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Kirkop United FC

Full name	Kirkop United Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Reds
Founded	1956 as Kirkop F.C.
Chairman	Joe Farrugia
Coach	Paul Bugeja
League	BOV 3rd Division
2016/17	BOV 3rd Division,
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Kirkop United Football Club is a Maltese football club based in Ħal Kirkop, Malta. The club currently plays in the Maltese Third Division. Founded as Kirkop F.C. in 1956, the club changed its name to Kirkop United F.C. in 1970.

The club enjoyed the most successful period during the 1980s and 1990s, winning 3 promotions, 2 of which were as champions. Also recently Kirkop won a promotion during the 2010–11 season, and won another promotion as champions during the 2014–15 season.

Kirkop United has long-standing rivalries with neighbours Zurrieq F.C. and with Luqa St. Andrew's F.C.. The team's home colours have been entirely red since 2003 when the club changed them from a red shirt, white shorts and white socks.

History

Kirkop United was formed in 1956 as Kirkop F.C. by the founder Mr. Clement Farrugia, and was affiliated to the Malta Amateur Football Association. The following season (1957–58) Kirkop F.C. joined the Malta Football Association, taking part in the Maltese Third Division and finished in a mid-table position. The successive two seasons Kirkop F.C. improved a lot, but in 1961–62 Kirkop F.C. only managed a decider against St. John FC. Kirkop lost that match and were therefore removed from the MFA. The seasons between 1962 and 1970, Kirkop ranged from Kirkop Stars to Kirkop United, and formed part of the M.A.F.A. again.

In the 1970–71 season, Kirkop United F.C. were back affiliated to the M.F.A. and played again in the Maltese Third Division. After several years, 1983–84 proved to be a successful season and won promotion to the Maltese Second Division for the first time. The club was relegated to the Maltese Third Division in the 1986–87 season.

Kirkop United F.C. won promotion again in 1989–90 during a memorable season, winning the Mosta Tournament, Dr. J. Mifsud Cup and declared Maltese Third Division champions, winning 13 out of the 14 league games.

The following season Kirkop managed a safe mid-table position in the Maltese Second Division and finishing runners up in the Second & Third Division Knock-Out.

After a positive two-year spell, the club was relegated back to the Maltese Third Division, but soon won back promotion to the Maltese Second Division in the 1992–93 season, before going back down the following year.

Following the relegation, the club was competitive and challenged for promotion immediately. From the 1994–95 season to the 1998–99 seasons, Kirkop United always finished in 2nd place and just missed out on promotion. The following three seasons the club finished in 4th, 9th and 9th. Kirkop again tried to push for promotion but only managed 4th, 4th and 6th during the 2003–05 seasons. The club then started going backwards finishing 14th and 17th during the 2005–2006 and 2006–07 season. For the 2007–08 season there was a change in the league structure with 19 teams competing in two sections. Kirkop in Section B only managed a disappointing 9th and only 2 points in a season to forget.

The 2008–09 season was a season of transition at Kirkop and the club managed to gain 16 points and finish 8th. The following season Kirkop moved further up and finished 5th with a target to challenge for promotion the next season.

The 2010–11 season was a season to remember for Kirkop as the club won promotion after 17 seasons in the Maltese Third Division. In the first season back in the Maltese Second Division, Kirkop had a very positive showing finishing a mid-table 8th position. The 2012–13 season was a season full of ups and downs for Kirkop but finally they managed to stay clear off relegation and finish 10th.

Season 2013–14 was one to forget for Kirkop as the club was relegated back to the Maltese Third Division after 3 seasons. However the following season Kirkop bounced back immediately winning both the promotion and the championship after a 2–0 win in the league championship decider against Mġarr United F.C..

