Nikol
would take the opposing inside-right (the traditional number 10)
out of the match and make him retreat to deal with the threat
posed by his marauding style. Nikol's left foot is legendary. He
shot with venom from any range. Even the penalty shots that he
took were of the rocket speed variety. Indeed, the odd one he
had saved meant a trip to the emergency unit to the opposing
keeper. He was strength personified.
Nikol broke into the side at the
dawn of the greatest years of this Club's history, December
1968, a few days past his seventeenth birthday. He retired, at
the dusk of this age so to speak, not yet twenty seven. He
started as a full-back but was quickly shifted to the half-back
role. He wore the number six and in the process imposed on all
his successors a heavy burden. To bring dignity to this shirt an
Ghajnsielem player must be very good at playing football. In
addition, such player must have no fear, must have seriousness
etched on his face and evident in his demeanour, must have broad
shoulders to carry all the responsibility that comes with the
territory, must ask no quarter, must give no quarter.
Nikol
Cutajar's ascent to fame mirrors that of the Club. He won the
minor league championship in 1965/66. With more or less the same
team mates he won the reserves title in 1967/68. In the big
scheme of things these two titles may not matter much, but this
early success instilled in young Nikol a winner's mentality. And
win he did. Five championships and twelve major trophies. He
captained the side after Loreto Galea emigrated and even topped
the Club scoring list one season.
With Loreto Galea and his brother
Vincent, Nikol starred in the Hamrun Spartans' side of the early
seventies. Unlike these two greats, Nikol was never awarded the
footballer of the year honour by the G.F.A. This sad fact
detracts not from the greatness of this player but from the
relevance of this award as an indicator of a player's value to
his club in a season. Nikol Cutajar's goal in the last match of
the 1972/73 season that secured the fourth title for Ghajnsielem
should have been the wake-up call for those who decide on these
things. The G.F.A. overlooked Nikol, but history, the ultimate
arbiter of greatness hasn't, and he will be forever celebrated
as one of the pillars upon which this Club rests.