Malta. An interesting season, which stays in memory for two reasons – the more important one is that there was surprise change of guard. The other is controversy: it was truncated season. Round 6 was not played because of players’ strike. But there were two games which later were seen as crucial for the final table: Rabat Ajax vs Hamrun Spartans concerned the title; Hibernians vs Floriana concerned relegation. Was it really that important? The losers at the end of the season claim it was. On the other hand, even in a tiny league the 6th round would hardly be most important. The final losers, which happened to be visitors at these games, simply should have been getting more points in their other games.
Mqabba, a rather young club by Maltese standards, was more interesting newcomer – they were to be practically debutantes. Thus, also hopeless and expected to last just a single season.
Anyhow, right to the end: Birkirkara and Mqabba were on top of Second Division, earning promotions. Strike or no strike, Marsa was hopeless and helpless – they got only 1 point, thus last and out of First Division. Floriana, with 13 points, was next to last – that is 7th – and relegated. Oh, well… if the 6th round was played, they would have been out of trouble. Of course, they were to prevail against Hibernians. Wishful thinking, that. Three teams finished with 14 points at the end, but even the ‘victimized’ Floriana did not imagine finishing ahead of Valletta (having surprisingly weak weak season) and Zurrieq. Sliema Wanderers ended 3rd with 15 points. If the 6th round was played, they still had no chance to win the title – remember, at the time a win brought only 2 points. No matter how Rabat Ajax vs Hamrun Spartans would have ended, there was to be at least one team with more points than Sliema. ‘Victims’ Hamrun Spartans finished 2nd with 16 points. They lost just 1 game and had the best defensive record (8 goals), so, according to them, they would have been sure winners in Rabat. Easy to claim victory of unplayed match. Back in Rabat the mood was entirely different and there was no reason even to argue against the funny claim of the Spartans: the Magpies were champions!
With 5 wins, 7 ties, and single loss, Rabat Ajax had 17 points and number 1 in the final table. It was historic victory – the club was found in 1930 as Rabat Rovers, eventually evolving into Rabat Ajax. So far, their history was checkered – plying quite often in the Second Division and almost never serious candidate for top place. This was their 1st title. Actually, it was their 1st trophy ever, so no matter what anybody else said, they were going to celebrate.
Standing from left: R. Scerri, M. Scicluna, Y. Filipov, A. McGonigle, E. Cortis.
First row: M. Zahra, E. Azzopardi, C. Busuttil, E. Caruana, C. Scerri, J. Borg.
The lowly state of Maltese football hardly makes even historic squad noticeable abroad, but here a footnote is in order. Like everywhere else, in the 1980s Maltese clubs were fortifying themselves with foreigners – McGonigle and Filipov, in the case of Rabat Ajax. Apparently, the imports helped and it is the Bulgarian goalkeeper Yordan Filipov, who deserves a footnote. A long time goalkeeper of CSKA (Sofia) and the Bulgarian national team, he practically disappeared after 1980 – no big surprise, though. The guy was both controversial and old. He disappeared before, largely because of disciplinary problems. Drinking was half-mouthed to be the cause and his club at least once suspended him for a long period. Eventually he was released by CSKA around 1980 and after that he popped up here and there, including second division. Now he was 38 old, so his absence was assumed to be because of retirement. His transfer to Rabat Ajax was never announced, but here he was, helping the Magpies to win their first title. And that was not the end of Filipov either – he was still to play for many years. For the moment, he just added a Maltese title to his collection of Bulgarian trophies.
The Cup final produced the second surprise: Valletta and Zurieq met and although both teams were fairly equal this year, Valletta was expected to win. Historically, the strongest Maltese club, Valletta was expected to mend the weak season. Zurrieq… everything spoke against them: more often than not, they played in the Second Division and when playing top league, they were only concerned with avoiding relegation. But this rare opportunity was not to be missed and the underdog managed to end the final scoreless, after overtime. In the replay, they dropped bigger bomb, winning 2-1.
Here are the winners – another historic squad of 1984-85. Like Rabat Ajax, Zurrieq never won anything.
And at last they triumphed and surely it was great moment. And perhaps growing larger with time, for Zurrieq so far did not add another trophy.
