Champions Valletta FC won seven of the 10 top awards on offer yesterday as the winners of the GO Malta Football Awards were announced.

A large number of Maltese footballers, club officials, administrators and other guests attended the 10th edition of the Awards ceremony yesterday evening at the MFCC at Ta’ Qali. The event was also broadcast live on TVM and was presented by sports journalists Catherine Micallef, Simon Farrugia and Rodney Vassallo.

Roderick Briffa topped the list with two awards – best midfielder and best Maltese player. Team-mates Andrew Hogg (best goalkeeper), Jonathan Caruana (best defender), Gilbert Agius (best veteran), Denni Rocha dos Santos (best foreigner) and Jesmond Zerafa (best coach) were the other award winners from Valletta FC. Floriana’s Daniel Nwoke (best striker), Birkirkara’s Rowen Muscat (best youngster) and Alan Mario Sant (best referee) were the other winners.

Sandro Micallef, Chairperson of the Organising Committee, said he was happy with the attendance and enthusiasm that these Awards create each year. For each category, journalists and three members from each club voted, namely the President/Club Official, Coach and Captain with the exception of the Award for The Best Referee which was voted for by journalists only.

The Award for The Best Goal of the Season sponsored by GO and the award for The Best Save of the Season were the only two awards trusted in the hands of the general public who voted for them via a televoting premium number associated with each goal and save.

The Organising Committee also gave a Career Award to ex-referee Adrian Casha and a special award to Birkirkara FC, the club who won the most silverware in the past decade – two championships, four trophies, five Super Cups and two Euro Cups.

The winners

Best Third Division Player Lee Baldacchino - Luqa FC

Best Second Division Player Adam Smeir - Rabat A.

Best First Division Player Gilbert Martin - Mosta FC

Best Female Player (1st Division) Antoinette Sammut - Mġarr FC, Dorianne Theuma - Mosta FC

Best GFA Player (1st Division) Adrian Parnis - Sannat Lions

Best Futsal Player (1st Division) Florin - ZC Excess

Most Promising Youngster Rowen Muscat - Birkirkara FC

Best Goalkeeper Andrew Hogg - Valletta FC

Best Defender Jonathan Caruana - Valletta F

Best Midfielder Roderick Briffa- Valletta FC

Best Coach Jesmond Zerafa - Valletta FC

Best Striker Daniel Nwoke - Floriana FC

Best Veteran Player Gilbert Agius - Valletta FC

Best Foreign Player Denni Rocha Dos Santos - Valletta FC

Best Maltese Player Roderick Briffa - Valletta FC

Best Referee Alan Mario Sant