Hamrun Spartans

Maltese Premier League
22 Nov 2027
Monday
Process
68 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

15 Nov 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Still nobody has beaten Hamrun Spartans

The unbeaten run reaches 6. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.

Squad

Blessing Eleke is in the form of his life

A season average of 7.22 with 10 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.

Squad

Karst de Leeuw lets one through his hands

A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.

Match

Hamrun Spartans share the spoils with Marsaxlokk

A 2-2 draw with Marsaxlokk leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

Squad

Matías García gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Slaviša Bogdanović knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

Back issues
67 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

8 Nov 2027
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

Hamrun Spartans up to position 1

21 points on the board and a place in the leading group. Nobody at the ground is saying the word out loud yet.

Market

Viktor Andri Hafþórsson asks to leave Hamrun Spartans

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Match

Hamrun Spartans see off Gzira United

Three points for Hamrun Spartans, 1-0 the final word against Gzira United in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

Damir Céter gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Blessing Eleke named player of the month

The award goes to Blessing Eleke, and nobody around here is inclined to argue with the choice.

Squad

Mouad El Fanis knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

66 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

1 Nov 2027
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Market

Lois Meunier hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Hamrun Spartans can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Danilo Bulevardi

16 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Match

Hamrun Spartans find a way past Birkirkara

Birkirkara made Hamrun Spartans work for it, but the scoreboard read 2-1 at the end and the table does not ask how.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Maxim Budko

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Mouad El Fanis asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

Market

The Danilo Bulevardi talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

65 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

25 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Matteo Antignani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Hamrun Spartans is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ryan Camenzuli

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Hamrun Spartans and Naxxar Lions take a point apiece

It finished 1-1, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.

In brief

64 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

18 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Karst de Leeuw gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Match

Honours even between Hamrun Spartans and Valletta

1-1, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.

Market

The Ognjen Bjeličić talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

63 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

11 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

Hamrun Spartans are in among the leaders

Position 2 and 13 points on the board. Nobody at the ground will say the word out loud yet, and everybody at the ground is thinking it.

Squad

Joseph Mbong: that is not what I was promised

“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Hamrun Spartans have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Match

Hamrun Spartans get the job done against Tarxien Rainbows

A 1-0 win over Tarxien Rainbows, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Squad

Damir Céter gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Danilo Bulevardi is off the mark for Hamrun Spartans

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

Squad

Charlie Knowles makes his debut at 21

At 21 years old, Charlie Knowles became the latest name off the academy production line to be handed a senior shirt.

In brief

62 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

4 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Slaviša Bogdanović stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Slaviša Bogdanović and Hamrun Spartans agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Match

Zabbar St. Patrick take the points off Hamrun Spartans

Beaten 2-3, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

The month belongs to Agustín Medina

The award is a small thing with a heavy meaning: for four weeks nobody in this division did his job better. Hamrun Spartans have the trophy on a shelf and the player in the side.

In brief

61 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

27 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

Matías García: that is not what I was promised

“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Hamrun Spartans have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Market

Matteo Antignani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Hamrun Spartans is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Slaviša Bogdanović gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

In brief

60 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

20 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Crisis

Squad

Joshua John gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Match

Hamrun Spartans come up short against Hibernians

Hibernians left with the points after a 0-1 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.

Squad

Mouad El Fanis asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

In brief

59 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

13 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Hamrun Spartans get the job done against Sliema Wanderers

A 2-0 win over Sliema Wanderers, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Karst de Leeuw

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Mouad El Fanis knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Squad

Jonny is off the mark for Hamrun Spartans

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

Market

Blessing Eleke linked with a move away

The name of Blessing Eleke keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

Blessing Eleke unhappy with how he is being used

Asked to play a role that is not his, or taken off before the hour once too often — Blessing Eleke has let it be known that he does not like the way Hamrun Spartans are using him. Managers hear this long before the press does.

Market

Hamrun Spartans pick up Maxim Budko for nothing

The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Maxim Budko arrives at Hamrun Spartans with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.

Market

Matteo Antignani runs his contract down

2 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Hamrun Spartans money.

