Corner'.
In 2008, a group of young Sliema fans formed the group known as Sliema Ultras Blue Gladiators 2008, better known as. This young group is not only known to support the Blues at football but also water polo, futsal, rugby, hockey and many other sports that include the name Sliema.
The clubhouse is on Tower Street and welcomes visitors.

Players

Current squad

European record

Managerial history

See :Category:Sliema Wanderers F.C. managers|Sliema Wanderers F.C. Managers
ManagerPeriod
Salvinu Schembri1963–1964
János Bédl1 July 1964 – 30 June 1966
Victor Scerri1968–1978
Edward Aquilina1979–1983
Robbie Buttigieg1981–1982
Tony Formosa1982–1986
Lawrence Borg1987–1989
Martin Gregory1999–2001
Augustine Eguavoen1 July 2000 – 30 June 2001
Jeff Wood2000–2002
Lawrence Borg2001–2002
Edward Aquilina2002–2006
Ray Farrugia2006–2007
Stephen Azzopardi1 November 2007 – 30 May 2010
Mark Marlow1 July 2010 – 30 June 2011
Danilo Dončić3 February 2011 – 27 May 2012
Clive Mizzi27 May 2012 – 7 August 2012
Alfonso Greco1 July 2012 – October 2014
Stephen AzzopardiOctober 2014 – December 2015
Alfonso Greco1 January 2016 – May 2016
John ButtigiegJune 2016 – present

Honours

Maltese Premier League Champions: 26
1919–20, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1925–26, 1929–30, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1948–49, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1975–76, 1988–89, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05
Maltese FA Trophy Champions: 21
1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1939–40, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1989–90, 1999–2000, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2015–16
Maltese First Division Champions:
1983–84
Maltese Super Cup Champions: 3
1996, 2000, 2009