Valletta F.C.


Valletta FC is a semi-professional football club based in Valletta, the capital city of Malta, and competes in the Maltese Premier League, the top flight of Maltese football. The club was founded in 1943 after a merge of Valletta Prestons, Valletta St. Paul's and Valletta United, the latter being a two-time league winner before the Second World War.
Considered as one of the most supported and successful clubs in Maltese football, the club has won 25 league titles, 14 FA Trophies and a record 13 Super Cups.

History

There is no clear evidence on when Valletta F.C. started, hence the fact that Valletta possessed two clubs at that era. The foundation of Valletta F.C. was laid with the creation of the Valletta United team. Valletta United was known as the "team of the square" since the club was located in St. George's Square. Valletta United represented the city from 1904 to 1932.
The city of Valletta in Malta has a long footballing history, between 1886 and 1919 at some point or another, around fourteen teams had competed representing the city. Amongst these early teams included the popular Boys Empire League, Valletta College, St. George's Square, Dockyard Albion and Malta Athletic Club.
An early step in the history of the current club was the founding of Valletta United Football Club in 1903 by local youngsters. Despite their enthusiasm for the game which had been brought to the island by the British, the youngsters had a rough start with limited supplies. They cut their white trousers into long shorts and dyed their shirts into that of the club colours for their uniforms.
The Ditch at Porte des Bombes, which itself had been the scene of the first ever recorded Maltese football match in 1886, was chosen to host Valletta United's first match on 9 January 1904. United faced off against a team from the Collegiate School and won 1–0 with a strike from a forward named L. Agius. The full Valletta United team that day included;


The club soon found a more permanent home at St. George's Square, just opposite the Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta; they gained the nickname "the team of the square" because of this. Valletta first gained silverware during the 1914–15 season, when they won both the Cousis Shield and the Maltese League championship, it was only the fifth season the league had been competed in Malta.
Much of Maltese football was dominated by Floriana and Sliema Wanderers up until the Second World War, Valletta attempted to upset the status quo several times; they won the Cousis Shield for the second time in 1920–21 and finished as runners-up in the Maltese League during both 1925–26 and 1926–27. During their last ever season, Valletta United upset the two main clubs in Malta of the time, by winning the Maltese League in 1931–32, however they did not enter the following season.
Although Sliema and Floriana dominated the local scene in those times, by winning these trophies it was Valletta United that started to break into this monopoly and induce greater competition. Valletta United were very active in the Championship of the first division and in fact played 97 games.
During the period that Valletta United played within the Malta Football Association, Valletta United won the championship in 1931–32. However, for some reason in the following season, Valletta United disappeared from the football scene and thus the monopoly of Sliema and Floriana football clubs recommenced.
Valletta United was not the only team from the city that played in the highest Division of the M.F.A. In the 1925–26 and the 1926–27 seasons there were Valletta Rovers who played in the highest Division of the M.F.A., then in the season 1937–38 and 1938–39 there was Valletta City.

The winning of five cups in one season

In 1996–97 Valletta F.C. won all five competitions that the Maltese football offers. This was done by succeeding to win the Premier League, Rothmans Trophy, Super Five Cup, Lowenbrau Cup and Super Cup.

The historic season – 2000–01 – Six cups in one season

In the season 2000–01, Valletta F.C. succeeded in breaking their own record from 1996–97. This time they won the six competitions offered by the M.F.A. This particular season there was an additional one, namely the Centenary Cup. It had been added to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the M.F.A.

