Clayton Failla

Clayton Failla (born 8 January 1986) is a Maltese professional footballer who plays for Maltese Premier League side Mosta FC, where he plays as a midfielder and occasionally as a defender.

Clayton Failla
Personal information
Full name Clayton Failla
Date of birth (1986-01-08) 8 January 1986
Place of birth Żabbar, Malta
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Mosta FC
Number 13
Youth career
Żabbar St. Patrick
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2005 Żabbar St. Patrick 33 (2)
2005–2009 Hibernians 105 (11)
2009–2011 Sliema Wanderers 42 (2)
2011–2018 Hibernians 194 (77)
2018 Floriana 12 (2)
2019 Birkirkara 10 (0)
2019–2020 Hamrun Spartans 19 (2)
2020– Mosta F.C. 70 (17)
International career‡
Malta U21 16 (0)
2008–2018 Malta 55 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 January 2018

Playing career

St. Patrick

Failla was born in Żabbar, Malta. He began his career with his boyhood team Żabbar St. Patrick as a trainee. In 2001–02 he was promoted to the senior team squad, getting three games as a substitute. He was a first team regular when the team won promotion in 2003–04. He made his Premier Division debut during the 2004–05 season.

Failla showed potential, despite St. Patrick's disappointing season,. In January 2005, Failla moved to Hibernians. During his time with St. Patrick, he made 33 appearances and scored two goals.

Hibernians

Failla continued the second half of the 2004–05 season with Hibernians, and played in their first team squad. Failla helped his new side to a third-place finish in the Maltese Premier League, making 11 appearances and scoring one goal in the process.

Failla began the 2005–06 season as an established member of the first team squad. Hibernians managed their second third-place finish in as many seasons. Failla did however get his hands on his first piece of silverware with Hibernians as the club won the Maltese Cup, after beating Floriana 1–0 in the final. During the season Failla made 23 appearances and scored one goal.

For the 2006–07 season Failla made 22 appearances, but failing to find the net, as the team recorded a fifth-place finish in the Maltese Premier League. Failla did however add to his previous success as Hibernians beat Sliema Wanderers on penalties to retain the Maltese Cup. Failla made 22 appearances and scored twice in the 2007–08 season.

In the 2008–09 season, Hibernians won the Maltese Premier League for the first time in seven years, after beating Valletta to the top table finish by one point. During the season Failla made 27 appearances, scored seven goals and provided 11 assists. He was chosen as Man of the Match nine times during the season, most for any Premier Division player. Failla also added to his honours the Maltese Player of the Year award.

Sliema Wanderers

On 17 June 2009, Failla made the move from Hibernians to Sliema Wanderers and was allocated the number 77 shirt. He made his Premier League debut for Sliema Wanderers on 30 August 2009 in a 1–0 defeat to Qormi, he played 77 minutes of the match, before been substituted for Matthew Bartolo.

Failla scored his first Premier League goal for Sliema Wanderers on 17 October 2009, when he scored the third goal in a 5–0 victory over Ħamrun Spartans.

Hibernians

On 9 August 2011, Failla returned to his former club Hibernians, for the 2011–12 season of the Maltese Premier League. Failla had a trial with Hull City of England, playing for the team in a summer tournament. Failla is also the current captain of Hibernians.

Floriana

On 28 May 2017, Clayton was officially announced as a signing for the Maltese Premier League Club Floriana. Failla thanked Hibernians for the past experience with the Paolites whilst looking forward for his experience with the Greens.

International career

Failla is also an international player for the Malta national football team. He made his international debut in 2008. He is usually played in defence but is sometimes played in the midfield. In 2014, in a friendly match Malta against Slovakia, he became a famous meme, because the system sound of the stadium played Numb, from Linkin Park, instead of Malta National Anthem and the cameras got him laughing with the music.

Career statistics
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Malta League Maltese Cup League Cup Europe Total
2004–05St. PatrickMaltese Premier League131000000131
2004–05Hibernians111000000111
2005–06231000000231
2006–07220000000220
2007–08222000000222
2008–09277000000277
2009–10Sliema Wanderers263100000273
2010–11150100000160
2011–12Hibernians31134400003517
2012–1325145500003019
2013–1429132200003115
2014–1532164000003616
Total Malta 276711711000029582
Career total 276711711000029582

International goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 September 2013Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali Denmark1–11–22014 World Cup qualifying
2.16 November 2014Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Bulgaria1–11–1Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

Club

Hibernians

Individual
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