The Industries Sports Association was set up in 1968. One of its founders was the late Gigi Catania who went on to become one of the most long serving Presidents of the Association besides being a renowned Sports Writer and for some time the Malta Football Association PRO. Mr John R Casha served in the ISA for a very long time in many different Committee appointments from President to Secretary to Treasurer as well in various prominent positions within the Malta Football Association. Past Presidents were Magistrate Soler who was the first President, Gigi Catania succeeded him. After Gigi Catania’s death Capt. Ripard was appointed President and Major Stanley Clews was President for four years. Mr John R Casha was then appointed President with the present President Mr Benjamin Rizzo succeeding Mr. Casha, both shown below during a recent special occasion where Mr Casha was honoured for all the work he has done for the Association by present President Benjamin Rizzo.

The Industries Sports Association was one of the first organisations in Malta to organise football for the workers and played its games on rough surface grounds such as Corradino Ground C, Marsa Ground 5 and the University of Malta. At one point the ISA had 24 playing teams with three divisions, but in those days football was different and the interest in the game was somthing unexplainable. Each teams had a squad of 30 or more players all fighting for those important eleven places. Now a days it is very difficult to play an 11-A-Side football match and that is why we are considering lowering our competitions to a 7-A-Side league. Below are some photos of mathces played at Corradino and also a presentation being done to Farsons, one of the best teams of the past with the late President of the ISA Gigi Catania looking on and the late Eddie Zammit receiving the gift on behalf of Farsons with John Spiteri (Farsons) looking on.

Photo above shows Nylon Knitting being presented with the Catania Cup by thew late Gigi Catania brother and son during the last season played at Corradino Ground C. Portanier Brothers, Pantalesco, Attard Brothers, PlayCraft Trophies, Wurth, Miles Express, Playmobil Malta, Trelleborg and Guthenburg Press have all sponsored and helped the Association throughout the times. One must not forget as well the various Sport Ministers who helped so much our Association and I must mention Dr Michael Refalo and Mr Richard Muscat  who both helped very much our Association financialy in hard times, unfortunately nowadays it is hard to find such dedicated persons committed to our cause as were both these gentlemen.

We now play our matches on a syntethic football pitch in Tarxien, and the conditions are very much changed. We have now decent dressing rooms both for the teams as well as match officials. The number of participants has decreased alot and we now barely have 8 teams left to compete amid all these changes. Our matches are still being officiated by MFA Officials and a doctor / nurse is always in attendance.

Nowadays we are trying to lodge the first ISA 7-A-Side Football Competitions since teams are finding it a bit hard to get 11 players to play. The name was changed from Soccer Association to Sports Association way back in 2002 as the ISA tried to organise Darts, Shooting and Table Tennis Competitions for all it's members.

We now hope that this dream will continue to live on in honor of the many volunteers who fought so hard in the past to set up this marvelous Association.

So why not JOIN to help us along the way . . . .


Robert Massa
General Secretary