Age doesn’t matter – Oldest players in season 2017/18

Age doesn’t matter in football! This popular saying certainly holds true in Maltese football as a number of players aged 37 and over featured in our competitions last season. In the 2017/18 BOV Premier League, the oldest player was Nicolas Chiesa. Born on 13th May, 1980, the Argentine-born midfielder was 37 years, five months and 15 days when he played his last match for Floriana – against Naxxar Lions on 28th October, 2017. Chiesa, who hung up his boots to take up a coaching role at Floriana, topped the oldest players’ chart ahead of Lija Athletic defender Predrag Babic (22/11/80). Babic was 37 years, four months and 30 days when he faced Floriana on 21st April, 2018. Chiesa and Babic were the only two players born in 1980 to figure in the BOV Premier League last season. FIRST DIVISIONIn the BOV First Division, we had four active players who were born in the 1970s. The oldest was Kenneth Abela (21/5/75). The striker was 42 years, 10 months and 25 days when he played in Qrendi’s match against Qormi on 15th April, 2018. The other three players are Jamie Pace (1/1/77), of Vittoriosa Stars, Dino Cachia (13/12/78) who turned out for Pembroke Athleta last season, and Żabbar St Patrick's Adrian Pulis (30/3/79). SECOND DIVISIONSimon Aquilina (22/8/75), of Kalkara, temporarily came out of retirement to play one match last season – against Siġġiewi on 7th January, 2018. The defender, who also scored in the 2-2 draw, was 42 years, 4 months and 16 days that day. Other players born in the 1970s are Anthony Bonello (29/10/78) of St George's, Lawrence Vella (11/11/78) of Għargħur, Martin Portelli (7/2/79, St George's), who began the season with Xgħajra Tornadoes in the Third Division, Paul Camilleri, of Birżebbuġa St Peter’s (10/2/79) and Matthew Camilleri (4/7/79) of Kalkara. THIRD DIVISIONŻurrieq’s Ibrahim Tarek, who started the season with Msida St Joseph, was 46 years, four months and six days when he figured in the game against Santa Venera Lightnings on 15th April 2018. Born on 9th December, 1971, Tarek is the oldest player in all MFA competitions, scoring six goals in the BOV Third Division (four for Msida and two for Żurrieq). Għaxaq fielded goalkeeper Ludvic Fardell (22/2/77) and player/coach Florian Anton (2/1/78), Marsaskala had Jonathan Cachia (4/12/78), Msida St.Joseph played with striker Matthew Borg (5/7/79) and there was also Alex Portelli (Dingli) who retired from football at the end of the season (13/4/79). Mtarfa had Kenyan-born Joseph Munyao (25/11/79) in their team for some matches while Xgħajra relied on two players born in the 1970s – Noel Tabone (23/12/77) and Elton Caruana (17/6/77).   STATISTICS COMPILED BY LENNARD KELDER