Players Honours
In the history of the Birkirkara FC, there were several players who will be remembered forever for their outstanding service towards the Club and their personal achievements.
Honours like the Top-scorer of the Season, Player of the Month and most of all, the Footballer of Year are never easy to claim. However, several Birkirkara have managed to clinch these memorable personal achievements. Most of these personal achievements started arriving from the late nineties, when Birkirkara FC established itself as a major force in Maltese football.
Player of the Month
Consistency plays an essential role in football, and The Player of the Month award acknowledges this fact. The award is quite recent to Maltese football. In fact, the first Player of the Month award was first won in September 1985, no less than eighty-five years since the introduction of competitive football on our islands.
Emmanuel Lowell - November 1991
Six years passed since the introduction of Player of the Month before it clinched by a Birkirkara FC. It was Emmanuel Lowell, who on November 1991, was awarded the Player of the Month award for November.
Emmanuel was a striker and he joined Birkirkara F.C. in Season 1983-1984. On the 28th January 1984, he made his debut against Zurrieq FC, which the latter won with a score of 1-0.
Patrick Fenech - February 1993
It took over a year for a Birkirkara FC player to won this award again. In February 1993, of Season 1992-1993, Patrick Fenech was voted as the Player of the month of February.
Patrick, who played for the Stripes in the defender position, joined our Club in Season 1986-1987. He made his official debut with our Club in the match against Floriana played on Saturday, 26 September 1987. The match ended in a goal-less draw.
Charles Sciberras - October 1993
In the same year, Charles Sciberras was the second player that managed to win the Player of the Month. Sciberras won the award for the month of October of Season 1993-1994.
Charles Sciberras, was a goalkeeper, who joined our Club in the Summer Transfer Window of 1987. He made his debut on the 21 September 1987 in the match against Valletta, which the latter won with a comfortable score of 4-1.
Joe Galea - February 1995
In Season 1994-1995, Joe Galea won the Player of the Month award for the month of February.
Joe Galea, was a defender, who joined our Club in the 1995 January Transfer Market. He made his debut on 26 August 1995 against Floriana, and the latter defeated the Stripes with a narrow 1-0 victory.
Antoine Zahra - January 1996
The following year started on a bright note for Birkirkara FC and Antoine Zahra. In the 1995-1996 season, he managed to clinch the Player of the Month award for the month of January.
Antoine Zahra is a Birkirkara FC Youth Nursery product, who played in the position of a midfielder. He made his debut in the Premier League on Sunday, 12th September 1993 in the match against Mqabba, and Birkirkara beat Mqabba with a 2-1 score.
Simon Sammut - October 1996
In the same year, Simon Sammut was the second Birkirkara FC player to achieve the Player of the month award. Sammut was awarded the Player of the month award for the month of October in Season 1996-1997.
Simon Sammut is a Birkirkara FC Youth Nursery, and he made his debut with the senior team on 5 February, 1984. He was included as a substitute in the match against Floriana and the latter won with a score of 2-0.
Antoine Zahra - April 1997
Six months later, it was the turn of youngster Antoine Zahra to win the award for the month of April.
This award was something special for both Antoine and the Club, as for the first time, a Birkirkara FC player managed to win this award twice.
Jonathan Magri Overand - November 1997
In Season 1997-1998, Jonathan Magri Overand was the first Birkirkara FC player to win the Player of the Month award, for the month of November.
Jonathan was a defender, and he joined the Stripes in the 1996 Summer Transfer Market. On 24th August he made his debut against Sliema Wanderers, and Birkirkara emerged as winners with a score of 3-2.
Michael Cutajar - December 1997
The season continued to be a positive one for both the Club and the players, as in the following month, in December 1997, Birkirkara’s Michael Cutajar was the second consecutive player to win the Player of the Month award.
Michael joined the Stripes in 1996 Summer Transfer Market, and he also made his debut on the 24 August 1996 in the 3-2 victory over Sliema Wanderers.
Antoine Zahra - April 1998
After Jonathan Magri Overand and Michael Cutajar had already clinched the Player of the Month award in the 1997-1998 season, another Birkirkara FC player managed to win this award.