Market

The window shut and Matías García is still in the building

Hamrun Spartans spent a month trying to move him and nobody rang back. He trains with a squad that has told him where he stands, and both sides start counting down to the next one.

In brief

  • The terraces The press have found their man in Jonny
  • The terraces The stand has a song for Jonny
58 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

6 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Ognjen Bjeličić signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Ognjen Bjeličić commits to Hamrun Spartans for another 3 years.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Alessandro Serpa

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Hamrun Spartans share the spoils with Mosta

A 2-2 draw with Mosta leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

Market

The Danilo Bulevardi talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

International call for Ryan Camenzuli

Ryan Camenzuli joins up with his country. Hamrun Spartans lose him for the window and would like him back in one piece.

Squad

International call for Joseph Mbong

Joseph Mbong joins up with his country. Hamrun Spartans lose him for the window and would like him back in one piece.

In brief

57 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

30 Aug 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Matteo Antignani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Hamrun Spartans is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Market

Oliver Muscat comes home

The shirt still fits. Oliver Muscat is back at Hamrun Spartans, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.

Market

Robert Bugeja is a Hamrun Spartans player again

He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.

Market

Adrian Psaila is a Hamrun Spartans player again

He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.

Match

Hamrun Spartans find a way past Marsaxlokk

Marsaxlokk made Hamrun Spartans work for it, but the scoreboard read 2-1 at the end and the table does not ask how.

Squad

Slaviša Bogdanović gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Boardroom

Hamrun Spartans board go back on their word

Something was promised, a deadline passed, and it did not arrive. Trust inside a football club is built over years and spent in an afternoon.

Squad

Agustín Medina is off the mark for Hamrun Spartans

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

Squad

Blessing Eleke is off the mark for Hamrun Spartans

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

In brief

56 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

23 Aug 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Dilan López asks to leave Hamrun Spartans

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Market

The Ognjen Bjeličić talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Blessing Eleke keeps his manager's vote

The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Blessing Eleke plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.

In brief

55 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

16 Aug 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Hamrun Spartans are in among the leaders

Position 1 and 44 points on the board. Nobody at the ground will say the word out loud yet, and everybody at the ground is thinking it.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joshua John

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

Blessing Eleke linked with a move away

The name of Blessing Eleke keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

Matteo Antignani asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

Market

Still no signature from Matteo Antignani

3 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Hamrun Spartans could get for him.

Market

Eder Bruno's agent talks up a move

“He is at an age where he has to be playing at the top level. We will listen to anybody.” The representative of Eder Bruno is not being subtle.

In brief

54 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

9 Aug 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Joshua John asks to leave Hamrun Spartans

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Squad

Danilo Bulevardi out for 19 days

The medical room confirms 19 days on the sidelines for Danilo Bulevardi, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Market

The Danilo Bulevardi talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Talks stall between Hamrun Spartans and Matthias Debono

“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.

Squad

Emerson Marcelina knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Dilan López placed on the list

Hamrun Spartans have made Dilan López available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

In brief

53 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

2 Aug 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Matteo Antignani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Hamrun Spartans is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Emerson Marcelina

35 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Mouad El Fanis

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

The Mouad El Fanis talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Emerson Marcelina is not saying it is over

“Ask me in the summer. I will know before anybody else does.” He is 36 with 121 appearances behind him, and Hamrun Spartans have to plan for both answers.

Squad

Somebody is after Danilo Bulevardi’s shirt

A new face in his position, and Danilo Bulevardi suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Hamrun Spartans have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.

In brief

52 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

26 Jul 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Clive Attard

33 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Mouad El Fanis asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Tyler Young

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

In brief

51 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

19 Jul 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Hamrun Spartans are in among the leaders

Position 1 and 44 points on the board. Nobody at the ground will say the word out loud yet, and everybody at the ground is thinking it.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joshua John

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Ognjen Bjeličić asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

Market

Hamrun Spartans put Joshua John up for sale

The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Joshua John may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.

Market

Blessing Eleke linked with a move away

The name of Blessing Eleke keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Matteo Antignani runs his contract down

4 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Hamrun Spartans money.

