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League Championship
The first ever
championship organized by the G.F.A. was in the 1936/37 season,
however, this championship was over before a ball was kicked in
anger. One year later the league championship was organized and
completed.
Ghajnsielem’s first participation
took place in 1938/39. In the first three decades of competition
Ghajnsielem barely made an impact on the league. Worthy of note are
two runner-up finishes in the 1957/58 and 1958/59 seasons to the
famous Salesian Youths. Exactly a decade later, Ghajnsielem managed
to repeat the feat of finishing as runners-up in two consecutive
seasons, first to Nadur Youngsters and then to S.K. Calypsians.
The first championship was won in 1969/70.
The Club went on to win the title five years in a row, which
established a record that stands to this very day. En route to this
achievement the Blacks played 48 league games (and one decider), won
33 (1), drew 10 and lost only 5. Ghajnsielem scored 96 (1) and
conceded only 31 goals. In two of those seasons, the Blacks were
undefeated in league play. While the 1969/70 and 1970/71
championships were secured with utter and total dominance, the other
three were only won on the last day of the season. The 1971/72
championship was won in comeback fashion. League leaders Oratory
Youths lost in their last match of the season opening the door to
both Victoria Hotspurs and Ghajnsielem. Ghajnsielem gleefully
accepted the reprieve and edged the Hotspurs by a late Loreto Galea
headed goal to nil. The 1972/73
championship was won more due to the ineptness of the opposition
than to the Blacks' brilliance. A tense 1-0 win over Oratory Youths
courtesy of a Nikol Cutajar blast sealed the title then. The last
championship in 1973/74 was won after a
healthy lead over Victoria Hotspurs at the end of the first round
was frittered away in a wasteful second round. This necessitated a
decider against Victoria Hotspurs. Ghajnsielem won this all-time
classic by a last-minute Frans Magro goal to nil.
In the three seasons that followed,
Ghajnsielem mounted a challenge that fell short. In 1974/75 they
lost the title after a second round defeat to the eventual champions
Xewkija Tigers. Ghajnsielem dropped out of second as well, since
they were surpassed by Sannat Lions. In the following two seasons,
the Blacks finished as runners-up to the same Sannat Lions. Indeed,
in the 1976/77 season, Ghajnsielem managed to stay unbeaten when
they drew 10 and won 2.
The Blacks had to wait until the
mid-nineties to be involved in title challenges. Ghajnsielem led at
the halfway point of 1994/95 but the title went to the Nadur
Youngsters. The same happened the following season. In the 1999/2000
season the Blacks finished the season as runners-up again when they
finished second behind Victoria Hotspurs. The Blacks finished third
in the league the following two seasons after a good start. Finally,
the Blacks fell short again in the 2002/03 season. They led the
table at the end of the first two rounds of the three round league,
only to be beaten and overtaken by the Nadur Youngsters in the third
round. The 31-year long drought
ended on May 1st, 2005 when Ghajnsielem beat Xewkija
Tigers 2-0 to make sure of the sixth championship in
their history. Edoardo do Nascimento, better known
as Bizu, one of several premier division players
acquired during the course of the season, scored the
opener of this dramatic match after two minutes.
N'dayi Kalenga made absolutely sure with a goal
three minute from time. |
