Wikipedia

Sliema Wanderers F.C.

Sliema Wanderers Football Club, nicknamed "tax-Xelin" (of the shilling),[1] is a professional Maltese football club.[2] It is the most successful team in Malta and hails from the seaside town of Sliema. It currently plays in the Maltese Premier League.

Sliema Wanderers
Full nameSliema Wanderers Football Club
Nickname(s)The Blues
The Wanderers
Founded3 November 1909; 114 years ago (1909-11-03)
GroundTigne Sports Complex,
Sliema,
Malta
Capacity1,000
ChairmanKeith Perry
ManagerPaul Zammit
LeagueMaltese Premier League
2022–23Maltese Challenge League, 1st of 18 (promoted)

History edit

The club was founded in 1909. The club competed in the first ever Maltese Premier League season in 1909–10 and finished in second position to Floriana after the five-game season came to an end.

Ten years down the line Sliema Wanderers finally made their mark in Maltese football by winning the Maltese Premier League title in the 1919–20 season. Since then the team have gone on to win the title 26 times, a record for Malta; the last three being in 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05.

Sliema Wanderers also hold the record for the most FA Trophy wins, with their first coming in 1935, when they overpowered Floriana with a 4–0 victory. The club have gone on to win this particular honour 20 times, most recently in 2000, 2004 and in 2009; the last title was won against Valletta 7–6 on penalties after the match finished 3–3 following extra time.

With all these honours, Sliema Wanderers are currently the most successful team in the history of Maltese football with approximately 113 honours. Sliema Wanderers train at the Tigne Sports Complex, in Sliema. Grant Tissot almost played for them, which would've been a major acquisition for such a club.

Sliema Wanderers also had a futsal team, which participated in Malta's top futsal league.

2000s edit

The 2000s saw Sliema Wanderers becoming a dominant club in the Maltese scene again.

Summer 2003 had President Robert Arrigo signing Maltese internationals Jamie Pace, Djibril Sylla and Daniel Bogdanovic.[3]

Season 2004-05 saw the Wanderers, under the presidency of Robert Arrigo, win their 26th Maltese Premier League title.[4] Part of this success was Michael Mifsud's return to his boyhood club after being leaving 1.FC Kaiserslautern on a free.[5]

Season 2005-06 started with a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Sheriff Tiraspol.[6] Much to Arrigo's chagrin, lost Michael Mifsud to Lillestrøm SK, in a move made possible by Nikki Dimech who acted as his representative, albeit being a lengthy transfer saga that was complicated by International Transfer Clearance issues and compensation fees.[4][7][8]

2010s edit

Sliema Wanderers clinched a Maltese FA Trophy in season 2015-16.

Keith Perry was confirmed as president in the beginning of season 2016-17 despite rumours.[9] John Buttigieg was appointed as Head Coach.[10]

2020s edit

The club endured a rough start to the 2020s. The club started off with a bang, signing former Arsenal F.C. midfielder Denílson.[11][12][13][14][15] Further players were signed and Keith Perry was appointed chairman of the club, and Jeffrey Farrugia took over as president.[16][17] A sponsorship deal was struck with Catco Group, an oil investment company based in China and Tunisia. Catco Group however, failed to pay its dues, citing technical reasons. This gave way to unrest within the club, with captain Mark Scerri and head coach Andrea Pisanu making public statements regarding the financial situation of the club, proceeding with resignations such as Perry and team manager Alex Muscat.[18][19] Players went unpaid for months, with another sponsor, Sixt, finally paying the players directly just before Christmas.[20] Eventually a new sponsor was brought on board.[21][22] Farrugia was later ousted as Keith Perry returned in the President's seat in preparation for the upcoming season.[23]

Season 2021-22 was disastrous from a technical point of view. Despite signing two new players in Djibouti international Warsama Hassan and Japanese Yuki Uchida,[24] up until November 19, 2021, the club had not yet won a match, and sat at the bottom of the Maltese Premier League.[25][26][27] The first win came on November 20, stunning Valletta with a 2–1 result.[28] The dying minutes of the match however, proved fatal, as Warsama Hassan was introduced at 90 minutes. However, the player had just returned from Egypt, where he had featured for his Djibouti national football team in a match against Algeria. Warsama was supposed to be in quarantine, having returned from a Dark Red listed country. Valletta lodged a formal complaint, which was upheld by the Malta Football Association, awarding a 3–0 win to Valletta.[29] Sliema Wanderers' next match was against Birkirkara F.C., resulting in a further loss.[30] On 10 April 2022 Sliema Wanderers lost against Valletta with a 2–1 result, and were relegated to Maltese Challenge League after thirty-seven years in the top flight.