In brief

50 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

12 Jul 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Danilo Bulevardi

50 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Market

Hamrun Spartans sell Azer Kozić for $240.0K

Azer Kozić has left for Valletta in a $240.0K deal. The accountants are pleased; the supporters are less certain.

Squad

Ognjen Bjeličić knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

49 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

5 Jul 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Matteo Antignani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Hamrun Spartans is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Emerson Marcelina out for 64 days

The medical room confirms 64 days on the sidelines for Emerson Marcelina, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Market

Hibernians expected to open talks for Azer Kozić

Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. Hamrun Spartans will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Matías García

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

Hamrun Spartans put Azer Kozić up for sale

The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Azer Kozić may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.

Market

The Mouad El Fanis talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

48 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

28 Jun 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Hamrun Spartans turn down MSK Zilina for Kléri Serber

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Market

Emerson Marcelina hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Hamrun Spartans can pretend not to have heard.

Market

Eder Bruno attracts admirers

The name of Eder Bruno has come up in conversations Hamrun Spartans were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.

In brief

47 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

21 Jun 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Hamrun Spartans are in among the leaders

Position 1 and 44 points on the board. Nobody at the ground will say the word out loud yet, and everybody at the ground is thinking it.

Squad

Joshua John: that is not what I was promised

“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Hamrun Spartans have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Market

Hamrun Spartans turn down Hibernians for Azer Kozić

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Azer Kozić

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

Blessing Eleke linked with a move away

The name of Blessing Eleke keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Emerson Marcelina placed on the list

Hamrun Spartans have made Emerson Marcelina available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

In brief

46 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

14 Jun 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Piero Solinas asks to leave Hamrun Spartans

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Danilo Bulevardi

80 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Market

Naxxar Lions come back empty-handed

The bid was some way short and Hamrun Spartans did not need long over it. Nobody in the game reads a first refusal as the end of anything.

Market

Azer Kozić attracts admirers

The name of Azer Kozić has come up in conversations Hamrun Spartans were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.

Squad

Mouad El Fanis gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

The Danilo Bulevardi talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

45 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

7 Jun 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Azer Kozić hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Hamrun Spartans can pretend not to have heard.

Market

Matteo Antignani is on his way

The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Hamrun Spartans is pretending he will be back in the shirt.

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Emerson Marcelina

93 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Boardroom

Hamrun Spartans release $71.6K for the manager

The board have put money on the table rather than an encouraging word. What happens to it now is somebody else's problem, and somebody else's job.

Market

A long bet from Hamrun Spartans on Charlie Knowles

He is 20, and nobody at Hamrun Spartans signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.

Market

Emerson Marcelina told to find a new club

“They were honest with me, and I would rather know.” Emerson Marcelina has been informed he is not in the manager's thinking at Hamrun Spartans.

In brief

44 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

31 May 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

The Ognjen Bjeličić talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Tyler Young knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Squad

Blessing Eleke keeps his manager's vote

The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: Blessing Eleke plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.

In brief

43 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

24 May 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Hamrun Spartans are in among the leaders

Position 1 and 44 points on the board. Nobody at the ground will say the word out loud yet, and everybody at the ground is thinking it.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Azer Kozić

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Joseph Mbong knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Blessing Eleke linked with a move away

The name of Blessing Eleke keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Matteo Antignani runs his contract down

6 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Hamrun Spartans money.

Squad

Danilo Bulevardi is finding his feet at Hamrun Spartans

The language is coming and there is somebody to talk to in the dressing room. A footballer who feels at home plays like one, and it never shows up in a scouting report.

In brief

42 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

17 May 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Danilo Bulevardi

112 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Joseph Mbong gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

A long bet from Hamrun Spartans on Tyler Young

He is 20, and nobody at Hamrun Spartans signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.

Squad

Somebody is after Kléri Serber’s shirt

A new face in his position, and Kléri Serber suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Hamrun Spartans have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.

Market

The Jonny talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Hamrun Spartans pick up Piero Solinas for nothing

The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Piero Solinas arrives at Hamrun Spartans with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.

