In the early years of Malta's participation in European club competitions, our interest was limited to forecasts about how many goals our clubs were going to concede in such matches.

From 1961 to 1965, Maltese teams let in so many goals that fans and critics began to question the wisdom of participating on the same platform as the giants of Europe. Then, in 1965, something happened which started to change this dismal picture.

On October 11, 1965, Maltese newspapers reported with a pardonable feeling of pride, although with a tinge of regret, that Sliema Wanderers had beaten Panathinaikos, of Greece, 1-0 in the Champions Cup to become the first Maltese team to record a victory in a European competition.

I say regret because Sliema dominated so much of the game that they could quite easily have scored a naphand victory and secured a place in the second round. It was this 'what-might-have-been' feeling that somehow blemished the joy of the Sliema supporters. To lose against a team like Panathinaikos is no disgrace. Therefore, how much more prestigious was this victory against a first-class professional team like the Greeks?

A series of 'ifs' could have made this victory even more emphatic for the Wanderers. Had the Sliema forwards shown more composure in front of goal and bad luck not dogged the Blues in the first half, they would have knocked the Greeks out of the competition.

However, the biggest 'if' was provided by Italian referee Concetto Lo Bello.

At a crucial point of the game, Sakelarides grabbed Robbie Buttigieg by the neck and unceremoniously pulled him down to the ground.

Buttigieg was never one to cry wolf in such situations but while he was still on the ground, someone from the Sliema bench shouted for him to stay down and the Sliema captain obliged.

There was no doubt that it was a foul. Lo Bello certainly had no qualms about it. After consulting his linesman, Lo Bello showed Sakelarides the way to the dressing room.

In those days, few argued with Lo Bello's decisions. Sakelarides just shook his head and meekly left the ground. The Sliema supporters were ecstatic but Lo Bello's show was not over yet.

Turning to Buttigieg, who was still sitting on the ground, he said: "Tu mi prendi in giro... fuori!" (You're making a fool of me... out").

And off went Buttigieg for the first and only time in his career.

Lo Bello was certainly the best referee in the world in his era but was renowned for his showmanship and for the way he tried to steal centre-stage from the players.

His decision that day certainly cost Sliema a goal or two and, perhaps, qualification to the second round of the competition.

All in all, however, leaving aside the 'would have beens', it was an excellent performance by the Wanderers which went some way to boosting the flagging confidence of our teams when facing foreign clubs in European competitions. That year, Sliema were eliminated by Panathinaikos 4-2 on aggregate.