Gozo Football League First Division Explained

GFL First Division
Founded:1937
Teams:8
Relegation:Second Division
Levels:1
Domest Cup:G.F.A. Cup
GFA Super Cup
Independence Cup
Freedom Day Cup
First Division Knock-Out
Confed Cup:The FA Trophy Maltese
Champions:Nadur Youngsters (15th title)
Season:2023–24
Current:2023-24 Gozo First Division
Website:Official site

The Gozitan First Division, known for sponsorship reasons as the BOV GFL First Division, is the top division of the Gozo Football League, the league competition for men's football clubs in Gozo.

The GFL First Division is played on three rounds where each team plays each other once, with a total of 21 games played in total by each team, usually held between the months of September and April. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned league champion, while the bottom club is relegated to the Second DivisionA relegation play-off match takes place between the seventh-placed team in the First Division and the second-placed team in the Second Division, with the winner securing a place in the following season's First Division.

The majority of matches are played at the Gozo Stadium and Kercem Arkafort Stadium.

Clubs

2022–23 season

ClubPosition in 2021–22Top division titlesLast top division title
2nd 7 2015–16
3rd 1 1985–86
1st 15 2023–24
6th 5 1959–60
1st in Second Division0
7th 10 2010–11
4th 13 2018–19
5th 8 2016–17

List of winners by season

Key
Club Club name and number of times they had won the title at that point (if more than one)
SeasonWinner[1] Runners-up[2] Third place
1937–38Victoria Stars
1938–39Victoria CityVictoria StarsGħajnsielem
1939–40Xagħra Blue Stars
1940–41 to 1943–44Cancelled due to World War II
1944–45Victoria AthleticsXagħra Blue StarsXewkija Tigers
1945–46Victoria Athletics Xewkija TigersXagħra Blue Stars
1946–47Victoria Athletics
1947–48Competition not held
1948–49Salesian YouthsVictoria HotspursGħajnsielem
1949–50 to 1951–52Competition not held
1952–53St. Andrew's
1953–54Competition not held
1954–55Victoria Athletics
1955–56Competition not held
1956–57S.K. CalypsiansXewkija Tigers
1957–58GħajnsielemS.K. Calypsians
1958–59GħajnsielemXewkija United
1959–60
1960–61Competition abandoned due to problems within the GFA
1961–62Victoria HotspursNadur YoungstersSt. George's
1962–63Xagħra Young StarsNadur Youngsters
1963–64Nadur YoungstersVictoria Hotspurs
1964–65Nadur YoungstersS.K. Victoria Wanderers
1965–66S.K. CalypsiansNadur Youngsters
1966–67Nadur YoungstersS.K. Calypsians
1967–68Nadur YoungstersGħajnsielemVictoria Hotspurs
1968–69S.K. CalypsiansGħajnsielemNadur Youngsters
1969–70GħajnsielemVictoria HotspursNadur Youngsters
1970–71S.K. CalypsiansXewkija Tigers
1971–72Oratory YouthsVictoria Hotspurs
1972–73Nadur YoungstersVictoria Hotspurs
1973–74Victoria HotspursS.K. Calypsians
1974–75Xewkija TigersSannat LionsGħajnsielem
1975–76Sannat LionsXewkija TigersGħajnsielem
1976–77GħajnsielemVictoria Hotspurs
1977–78Nadur YoungstersGħajnsielem
1978–79Victoria UnitedSannat LionsVictoria Hotspurs
1979–80Sannat LionsVictoria United
1980–81Victoria UnitedCalypsian Bosco Youths
1981–82
1982–83Victoria HotspursSannat Lions
1983–84Sannat LionsCalypsian Bosco Youths
1984–85Xewkija TigersCalypsian Bosco Youths
1985–86Kerċem AjaxXewkija TigersSannat Lions
1986–87Xagħra United
1987–88Xagħra United
1988–89Xewkija Tigers
1989–90Xagħra UnitedXewkija Tigers
1990–91Xewkija TigersSannat Lions
1991–92Xewkija TigersVictoria Hotspurs
1992–93
1993–94Nadur YoungstersXagħra United
1994–95Xagħra UnitedMunxar Falcons
1995–96Victoria HotspursGħajnsielem
1996–97Victoria HotspursGħajnsielem
1997–98Nadur YoungstersVictoria Hotspurs
1998–99Sannat LionsXagħra United
1999–2000GħajnsielemNadur Youngsters
2000–01Nadur YoungstersGħajnsielem
2001–02Xewkija TigersGħajnsielem
2002–03Xewkija TigersŻebbuġ Rovers
2003–04Żebbuġ RoversNadur YoungstersGħajnsielem
2004–05Xewkija TigersKerċem Ajax
2005–06Kerċem AjaxSannat Lions
2006–07Sannat LionsXagħra United
2007–08Victoria HotspursSannat Lions
2008–09GħajnsielemVictoria Hotspurs
2009–10GħajnsielemNadur Youngsters
2010–11GħajnsielemNadur Youngsters
2011–12Nadur YoungstersS.K. Victoria Wanderers
2012–13Kerċem AjaxS.K. Victoria Wanderers
2013–14S.K. Victoria WanderersNadur Youngsters
2014–15Nadur YoungstersVictoria Hotspurs
2015–16Xewkija TigersKerċem Ajax
2016–17Nadur YoungstersGħajnsielem
2017–18Nadur YoungstersXewkija Tigers
2018–19Nadur YoungstersXewkija Tigers
2019–20Xewkija TigersVictoria Hotspurs
2020–21Competition abandoned due COVID-19 pandemic in Malta
2021–22Kerċem Ajax
2022–23Nadur YoungstersQala SaintsKerċem Ajax
2023–24Nadur YoungstersQala SaintsS.K. Victoria Wanderers