In brief

41 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

10 May 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Emerson Marcelina out for 122 days

The medical room confirms 122 days on the sidelines for Emerson Marcelina, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joshua John

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

Damir Céter linked with a move away

The name of Damir Céter keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

40 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

3 May 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Boardroom

Hamrun Spartans have won it

This is the season the town will measure the next twenty against. The trophy travels home with the squad, and the route through the streets was agreed days ago.

Squad

Eder Bruno out for 17 days

The medical room confirms 17 days on the sidelines for Eder Bruno, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Emerson Marcelina

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Boardroom

$63.0K a year onto the Hamrun Spartans books

A new partner, a signature and a photograph nobody will remember. It funds a fortnight of wages, which is more than most headlines on this page can say for themselves.

Market

The Ognjen Bjeličić talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Matteo Antignani knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

39 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

26 Apr 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Hamrun Spartans are in among the leaders

Position 1 and 44 points on the board. Nobody at the ground will say the word out loud yet, and everybody at the ground is thinking it.

Squad

Emerson Marcelina says Hamrun Spartans went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Market

Blessing Eleke linked with a move away

The name of Blessing Eleke keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

38 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

19 Apr 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

The manager makes an example of Matías García

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Joshua John knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Jonny linked with a move away

The name of Jonny keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

37 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

12 Apr 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Joshua John gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

The Damir Céter talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

The manager comes out for Michele Carboni

Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Michele Carboni has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.

In brief

36 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

5 Apr 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Eder Bruno

47 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Azer Kozić

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Joseph Mbong knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

35 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

29 Mar 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Henry Bonello keeps Hamrun Spartans in it on his own

Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 10 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.

Match

Hamrun Spartans up to position 1

44 points on the board and a place in the leading group. Nobody at the ground is saying the word out loud yet.

Squad

Joshua John says Hamrun Spartans went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

In brief

34 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

22 Mar 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Matteo Antignani says Hamrun Spartans went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Boardroom

87% of the income goes out in wages at Hamrun Spartans

Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.

Squad

International call for Henry Bonello

Henry Bonello joins up with his country. Hamrun Spartans lose him for the window and would like him back in one piece.

In brief

33 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

15 Mar 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Joseph Mbong gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

The Damir Céter talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Matteo Antignani knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

32 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

8 Mar 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Slaviša Bogdanović signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Slaviša Bogdanović commits to Hamrun Spartans for another 2 years.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joshua John

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Eder Bruno

75 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Boardroom

Hamrun Spartans release $71.6K for the manager

The board have put money on the table rather than an encouraging word. What happens to it now is somebody else's problem, and somebody else's job.

Market

Hamrun Spartans and Marc-Olivier Kehi are talking past each other

“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.

Market

Ognjen Bjeličić linked with a move away

The name of Ognjen Bjeličić keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

31 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

1 Mar 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Hamrun Spartans up to position 1

44 points on the board and a place in the leading group. Nobody at the ground is saying the word out loud yet.

Market

Azer Kozić asks to leave Hamrun Spartans

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Squad

Matías García gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

The Blessing Eleke talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Henry Bonello is not saying it is over

“Ask me in the summer. I will know before anybody else does.” He is 38 with 153 appearances behind him, and Hamrun Spartans have to plan for both answers.

Squad

Emerson Marcelina knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

30 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

22 Feb 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Michele Carboni out for 27 days

The medical room confirms 27 days on the sidelines for Michele Carboni, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Vincenzo Polito

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Boardroom

Wages eat 106% of everything Hamrun Spartans earn

There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.

Market

Hamrun Spartans put Azer Kozić up for sale

The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Azer Kozić may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.

Market

The Mouad El Fanis talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Hamrun Spartans pick up Alessandro Rossi for nothing

The best deals are the ones the accountants never notice. Alessandro Rossi arrives at Hamrun Spartans with his wages the only cost and something to prove the only clause.

In brief

29 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

15 Feb 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Azer Kozić gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

Experience through the door at Hamrun Spartans

Lois Meunier arrives at 35 with nothing left to prove and plenty left to pass on. Legs are a young man's currency; knowing where to stand never ages.

