Xewkija Tigers F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Xewkija Tigers F.C.


fullname = Xewkija Tigers Football Club
nickname = Tigers / Yellows
founded = 1939
ground = Gozo Stadium
Gozo, Malta
capacity = 4000
chairman = flagicon|Malta Jeffrey Farrugia
club secretary = flagicon|Malta Joseph Attard
manager = flagicon|Cameroon Jules Ngangue
kit manager = flagicon|Malta Paul Hili
masseur = flagicon|Romania Gheorghe Radu
league = Gozo FL Division Two
season = 2007-08 | position = Gozo FL Division Two, 2nd
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=edd02b
body1=edd02b
rightarm1=edd02b
shorts1=000000
socks1=edd02b

Xewkija Tigers F.C. is a football club from the village of Xewkija in Gozo, Malta. The club was founded in 1939 and is named after the name of the village. They play in the Gozo Football League.

The team's colour is yellow. The nicknames for Xewkija Tigers are the "Yellows", which is derived from the team's shirt or the "Tigers", derived from the team's whole name. Xewkija Tigers' main rivals are Ghajnsielem F.C. and Sannat Lions F.C. due to their geographical proximity.

History

The Tigers have a very positive history in local football and for many seasons they were among the contenders for the honours in Gozo.

Xewkija Tigers can trace their foundation to 1939. Yet it was only 5 years after that they played their first competitive match. It was in fact during the 1944-45 season where Xewkija Tigers first participated in the local competitions, when since then they had only played friendly games, mainly due to the difficulties Gozitans suffered during the World War II.

Xewkija's first honour arrived in the following season, 1945-46, where they lifted the Galea Cup in a match won against Xaghra Blue by 1-0 on the 12th May 1946.

In the perod between 1958-59 and 1965-66 seasons Xewkija participated in the local league under two different names, Xewkija United/Xewkija Tigers and Xewkija Rovers. The name Xewkija United was only used for a single season (1958-59), where successively the team was called again Xewkija Tigers. Whereas Xewkija Rovers continued to play as a separate team from the Tigers for some more years in the Gozitan league, precisely until the 1965-66 season. At the end of this season it was decided that Xewkija Rovers should stop participating in the Gozitan league, leaving the village's representation solely to Xewkija Tigers.

Xewkija Tigers' first domestic league honour came at the end of the 1974-75 season. This squad included the likes of : John Busuttil, Mike Apap, Salvu Cilia, Charlie Le Prevost, Frank Mizzi, Carmel Attard, Raymond Rapa, Paul Vella, John Spiteri, Wistin Scerri, John Attard, Carmel Portelli, Benny Vella, Paul Hili, Joe Debrincat and Joe Grech. It was guided to victory under Mr. Joe Psaila, whereas the club was in the hands of President Mr. Frans Zammit Haber.

Xewkija Tigers' glory days were the early 1980s (1982-83 and 1983-84) when the team managed to win 2 consecutive league titles, together with the GFA Cup and the Silver Jubilee Cup. In other words this team managed to win all the titles which the Gozitan league offered in these years. Xewkija were managed by Mr. Salvu Cilia.

Xewkija Tigers' last domestic title arrived in the 2000-01 season in a decider final won against Nadur Youngsters F.C. by 4-3. It was a great and an unpredictable win, because 5 games before the end of the season Xewkija Tigers were trailing Nadur Youngsters by 8 points. Xewkija were once again managed under Mr. Salvu Cilia, who incidentally left his mark in all Xewkija's league titles (1 as a player and 3 as a coach).

Today

Presently (2008-09), Xewkija Tigers are playing in the SPRITE Second Division League. They are coached by Jules Ngangue, together with the help of club secretary Joseph Attard and masseur Gheorghe Radu. The current squad includes:

Goalkeepers:Joseph Grima,Darren Pace

Defenders:Josmar Vella,Andrew Said,Josmar Azzopardi,Charlon Mercieca,Josef Xerri,Shaun Mizzi

Midfielders:Paul Rapa,Joseph Cefai,Joseph Azzopardi,Michael Pace,David Xerri,Joseph Hili,Manuel Xerri,James Schembri,Domenic Cilia

Forwards:Stephen Spiteri,Christian Bugeja,Rodney Buttigieg,Jason Attard

Honours

First Division::*Champions (4): 1974-75; 1982-83; 1983-84; 2000-01:*Runners-up (6): 1984-85; 1985-86; 1990-91; 1991-92; 2001-02; 2004-05

Second Division::*Champions (6): 1964-65; 1969-70; 1972-73; 1980-81; 1987-88; 1995-96:*Runners-up (5): 1952-53; 1968-69; 1979-80; 1993-94; 2007-08

G.F.A. Cup::*Champions (7): 1983-84; 1984-85; 1989-90; 1990-91; 1999-00; 2001-02; 2004-05

Super Cup::*Champions (1): 2004-05

Republic Cup::*Champions (1): 1999-00

Gemaharija Cup::*Champions (1): 1989-90

Silver Jubilee Cup::*Champions (1): 1983-84

Independence Cup::*Champions (3): 1992-93; 2000-01; 2003-04

Freedom Cup::*Champions (4): 1979-80; 1980-81; 2000-01; 2003-04

Galea Cup::*Champions (2): 1945-46; 1952-53

Challenge Cup::*Champions (2): 1974-75; 1980-81

Rothmans Cup::*Champions (1): 1987-88 (2nd Div.)

K.O. Winners Cup::*Champions (2): 1993-94 (2nd Div.); 1996-97 (1st Div.)

External links