Ġużeppi Schembri

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Ġuźeppi Schembri, known as It-Trioplin, was a mainstay for Floriana FC for almost sixty years, as well as the national football team.

He was born in Balzunetta at Floriana on 9 May 1921, and was attracted to the game from a very early age. In the early 1930s The Greens had a formidable team and Ġuźeppi, like many other youngsters from Floriana, was easily attracted to the game.

At the age of 18 he became Floriana’s official kit-manager. After that, his name was forever linked with that of Floriana F.C. Many Floriana old-timers still remember Ġuźeppi playing the bugle whenever the Ajax’s were playing. In rare moments when the team was struggling, Ġuźeppi’s bugel call would revive the players and spur them on to greater efforts.

When SK Hajduks toured the Island in 1944, the MFA found itself in a spot. Because of the war, the MFA did not have a set of jerseys to use against the visitors, Luckily for them, Ġuźeppi came to the rescue. During the war he served in the 3rd Battalion KOMR and since he was still in uniform he borrowed a set of jerseys from his regiment and loaned them to the MFA.

This was the start of a long and happy association with the National Team. From that day on, he became the MFA’s Official Kit-Manager, until his retirement in 1992. Carmelo Gauci, known as "Il-Busby" succeeded Ġuźeppi who gladly passed on his knowledge about all the players problems and their individual sizes.

He was presented with an award in recognition of his work during UEFA's annual Gala in Monaco in August 2002. The award, known as The Magnificent 7, was also presented to six personalities coming from France, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Spain, and Sweden.

His nomination was accepted by UEFA following the personal recommendation of the Malta Football Association President Dr. Joseph Mifsud.

Ġużeppi was married to Maria and together they had seven children: Marlene, Charles, Jennifer, Stephen, Raymond, Patrick, and Shelley.

He died on 2 December 2004 at the age of 83.