Floriana FC

ed as parade grounds, training areas and for sporting activities. The sports practised by the soldiers were mainly cricket, hockey and football. Obviously, the locals who were influenced by the soldiers stationed in the area were introduced to these sporting activities. The most popular sports amongst the residents of Floriana was football, however some also practiced cricket and hockey. It is worth noting at this juncture that Floriana still has its hockey club. It is said that at the end of the 19th Century a group of youngsters from Floriana, assisted by soldiers based in the area, formed the first football team. It is understood that this team held football matches against another team formed in Cospicua, the St George’s. There is also historical proof that both teams were the first football teams in Malta. However, there is evidence that this Floriana Football Team was established in 1894. Between 1894 and 1905 the club's colours were green/red quartered shirts, black shorts with green and red socks. The official colours of the club as we know them today, green and white vertical striped shirts, white shorts and green/white horizontal striped socks, were introduced in 1905. At that time the Royal Irish Fusiliers were stationed in Floriana. During that year, three friendly matches were held between this regiment and Floriana Football Team. At the end of the final match both teams exchanged their shirts and, the officials of the Irish Fusiliers expressed their wish that Floriana Football Team changed their official colours to their green and white shirts. Incidentally, this regiment left the Island in that same year to India. The ties between Floriana and the Royal Irish Fusiliers were so strong that the people hailing from Floriana were nicknamed after the Irish, "Tal-Irish", while another nickname was ‘Tal-Qagħaq’. The Club was formally organised as Floriana Football Club in the year 1907 under the leadership of Mr. Jimmy Jones as President and Mr. Victor Camilleri as Secretary. On the 20th February 1910 Floriana FC played their first ever league match against Sliema Wanderers FC, and the Club used the green and white vertical shirt with black shorts and black socks. The club's mascot is the lion, which features prominently on the green and white vertical striped club's badge together with the Latin motto "Ex Ludis Virtus", meaning "virtue out of the game". In this regard, the club's badge represents the fierceness of the lion together with the virtues of sportsmanship. Since the foundation of the Malta Football Association in 1900 and the introduction of various local competitions/challenge cups, the club won a total of 117 honours, which include 26 League titles and 27 Cup-Tie competitions (20 FA Trophy – 4 MFA Cups – 3 Cousis Challenge Shield). Beside local honours, the Club has achieved other titles outside the island. Floriana FC achieved 11 international honours mostly played in Tripoli (Libja) against the best teams of the Northern African continent. These honours were mostly won before World War two, and the most mentioned achievement was the ‘La Gloire’ trophy won by the greens against Racing Club FC on the 12th June 1921. The club has also achieved a number of impressive feats, such as four consecutive league championships 1949-50, 1950-51, 1951-52 and 1952-53, winning the league title in season 1961-62 with maximum points, and an outstanding achievement of 37 consecutive competitive matches without a defeat during the period from 15th February 1976 to 22nd February 1977, in which the Club won 7 honours. Floriana FC is still the only club to win 10 doubles by winning the league and the cup-tie competition in the same season. Over the years, FFC participated in the various competitions organised by the European football body, UEFA, such as the: UEFA Champions Cup/League, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Fair Cities' Cup, UEFA Cup/ Europa League and Intertoto Cup. In 1962, the club was the first to represent Malta in UEFA competitions in its UEFA Cup Winners' Cup against the Hungarian side Upjest Dozsa. Over the years, Floriana FC had the opportunity to meet some renowned European football clubs with the likes of: Ipswich Town (England), FC Internazionale (Italy), Sparta Rotterdam (Holland), Panathiniakos (Greece), Ferencvaros (Hungry), Dundee Utd (Scotland), FC Porto (Portugal), twice Borussia Dortmund (Germany), and Red Star Belgrade (Serbia). On three occasions, Floriana FC made it to the next round in the 1993 UEFA Champions Cup, 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup and 2020 UEFA Europa League. In 1989 the club founded its youth sector, Floriana FC Nursery, which is affiliated to the Malta Youth Football Association. The club's youth sector may also be considered as one of the most successful organisations of its type on the Island, not only has it produced a number of some of the finest footballers, but it has also managed to win a good number of league titles organised by the Youth FA.