Tarxien Rainbows Football Club are a football team from Tarxien, a town in southern Malta. They currently play in the Maltese Challenge League.

Tarxien Rainbows
Full nameTarxien Rainbows Football Club
Nickname(s)Rainbows,Tarxien,Blues,
FoundedApril 1934; 90 years ago (1934-04)
as Rainbows Tarxien
GroundTony Cassar Sports Ground,
Tarxien, Malta
Capacity1000
ChairmanAnthony Cassar
ManagerJacques Scerri
LeagueMaltese Challenge League
2021–22Maltese Challenge League, Group B, 3rd

The club were founded as Rainbows Tarxien in April 1934, and participated in all the divisions of Maltese football. They have been in the top flight 3 times, with the longest spell starting from the 2008–2009 season. The club was promoted to the best division after finishing as champions in the Maltese First Division in 2007–08. In 2008–09 the club finished level on points with fellow strugglers Ħamrun Spartans and Msida St. Joseph. Ħamrun had the worst head-to-head record and were relegated, while Tarxien Rainbows managed to avoid relegation with a playoff-win over Msida St. Joseph. In 2009–10 the season was different for the Rainbows as they managed to place fifth in the table and proceeded to the semi-finals of both domestic cup competitions that the club played.

In the 2009–10 season, Tarxien Rainbows placed fifth in the championship pool above rivals Hibernians. The team won the derby three times in a row making it a historical season. Tarxien went on to reach the semi-final of the F.A. Trophy and the 100th Anniversary Cup.

In the 2010–11 season Tarxien Rainbows finished in fifth place in the championship pool. The club ended the First Round in second place. In the same season they reached the Semi-final of the U*BET FA Trophy.

In the 2011–12 season Tarxien Rainbows avoided relegation with a few games remaining before the end of the season.

Players

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Current squad

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As of 8 August 2021

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF   BRA Anderson Carneiro
3 DF   MLT Cedric Zahra
4 MF   MLT Brandon Muscat
5 DF   BRA Carlos Chabá
6 DF   MLT Daniel Zerafa
7 MF   MLT Daren Falzon (on loan from Naxxar Lions)
8 MF   MLT Matthew Spiteri
9 FW   SVN Vito Plut
10 MF   BRA Lincoln
13 DF   BRA Eduardo Rosado
15 FW   MLT Luke Sciberras
16 MF   MLT Jurgen Debono
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 DF   MLT Kyle Gatt
19 DF   MLT Matthew Tabone
20 MF   JPN Yuki Omuro
21 MF   JPN Shunsuke Kanayama
22 MF   MLT Miguel Ciantar
23 MF   MLT Misael Miranda
30 MF   CHI Edison Bilbao
33 FW   MLT Dale Tabone
39 DF   MLT Keith Attard
94 GK   MLT Jurgen Borg
95 GK   MLT Andrea Cassar
95 DF   MLT Luke Grech

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

Historical list of coaches

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  •   Joe Galea (1996 – 1998)
  •   John Vella (2007 – 2008)
  •   Noel Coleiro (2008 – Oct 26, 2011)
  •   Patrick Curmi (Oct 16, 2011 – May 16, 2012)
  •   Danilo Dončić (May 31, 2012 – Aug 27, 2012)
  •   Clive Mizzi (Aug 27, 2012 – Jun 9, 2015)
  •   Jacques Scerri (Jun 2015 - Oct 2016)
  •   Kevin Vella (Nov, 17 2016 - Nov 17, 2016)
  •   Jesmond Zerafa (1 Dec 2016 – Mar 29, 2017)[1]
  •   Brian Testaferrata (Mar 29, 2017 – Jun 27, 2017)
  •   Jose Borg (Jul 1, 2017 – Jul 29, 2019)
  •   Marko Glumac (Jul 29, 2019 – Nov 12, 2019)
  •   Demis Paul Scerri (Dec 2019 – May 21, 2020)
  •   Winston Muscat (Jul 2020 – Feb 15, 2021)
  •   Steve D'Amato (Feb 18, 2021– May 31, 2022)
  •   Ivan Casha (Jun 1, 2022– Jun 30, 2022)
  •   Jacques Scerri (Sep 13, 2022 – present)

References

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  1. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (2 December 2016). "Jesmond Zerafa to make his debut as Tarxien take on St. Andrews". Malta Football. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
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Media websites

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