The 19th edition of The Football Year Book - Malta is out! As has been the case in the past two decades (the first issue in the series was published in 1986), Lewis Portelli, as editor, has been recording for posterity the main and important events of the local football season under review as well as giving a glimpse of the chief protagonists who will be battling it out during the present campaign (2005/2006).
The 232-page Football Year Book - Malta kicks off with president, Dr Joseph Mifsud's, comprehensive and very interesting account of the administrative and organisational achievements of the Malta FA.
An overview of the whole spectrum of the competitions organised by the parent body including statistics, dates, results, referees etc is included in Part II. Other important facts and statistics pertaining to the 25th anniversary of the Premier League are also recorded in this section together with the champion clubs of the various divisions since the inception of their respective leagues.
This year The Football Year Book - Malta sees the grouping together of two major competitions: the start-of-the-season "preparation" matches for the Euro cup and the Super Cup club titles. Both these competitions have a long history and have been played for cups under different names and titles. This re-grouping makes it easier for readers to analyse better the particular club's achievements.
International matches and events by the Maltese national teams of all categories: "A", Under 21, Under 19 and Under 17 are registered in Part III which is replete with team formations, statistics and results.
Part IV is dedicated to European competitions organised by UEFA also highlighting the Maltese clubs' participation. Another entry concerns the FIFA Confederations Cup won by Brazil.
During the official launching of The Football Year Book - Malta, Lewis Portelli had words of praise for Benny Pace, his main collaborator since the very first issue, for his most valid contribution, as well as that of Mario Axiaq, whose invaluable help is very much appreciated.
Lewis Portelli also thanked all advertisers without whose help the publication of The Football Year Book - Malta would be very difficult indeed.
At the end of his speech, Lewis Portelli handed Dr Mifsud the first of 50 complimentary copies of this book of reference to the Malta FA.
The Football Year Book is available at all leading stationers at a very reasonable price of Lm2.50.
During the launching of the book, Dr Mifsud also announced that the UEFA Executive Committee meeting to be held in Malta next week, is to approve, among others, a new format for the UEFA Under 21 competition.
The new competition is to have separate draws from those previously used for European Championships and World Cups. This means that the groups will be entirely different from the senior competitions with the finals being played every two years, in between the European Championship and the World Cup, which are held every four years. The first tournament under the new format will be held next year with the finals in 2007.