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Players Honours

In the history of Birkirkara FC, there were several players who left their mark and they will forever be remembered by the supporters and the rest of the Birkirkara clan. There are those who made it to National level and performed a good number of times with the National Team, others who are listed as best scorers or winners of the footballer of the year award, and, there are players who will be remembered for their loyalty towards the Club.

Since Birkirkara was not always a force in Maltese football, honours like these were achieved by the players in the late nineties but still there were several players who made a name for themselves and honoured the Club.

National Squad Appearances

When it comes to National appearances, one should mention Joe Brincat who had left a mark both with Birkirkara and the Maltese National Team, with the latter he made no less than 102 appearances from 1998 till 2004 and scored six goals. Besides his technique, Joe will surely be remembered for the great freekicks that he was capable of. His spell with "The Stripes" was from 1997 till 2003 before he was sold to Sliema Wanderers

Another player who played for Birkirkara F.C. and left a mark in the National squad was George Mallia who spent 8 seasons with Birkirkara from season 2002-2003 till 2009-2010. He first made 12 appearances in the National Squad, with the Under 21’s in which he had managed to score 3 goals; then, between 1997 and 2010, George managed to make no less then 62 appearances with the senior squad. With the seniors, he managed to score six goals. His most memorable goal was against Moldova when George scored a fantastic goal in the away match to equalize for the Maltese team, in a match which finished in a 1-1 draw.

Besides these two players who left a mark in the National Team while playing with Birkirkara F.C. there were other players who made it to the National Squad but their spell was not for so long. Current Club captain Michael Galea made five appearances with the National Squad but failed to score any goals.

Top Scorers

Top scorer of a Premier League is a title which means a lot. The first time ever that a Birkirkara player was named a season’s top scorer was quite recently: in the 1997-1998 season, Joe Brincat scored no less then 19 goals which made him the top scorer of the Maltese Premier League.

In season 2002-2003, a Birkirkara player won this award once again. This time, Michael Galea ended the season with 18 goals, like Adrian Mifsud and Danilo Doncic who both scored 18 goals as well.

Michael Galea became the first player ever to win this award twice while playing with Birkirkara when in the 2005-2006 season, when Birkirkara won the Premier League for the 2nd time, Michael ended the season with nineteen goals.

Player of the Month

The player of the month title is something relatively new to the Maltese Premier League. In fact, it was in September of 1985, 85 years after the beginning, when the first ‘Best player of the month’ was awarded.

The first Birkirkara F.C. player to win this award was Emmanuel Lowell in 1991, when he was voted the best player in the month of November. Emmanuel was a striker and he joined Birkirkara F.C. for the first time in the 1983-1984 season, and on the 28th January 1984, he made his debut against Zurrieq. In this game, the latter emerged as winners with a 1-0 score line.

It took over a year for a Birkirkara player to win this award again. Then, in 1993, Patrick Fenech was voted the best player for the month of February. Patrick Fenech was a defender who joined "The Stripes" in the 1986-1987 season and he made his debut against Floriana on Saturday, 26th September 1987. The match was ended in a goal-less draw.

In the same year, Charles Scibberas won the best player for the month of October. Charles Scibberas joined Birkirkara in 1987 and the goalkeeper made his debut with the Club on the 21st September against Valletta. The latter managed to beat Birkirkara with a 4-1 score line.

In 1995, Joe Galea won the best player award February. Joe Galea was a defender who joined "The Stripes" in the same year, and made his debut on the 26th August 1995 against Floriana when the yellow-reds suffered a 1-0 defeat.

1996 started on a positive note for Birkirkara, especially for Antoine Zahra, the youth nursery product midfielder who was voted the best player for the month of January. Antoine as a youngster made his first ever Premier League debut on Sunday, 12th September 1993in the match against Mqabba, when Birkirkara beat Mqabba with a 2-1 score line.

In the same year as well, In October, Simon Sammut was voted as the best player of the month.

Antoine Zahra won his 2nd award as the best player of the month in April, 1997. Antoine was the first Birkirkara player to ever win this award twice.

In November of the same year, Jonathan Magri Overand won the best player of the month. Jonathan is a defender, and joined "The Stripes" in 1996. On the 24th August he made his debut against Sliema Wanderers, and the yellow-reds emerged as winners with a 3-2 score.

For the first time ever, Birkirkara players won this award for the 2nd consecutive month as on December 1997, Michael Cutajar won the best player of the month. Michael joined "The Stripes" in 1996 and like Jonathan Magri Overand made his debut against Sliema Wanderers on the 24th August.

Two became three for Antoine Zahra when he was named player of the month again in April 1998.

In May of the same year, Chucks Nwoko who was also a Birkirkara F.C. player was awarded best player of the month. Chucks was a Nigerian offensive player. He made his debut in the loss against Floriana with a 1-0 score on the 26th August 1995.

Although in 1999 Birkirkara had a very strong team with great potential. Our players failed to win any honour.

2000 was a different story as in November 2000, Michael Galea was voted the best player. Michael, a product of Melita F.C. joined Birkirkara in 1997 and he made his debut against Hamrun Spartans on the 30th August of the same year. "The Stripes" won the game by a 2-1 score.

It took almost a year for a Birkirkara F.C. player to win this award again, and it was in October 2001 when Matthew Calascione was voted the best player of the month. Matthew joined Birkirkara in 1997 and like Michael Galea; he made his debut against Hamrun Spartans on the 30th August.

2002 had a positive start for "The Stripes" especially for Joe Brincat who once again was voted the best player of the month, this time of January. In the same year, Joe was voted again for the best player for the month of May.

In February 2004, striker Haruna Doda was voted the best player of the month. Haruna was a striker as said before and he joined Birkirkara in 2003.

Etienne Barbara surely had a positive opening for 2006, as in the first month of the year he was voted as the best player of the month. The striker joined Birkirkara in 2005 while he was sold out to Sliema Wanderers in the beginning of the 2007-2008 season.

In the same year, just two months after, Michael Galea was voted as the best player for the month of March.

After a year without any honour, Shaun Bajada was voted as the best player for the month of December. Shaun joined "The Stripes" by swapping William Camenzuli to join Marsaxlokk and Shaun to join Birkirkara in 2007 and he made his debut in the first match of the season against Hibernians on the 26th August. The match was ended in a 1-1 draw.

2010 was a special one for "The Stripes" and it was special for Trevor Cilia too as he won the best player of the month award three times, first in February then he managed to claim this award in the months of April and May. Trevor, an ex Floriana player joined Birkirkara in July 2008 and he had made his debut against Valletta in the Super Cup Final 2008, when the Citizens emerged as winners with a 2-0 score line

The first few months of 2011 did not offer much satisfaction as ‘The Stripes’ were lacking consistency. However, in February, the Argentine striker Emiliano Lattes won the BOV Player of the Month. Emiliano joined Birkirkara in July 2010, and he made his debut on the 21 August of the same year against Valletta in the Super Cup.

MFA Footballer of the Year

In this honour, Birkirkara players did not succeed much as this award has only been claimed by a Birkirkara F.C. player once, so far. In fact, the only occasion that a Birkirkara F.C. player won this award was in 2010 when Shaun Bajada managed to win this award, with another Birkirkara player, Trevor Cilia finishing in the second place. Besides a personal honour for Shaun Bajada, this was also an immense honour for the Club.