Marsaxlokk players stole the show at the presentation ceremony of the sixth Melita Digital Malta Football Awards last night at the Corinthia Palace Hotel, Attard.
Unsurprisingly, the bulk of the prizes were collected by players of Marsaxlokk, the 2006-2007 Premier League champions. Their striker Daniel Bogdanovic, the league's top scorer with 31 goals, had double cause to celebrate after picking two awards for best Maltese player and best striker.
The Best Midfielder Award went to Kevin Sammut, also of Marsaxlokk, while team-mate Luke Dimech scooped the prize as best defender in the Premier League last season.
Brian Talbot, the Briton who guided the southerners to their first ever Premier title in his first year in charge, was voted best coach, taking the southern club's tally of these awards to five.
Sliema Wanderers, league runners-up for the past two seasons, had three award recipients last night.
Of the multiple winners of last year's Malta Football Awards, only Sliema's Murphy Akanji confirmed himself at the top of his category. The Nigerian was voted the best goalkeeper for the second year in succession.
The other two Blues' players who walked up to the stage to receive awards were veterans David Carabott and Joe Brincat. The two former Malta internationals, who retired after last month's FA Trophy final, were declared joint-winners of the Best Over-35 Player Award.
Msida St Joseph forward Ibrahim Babatunde succeeds fellow Nigerian Precious Monye as the best foreign player while Valletta's Ian Zammit pipped team-mate Dyson Falzon and Hibs' Matthew Bartolo for the Most Promising Youngster title.
Saviour Darmanin may have missed out on the Best Goalkeeper Award but he still earned recognition for his positive first season with Valletta. The former Pietà Hotspurs keeper received the highest number of votes from the public to secure the Powerade Outstanding Player Award.
Malta striker Michael Mifsud was called to collect a special award for season 2006-2007. The organisers of the Malta Football Awards deemed fit to honour the speedy forward following his high-profile move to English club Coventry City in January.
Other commemorative awards were handed out to the Malta FA (50th anniversary of the national team's first competitive match), Gozo FA (70th anniversary) and Youth FA (25th anniversary).
A total of 20 awards were presented during yesterday's ceremony. The winners in the Premier League categories were voted for by 30 journalists plus the captains, coaches and presidents of the 10 clubs who participated in Malta's top league last season.
Award winners
Best goalkeeper - Murphy Akanji (Sliema Wanderers).
Best defender - Luke Dimech (Marsaxlokk).
Best midfielder - Kevin Sammut (Marsaxlokk).
Best forward - Daniel Bogda-novic (Marsaxlokk).
Best coach - Brian Talbot (Marsaxlokk).
Most promising youngster - Ian Zammit (Valletta).
Best Maltese player - Daniel Bogdanovic (Marsaxlokk).
Best foreign player - Ibrahim Babatunde (Msida St Joseph).
Best female player - Maria Azzo-pardi (Hibs).
Best veteran player - David Carabott, Joe Brincat (both Sliema).
Best goal - Gilbert Agius (Malta vs Austria, Feb. 7, 2007).
Best Futsal Player - Noel Bray (Southenders).
Best Player in GFA Division One - Chris Camilleri (Xaghra United).
Best MFA Division One Player - Steve Meilak (Hamrun Spartans).
Powerade Outstanding Player Award - Saviour Darmanin (Valletta).
Special Award for season 2006-2007 - Michael Mifsud (Coventry City).
Best Support (public poll) - Hibs.