Former Manchester United star David Beckham sent a video message to the Maltese supporters’ club to thank them for backing “the best club in the world” on their 60th anniversary.

In his message, which played during the club's 60th anniversary dinner and will feature in a documentary premiere about the supporters’ club, he says he always “felt at home” in Malta. 

He has visited Malta on a number of occasions, including when he came to the island for the first time with his parents and later on with fellow team-mates Chris Casper, Ben Thornley and Gary Neville.

“I can’t believe it’s been 60 years since you’ve been supporting the best club in the world,” he says.

“I’ve got such fond memories of being over and I can’t wait to come back.”

His father Ted will be among the first people to see Man Utd The Religion, a 112-minute documentary created by filmmaker John Gubba, at the premiere in St James Cavalier.

The documentary explores the history of the world’s oldest Manchester United supporters’ club from its formation in 1959, a year after eight players were killed in the Munich air crash. 

The club’s founder John Calleja formed the supporters’ club after developing a friendship with the football club’s goalkeeper Jack Crompton and club manager Matt Busby.

Gary Neville and Sir Alex Ferguson at the supporters club looking at the memorabilia. Photo: Manchester United Supporters’ Club Malta

The relationship between the club and the supporters had grown to the point that when Manchester United won the ‘treble’ – the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League in 1999 – they were flown to Malta for a special celebration.

“There are a lot of things people won’t know about the club’s connection with Malta,” Mr Gubba told Times of Malta.

In one anecdote featured in the documentary, one of the main members of the supporters’ club Joe Midani, took the young Beckham, Neville, Thornley and their fellow players from the junior team, swimming in Għar Lapsi. “The five (players) were a bit scared about diving from a 10-metre-high ledge, so Joe jumped in first.

“Then they all jumped in after him. It’s a lovely moment they talk about in the documentary. That was before they became famous,” Mr Gubba explains.

When asked about the amount of money invested in the project, Mr Gubba said that it “would easily by £100,000 (over €117,000)”.

with Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Bryan Robson at the club's 60th anniversary dinner in Malta, June 2019.Photo: Manchester United Supporters’ Club Malta

A fifth of that came directly from the 59-year-old’s own pension.

“I’ve risked personal bankruptcy to make this film and I’ve easily spent far more than the original budget I was looking for,” he added.

But Mr Gubba explained that this documentary was “about a passion for the football club” and he was hopeful that he could recoup the money.

The premiere tonight will be held at St James Cavalier. Earlier in the day, a Q&A session with former United players Quinton Fortune and Michael Clegg will be hosted by Times of Malta’s sports editor Valhmor Camilleri at the supporters’ club.

Filmmaker John Gubba. Photo: VSI Enterprises