First Division side Vittoriosa Stars presented their new signings during a press conferrence at De La Salle College.
The club has built on last year’s squad by bringing in a fresh influx of new players who are all relatively young. The intention is to continue the road towards consolidating the squad.
A number of players are now property of the club and these are Jean Mathias Vella, Adam Spiteri, Mark Barbara, Roberto Brincat and Ramon dos Santos. To acquire these players, the club invested a considerable amount, furthermore the club still has the services of its two veteran players, Justin Camilleri and Larry Lagana’.
The club’s football nursery has produced Clifton Piscopo, Waylon Grech and Kieran Zammit who now officially make part of the first squad. These players are all also currently playing for the club’s minor’s squad.
The club also managed to secure the services of several promising players that include:
• Malta’s under 21 National Lydon Micallef, who was transferred on loan from Balzan FC;
• Malta’s Youth Nationals Siraj and Samir Arab Eddin, who were transferred on loan from Valletta FC;
• Sheldon Grech who signed a two year contract with the club;
• Matthew Tabone, who was transferred on loan from Hibernians FC; and
• Malcolm Schembri who was permanently transferred from Zejtun Corinthians.
Sean Cini, an ex-Tarxien Rainbows players that has passed the past two seasons playing for the Irish club of Newbridge FC, has also joined the club.
Several players from last year’s squad were confirmed for another season and these are Marcelo Pereira, Gary Muir, Luke Vella Critien and Malcolm Buttigieg.
It is worth noting that this year’s Club activity on the transfer market resulted in several advantageous acquisitions and this was also due to the good relations that Coach Oliver Spiteri entertains with several players who play in the Maltese leagues.
Once again two of the three foreign players that have been engaged by Vittoriosa Stars FC are Brazilian nationals and these include the veteran player in Malta and ex ?amrun Spartans player, Marcelo Pereira together with the ex-Valletta FC defender and ex-defender of the year, Ramon dos Santos. The latter signed a three year contract with the club and even rejected Premier Division offers to stay on with Vittoriosa Stars FC. This is a great honour for the club.
The third foreign player who will be playing for the club is Gary Muir, a Scottish national who joined Vittoriosa Stars FC in the second part of the last football season and was confirmed for the upcoming season.
Vittoriosa Stars’ technical staff is once again being led by the Coach, Mr Oliver Spiteri who will be assisted by Mr Jean Paul Desira as Assistant Coach and Under 19 Coach and Mr Alex Camilleri as the Goalkeepers’ Coach. Mr Karl Spiteri is the club’s physiotherapist.
During the past four years the Club managed to increase its revenue by 300% and this was the result of continuous and diligent hard work, carried under the guidance of the present Club’s President.
Notwithstanding the Club still needs various sponsors, without whom this investment would not have been possible and these include:
• Jonathan Darmanin from Teamsport with Macron products;
• Best Deal Properties;
• Cafe’ du Brazil;
• Anelika Projects Ltd;
• MRCD;
• Krea;
• Electrofix;
• Reflex Total Fitness Centre at the Radisson Blu in St Julians;
• Sandro Estates; and
• Sound Solutions.
This year the club is also being sponsored by a group of supporters who are financially contributing towards the running of the club by contributing a small sum per month. These are too many to mention one by one, but the club and its administration thanks them for their assistance and their names will be displayed on the club’s official kit on the same lines of the other sponsors.
Once again considerable support is also being afforded by the Club’s Vice President, Mr Joseph Scicluna.
With the new MFA Futsal regulations in place, the Club has had the addition of a Futsal team that will be playing under its name and auspices. This team was formerly known as Paola Stars and they will be competing in the FMA Second Division League.