1909–10 Maltese Premier League

Maltese First Division
Season	1909–10
Champions	Floriana (1st title)
Matches played	8
Goals scored	22 (2.75 per match)
Top goalscorer	Salvu Samuele (4 goals)
	1911–12 →

The 1909–10 Maltese First Division was the first edition of the Maltese First Division, the precursor of today's Premier League.

Overview

Following numerous attempts to organise a local football competition and the ever-increasing interest in the game, on 26 October 1907 the Lyceum Football ground was inaugurated in Marsa.^[2]^[3] This was to host the first football league campaign contested by Maltese teams and selections from the military service; the Royal Malta Artillery selection won the competition. This led to the set up of the first league season with all games to be played at the Lyceum Ground.^[2]

A total of five teams joined the league and the stipulation was that each team had to provide their own goalposts and nets.^[4] The league ended with a two-way tussle between Floriana and Sliema Wanderers, after the latter were awarded a 2–1 win over St. Joseph's United following crowd trouble. In the decider game played on 24 April 1910, Floriana triumphed with a single goal from top scorer Salvu Samuele thereby winning the first edition and being awarded the Daily Malta Chronicle Cup, a cup specifically designed for the occasion.^[4]

Floriana

Sliema W.

St. Joseph's U.

Valletta

Valletta teams
Boys Empire League
Malta University

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the 1909–10 Maltese First Division teams

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Floriana (C)	4	4	0	0	6	0	+6	8
2	Sliema Wanderers	4	2	1	1	5	2	+3	5
3	St. Joseph's United	4	2	0	2	4	4	0	4
4	Boys Empire League	4	1	1	2	7	4	+3	3
5	Malta University	4	0	0	4	0	12	−12	0

Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points;
(C) Champions

Results

Home \ Away	FRN	SLM	SJU	BEL	MUN
Floriana	—	1–0	w/o	1–0	4–0
Sliema Wanderers		—	2–1^[a]	0–0	3–0
St. Joseph's United			—	3–2	w/o
Boys Empire League				—	5–0
Malta University					—

Source: RSSSF
Notes:

^ Match was abandoned at 2–1 after crowd invasion and result was kept at this score.

References

^ "Malta - List of Topscorers". RSSSF. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
^ ^a ^b Baldacchino, Carmel (6 August 2015). "The ground-breaking season of 1907-08". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
^ "Shadows from the Past". Times of Malta. 4 August 2005. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
^ ^a ^b Baldacchino, Carmel (11 October 2007). "Daily Malta Chronicle Cup". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 October 2018.