Today’s football inspired trip takes us to Malta.
Due to Covid the Maltese League has just been cancelled and given to Floriana FC, prompting some distinctly un-distanced celebrations.
Their first title since the ’90s (remember the ’90s?) in a season we can basically write off. Sound familiar, Liverpool ?
Back in 1968 Floriana had just won their 20th title, edging out Hamrun Spartans after a marathon campaign.
No idea how I got this programme, a suspiciously named “Soccer Magazine” produced for the regular “English sides get a post-season holiday in the sun” fixture.
Floriana is a suburb on the approach to the capital Valletta, but prestige fixtures like this were played at The Stadium in nearby Gzira, looking a bit like Bradford Park Avenue these days.
A ceremonial sort of programme, lacking manager’s notes (“We had them on the rack when they scored their 3rd“) but it does have Bobby Moore and luxury goods.
One advert for a hotel, the posh one on Gozo, and one for a launderette (I think).
I’m sure the Pompey squad enjoyed their nights out in Valletta (Oliver Reed didn’t get there till ’99),
but I doubt they made it to my 2018 Pub of the Year.
Coming to Malta and NOT going to Marsaskala Labour Club is like visiting Stockport and NOT doing Winter’s the Boar’s Head.
retiredmartin 
What wouldn’t I give to be able to visit Malta (or indeed visit anywhere, these days!). The closest I got was Brindisi, where I boarded an overnight boat to Greece during a gloriously long European solo trip, fall of 1985.
I’m not sure going to Marsaskala Labour Club would be so high on my list of places to go, but this just shows how ill-informed my priorities really are, clearly!
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Ooh, Brindisi.
Mrs RM and I were only talking about the heel of Italy yesterday. She did a similar solo European rail trip to you in 86 or so.
What were your highlights?
Malta is quite genteel compared to Italy or Greece. Notably, Richard loved it and Duncan was more reserved recently.
The coastline is gorgeous, the interior a bit dull, it’s all a bit safe. But a night in the Marsaskala Labour Club could be the night of your life 😉
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Martin, if I were to list all my highlights from that trip, I fear I’d leave a comment of almost Russ-esque proportions. 😉 The 5 countries I got to see were Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, and Greece, in that order, over the course of 3 months. In the first 3 countries I had friends to stay with and as a result got a real “off the tourist track” view of things; such a treat. I have happy memories of staying in my friend’s parents’ house in the Danish countryside, for example, where we visited the white cliffs of Denmark. Not a single other soul was there on that (very drizzly) day.
My experience of Italy really was entirely as a tourist. Had lots of fun, though. I recall walking up into the hills outside of Florence, getting a little taste of the “real Italy.” In Greece I was visiting an American of Greek ancestry, which allowed me to get a bit beyond the typical tourist experience. Recall stopping in a tiny restaurant somewhere in the south of Crete, where they insisted we try the local ouzo– at 10am!
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The more detail the better, Mark.
I’d never heard of the white cliffs of Denmark, though I see our coach from Copenhagen to Lubeck passed within 20 miles of them in 2017. If you went to Fiesole in the hills above Florence you made the right choice !
Ouzo at 10am. Wetherspoons at 9 ?
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