Performance by club

ClubWinnersRunners-up
Nadur Youngsters 1513
Victoria Hotspurs 139
107
Xewkija Tigers811
Għajnsielem78
Xagħra United64
Oratory Youths61
Victoria Athletics40
S.K. Calypsians13
S.K. Victoria Wanderers12
Kerċem Ajax12
Żebbuġ Rovers10
Victoria City10
Victoria Stars10

League appearances and goals

As at 31 December 2023[3]

Appearances

No.PlayerAppsClubs
1Chris Camilleri353Xaghra United/Xewkija Tigers/Nadur Youngsters/Sannat Lions/Kercem Ajax/Ghajnsielem/Victoria Hotspurs
2Jason Portelli308 Victoria Hotspurs/Zebbug Rovers/Sannat Lions/Xewkija Tigers/Kercem Ajax/Xaghra United/Ghajnsielem
3John-Paul Grima303Victoria Hotspurs/Nadur Youngsters/Victoria Wanderers/Gharb Rangers/Sannat Lions
4Paul-Anthony Camilleri296Nadur Youngsters/Kercem Ajax/Qala St. Joseph/St. Lawrence Spurs
5John Camilleri293Xaghra United/Ghajnsielem/Sannat Lions/Xewkija Tigers/Kercem Ajax/Victoria Hotspurs

Goals

No.PlayerGoalsClubs
1John Camilleri156Xaghra United/Ghajnsielem/Sannat Lions/Xewkija Tigers/Kercem Ajax/Victoria Hotspurs
2Antonio Claudio Pavlidis Cadu138 Nadur Youngsters/Kercem Ajax/Xewkija Tigers
3Sabri Rais135Victoria Hotspurs/Xewkija Tigers/Sannat Lions/Kercem Ajax
4Chris Camilleri126Xaghra United/Xewkija Tigers/Nadur Youngsters/Sannat Lions/Kercem Ajax/Victoria Hotspurs
5Frank Muscat125Sannat Lions/Victoria United/Xewkija Tigers/Victoria Hotspurs

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gozo - List of Champions . . 13 September 2018 .
  2. Web site: Gozo - Final Tables . . 5 June 2005 .
  3. Kelder Lennard, GOZO TOP LEAGUE RECORDS - ALL TIME RECORDS (Malta, 2023)