MFA to support publication of football encyclopedia

The Malta Football Association will be supporting the publication of an encyclopedia on Maltese football following an agreement with football historian Carmel Baldacchino. This was announced by MFA president Dr Joe Mifsud on Monday.

Baldacchino published several books about football in Malta over the past years. These include “Goals, Cups & Tears” (eight volumes), “Il-Klabbs Maltin tal-Futbol” (three volumes), “Hundred of The Best – Maltese Footballers” and “Il-Futbol Malti”. He is also the author of the weekly articles Shadows from the Past appearing in The Times.

The football encyclopedia will be spread over ten volumes. The first volume, covering the period 1800 to 1923, is due to be published in October.

Baldacchino explained that since football is an on-going thing, the encyclopedia could not take the form of an A to Z account. Instead, each volume will be divided into four parts – the first part dealing about the Malta Football Association and its competitions, the second about the national team, the third about local clubs against foreign opposition and the fourth will deal with players, referees, coaches and officials.

The plan is to print one volume annually for the next 10 years.