Paul Falzon

The news of Paul Falzon’s passing away on Friday left sporting Malta mourning.

It was an unexpected shock to hear that one of my best friends in sport (I had known Paul since the mid-60s) had passed away.

Apart from being friends, I will remember Paul as a great sporting personality, starting as a waterpolo player and later as a football club administrator.

In waterpolo he was labelled as the king of the goalposts, especially when he was at Valletta, during the last seven years of his career.

He had started at Sirens where he used to share the role of goalkeeper with Pete Sant Cassia, another friend of mine. Both were still young but the two were very promising and they both played for the national team later on in their career.

He did well at Neptunes (three years) where he won several honours, but did even better at Valletta where he had won everything, except the Player of the Year honour.

In those days, waterpolo used to be played in the clubs’ pitches around the island. In one particular interview, I remember him telling me how much he loved playing the international tournaments at the Neptunes and Valletta pools. He had told me he would feel more motivated when playing in front of such big crowds.

I also remember him praising his former Valletta teammates Joe “Ors” Attard, John “Buffalo” Curmi, Harry Cutajar and David Martin as well as Bertie Portelli of Neptunes, Freddie Griscti (Balluta and Neptunes) and George Borg of Skirens. He also considered – quite rightly – those players as waterpolo greats in Malta.

In the last 25 to 30 years, he was occupying the post of president of Luxol St Andrews.

He was in love with this club which he led from amateur to professional status along the years.

He was very proud of the fact that he had led the club to have a full time secretary as well as having the premises open during the mornings.

He certainly was also proud that several youngsters who started at their nursery, also made it to the Maltese national team, among them such players as Gilbert Agius, Andrew Hogg, Brian Said, John Stivala and Anatole Debono.

Sporting Malta has lost a great personality. As an MFA statement said: He was a great character, loved by all those who knew him. He will be badly missed, especially at St Andrews FC.