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As a dynamic organisation, the Malta Football Association maintains close links with the public. Its own weekly TV programme, ‘MFA Magazine', now in its sixth year, its enhanced website and regular publications are instrumental in keeping the football followers updated with the association's activities and statistics relating to football matches and players.
The MFA's Public Relations and Publications Committee works hand in hand with the Media Department to maintain a stream of information which is necessary for the public.
Of vital importance are the publications for which the Media Department is responsible. These are the Year Book, the Quarterly Review and the Souvenir Programme, three regular publications compiled and edited by Albert Fenech, a person of long-standing repute in football writing and a thoroughbred as a sports journalist.
The Year Book, published annually, as its name attests, is a popular and informative publication which has increasingly gained in prestige. Over the years it has become a comprehensive and official manual of Maltese football.
It was originally launched as a ‘Fixtures Book' in 1992. Besides the programme of competition matches it comprised other important data relating to the association, its member clubs and member associations and an overview of the domestic competitions and honours won through the years.
In 1995 the publication was renamed ‘Year Book' as it grew into a compendium of information and statistics of all our national teams' matches as well as a historical and updated insight of our clubs' participation in European competitions. Comprehensive statistics of national team players and individual honours won also started featuring in what has now become a handy and updated reference for all football enthusiasts.
Similarly, the Quarterly Review is another useful reference magazine which one can describe as the association's notice board. This publication has been in circulation since 1987 and has survived the strands of time as an informative review of the association's routine work and activities.
This magazine is published every three months and over the years it has undergone changes both in its content and presentation. Improved coloured illustrations and numerous features have truly enhanced the quality of this magazine. As from 2009 agreement was reached with Allied Newspapers Ltd for this official publication of the association to be distributed free with a copy of the daily newspaper, ‘The Times'. Thus wider circulation was ensured.
The third publication is the Souvenir Programme compiled as a memento on the occasion of our national team's home matches. The first edition was issued in 1957 but the present handy A5 format came into being in 1984. The Souvenir Programme is now being published when Malta plays competitive matches, while four-page brochures are published when the national team is engaged in friendly encounters.
The Souvenir Programme's usual statistical information of our players and that of the visiting squads is complemented by interesting features which make for pleasant reading.
During recent years these three publications have gradually undergone changes to the better, brought about by progress in printing technology and presentation techniques.
The Malta FA is working assiduously to ensure continued and improved editions of these publications as well as special magazines to commemorate important events and landmark anniversaries, as will be the case during season 2009-2010 with the publication of a magazine marking 100 years of MFA national league competitions and 50 years since the Malta FA became affiliated to UEFA and FIFA.
The aim is to be of service to all football lovers at large, both local and foreign, officials of member clubs and member associations, players, statisticians and collectors of such printed material.
Indeed, these publications are praiseworthy ventures which keep the media and the public abreast with all that is taking place in Maltese football under the jurisdiction of the Malta Football Association.
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