Squad

Joseph Mbong asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

Squad

Somebody is after Kléri Serber’s shirt

A new face in his position, and Kléri Serber suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Hamrun Spartans have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.

Market

The Jonny talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Alessandro Serpa joins Hamrun Spartans on a free

No fee and no drama: Alessandro Serpa has signed at Hamrun Spartans, and the wage bill is the only line that moved.

In brief

28 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

8 Feb 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Eder Bruno asks to leave Hamrun Spartans

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Market

Albirex Niigata expected to open talks for Blessing Eleke

Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. Hamrun Spartans will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Eder Bruno

105 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joshua John

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Hamrun Spartans lose Emerson Marcelina

15 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Market

Ognjen Bjeličić linked with a move away

The name of Ognjen Bjeličić keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

27 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

1 Feb 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

Hamrun Spartans up to position 1

44 points on the board and a place in the leading group. Nobody at the ground is saying the word out loud yet.

Market

Azer Kozić asks to leave Hamrun Spartans

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Market

Hamrun Spartans turn down Sapovnela for Azer Kozić

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Squad

Joseph Mbong gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

The Damir Céter talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Alessandro Rossi joins Hamrun Spartans on a free

No fee and no drama: Alessandro Rossi has signed at Hamrun Spartans, and the wage bill is the only line that moved.

In brief

26 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

25 Jan 2027
From our football correspondent Crisis

Market

Matías García hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Hamrun Spartans can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Blessing Eleke gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Match

A bad afternoon for Hamrun Spartans against Gzira United

0-1 to Gzira United, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.

Boardroom

Wages eat 130% of everything Hamrun Spartans earn

There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.

Squad

No place for Azer Kozić on the big day

He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at Hamrun Spartans pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.

Squad

Jonny is carrying Hamrun Spartans

2 goals and a season average of 7.30. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.

In brief

25 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

18 Jan 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Matteo Antignani hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Hamrun Spartans can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Vincenzo Polito out for 14 days

The medical room confirms 14 days on the sidelines for Vincenzo Polito, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Match

Still nobody has beaten Hamrun Spartans

The unbeaten run reaches 6. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Damir Céter

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

No goals between Hamrun Spartans and Birkirkara

Ninety minutes, two goalkeepers with clean gloves, and not one finish worth keeping. Birkirkara will be the happier side with the point.

Market

The Jonny talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

24 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

11 Jan 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Ivan Inzoudine hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Hamrun Spartans can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Eder Bruno out for 134 days

The medical room confirms 134 days on the sidelines for Eder Bruno, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joshua John

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Hamrun Spartans and Naxxar Lions take a point apiece

It finished 1-1, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.

Market

Ognjen Bjeličić linked with a move away

The name of Ognjen Bjeličić keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

Kléri Serber wants a proper job in this side

Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — Kléri Serber has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Hamrun Spartans know, and have known for weeks.

In brief

23 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

4 Jan 2027
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

Hamrun Spartans up to position 1

42 points on the board and a place in the leading group. Nobody at the ground is saying the word out loud yet.

Market

Rafael Compri asks to leave Hamrun Spartans

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Match

Hamrun Spartans find a way past Valletta

Valletta made Hamrun Spartans work for it, but the scoreboard read 3-2 at the end and the table does not ask how.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Slaviša Bogdanović

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Mouad El Fanis left out for the big one

A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Mouad El Fanis will call it something else in private.

Market

Eder Bruno is free to find somewhere else

“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Hamrun Spartans has been clear about where Eder Bruno stands, which is more than many ever get.

Market

The Damir Céter talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Market

Matías García placed on the list

Hamrun Spartans have made Matías García available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

Squad

Kléri Serber scores at last

The wait is over, and the relief was visible from the back of the stand. 2 for the season, and the next one always comes easier.

In brief

22 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

28 Dec 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Boardroom

245% of the income goes out in wages at Hamrun Spartans

Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Mouad El Fanis

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

No place for Joseph Mbong on the big day

He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at Hamrun Spartans pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.

