After the foundation of the Viola Club Malta in 1968, the club was being administered by a Committee according to the statute of the Associazione Centro Coordinamento Viola Club of Firenze with which the Maltese Viola Club was affiliated. The main objective of the club was and still is, to promote the name of ACF Fiorentina among the people of Malta and Gozo by organising social, cultural, sport, recreational and touristic activities.
As everybody knows ACF Fiorentina is a professional football club which represents the Italian City of Firenze, one of the most beautiful cities in the world and therefore the members of the Viola Club are all football fans of this Florentine club. ACF Fiorentina were founded in 1926. The late years of the 60s were very successful for ACF Fiorentina because during the football season 1968/69, "i viola" or "i gigliati" as they are known, won their second "scudetto". The first "scudetto" was won during the 1955/56 season. To celebrate the second "scudetto" a dinner was organised for the members, their relatives and friends of the Viola Club at Ghar Lapsi. In those years, we followed the Italian Serie A and B matches through the very popular radio live transmission "Tutto il calcio minuto per minuto" and the Rai program "La Domenica Sportiva".
Alexander Damato, Honorary President of VIOLA CLUB MALTA, centre, with Giancarlo Antognoni, ACF Fiorentina's Club Manager, right, and Ing. Gino Salica, ACF Fiorentina's Vice-President, left, holding a viola jersey printed "Viola Club Malta", donated to the club by the Vice-President.
Other activities were organieed in the early years of existence of the club and the Committee meetings were held monthly either at the Anglo-Maltese League Club in Merchants' Street or La Valette Band Club in Valletta. The 70s were very difficult years for the Tuscan team and the Viola Club Malta due to these unsuccessful seasons of their favourite football team was not very active.
However, in those years a star was born in the viola team. This footballer was Giancarlo Antognoni. His debut with ACF Fiorentina was in October, 1972 during the match against Verona Hellas at Verona.
The viola jersey printed "Viola Club Malta", donated to the club by ACF Fiorentina's Vice-President Ing. Gino Salica.
The "viola" side won 2 - 1 and Antognoni had a very good match. Antognoni was known as a footballer looking at the stars while possessing the ball in his feet. He was renowned for his long passes, the precision and hard shots of the free-kicks outside the penalty area. Antognoni had a brilliant career but he suffered two very serious injuries in 1981 and in 1983. He won the "Coppa Italia 1974/75". He was an "azzurro" and he participated in the World Cup 1978 in Argentina where Italy placed in the 4th place and in the World Cup 1982 in Spain where Italy won that edition. So, most of the Viola Club members followed the matches of this famous and loved footballer who afterwards was promoted to General Director and now Club Manager of the Florentine club.
Second Activity - Saturday, 31st March
Members of the Viola Club Malta and supporters of ACF Fiorentina are kindly invited to attend an activity on next Saturday, 31st March in a popular restaurant in Rabat, Malta. The activity will include lunch and afterwards at 3.00 p.m. the football match Fiorentina vs. Crotone on a big television. All those interested are kindly asked to contact Alexander Damato on 79319596 or email: [email protected] for more details.