Players edit

Current squad edit

As of 1 March 2024. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   MLT Timothy Aquilina
2 DF   MLT Jean Borg
4 DF   MLT Miguel D'Alessandro
5 DF   MLT James Vella
6 MF   CMR Joseph Minala
7 MF   MLT Jake Engerer
8 MF   MLT Mark Scerri
9 FW   SVN Vito Plut
10 FW   BRA Samuel Gomes
11 DF   MLT Myles Beerman
12 GK   NGA Emeka Agu
13 MF   GHA James Arthur
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF   BRA Gustavo Alcino
18 MF   MLT Edmond Agius
19 FW   UKR Danylo Kondrakov
20 DF   CIV Denis Kouao
21 MF   MLT Neil Frendo
22 GK   MLT Rashed Al-Tumi
25 MF   LBR Joachim Adukor
31 DF   BRA Murilo Freire
33 FW   GHA Geoffrey Acheampong
70 FW   MLT Lydon Micallef
77 MF   SOM Mohamed Awad

Out on loan edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF   MLT Jean Borg (at Sirens until 30 June 2024)
— MF   MLT Brite Anayochi Ihuomah (at Zurrieq until 30 June 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW   MLT Jean Paul Farrugia (at Mosta until 30 June 2024)

European record edit

Season Competition Round Country Club Home Away Aggregate
1963–64 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Preliminary Round   Borough United 0–0 0–2 0–2
1964–65 European Cup Preliminary Round   Dinamo București 0–2 0–5 0–7
1965–66 European Cup Preliminary Round   Panathinaikos 1–0 1–4 2–4
1966–67 European Cup Preliminary Round   CSKA Sofia 1–2 0–4 1–6
1968–69 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1. Round   US Rumelange 1–0 1–2 2–2(a)
2. Round   Randers Freja 0–2 0–6 0–8
1969–70 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1. Round   IFK Norrköping 1–0 1–5 2–5
1970–71 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1. Round   Akademisk BK 2–3 0–7 2–10
1971–72 European Cup 1. Round   ÍA Akranes 0–0 4–0 4–0
2. Round   Celtic 1–2 0–5 1–7
1972–73 European Cup 1. Round   Górnik Zabrze 0–5 0–5 0–10
1973–74 UEFA Cup 1. Round   Lokomotiv Plovdiv 0–2 0–1 0–3
1974–75 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1. Round   Lahti 2–0 1–4 3–4
1975–76 UEFA Cup 1. Round   Sporting CP 1–2 1–3 2–5
1976–77 European Cup 1. Round   TPS Turku 2–1 0–1 2–2(a)
1977–78 UEFA Cup 1. Round   Eintracht Frankfurt 0–0 0–5 0–5
1979–80 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1. Round   Boavista 2–1 0–8 2–9
1980–81 UEFA Cup 1. Round   Barcelona 0–2 0–1 0–3
1981–82 UEFA Cup 1. Round   Aris Thessaloniki 2–4 0–4 2–8
1982–83 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1. Round   Swansea City 0–5 0–12 0–17
1987–88 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1. Round   Vllaznia Shkodër 0–4 0–2 0–6
1988–89 UEFA Cup 1. Round   Victoria București 0–2 1–6 1–8
1989–90 European Cup 1. Round   KF Tirana 1–0 0–5 1–5
1990–91 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1. Round   Dukla Prague 1–2 0–2 1–4
1993–94 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Qualifying Round   Degerfors 1–3 0–3 1–6
1995–96 UEFA Cup Preliminary Round   AC Omonia 1–2 0–3 1–5
1996–97 UEFA Cup Preliminary Round   Margveti Zestafoni 1–3 3–0 4–3
Qualifying Round   Odense BK 0–2 1–7 1–9
1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1. Round   Diósgyőr 2–3 0–2 2–5
1999–00 UEFA Cup 1. Qualifying Round   FC Zürich 0–3 0–1 0–4
2000–01 UEFA Cup 1. Qualifying Round   FK Partizan 2–1 1–4 3–5
2001–02 UEFA Cup 1. Qualifying Round   Matador Púchov 2–1 0–3 2–4
2002–03 UEFA Cup 1. Qualifying Round   Polonia Warsaw 1–3 0–2 1–5
2003–04 UEFA Champions League 1. Qualifying Round   Skonto Riga 2–0 1–3 3–3(a)
2. Qualifying Round   Copenhagen 0–6 1–4 1–10
2004–05 UEFA Champions League 1. Qualifying Round   FBK Kaunas 0–2 1–4 1–6
2005–06 UEFA Champions League 1. Qualifying Round   Sheriff Tiraspol 1–4 0–2 1–6
2006–07 UEFA Cup 1. Qualifying Round   Rapid București 0–1 0–5 0–6
2007–08 UEFA Cup 1. Qualifying Round   Litex Lovech 0–3 0–4 0–7
2009–10 UEFA Europa League 2. Qualifying Round   Maccabi Netanya 0–0 0–3 0–3
2010–11 UEFA Europa League 1. Qualifying Round   Šibenik 0–3 0–0 0–3
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1. Qualifying Round   Khazar Lankaran 1–1 0–1 1–2
2014–15 UEFA Europa League 1. Qualifying Round   Ferencváros 1–1 1–2 2–3

