Sliema, SLM ( ForPressRelease ) November 24, 2010 - The Victoria Hotel Malta ( http://www.victoriahotel.com ), a superior 4-star boutique hotel in Sliema, hosted ex-Man United footballer Jack Crompton whilst he was visiting our country recently. Mr Crompton, who has said that he tremendously enjoyed his stay in Malta and at the Victoria Hotel ( http://www.victoriahotel.com/Default.aspx?tabid=166 ), was also impressed by his dinner at TemptAsian, one of Malta’s and indeed Europe’s top-of-the-class Asian restaurants. Located close by, in the Victoria’s sister hotel The Palace.

John "Jack" Crompton who is native of Hulme, is a former English football player best known for his days as goalkeeper for Manchester United between 1944 and 1956. Having played for Oldham Athletic as an amateur and Stockport County as a guest player during the Second World War, Compton turned professional at Old Trafford in 1944 and was in the United team that won the 1948 FA Cup. Crompton, who retired in 1956 also became trainer at United two years later and dabbled in management by taking charge of Luton Town for one week in 1962 before deciding his heart lay with United, who he served for 32 years in various capacities. Following a string of management experiences with different clubs around England, Crompton returned to Manchester United as interim manager between the dismissal of Dave Sexton and the appointment of Ron Atkinson.

Jack, 88 – and described by Sir Bobby ¬Charlton as “an Old Trafford legend”– went on to taste glory with his beloved team as a goalkeeper between 1944 and 1956. His finest moment was ¬winning the 1948 FA Cup with Sir Matt Busby’s first great side. He then served at Old Trafford as a trainer and a coach – and was even, for a short spell, interim manager when Dave Sexton was sacked in 1981.

“My first match was in 1945,” he recalled. “We beat ¬Huddersfield 3-0. I only remember the games we won! “But my first memory is playing kickabout outside the ground and a chap coming out in a white coat. “His name was Tom Curry and he was the trainer. He asked me to get a bottle of milk for him from the cafe. “I didn’t realise then that I would be taking his job after he was killed at Munich. “Munich was terrible. I lost so many friends. I was at Luton and I drove back to ¬Manchester. It was like hitting a wall. It was so depressing. “We were like one big family. I find it very hard to talk about it. It brings tears to my eyes. “This is my club. Old Trafford is my life. For me, they are THE team.

“Matt was not very ¬demonstrative. If you did well, he’d just pat you on the back. “After the Cup Final he put an arm around my shoulder. I knew I’d done my stuff. There were no words, though. “He could be drily funny. After one game I had a ¬beautiful ball-mark on my forehead after a City player had whacked it straight at my head from a free-kick. “The following week, at the end of the team talk, he said, ‘Jack, I’ve had a word with the lads. They’re quite happy to head the ball if you’ll catch it’. I said I’d do my best. “You wouldn’t dare to argue with Matt. “We used to have trouble with the pigeons in the early days. They nested in the stand cover, so the chairman sent his odd-job man to shoot them. “The pellets made holes in the roof, and the following week all the fans got wet when the rain dripped through. “Matt was furious if ¬anything happened to the fans. So he ordered the ¬chairman’s odd-job man to fill the roof up again.”

Now aged 88, he is one of the oldest surviving former Manchester United players, and one of the last of surviving members of United's successful late 1940s/early 1950s side. Crompton is currently Club President of Curzon Ashton F.C. and resides in Oldham, Greater Manchester. We hope to see him back at The Victoria Hotel ( http://www.victoriahotel.com ) very soon.

About:
The Victoria Hotel is owned and managed by AX Holdings which partly runs a Hospitality Division through AX Hotels consisting of Luxury Hotels Malta. Mainly The Palace Hotel Malta. The Palace Malta is a leading stylish five-star Luxury Spa Hotel in Sliema, Malta. The Palazzo Capua is an adjoining prestigious Palazzo which has been transformed into an exclusive conference and wedding venue complemented by five distinctive Suites. Next door to the Palazzo is The Victoria Hotel which is a superior four-star hotel with distinctive elegance. Sunny Coast and the Seashells Resort are another two properties situation in the northern part of the Island of Malta. All five properties are part of the portfolio of the AX Hotels Malta – a leading operator of hotels in Malta. For your next vacation choose Malta as you will surely find several things to do in Malta during your stay. And perhaps book your Malta Accommodation at a superior Sliema hotel amongst the vast Malta Hotels which is still within easy reach of several popular towns and villages.

Enquiries:
Contact Press Office
Tel: 356 21 333444
Group of Hotels Website: http://www.axhotelsmalta.com
Group Events Planner Website: http://www.maltaeventsplanner.com
Email: info@thepalacemalta.com

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