Never before had Valletta FC won the BOV Challenge League, delivering a dominant performance by winning 19 out of 22 matches in the 2024/25 campaign. After being relegated from the top division for the first time in the club’s history during the 2023/24 season, this was the year that Valletta FC had to fight to regain their position in the Premier League. This was the year for a full structural overhaul and to change the mindset regarding how the club should be managed and operated. The year that supporters who had drifted away over the years returned to lend their support to this historic club.
In July 2024, the members elected our new President with unanimous approval, Mr. Claudio Grech, who had a clear vision to rebuild Valletta into a modern, competitive, and sustainable club. He established a full committee, which immediately had to work diligently to prevent the loss of points due to administrative and financial issues that could have resulted in the club starting at the bottom of the Challenge League. Fortunately, everyone regrouped, and the club overcame this hurdle as well.
Afterward, it was time to appoint the club’s coach and Thane was the best choice to guide the team from the Challenge League upwards. With a new squad to be built alongside the few remaining players from the previous season — including Brandon Paiber, Enzo Ruiz, Christian Gauci, Jake Azzopardi, and Neil Micallef — new additions began to take shape. The team once again featured City boys, born and bred in Valletta, sons of our City: Paul Lapira from Arcipierku, Sheldon Mackay from Mandragg, and Klose Azzopardi Conti from Diju Balli.
Once in the Challenge League, Valletta built momentum early with a winning mindset, which contrasted with their faltering form in the Premier League. The first game of the season against Sirens resulted in a win with three goals against none and the team secured full points from four consecutive matches. The first and only defeat of the Challenge League came against Tarxien Rainbows in October 2024. In the January transfer window, Valletta consolidated the squad with the additions of Ayrton Attard, Andrea Zammit, and Jacob Walker, weeks after also offering professional contracts to homegrown players Jake Azzopardi, Zack Barbara, Klose Azzopardi Conti, Keyon Ewurum, and Liam Frendo. As destiny would have it, in the second round of the season, Valletta clinched the championship against the same Tarxien Rainbows on 1st March 2025, with games to spare, after a convincing 3-0 win featuring goals from Andrei Ciolacu, Enoch Matiti, and Jake Azzopardi, securing promotion to the Premier League.
Supporters grew in number and enthusiasm with each game, and for the final celebratory match of the season, it was clear that the Centenary Stadium would not accommodate all loyal Valletta supporters. The committee managed to secure the game at the National Stadium against Marsa FC — a first for a Challenge League match.
The starting lineup for the game vs Marsa FC, which was won 3-0, was:
VALLETTA: T. Aqulina, E. Mushagalusa (Z. Barbara), N. Micallef, Z. Cassar, B. Paiber, J. Azzopardi (P. Lapira), A. Zammit (A. Attard), A. Ciolacu, C. Gauci (E. Ruiz), S. Mackay, J. Scicluna (K. Ewurum).
MARSA: R. Caruana (A. Sylla), D. Zerafa, J. C. Bugeja, C. Marini, G. Aquilina (M. Bugeja), J. Azzopardi, A. Muscat, K. Gatt, S. Cipriott, S. Bugeja, R. Farias Sgaria.
Scorers: 17′ E. Mushagalusa, 38′ A. Zammit, 66′ P. Lapira (V)
Yellow Cards: J. Azzopardi (M)
Referee: A. Johnson.
