And so we reach the 30’s, a notable age for sport in Gozo. But before moving on with the story of football we have to turn to another important “British” institution—the Scouts—and the arrival in Ghajnsielem of a man still remembered by many.

One day in the early 30’s, a Franciscan friar landed at Mgarr, and being a young man in his twenties, he quickly walked up the hill towards St. Anthony’s Convent. Father Bernard Hersey was born in Tigne, Malta, the son of William Henry Hersey and Margaret nee Buttigieg, on October 3^rd, 1906. He was baptized at St. Julian’s parish church and entered the Franciscan Minor Order on March 26^th, 1922. He became a friar on October 24^th 1927 and said his first Mass on July 6^th, 1930. Soon after he was transferred to the convent at Ghajnsielem and the village soon felt his impact. He was an energetic man who loved sports, the out-door life and people. He must have been disappointed with the lack of clubs or places where young people could meet and use the time profitably. Soon he was at work and in no time at all gave birth to the Ghajnsielem Sea Scouts, the only scouts of their kind in Gozo (only Sliema had them in Malta). He opened a Club for them at No. 10 Fawwara Street, and this place is important in our Club’s history, because it was there that Ghajnsielem F.C. was formed later on.

The Sea Scouts soon proved tremendously popular with the Ghajnsielem people. At one time the troop reached the number of 75 members under leader Turu Spiteri and frequently made a name for the village during parades in Victoria. It was natural for Father Hersey to opt for the Sea Scouts rather than the Boys Scouts as in other villages, considering the link Ghajnsielem always had with the sea. The members were taught all aspects of life saving and soon many of the village’s youths and children were the proud owners of the all-blue uniform.

One thing Father Hersey was happily surprised to discover was a rudimentary kind of football being played by Ghajnsielem’s youths. Soon the idea was conceived…a football club for Ghajnsielem, and not only for Ghajnsielem but for other places in Gozo as well. At the same time the game in Malta was living through a great boom and a number of Gozitans used to cross over for the great Sliema-Floriana encounters. In Gozo however no attempt had ever been made to organize one single club, let alone an association.

So now the ditch at Chambray began drawing “Il-Patri” as well and here the two people rightly described as the Fathers of Ghajnsielem F.C. met.

Mr. Carmelo Mallia was born in Sliema in 1898. He married Helen nee Vella from Birkirkara and came to Gozo in 1934 to work as Chief Nurse at Fort Chambray which in the meantime had been converted into a hospital for the mentally ill. When he came to Gozo he was already a lover of the game and was instantly interested in ‘footballers’ in the ditch. He tried manfully hard to instil some sense into their play with little success at times.

As soon as Fr. Hersey and Mr. Mallia made each other’s acquaintances they discovered a mutual love for football and interest in the footballing youths of Chambray. From there things moved fast and with Father Hersey organizing things and Mr. Mallia coaching the youths the Club started taking shape.

Being involved in the Scout movement, Father Hersey had a hand in the introduction of the game in Victoria as well and the Victoria Scouts Group formed a team themselves. Together with others he pushed for the realization of a long-harboured dream—a ground fit for competitive play. Around 1934 and 1935 friendly games of a sort were being played in one of Chambray’s ditches, but the site was obviously inadequate for competitions under recognized rules. At last in 1935, the ground at Xewkija was completed and named the Silver Jubilee Ground to mark the festivities then being held to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the accession of King George V to the throne.

Continued
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