In brief

21 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

21 Dec 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

Blessing Eleke is carrying Hamrun Spartans

17 goals and a season average of 7.22. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.

Match

Hamrun Spartans see off Zabbar St. Patrick

Three points for Hamrun Spartans, 2-1 the final word against Zabbar St. Patrick in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

Joshua John left out for the big one

A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Joshua John will call it something else in private.

In brief

20 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

14 Dec 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

The cup run ends for Hamrun Spartans

1-0 against Floriana, and the road stops here. Cup exits are quick deaths — no second leg, no next week, just the league from now until May.

The terraces

The ground has had enough

“We travel everywhere and we get this.” 6 of the 24 senior players heard it walking off, and the ones who did not hear it were not playing.

Squad

Eder Bruno out for 164 days

The medical room confirms 164 days on the sidelines for Eder Bruno, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Blessing Eleke gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

Ognjen Bjeličić linked with a move away

The name of Ognjen Bjeličić keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Matteo Antignani placed on the list

Hamrun Spartans have made Matteo Antignani available for transfer. A career at this club is over in all but paperwork.

In brief

19 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

7 Dec 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

Hamrun Spartans up to position 1

32 points on the board and a place in the leading group. Nobody at the ground is saying the word out loud yet.

Match

13 unbeaten for Hamrun Spartans

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 13 matches without defeat is a foundation Hamrun Spartans did not have in the autumn.

Match

Hamrun Spartans get the job done against Hibernians

A 1-0 win over Hibernians, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Squad

Joseph Mbong gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

The month belongs to Blessing Eleke

The award is a small thing with a heavy meaning: for four weeks nobody in this division did his job better. Hamrun Spartans have the trophy on a shelf and the player in the side.

Squad

Voices raised on the Hamrun Spartans training ground

Two players, one bad tackle and a session that had to be stopped. It was over in a minute; it was outside the gates in an hour.

In brief

18 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

30 Nov 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

12 unbeaten for Hamrun Spartans

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 12 matches without defeat is a foundation Hamrun Spartans did not have in the autumn.

Boardroom

Wages eat 301% of everything Hamrun Spartans earn

There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.

Squad

Damir Céter gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Match

Honours even between Hamrun Spartans and Sliema Wanderers

2-2, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.

Market

Blessing Eleke linked with a move away

The name of Blessing Eleke keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Market

Still no signature from Joseph Mbong

6 months left and the two sides are nowhere near each other. Every week this drags on takes money off what Hamrun Spartans could get for him.

In brief

17 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

23 Nov 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

11 unbeaten for Hamrun Spartans

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 11 matches without defeat is a foundation Hamrun Spartans did not have in the autumn.

Match

Hamrun Spartans see off Mosta

Three points for Hamrun Spartans, 2-0 the final word against Mosta in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

Azer Kozić gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

Hamrun Spartans sign Ala Eddine Limane, one for the future

Ala Eddine Limane is 20, and Hamrun Spartans have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.

Market

Hamrun Spartans sign Fitrah Maulana, one for the future

Fitrah Maulana is 20, and Hamrun Spartans have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.

Squad

Joshua John asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

Squad

Jonny is in the form of his life

A season average of 7.20 with 2 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.

Squad

Somebody is after Kléri Serber’s shirt

A new face in his position, and Kléri Serber suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Hamrun Spartans have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.

Market

The Jonny talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

In brief

16 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

16 Nov 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

10 unbeaten for Hamrun Spartans

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 10 matches without defeat is a foundation Hamrun Spartans did not have in the autumn.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joshua John

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Costly mistake from Henry Bonello

An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Henry Bonello knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.

Match

Honours even between Hamrun Spartans and Marsaxlokk

1-1, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.

Squad

Joseph Mbong knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Ognjen Bjeličić linked with a move away

The name of Ognjen Bjeličić keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

15 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

9 Nov 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

Blessing Eleke takes the match ball home

4 goals in one afternoon from one man. The other players were also present, a witness confirmed.

Match

Hamrun Spartans up to position 1

24 points on the board and a place in the leading group. Nobody at the ground is saying the word out loud yet.

