Lions win epic battle with Liberty to clinch promotion in 1945-46

Every football club go through a period when their first team seem to flourish more than at any other time in their history.

For Naxxar Lions, this 'golden period' was between 1945 and 1948 when the club enjoyed some of the brightest moments in existence.

Naxxar had a formidable team those days. With players of the calibre of Pawlu and Censu Friggieri, Patistu Attard, Willie Bennetti, Likku Saliba, Ninu Calleja, Lofaro Depares, Joe Zammit, Leone Buttigieg and Nikol Aquilina, the Lions were the revelation side of the that particular era.

Their half-back line, made up of Zammit, Censu Friggieri and Falzon, was regarded by many to be the best on the island.

By 1944, they were already attracting attention with their exploits against Services XI's. Then, in September 1945, Naxxar was chosen by the MFA to take part in the Second Division.

Naxxar enjoyed a very good season, finishing runners-up to Floriana Tigers. Despite being a Second Division club their players, namely Patist Attard, Pawlu and Censu Friggieri and Nikol Aquilina, were picked to play for the MFA XI.

Although not as well-known as his team-mates, Aquilina was one of the most promising forwards at the time.

Unfortunately, he died when still at the height of his career after collapsing during a training session with Hibernians at the Schreiber Sports Ground.

In 1945-46, Naxxar clinched promotion to the First Division after an epic battle with Hamrun Liberty. The crowds which the two rivals drew to the stadium in those days were the envy of most of the First Division clubs.

The all-important clash between the two promotion contenders was enormous by any standard. Old-timers from the Msida and Gzira area will probably tell you that they have never seen a bigger crowd at the ground for Sunday morning football than on that 1946 occasion.

Naxxar won 4-0 to win the championship and promotion to the First Division. Hamrun then took their own back when they beat Naxxar 3-2 in the Second Division cup final.

Naxxar, however, had the last laugh. They were the league winners and the ones to play in the top flight the following season.

Naxxar's stay in the First Division was short, but eventful. There were many memorable occasions like that when they beat Hibernians 6-1 in the league and the two draws they obtained against Sliema Wanderers.

There was also the 0-0 draw against Valletta in the semi-final of the FA Trophy before the tie was finally decided in favour of the Citizens.

All good things must come to an end, to cite an old saying, and for Naxxar the end came in 1948-49 when they were relegated after losing a decider against St George's FC.

After that, the team broke up and it took them many years and the intervention of president Michael Zammit Tabona to help them restore their pride and a place back among the elite of Maltese football.

Zammit Tabona's time as president of Naxxar Lions is another club milestone but the long gone and never forgotten era of the late 40s, remains perhaps as the greatest in the history of the club. It still brings back fond memories to those who remember the exploits of that fine Lions' team.

At the moment, Naxxar are passing through another transitory period in their league career.

A club with their traditions, however, should find enough impetus in the future to stage another foray into the top division of domestic football.