Antoine Zahra won the Player of the Month for the third time in his career, when he received the award in April 1998.
Chucks Nwoko - May 1998
Three awards in one season quickly became four. Despite the disappointment of losing the league in the very last match against Valletta, Chucks Nwoko had some consolation by clinching the Player of the Month award for May.
Chucks Nwoko is Nigerian and he joined our Club in August 1995. The offensive midfielder made his debut in the 1-0 defeat against Floriana which was played on 26 August, 1995.
Michael Galea - November 2000
Although in Season 1999-2000 Birkirkara FC won their first ever Premier League title, none of the Club’s players managed to win the Player of the Month award. Following this pause, it was Michael Galea who won the award in November 2000 during Season 2000-2001.
Michael Galea is a product of Melita FC, and he joined Birkirkara in the 1997 Summer Transfer Market. He made his debut against Hamrun Spartans on the 30th August of the same year where the Stripes won the match with a score of 2-1.
Matthew Calascione - October 2001
It took almost another year for another Birkirkara FC to win this award, but in October 2001, Matthew Calascione was awarded as October’s Player of the Month in Season 2001-2002.
Matthew joined Birkirkara in the 1997 Summer Transfer Marker and he also made his debut in the match against Hamrun Spartans played on the 30 August.
Joe Brincat - January 2002
Joe Brincat won this award when he was voted as January’s Player of the Month.
Joe Brincat joined our Club at the end of 1997, and he made his league debut on 28 December, 1997 in the narrow 1-0 victory over Sliema Wanderers.
Joe Brincat - May 2002
May was a special one for the Club and Brincat, as after the Stripes managed to win their first ever Rothmans FA Trophy, Joe Brincat won his second Player of the Month award with the Club.
He was voted as the best Player of the Month of May in Season 2001-2002.
Haruna Doda - February 2004
In Season 2003-2004 Haruna Doda won the Player of the Month award for the month of February.
Doda was a Nigerian striker who joined our Club in 2003. He made his debut on the 7 August in the 5-3 victory over Hibernians in the first match of the Lowenbrau Cup.
Etienne Barbara - January 2006
In January 2006, Etienne Barbara was voted as January’s Best Player of the Month.
Etienne Barbara was a striker who joined our Club in the 2005 January Transfer Market, and he made his debut on the 8 January 2005 in the 3-1 victory over Floriana.
Michael Galea - March 2006
Michael Galea won the Player of the Month award for the month of March in Season 2005-2006.
This was the second time in his personal career that Michael Galea, probably the most iconic player in Club’s history, won the award.
Shaun Bajada - November & December 2007
In Season 2007-2008, Shaun Bajada earned the Player of the Month for "November and December", which for this award were combined in one.
Shaun Bajada joined our Club in August 2007, and he made his debut in the 1-1 draw against Hibernians played on 26 August 2007.
Trevor Cilia - February 2010
In Season 2009-2010 Trevor Cilia was voted as February’s Best Player of the Month.
Trevor Cilia joined our Club in July 2008, and he made debut in the 3-2 defeat against Valletta in the Super Cup match played on the 8 August 2008.
Trevor Cilia - April & May 2010
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Season 2009-2010 continued to be an excellent one for both the Stripes and Cilia, and just three months after winning his first Player of the Month award, he went out by winning the second one.
The former Floriana FC player won the Player of the Month for "April and May", which were combined in one award.
Emiliano Lattes - February 2011
In Season 2010-2011, Argentine winger Emiliano Lattes was chosen as the Player of the Month for the month of February.
Emiliano joined our Club in July 2010, and he made his debut in the 3-2 defeat against Valletta in the Super Cup match played on the 21 August 2010.
Jhonnattann Benites - September 2012
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Season 2012-2013 started in an excellent way, both for the Club and Jhonnattann Benites, as the latter managed to win the Player of the Month award for the month of September.
Jhonnattann, is a Brazilian forward, and he joined our Club in August 2012. He made his debut in the 4-0 victory over Melita, played on the 20 August 2012.
Jhonnattann Benites - December 2012
Having already clinched the Player of the Month award for the month of September, Jhonnattann Benites’ electrifying performances were once again rewarded three months later.