2007–08: Champions again

Hope for their first trophy in seven years was a huge thought running through Valletta fans in the summer of 2007. Valletta spent a lot of money in the transfer market and expectations were high. Valletta began the season in the worst possible fashion, with a 3–2 defeat to Eternal rivals, Floriana. Valletta's poor start continued with a 1–1 draw against Hibernians, defeat to Sliema, a 0–0 draw with Hamrun Spartans and Msida respectively. However, eventually Valletta hit good form with a 1–0 win over Birkirkara, a 7–0 trashing over champions Marsaxlokk and they gained revenge over Floriana with a 4–0 win on 8 December. After wins over Msida, Mqabba, Hamrun, Sliema and Marsaxlokk the club showed its winning pedigree. Valletta headed to the final round of the season on a high note.
Valletta won their 19th Premier League title after Marsaxlokk failed to beat Birkirkara on Saturday 3 May after a very successful Championship Pool campaign. However, with the title in the bag the long unbeaten streak soon came to an end, and the season ended with a number of defeats. The team also failed to reach the U*Bet F.A. Trophy 2008 final, after losing 4–2 to rivals Birkirkara in the semi-final. But except for the early stages and the post-championship games, Valletta had been the most consistent side.

20th Title

Valletta won the 2010–11 BOV Premier League as an unbeaten team which brought the 20th title to Valletta FC's history.

21st Title (3/4 cups)

Valletta won The 2011–12 BOV Premier League with two matches still to go after beating Sliema Wanderers 3–0, this was the 21st title in the history of Valletta.
They won three cups out of four cups in the domestic league:
The 2011–12 BOV Premier League,
The 2011–12 Maltese Super Cup,
and the Euro Challenge Cup.

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Retired numbers

Coaching staff

PositionStaff
Coach Jesmond Zerafa
Assistant coach Gilbert Agius
Goalkeeping coach Romeo Schembri
Team manager Gerard Ellul
Training assistant Jason Galea Lucas
Physical trainer Karl Sciortino
Physio Oscar Alonso
Kit manager Clint Mizzi

Managerial history

DatesName
1949–1950 Harry Tedder
1958–1959 Jock Gilmour
1959–1960 William Dingwall
1962–1964 Carm Borg
1968–1970 Tony Formosa
1970–1972 Josie Urpani
1973–1975 Tony Formosa
1976–1977 Terenzio Polverini
1977–1978 Lolly Debattista
1978–1982 John Calleja
1982–1984 Joe Cilia
1986–1988 Tony Formosa
Joe Micallef
1989–1990 George Busuttil
1989–1990 Eddie Vella
1991–1993 Tony Euchar Grech
1993–1994 Lawrence Borg
1994–1995 Joe Cilia
Edward Aquilina
1995–1998 Edward Aquilina
1998–2001 Krasimir Manolov
2001–2002 Georgi Deanov
2003–2004 Atanas Marinov
2004–2005 J.J. Aquilina
2004–2009 Paul Zammit
2009–2010 Ton Caanen
2010–2012 Jesmond Zerafa
2012–2013 Mark Miller
2014 André Paus
2014–2015 Gilbert Agius
Ivan Zammit
2015–2017 Paul Zammit
2015–2017 Zoran Popović
2017– 2019 Danilo Dončić
2019 Gilbert Agius
2019–2020 Darren Abdilla
feb-jun 2020 Giovanni Tedesco
2020- Jesmond Zerafa

