Malta have produced a number of players who have enjoyed spells in English football. While there is yet to be a Maltese star in the Premier League, a host of names have appeared in the Football League across the second, third and fourth divisions. One day, a player from Malta could make it to the top-flight.
English football is among the most popular on the planet with fans often assessing free betting tips and placing wagers to add an extra layer of excitement to games. This article will profile the Maltese players who have gone to England to play professionally.
Michael Mifsud
Michael Mifsud is one of the most successful players in Malta football history and earned a massive 143 caps for the nation between the start of the century and 2020. Playing in Germany for Kaiserslautern and Norway with Lillestrom, in the early noughties, the striker actually had a trial with Manchester United in 1999 but a permanent move didn’t materialise.
However, he eventually made the move to England with storied club Coventry City in 2007. Playing in the second tier, he netted against Plymouth, Barnsley, Burnley and the Goal of the Season against Sheffield Wednesday. The most memorable moment though came against Man United. Having failed to earn a contract with his boyhood club eight years previously, Mifsud netted a brace to dump the Red Devils out of the League Cup and Coventry through.
Overall, he scored 23 goals in 95 matches for the Sky Blues before appearing 15 times on loan at Barnsley. He then returned to Malta and, either side of a year in Australia, spent 13 years in his homeland having initially come through the youth ranks at Sliema Wanderers.
John Buttigieg
John Buttigieg also came through the Sliema Wanderers having been born in the town in 1963. It was playing in one of his 97 games for the Malta national team in 1988 that he was spotted by Peter Shreeves a former colleague of Brentford boss Steve Perryman. Playing as a sweeper in a game against Northern Ireland, he impressed enough for the Bees to sign him for £40,000.
Appearing for the club in the Third Division, he made 47 appearances before being released in May 1991 though was part of the FA Cup side which reached the quarter-finals against Liverpool in 1989. In 1990, he played three times on loan at Swindon Town.
Returning to his homeland, Buttigieg played until the age of 39 before managing Maltese sides Birkirkara on two occasions, Sliema Wanderers, Floriana and the national team between 2009 and 2011.
Luke Dimech
Centre-back Luke Dimech first left Maltese football for Shamrock Rovers in 2002 and made 16 appearances for the League of Ireland side. After a brief return to the homeland with Birkirkara, the defender then joined Mansfield Town. Scoring against Leyton Orient, he helped the Stags reach the League Two play-off final against Huddersfield Town.
In 2005, Dimech joined Chester City and later signed for Macclesfield Town in 2007 after a spell with Marsaxlokk. In 2010, he appeared in the Europa League for Cypriot side AEK Larnaca, becoming the first Maltese player to feature in the group stages of a major European competition.
Dylan Kerr
The left-back was born in Valletta and went on to have a 19-year playing career which saw him appear in England, South Africa and Scotland.
Starting his career with Sheffield Wednesday, he then spent a year with Arcadia Shepherds in Pretoria before joining Leeds. At Elland Road, Kerr made 20 appearances as the club won the Division 2 and Division 1 titles in 1990 and 1992 respectively.
Following loan spells with Doncaster Rovers and Blackpool, Kerr spent three years with Reading, making 104 appearances for the Royals. After making one appearance for Carlisle United in 1996, the defender moved further north to join Kilmarnock and he made 67 appearances at Rugby Park over four seasons. After turning 33, he played for ten different clubs in the football league and Scottish lower leagues for the next three years.
Since retiring, Kerr has managed clubs all over the world in countries including in Thailand, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.
John Cutbush
Cutbush was born in Malta in 1949 and was in the Tottenham youth team but never made a league appearance for the club. Joining London rivals Fulham in 1972, the right-back featured in the 1975 FA Cup final as the Cottagers lost 2-0 at Wembley to West Ham. After making 134 league appearances, Cutbush left for Sheffield United and played a further 129 games for the Blades.
Joe Cini
Cini made 18 appearances for Malta between 1957 and 1972, scoring twice and the striker spent the majority of his career playing in his homeland. At the age of 22 and 23, the forward made seven appearances for Queens Park Rangers in the 1959-60 season, scoring once.
Wrapping Up
A number of players born in Malta have enjoyed successful spells in England and it’s possible that in the future a star from the nation will appear in the Premier League, the most watched on the planet. With icons like Michael Mifsud to look up to, young players will aspire to first make it in the homeland before earning a move to clubs like Coventry City in the Championship and beyond.