The Gżira United FC committee have hit out at claims made by the town’s local mayor Conrad Borg Manche who has stated on social media that the Premier League side were not interested in making use of the football ground in Manoel Island.
Borg Manche has stated on social media that his biggest arguments were with the Gżira United committee who he is suggesting didn’t want their stadium to be in Manoel Island, a claim which the club is categorically denying.
“It’s important to point out that Gżira United were given the right to make use of the stadium when the MIDI contract was being drafted under the Labour Party administration between 1996-98 and as well when the contract was signed under the Nationalist Party administration after 1998.
“The contract was unanimously voted in favour in parliament because both the local council of that time as well as Gżira United FC were in total agreement of the project. Therefore it is not fair that the current mayor tries to attribute the acquisition of this project to himself.”
The Premier League club said that they enjoy an excellent relationship with MIDI, so much so that they are one of the club’s sponsors and during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the situation permitted, organised a fun day for children and provided presents to every boy and girl that attended.
“It is not true that Gżira United FC had ever said that they didn’t want a stadium at Manoel Island,” the club said.
“The people of Gżira that attended the meeting that was organised in the presence of the top officials from MIDI, and for which the town mayor failed to attend despite being invited, were informed that the club were planning to make use of the stadium at Manoel Island.
“The club have a very good relationship with the town vice-mayor and the other members of the council and it’s only the Gżira mayor who wants to put the club in bad light.
“Gżira United FC knows that this is coming from Gżira mayor for personal reasons so that he can gain more popularity by inventing the claim that the club doesn’t want the stadium to be in Manoel Island.
“This is a blatant lie from start to finish and the only person responsible of this is the Gżira Mayor.”