European record

CompetitionPlayedWonDrewLostGFGAGDWin%

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Legend: GF = Goals For. GA = Goals Against. GD = Goal Difference.
SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
1963–64European CupPR Dukla Praguealign="center"
1964–65European Cup Winners' Cup1R Real Zaragozaalign="center"
1972–73UEFA Cup1R Inter Milanalign="center"
1974–75European Cup1R HJK Helsinkialign="center"
1975–76European Cup Winners' Cup1R Haladás VSEalign="center"
1977–78European Cup Winners' Cup1R Dynamo Moscowalign="center"
1978–79European Cup1R Grasshopperalign="center"
1979–80UEFA Cup1R Leeds Unitedalign="center"
1980–81European CupPR Budapest Honvédalign="center"
1983–84European Cup Winners' Cup1R Rangersalign="center"
1984–85European Cup1R Austria Wienalign="center"
1987–88UEFA Cup1R Juventusalign="center"
1989–90UEFA Cup1R First Viennaalign="center"
1990–91European Cup1R Rangersalign="center"
1991–92UEFA Cup Winners' Cup1R Portoalign="center"
1992–93UEFA Champions LeaguePR Maccabi Tel Avivalign="center"
1993–94UEFA Cup1R Trabzonsporalign="center"
1994–95UEFA CupPR Rapid Bucureștialign="center"
1995–96UEFA Cup Winners' CupQR Inter Bratislavaalign="center"
1996–97UEFA Cup Winners' CupQR Gloria Bistrițaalign="center"
1997–98UEFA Champions League1QR Skonto Rigaalign="center"
1998–99UEFA Champions League1QR Anorthosis Famagustaalign="center"
1999–00UEFA Champions League1QR Barry Townalign="center"
1999–00UEFA Champions League2QR Rapid Wienalign="center"
2000–01UEFA Cup1QR Rijekaalign="center"
2001–02UEFA Champions League1QR Hakaalign="center"
2002UEFA Intertoto Cup1R Teutaalign="center"
2003–04UEFA Cup1QR Neuchâtel Xamaxalign="center"
2005UEFA Intertoto Cup1R Budućnost Podgoricaalign="center"
2008–09UEFA Champions League1QR Artmediaalign="center"
2009–10UEFA Europa League1QR Keflavíkalign="center"
2009–10UEFA Europa League2QR St Patrick's Athleticalign="center"
2010–11UEFA Europa League2QR Ruch Chorzówalign="center"
2011–12UEFA Champions League1QR Tre Fiorialign="center"
2011–12UEFA Champions League2QR Ekranasalign="center"
2012–13UEFA Champions League1QR Lusitanosalign="center"
2012–13UEFA Champions League2QR Partizanalign="center"
2013–14UEFA Europa League1QR Fioritaalign="center"
2013–14UEFA Europa League2QR Minskalign="center"
2014–15UEFA Champions League2QR Qarabağalign="center"
2015–16UEFA Europa League1QR Newtownalign="center"
2016–17UEFA Champions League1QR B36 Tórshavnalign="center"
2016–17UEFA Champions League2QR Red Star Belgradealign="center"
2017–18UEFA Europa League1QR Folgorealign="center"
2017–18UEFA Europa League2QR FC Utrechtalign="center"
2018–19UEFA Champions League1QR Kukësialign="center"
2018–19UEFA Europa League2QR Zrinjski Mostaralign="center"
2019–20UEFA Champions League1QR F91 Dudelangealign="center"
2019–20UEFA Champions League2QR Ferencvárosalign="center"
2019–20UEFA Europa League3QR Astanaalign="center"
2020–21UEFA Europa League1QR

Honours

CompetitionTitlesSeasons
Maltese Premier League 251914–15, 1931–32, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
Maltese FA Trophy141959–60, 1963–64, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2017–18
Maltese Super Cup131990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2019
Cassar Cup41943–44, 1958–59, 1965–66, 1967–68
Super 5 Lottery Tournament41992–93, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2000–01
Cousis Shield21914–15, 1920–21
Scicluna Cup21960–61, 1963–64
Independence Cup31974–75, 1979–80, 1980–81
Malta Cup11943–44
Testaferrata Cup11979–80
Centenary Cup12000–01
Maltese National League 100 Anniversary Cup12009–10
Euro Challenge Cup61983–84, 1987–88, 1989–90, 2011–12, 2013-14, 2014-15
Löwenbräu Cup61993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01
Coronation Cup11953–54
Sons of Malta Cup21974–75, 1978–79
Olympic Cup11962–63
Melita Cup11911
Ranger's Cup11914
Poppy Day Fund Cup11960–61
BetFair Cup12008
Mare Blue Cup22010–11, 2011–12
Doubles: League & Trophy in the same season81914–15, 1959–60, 1977–78, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2013–14, 2017–18
All Cups in the same season31996–97, 2000–01, 2017–2018