Arsenal Supporters Club

Early in May 1980, Joe Pearson put an advert in the local Sunday papers inviting all those Arsenal fans to set up an Arsenal Supporters Club on the Island. On the 13t May 1980 a meeting was held at the Café Premier in Valletta and the ball was set rolling. The following gentlemen were present for that memorable meeting. Pearson Joe, Fenech Paul, Borg Lawrence, Miceli Joe, Sant Albert, Borg Cardona George, Ferriggi Carmel, Felice Pace Richard, and Casha Charles. On the 3rd June 1980 a meeting for prospective members was held at the Osborne Hotel, Valletta and the above members were voted in as a temporally committee to prepare the necessary work.



On the 27th August 1980, the first General Meeting was held at the Osborne Hotel, Valletta and on the 3rd September the following members formed the first Committee.

President	Fenech Paul
Secretary	Borg Cardona George.H.
Treasurer	Sant Albert
P.R.O.	Camilleri John.M.
Vice President	Borg Lawrence
Ass. Secretary	Galdes Charles
Ass. Trearurer	Casha Charles
Ass. P.R.O.	Messina Alex
Enrolment/Entertainment Officer	Pearson Joe
Members	Felice Pace Richard
	Camilleri Emmanuel
	Ferriggi Carmel



During one of the Committee meetings which at that time were held at the Salesial Oratory Hall, kindly offered to us by Rev. Ft. Sultana, Alan Sunderland, who at that time played for Arsenal and was holidaying in Malta, paid a visit to the Committee.



In May 1981, courtesy to Mr. Joe Gasan, the Committee brought over to Malta the Arsenal Manager Mr. Terry Neill and his family.



On the 1st of November, 1982 our first President Mr. Paul Fenech had to resign from his post due to pressure of work and the Committee elected Mr. Richard Felice Pace, who is still holding the post. On the 14th February 1983 a contract was signed were the Committee rented a house at Floriana to serve as premises for our Club. The Club was officially opened on the 2nd of December 1985 by the Secretary of the London Branch of the Arsenal Supporters Club, Mr. Barry Baker. The Club made use of the Premises till February 1996.



During the General Meeting held on the 31st January 1993, held at our Club ex Arsenal player Brian Talbot was invited. Between the 13th and the 15th of January 1995 our Club, together with the local Supporters Club of Milan Football Club organized a Souvenirs Exhibition at the Plaza Complex at Sliema.



Early in 1996 the Committee reached an agreement with the Sports and Social Committee of the Bank of Valletta and started using one of it’s halls for the Club’s activities, including the viewing of Arsenal’s games on TV. On the 9th of September 1998, at the Grovenor Hotel, Balzan, the Club made use for the first time of the Big Screen Projector, showing the league game against Chelsea. Between the 18th and the 20th December 2000 the Club organized a Souvenirs Exhibition at the Embassy Complex, Valletta which was officially opened by the British Deputy High Commissioner in Malta, Mr Phil Tissot. During the Bi Annual General Meeting held at the Holiday Inn at Sliema on the 21st May 2001 ex Arsenal player Alan Sunderland was our guest. In July 2001 our Club acquired new premises at St Venera and immediately work was started to prepare the premises so that it could be used by the members On the 6th of October 2001 the World Cup qualifying game between England and Greece was shown on the Big Screen. On the 10th of February 2002 the Premises were officially opened by the Arsenal Supporters Club’s Liaison Officer Miss Jill Smith who brought with her the Premier League Trophy and the FA. Cup Trophy.



The following day the Bi Annual General Conference was held at the Hilton Hotel, St Julian’s, were all members had the opportunity to take a photo with the Trophies.



On the 10th July 2003 our Committee invited to our Club all the officially recognized Supporters Clubs on the island for a get-together. On the 10th February 2005 we again had the Trophies which Arsenal had won the previous season at our Club. This time Miss Jill Smith brought with her the Premiership Trophy and the Community Shield together with the Unique Gold Trophy which was presented to Arsenal by the English F.A. as recognition for winning the League without a defeat. Special guest was the ex Arsenal player Michael Thomas.





During the years our Club organised various tours to Highbury, Wembley and other venues to watch Arsenal Games







The Arsenal Malta Supporters Club Members Team at the Malta International Airport before leaving for the Supporters Clubs Tournament at Highbury in May 2005. The team was lead by Arsenal Malta Supporters Club Chairman Richard Felice Pace and Team Coach Raymond Lia.