League Statistics

Current squad

Name	Nationality	Date of Birth (Age)
Goalkeepers
Emann Grech		(1997-07-22) July 22, 1997 (age 21)
Defenders
Luca Mizzi		(1997-07-22) July 22, 1997 (age 21)
Melchior Grech (c)		(1991-01-01) January 1, 1991 (age 27)
Fabian Caruana
Matthew Cassar		(1994-05-21) May 21, 1994 (age 24)
Midfielders
Karl Caruana		(1996-01-17) January 17, 1996 (age 22)
Matthew Caruana		(1992-09-21) September 21, 1992 (age 26)
Neil Cutajar		(1990-07-07) July 7, 1990 (age 28)
Ilyad Scicluna		(1988-01-25) January 25, 1988 (age 30)
Forwards
Kirsten Farrugia		(1998-01-18) January 18, 1998 (age 20)
Michael Theuma		(1990-09-26) September 26, 1990 (age 28)
Eric Zammit		(1994-02-12) February 12, 1994 (age 24)

Club Officials

Name	Nationality	Job Title
Technical Staff
Paul Bugeja		Coach
		Team Manager
Luke		Assistant Coach
Redeemer Caruana		Kit Manager
Board Members
Joe Farrugia		President
Antoine Mifsud		Secretary
Edward Mizzi		Treasurer
		Vice-President
		Assistant Secretary
Redeemer Caruana		Board Member
Silvio Ciappara		Board Member
		Board Member
Kevin Ellul		Board Member
		Board Member
Nazzareno Zammit		Board Member

Presidential History

Start	End	Nationality	Name
2006	2010		Remigio Zammit
2010	2013		Toni Bezzina
2013	2016		Emanuel Azzopardi
2016	present		Joe Farrugia

Managerial History

NB. As from the season 2011/12 the 2nd/3rd Division Knock-out was removed and all teams participated in the F.A. Trophy

(*2008/09) Kirkop United 1 – 1 (1 – 3 aet) Naxxar Lions

(*2013/14) Kirkop United 2 – 2 (2 – 4 aet) Senglea Athletic

(*2014/15) League Championship Decider – Kirkop United 2 – 0 Mgarr United

Honours

League

• 
  Maltese 3rd Division Champions: 3
  
  • 1983–84, 1989–90, 2014–15


• 
  Maltese 3rd Division Promotion: 5
  
  • 1983–84, 1989–90, 1992–93, 2010–11, 2014–15

Cup

• 
  Maltese 3rd Division Knock-Out Runners-Up: 2
  
  • 1974–75, 1990–91

Other

• 1969–1970
  
  • Minor League Champions


• 1973–1974
  
  • Minor League Champions


• 1982–1983
  
  • Carmel Farrugia (Division 3 Footballer of the Year)


• 1983–1984
  
  • Division 3 Reserve League Champions


• 1987–1988
  
  • Division 3 Reserve League Champions


• 1989–1990
  
  • Mosta Tournament Winners
  
  
  • Dr J. Mifsud Cup Winners
  
  
  • Carmel Farrugia (Division 3 Footballer of the Year)
  
  


• 1993–1994
  
  • Under 21s League Section C Winners


• 1995–1996
  
  • Paul Farrugia (Division 3 Footballer of the Year)


• 1996–1997
  
  • Osama Milud (Division 3 Top Scorer)


• 1997–1998
  
  • Jean Pierre Abdilla (Division 3 Top Scorer)


• 2001–2002
  
  • Reserves League Section D Winners


• 2005–2006
  
  • Under 14's League Section C Winners


• 2008–2009
  
  • Fgura Tournament Winners


• 2010–2011
  
  • Under 15's League Section C Promotion


• 2012–2013
  
  • Women's 2nd Division Promotion
  
  
  • Women's Dr Marlene Farrugia Cup Champions
  
  
  • Under 17's League Section C Promotion
  
  
  • Under 15's League Section C Promotion
  
  


• 2014-2015
  
  • Under 17's League Section B Champions
  
  
  • Seniors MFA 3rd Division Champions
  
  


• 2015-2016
  
  • Under 19's League Section D Champions

External links

• Official Website