Managerial history edit

See Sliema Wanderers F.C. Managers

Manager Period
  Salvinu Schembri 1963–1964
  János Bédl 1 July 1964 – 30 June 1966
  Victor Scerri 1968–1978
  Edward Aquilina 1979–1983
  Robbie Buttigieg 1981–1982
  Tony Formosa 1982–1986
  Lawrence Borg 1987–1989
  Augustine Eguavoen July 1999 – October 1999
  Martin Gregory 1999–2000
  Jeff Wood 2001–2002
  Lawrence Borg 2001–2002
  Edward Aquilina 2002–2006
  Ray Farrugia 2006–2007
  Stephen Azzopardi 1 November 2007 – 30 May 2010
  Mark Marlow 1 July 2010 – 30 June 2011
  Danilo Dončić 3 February 2011 – 27 May 2012
  Clive Mizzi 27 May 2012 – 7 August 2012
  Alfonso Greco 1 July 2012 – October 2014
  Stephen Azzopardi October 2014 – December 2015
  Alfonso Greco 1 January 2016 – May 2016
  John Buttigieg June 2016 – 2019

Honours edit

References edit

  1. ^ Cassar Pullicino, J. (1956). "Social Aspects of Maltese Nicknames" (PDF). Scientia. 22 (2): 92.
  2. ^ Micallef, Sandro (29 January 2016). "LaLiga: the best show in Malta". Liga de Fútbol Profesional. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019.
  3. ^ Azzopardi, Kevin (3 July 2003). "Bogdanovic is a Sliema player says Arrigo". Times of Malta.
  4. ^ a b "Making Sliema the most successful team was my primary aim – Robert Arrigo". The Malta Independent. 4 May 2005.
  5. ^ "Mifsud heads back to Malta". UEFA.com. 21 November 2003.
  6. ^ "Sheriff challenge for Sliema Wanderers". Times of Malta. 24 June 2005.
  7. ^ Dalli, Jesmond (2 July 2004). "Mifsud returning home as Sliema stand firm over clearance issue". Times of Malta.
  8. ^ "Mifsud set to leave Sliema for Norway's Lillestrom". Times of Malta. 19 June 2004.
  9. ^ "Keith Perry stays at the helm of Sliema Wanderers". Times of Malta. 8 June 2016.
  10. ^ Azzopardi, Kevin (1 July 2016). "John Buttigieg 'honoured' to coach Sliema". Times of Malta.
  11. ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (6 August 2020). "Sliema Wanderers sign former Arsenal midfielder Denilson". SportsDesk.
  12. ^ "Once a Gunner, Now a Wanderer: Sliema Sign Denilson". 89.7 Bay. 6 August 2020.
  13. ^ "Sliema Wanderers sign former Arsenal midfielder Denilson". The Malta Independent. 7 August 2020.
  14. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (7 August 2020). "Denilson joins Sliema Wanderers". MaltaFootball.com.
  15. ^ Sapiano, Luigi (6 August 2020). "Qassam Denilson! Former Arsenal Midfielder Set To Join Sliema Wanderers". LovinMalta.com.
  16. ^ Attard, Mark (14 August 2020). "Jeffrey Farrugia jinħatar President ta' Sliema Wanderers FC" [Jeffrey Farrugia is appointed President of Sliema Wanderers FC]. Television Malta (in Maltese).
  17. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (14 August 2020). "Sliema Wanderers sign four new players, appoint new president". MaltaFootball.com.
  18. ^ Azzopardi, Karl (27 January 2021). "Sliema Wanderers official Keith Perry steps down amid player row over unpaid salaries". Malta Today.
  19. ^ Lia, Gianluca (4 February 2021). "Watch: Sliema players battled poverty due to unpaid wages, says coach Pisanu -". SportsDesk.
  20. ^ Borg, Jacob (3 January 2021). "Adrian Delia aims to set up charity foundation after sensational donation pledge". Times of Malta.
  21. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (15 February 2021). "NM Group announces Sliema Wanderers sponsorship". MaltaFootball.com.
  22. ^ Brincat, Diane (16 February 2021). "NM Group announces Sliema Wanderers F.C. Sponsorship". NM Group.
  23. ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (13 May 2021). "Keith Perry tipped for return as Sliema Wanderers plan to hold AGM next month". SportsDesk.
  24. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (6 August 2021). "Sliema Wanderers sign two new foreign players". MaltaFootball.com.
  25. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (31 October 2021). "Sliema Wanderers pile up further misery with Mosta defeat". SportsDesk.
  26. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (24 October 2021). "Santa Lucia held by ten-man Sliema". MaltaFootball.com.
  27. ^ Lia, Gianluca (17 October 2021). "Watch: Hibernians go top after brushing aside Sliema Wanderers". SportsDesk.
  28. ^ Farrugia, Simon (20 November 2021). "Premier League: Sliema finally register first win". The Malta Independent.
  29. ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (26 November 2021). "Valletta awarded win over Sliema Wanderers as protest upheld by Malta FA". SportsDesk.
  30. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (27 November 2021). "Watch: Montebello double lifts Birkirkara past struggling Sliema Wanderers". SportsDesk.

External links edit

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