The Brazilian player once again managed to take the Player of the Month award, this time for the month of December, to win two awards in the space of just three months.
Jhonnattann Benites - November 2013
Despite losing the pre-season in the 2013-2014 season, Jhonnattann remained one of the best foreigners on the island and he was selected as the best performer in the BOV Premier League during the month of November 2013.
Jhonnattann was without doubt the star performer during November as he nippy tormented the opposing defences with his lightning pace and a natural knack for goal.
Jhonnattann Benites - January 2014
Jhonnattann continued to have an excellent 2013-2014 season and just two months after winning the player of the month of November, he clinched another award, this time for the month of January.
The award is undoubtedly attributed to his scoring frenzy in January. He struck five times during the month, including four in Birkirkara's 7-1 win on Naxxar Lions. The Brazilian forward was pivotal in Birkirkara's outstanding performance in the BOV Premier League in that month.
Shola Shodiya- February 2014
Shola Shodiya was voted for the first time in his career during his spell in Malta as the BOV Player of the Month when he clinched the February award during the 2013-2014 season.
He produced superb performances in the month of February including scoring four goals in the BOV Premier League which were one in the 2-1 defeat against Valletta, a brace in the 4-1 victory over Vittoriosa Stars and another goal in the 3-1 victory over Balzan.
Ryan Camenzuli - December 2015
Birkirkara FC Youth Academy product Ryan Camenzuli's electrifying performances as of late, hcaught the eye of all the Maltese Football followers, and the twenty-one year old winger was awarded the BOV Best Player for the month of December.
It has been a good month for Camenzuli who stepped up his performances and established himself as an inspiring figure for the Stripes throughout the last month of the year. During this month, he won the BOV Player of the Match twice and scored three goals in four matches.
Srdjan Dimitrov - August 2016
Srdjan Dimitrov won the first BOV Player of the month award for the Season 2016-2017, when he was voted the best player for August.
Dimitrov joined the Club in the 2016 Summer Transfer Market. During the month of August, he scored two goals and provided one assist, while he was voted the BOV Player of the match in the first league match against St. Andrew’s FC.
Srdjan Dimitrov - January 2017
Dimitrov clinched his second personal BOV Player of the Month award, when he was voted the best player for the month of January 2017.
During the first month of the year, he was named the BOV Player of the Match in Birkirkara’s two matches in that month, when they defeated Mosta and Pembroke Athleta with an identical 2-0 score.
Srdjan Dimitrov - April & May 2017
Dimitrov finished the season on a high, when he won the BOV Player of the month award for the months of April and May. He became the first Birkirkara FC player to win this award four times in one season.
He stole the spotlight during these two months, when he set all goals in the 3-3 draw against Valletta while he put his name on the scoring sheet in the 3-0 victory over Mosta and the 3-1 victory over Balzan.
| Player | Season | Month |
|---|---|---|
| Emmanuel Lowell | 1991-1992 | November 1991 |
| Patrick Fenech | 1992-1993 | February 1993 |
| Charles Sciberras | 1993-1994 | October 1993 |
| Joe Galea | 1994-1995 | February 1995 |
| Antoine Zahra | 1995-1996 | January 1996 |
| Simon Sammut | 1996-1997 | October 1996 |
| Antoine Zahra | 1996-1997 | April 1997 |
| Jonathan Magri Overand | 1997-1998 | November 1997 |
| Michael Cutajar | 1997-1998 | December 1997 |
| Antoine Zahra | 1997-1998 | April 1998 |
| Chucks Nwoko | 1997-1998 | May 1998 |
| Michael Galea | 2000-2001 | November 2000 |
| Matthew Calascione | 2001-2002 | October 2001 |
| Joe Brincat | 2001-2002 | January 2002 |
| Joe Brincat | 2001-2002 | May 2002 |
| Haruna Doda | 2003-2004 | February 2004 |
| Etienne Barbara | 2005-2006 | January 2006 |
| Michael Galea | 2005-2006 | March 2006 |
| Shaun Bajada | 2007-2008 | December 2007 |
| Trevor Cilia | 2009-2010 | February 2010 |
| Trevor Cilia | 2009-2010 | April & May 2010 |
| Emiliano Lattes | 2010-2011 | January 2011 |
| Jhonnattann Benites | 2012-2013 | September 2012 |
| Jhonnattann Benites | 2012-2013 | December 2012 |
| Jhonnattann Benites | 2013-2014 | November 2013 |
| Jhonnattann Benites | 2013-2014 | January 2014 |
| Shola Shodiya | 2013-2014 | February 2014 |
| Ryan Camenzuli | 2015-2016 | December 2015 |
| Srdjan Dimitrov | 2016-2017 | August 2016 |
| Srdjan Dimitrov | 2016-2017 | January 2017 |
| Srdjan Dimitrov | 2016-2017 | April & May 2017 |
Top Scorer
Scoring goals is what finally matters football. Being the Top Scorer of the League is far from an easy task to achieve. In the early years of football on our island, reporting of matches was very poor and made it difficult to identify the top scorers of each Championship, especially for the league in the pre-war era.