Match

Hamrun Spartans run riot against Gzira United

4-0, and the margin flattered nobody — it could have carried another goal or two without complaint. Afternoons like this are why people keep coming.

Match

9 unbeaten for Hamrun Spartans

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 9 matches without defeat is a foundation Hamrun Spartans did not have in the autumn.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Emerson Marcelina

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Joseph Mbong asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

In brief

14 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

2 Nov 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

Eder Bruno says Hamrun Spartans went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Match

8 unbeaten for Hamrun Spartans

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 8 matches without defeat is a foundation Hamrun Spartans did not have in the autumn.

Boardroom

Wages eat 301% of everything Hamrun Spartans earn

There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.

Squad

Slaviša Bogdanović gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Jonny named player of the month

The award goes to Jonny, and nobody around here is inclined to argue with the choice.

Match

Honours even between Hamrun Spartans and Birkirkara

2-2, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.

In brief

13 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

26 Oct 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

7 unbeaten for Hamrun Spartans

Hard to beat is not the same as winning, but 7 matches without defeat is a foundation Hamrun Spartans did not have in the autumn.

Squad

Ryan Camenzuli gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Costly mistake from Slaviša Bogdanović

An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Slaviša Bogdanović knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.

Match

Hamrun Spartans and Naxxar Lions take a point apiece

It finished 2-2, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.

Squad

Jonny finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Hamrun Spartans have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

Market

Mouad El Fanis linked with a move away

The name of Mouad El Fanis keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

In brief

12 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

19 Oct 2026
From our football correspondent Triumph

Match

Hamrun Spartans cannot stop winning

5 wins on the spin now, and the question has changed from whether the run ends to who ends it. Confidence like this cannot be bought; it has to be earned exactly this way.

Match

Hamrun Spartans get the job done against Valletta

A 3-1 win over Valletta, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Azer Kozić

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Henry Bonello lets one through his hands

A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.

Market

Ognjen Bjeličić linked with a move away

The name of Ognjen Bjeličić keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

Yannick Yankam finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Hamrun Spartans have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

In brief

11 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

12 Oct 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

Hamrun Spartans up to position 1

16 points on the board and a place in the leading group. Nobody at the ground is saying the word out loud yet.

Match

Hamrun Spartans cannot stop winning

4 wins on the spin now, and the question has changed from whether the run ends to who ends it. Confidence like this cannot be bought; it has to be earned exactly this way.

Match

Hamrun Spartans see off Tarxien Rainbows

Three points for Hamrun Spartans, 2-1 the final word against Tarxien Rainbows in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

Joshua John gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

International call for Henry Bonello

Henry Bonello joins up with his country. Hamrun Spartans lose him for the window and would like him back in one piece.

Squad

International call for Ryan Camenzuli

Ryan Camenzuli joins up with his country. Hamrun Spartans lose him for the window and would like him back in one piece.

In brief

10 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

5 Oct 2026
From our football correspondent Triumph

Match

Hamrun Spartans through in the cup

A 2-1 win over Zabbar St. Patrick, and the draw for the next round can be watched with some interest for once.

Match

Hamrun Spartans cannot stop winning

3 wins on the spin now, and the question has changed from whether the run ends to who ends it. Confidence like this cannot be bought; it has to be earned exactly this way.

Boardroom

Wages eat 526% of everything Hamrun Spartans earn

There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.

Squad

Slaviša Bogdanović gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Joshua John knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Squad

The armband comes off Joseph Mbong

Hamrun Spartans will explain it as a decision about the team, and it may well be one. A dressing room has never once read it that way.

In brief

9 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

28 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

Hamrun Spartans see off Floriana

Three points for Hamrun Spartans, 1-0 the final word against Floriana in a contest settled by the finer margins.

Squad

Joseph Mbong gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Danilo Bulevardi finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Hamrun Spartans have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

Squad

Kléri Serber has taken the shirt

At 28 he is in the side on merit and somebody else is watching from the bench. Places at Hamrun Spartans are won quietly and lost loudly.

