Happy 50th Birthday Exiles Sports Club

It was exactly fifty years ago to the day, Friday the 28th July 1967, when the Club’s waterpolo pitch was officially inaugurated a few metres away from where today’s concrete platform ends.

The sea was choppy but the show had to go on after the previous night, members of the Committee and and loads of friends helped in the finishing touches to the goalposts and the frail football nets which adorned the same goalposts. The afternoon’s programme consisted of two friendly matches with a curtain raiser between the so called Exiles Reserves’ team taking on the Balluta (now San Giljan)  “minors” – players under 18 years of age  and which the latter won 5-2.

The Sunday Times of Malta edition two days later reported the event with a photo showing Mr Ronnie Demajo – the Club’s Honorary President and first sponsor tossing the ball from a springboard in the presence of Herbert Naudi the first Club President.  There was much cheering and singing by rival supporters as the game progressed.  In the main match of the afternoon, Exiles first team played Fond Ghadir – a group of youngsters who named their team after a that of a near-by beach in Sliema which they frequented – with the final score ending 2-0 for Exiles. The snippet ended Praise must be showered on the Exiles Committee for the wonderful handling of the day’s time-table and the Exiles players for putting up a great show in their match

There are two photos of this memorable day for our Club; one which appeared on the STOM of the 30th July 1967 clearly showing the choppy waters, at the start of the second match on the card as both teams swam for the ball, a second one showing both Exiles teams at the hut of  the Civil Service Sports Club which was used by Exiles until 1990 when they moved to the brand new premises in the proximity.  Original clear photos are not at hand – there are hazy copies but might be difficult to reproduce for uploading.

For the record, Martin Scicluna, Edgar Montanaro, Ray Cuschieri, Tonio Cuschieri, John Laferla, Jean Pierre Cauchi, Tony Grixti,  Joe Camilleri, Lawrence Fenech, Gerald Bonello and Karol Farrugia played for the Reserves.

The first team on the day was composed of Gino Camilleri, Herman Miceli Demajo, Martin Frendo, Brian Micallef, Vanni Bruno, Charles Grixti, Jimmy Busuttil, and Frank Sammut.

KaFa

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