For a time during the 1936-37 season, there were serious doubts whether the Cassar Cup would be held at all.
The clouds of war were looming large and the possibility of hostilities kept the British Navy on the go. Therefore, when the time came to stage the competition, the Navy champions were not available.
After many postponements it was decided that, rather than scrap the charity competition, two teams from the Army would represent the Services.
The competition started late with the first semi-final between Floriana and the Rifle Brigade.
This match ended in a 1-1 draw but both goals were hotly disputed.
Within four minutes of the start, Floriana were awarded a penalty. Stan Vickers scored but the referee ordered a retake. On the second occasion, the Greens’ centre-half shot straight at Bollams.
From start to finish it was a case of luck turning its back on the Cassar Cup holders.
A missed penalty, three shots against the woodwork and two remarkable saves by Bollams were the outstanding incidents of this match.
To make matters worse for Floriana, Leo Marat committed a classic own goal when he headed the ball past goalkeeper Swoboda.
For a full hour the Greens besieged the Army’s fort without success but as the match was drawing to an end Leli Cauch flicked a shot half-heartedly goalwards.
Somehow the ball dropped into the Army’s penalty area but one of the defenders managed to clear frantically off the line. The referee, however, awarded a goal amid the protests of the soldiers.
The replay was played in midweek. This time Floriana took their chances well.
Ċensu Friggieri opened the scoring and from then on the Greens dominated the game.
Before half-time Vickers made it 2-0 from the penalty spot and 13 minutes into the second half Friggieri scored again to put the issue beyond doubt.
In the other semi-final, Hibernians outplayed the Royal Artillery team.
The Gunners’ traditional fire and dash were absent from their play and Hibs had little difficulty reaching their second Cassar Cup final.
The game was only four minutes old when Turu Theobald dribbled his way through and shot home from close distance.
In the 25th minute, Josef Muster released Harry Brown and the soldiers’ goalkeeper Frearson did not even try to stop the winger’s hard drive at goal.
The Soldiers reacted but Hibs’ defence hardly gave them a glimpse of goal and at the end it was once again an all-civilian cup final.
Hibs’ ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ complex was very much in evidence against Floriana.
This flaw remained like a blot in the club’s character for many years.
When Hibs were good they attained excellence but when bad, they dragged themselves to the lowest levels. The 1937 Cassar Cup final was an example of the latter.
Floriana gained a grip on the game from the very first kick and Hibs had hardly settled on the pitch when Friggieri scored the first goal.
Minutes later Leli Cauchi made it 2-0 and Holland scored a quick double to take the game out of Hibs’ reach.
Four-nil down in the first half-hour was enough to break the stoutest of hearts but to their credit the Paolites tried to make a game of it after that.
However, their heads were not in it and two other goals by Holland and another by Friggieri rounded an emphatic win for Floriana.
Star of that 7-0 win was the great Friggieri. Against Hibs, he played the game of his life. Time and again he opened up the usually solid Hibs’ defence with his promptings to his wingers and centre-foward and he capped a great performance with the best two goals of the afternoon.
This was surely the most one-sided final in the history of the famous charity competition.