_

 

H O M E


   Welcome

   Blacks' Latest
   News Archive
 

T H E   T E A M


  First Team

   - Fixtures
   - Standings
   - Squad
   - Match Reports
   - Reviews
   - Season Pictorial
 Other Teams
   - Under /21
   - Under /16
   - Under /14
   - Under /12
   - Under /10
   - Primary School
 

S T A T I S T I C S


  All Time Record

   - By Era
   - By Season
   - By Competition
   - By Opponent
   - By Coach
   - By Venue
   - After 90 Minutes
 
  Club Records
 
  Players & Coaches
   - Coaches
   - Player Records
   - Top Scorers
   - Goalkeepers
   - Appearances
   - Captains
   - The Champions
   - Individual Awards
 

H I S T O R Y


  History by Era

  Club Heritage
  Great Games
  Pictorial History
 

T H E   C L U B


  Administration

  Committees
  Premises
  Club Tour
  Directions
  Accommodation
  Club Membership
  Sponsors
 

Contact Us

Best viewed with
Microsoft IE 5+

 

HISTORY
The Champions

VINCENT GALEA
Date of birth: June 30, 1951
Nationality: Maltese
Position: inside-forward
Debut: April 7, 1968
Last match: May 8, 1976
Appearances for Club: 69
Goals for Club: 13


Vincent Galea's career with the Blacks was short but packed with glory. He won the minor league championship in 1965/66 and two years later won the reserves league championship. Both these triumphs were first for the Club and were accomplished in the company of team mates that would form the backbone of the seventies legendary Blacks team. Vincent was a versatile player and could play in every department whether as a full-back, inside-forward or striker. 

He made his first team debut late in the 1967/68 season. He more or less won a regular starting job the following season. His first goal arrived at the end of the season against newly-crowned champions S.K. Calypsians. He was present in the side for all of the first three of the five-year reign by the Blacks at the top of Gozitan football. He won a championship and three other competitions in each of those seasons. He emigrated and missed the last two championship campaigns. Vincent returned briefly midway through the 1974/75 season and made one last appearance in the final match of the 1975/76 season.

Vincent Galea's most famous goal arrived in a league opener against Nadur Youngsters in the 1971/72 season. The Club had just been eliminated from the Galea Cup and had lost Karmnu Cutajar to suspension. Up stepped Vincent into the breach and scored one of the two goals that defeated Nadur Y. To make matters a little more sweet at the time, the Youngsters had Toni Buttigieg in net, the veteran goalkeeper they had just acquired from the Club.

Along with Raymond Buttigieg and Karmnu Cutajar, two other great Blacks that had to leave our shores before the Club's amazing feats were completed, Vincent's value to the Club may at the time have been underestimated. It is true that the loss of these players was marked with sadness and apprehension, but the Club's inexorable march to uncharted heights was accomplished in their absence. However, upon close scrutiny it results that the Blacks' squad of the first three years packed much more thunder than the team that nonetheless emerged triumphant in the last two years. This is the case in terms of trophies won, winning percentage, scoring rate and defensive record. This is surely in part attributable to the adjustments made by the opposition to counter the Blacks juggernaut. But the departure of players like Vincent played a much more significant part in this. Vincent's technical abilities, athleticism and fiery determination enabled the team to function efficiently even in the occasional absence of one, two or more regular players from the side.

Vincent's value to the Blacks went beyond his tangible contribution on the field of play. His effusive character played foil to the much more serious demeanor of his brother captain, Loreto. He was reputedly responsible for many a prank with his partner-in-crime the other Vincent on the team (Cutajar). He kept the players loose before the match and was indispensable as far as team culture was concerned.

 

 

Career Achievements

Club
1965/66 Under/16 League
1967/68 Reserves League
1969/70 British American Cup
  First Division
  Galea Cup
  Independence Cup
1970/71 British American Cup
  Esso Cup
  First Division
  Independence Cup
1971/72 British American Cup
  Esso Cup
  First Division
  Independence Cup


 

Numbers Breakdown

Opponent Gls App
Kercem Ajax 0 1
Nadur Athletics 0 1
Nadur Youngsters 2 13
Oratory Youths 3 5
S.K. Calypsians 2 16
Sannat Lions 0 3
Victoria Hotspurs 3 13
Victoria United 0 1
Victoria Wanderers 0 2
Xaghra United 1 8
Xewkija Tigers 2 6

 

 

 

 

 

 

(c) Ghajnsielem Online. All rights Reserved.