Local Football mourns Joe Cassar Naudi

Former Malta Football Association referee Joseph M. Cassar Naudi has passed away, aged 89, the MFA reported this morning.

The MFA in a statement said Mr Cassar Naudi started his career as a referee in 1945 and was appointed Head of the Malta Football Referees Association in 1955, a position he held until 1974.

In 1961, he was one of the first three Maltese referees to be given the Fifa badge and the first Maltese referee to officiate a competitive Uefa game in Panathinaikos.

He officiated the FA trophy final five times between 1951 and 1973 and was a referee observer for many years.

He was a Midalja għal Qadi tar-Repubblika recipient in 1992.

Up until the 2013-2014 season, Naudi was deputy chairman of the Referees’ Committee.

At the end of the last season, he was presented with the MFA’s Outstanding Refereeing Services Award.

His funeral is being held at the Msida parish church on Thursday at 2.30pm