Birkirkara players had to wait quite a while to win this memorable achievement. The first time the award was captured by a player of our Club was in the 1997-1998. So far two Birkirkara players have landed this award on three different occasions.
With Birkirkara FC having established itself as one of the top teams in the Premier League, it was little surprise that a Birkirkara FC player finished as the Premier League top scorer.
Joe Brincat, who had joined our Club after enjoying a positive spell with Sliema Wanderers FC, could not have had a better first season with our Club. In Season 1997-1998, he finished as the Premier League as top scorer, with nineteen goals. History was written for Birkirkara FC.
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Following an absence of four seasons, in Season 2002-2003, it was the turn of another Birkirkara FC to be the Premier League’s top scorer.
In the only season in history, that three players finished with the same amount of goals, Michael Galea scored eighteen goals, on par with Danilo Doncic of Sliema Wanderers FC and Adrian Mifsud of Hibernians FC. The three were declared as the league’s top-scorers for the season.
Season 2005-2006 was a memorable one for Birkirkara FC as they won their second Premier League title. For the team captain of that season, Michael Galea, it could not have been any better, as once again he was declared the Premier League top scorer.
In that season Michael scored eighteen goals. Thanks to this award, he was the first Birkirkara FC player that managed to win this award twice.
| Player | Season |
|---|---|
| Joe Brincat | 1997-1998 |
| Michael Galea | 2002-2003 |
| Michael Galea | 2005-2006 |
Footballer of the Year
The Maltese Player of the Year Award is given to the player who is judged to have been the best over all player in that season. The award has been presented since Season 1954-55. Currently the winner is chosen by a vote amongst the members of the players’ trade union, the Professional Footballers’ Association.
Maltese football’s top player award has so far been won by two Birkirkara players, that is, Shaun Bajada and Paul Fenech.
Shaun Bajada wrote history for the Club as he was the first ever Birkirkara FC player to win the MFA Footballer of the Year, in Season 2009-2010. This honour was the cherry on the cake for the Gozitian player, after Birkirkara FC won their third Premier League in that season.
Shaun had an outstanding season and he was deservedly won this award. During this season, he made 27 appearances in the league. Out of these he was included 26 times in the starting line-up, while once he was once included as a substitute. He netted seven goals while he was chosen as the BOV Man of the Match twice.
The presentation of the award took place during the Malta Football Association Awards ceremony, held on Friday, 16 July at the Radisson Blu Resort in St.Julians.
In Season 2012-2013, Birkirkara FC managed to win their fourth Premier League title and midfielder Paul Fenech saw the season rounded off in perfect style. He was the second Birkirkara FC player to win this award, when the midfielder was named as the MFA Footballer of the Year for the 2012-2013 season.
Paul had an excellent season and his electrifying and energetic performances landed him this memorable award. He made 29 appearances in the league, being included in the starting eleven every time. He netted two goals and he was chosen as the BOV Man of the Match twice.
The presentation of the event took place on Friday, 14 June at the MFCC, during the 2013 Malta Football Association Awards night.
| Player | Season |
|---|---|
| Shaun Bajada | 2009-2010 |
| Paul Fenech | 2012-2013 |
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