Market

The Jonny talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Hamrun Spartans know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Matías García asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

In brief

8 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

21 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

The manager makes an example of Yannick Yankam

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Hamrun Spartans draw a blank against Hibernians

The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Hibernians defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.

Market

Hamrun Spartans put Rafael Compri up for sale

The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Rafael Compri may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.

In brief

7 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

14 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

The manager makes an example of Ognjen Bjeličić

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

A bad afternoon for Hamrun Spartans against Sliema Wanderers

0-1 to Sliema Wanderers, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.

Squad

Henry Bonello lets one through his hands

A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.

In brief

6 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

7 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Triumph

Squad

Henry Bonello keeps Hamrun Spartans in it on his own

Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 8 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.

Boardroom

400% of the income goes out in wages at Hamrun Spartans

Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Joshua John

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Hamrun Spartans find a way past Mosta

Mosta made Hamrun Spartans work for it, but the scoreboard read 1-0 at the end and the table does not ask how.

Squad

The armband comes off Ryan Camenzuli

Hamrun Spartans will explain it as a decision about the team, and it may well be one. A dressing room has never once read it that way.

Squad

Damir Céter is off the mark for Hamrun Spartans

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

In brief

5 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

31 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Triumph

Match

Hamrun Spartans run riot against Marsaxlokk

4-0, and the margin flattered nobody — it could have carried another goal or two without complaint. Afternoons like this are why people keep coming.

Market

Sven Xerri moves on

Zabbar St. Patrick pay $32.0K, and the deal is done. The number reads well on a balance sheet; whether it reads well on the pitch is next season's question.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Danilo Bulevardi

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

A long bet from Hamrun Spartans on Marco Busuttil

He is 17, and nobody at Hamrun Spartans signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.

Market

A long bet from Hamrun Spartans on Johann Gauci

He is 15, and nobody at Hamrun Spartans signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.

Market

Hamrun Spartans sign Clive Attard, one for the future

Clive Attard is 16, and Hamrun Spartans have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.

Squad

Kléri Serber is off the mark for Hamrun Spartans

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

Squad

Blessing Eleke finally opens his account

He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Hamrun Spartans have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.

Squad

Michele Carboni is off the mark for Hamrun Spartans

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

In brief

  • The terraces The crowd stays with them
  • The terraces The press have found their man in Kléri Serber
  • Boardroom Hamrun Spartans spend it where nobody looks
4 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

24 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Zabbar St. Patrick watching Sven Xerri

The interest is real enough to have reached print. Hamrun Spartans have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.

Market

Ognjen Bjeličić linked with a move away

The name of Ognjen Bjeličić keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Hamrun Spartans say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

The manager comes out for Eder Bruno

Public backing, and the sort that costs a manager something if it turns out to be wrong. Eder Bruno has been told in front of everybody that the shirt is his.

In brief

3 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

17 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Hamrun Spartans turn down Yenisey for Blessing Eleke

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Market

Istra 1961 watching Damir Céter

The interest is real enough to have reached print. Hamrun Spartans have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.

Squad

Shaisen Attard signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Shaisen Attard commits to Hamrun Spartans for another 3 years.

In brief

2 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

10 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Sumgayit are about to pick up the phone

A conversation is coming this week. Hamrun Spartans will put a number on him, and from there it stops being football and becomes arithmetic.

Squad

Joseph Mbong gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Market

Talks stall between Hamrun Spartans and Henry Bonello

“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.

In brief

1 Edition

The Hamrun Spartans Sentinel

3 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Hamrun Spartans turn down ENPPI for Damir Céter

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

Market

Sumgayit watching Blessing Eleke

The interest is real enough to have reached print. Hamrun Spartans have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.

Squad

Danilo Bulevardi stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Danilo Bulevardi and Hamrun Spartans agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Market

Talks stall between Hamrun Spartans and Blessing Eleke

“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.

Market

Nobody at Hamrun Spartans has picked up the phone to Ryan Camenzuli

36 months to run and not a word offered. A club that lets the calendar negotiate for it usually ends up losing to the calendar.

Squad

Joseph Mbong knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hamrun Spartans, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief