Tony Nicholl and Pullu Demanuele 60 years on

Sunday, September 29, 1957 was a red letter day for two of the greatest footballers ever produced by local football, Tony Nicholl of Sliema Wanderers and Pullu Demanuele of Floriana.

On that day Tony played his last game for Sliema Wanderers at the age of 41 after a brilliant career spanning 25 years. His last game was the Cassar Cup Final against Floriana won by the Greens 3-0. He made his debut for the Blues on the 27th of March 1932 at the age of 16 in a friendly game against HMS Royal Oak. During his career with Sliema he won 6 Championships, 4 Cassar Cups, 4 FA Trophy and 8 Scicluna Cup and was the League’s Top Scorer for a record of seven seasons, 1934-35, 1937-38, 1938-39, 193940, 1944-45, 1948-49 and 1953-54.

Tony did not announce his retirement from the game because when I interviewed him in September 1997 I asked him why he did not announce his retirement he told me that he did not announce his retirement because his men let him down on that day. Tony was born in Sliema on January 1, 1916 and died on March 11, 1999 leaving behind a memory of a great footballer and a gentleman both on and off the field.

On that same day Pullu Demanuele played a great game and was the game’s best player, besides scoring two of the three goals the Sliema defenders had a very hard task trying in vain to keep him at bay with his usual mazy dribbling and his lethal left foot.

On 30 September 1957, Times of Malta football journalist, the late Robbie Decesare commenced his match report as follows. “I hope Sliema full-back Bonnici and wing-half Calleja had a good sleep last night. If they did not I can easily imagine the reason. They were propably having nightmares with Floriana outside-left D’Emanuele the cause of their troubled dreams”.

It is to be noted that before the game Sliema full-back Ġużi Bonnici was presented with the Footballer of the Year Trophy for season 1956-57.

In the 1950s Demanuele went on holiday with team-mate Charlie Brincat to the Uk to visit Johnny Alamango who was on trial with Arsenal. During his stay in London he met Ian Black who was Floriana’s goalkeeper during his National Service in Malta and he introduced him to Fulham and in a reserve game for the London club he scored two goals.

During this same period he had offers from Arsenal, Liverpool and Wolves and although he was offerd a contract he refused to stay in England and returned to his hometown Floriana.

Pullu formed part of the National team in Malta’s first international game against Austria on 24 February 1957.

He was a prominent member of the famous Ajax and together with his left wing partner Lolly Borg they formed a formidable tandem. The Ajax were introduced to the First Division midway through season 1947-48, and in season 1948-49 they won the FA Trophy by beating Sliema 5-1 in the Final.During his career with Floriana which spanned until season 1963-64 Pullu won 7 Championships, four of which in a row between 1949 and 1953, a record which still stands to date, 8 FA Trophy, 6 Cassar Cup and 2 Scicluna Cup and was the League’s top scorer in seasons 1950-51 and 1957-58.

Pullu was born in Floriana on 22 March 1930 and died on 20 March 2007 leaving behind the memory of a great footballer and a gentleman both on and off the field.