View source for Maltese Third Division

{{short description|Association football league in Malta}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox football league
| logo       =
| pixels     =
| country    = {{MLT}}
| founded    = 2000
| folded     = 2020
| teams      = 13
| promotion  = [[Maltese Second Division]]
| relegation = none
| levels     = 4
}}
The '''Maltese Third Division''' (also known as the '''[[Bank of Valletta|BOV]] Third Division'''  due to sponsorship reasons) was the lowest league level in Maltese football until 2020 when it was merged with the [[Maltese Second Division]] to create the [[Maltese National Amateur League|National Amateur League]].

== History ==
The league was founded in 2000.

Until 2011 the division comprised two sections - Section A with eleven teams and Section B with eleven teams. Both sections play two rounds with the winner in each group getting promoted to the [[Maltese Second Division]]. Relegation play-offs between the 2nd and 3rd placed teams of both groups and the 10th-place finisher of [[Maltese Second Division|Second Division]] determined the third team to be in the Second Division.

Because it is the lowest level in the [[Maltese Football League]], there is no formal relegation from the league. However, the two lowest placed teams have to reapply to take part the following season.

For the [[Maltese Third Division 2007-08|2007-08]] season, [[Mtarfa F.C.]] replaced [[Ta' Xbiex]] after their league application was turned down, mainly due to their poor performances over a number of years. New teams can also apply to join the competition. Season [[Maltese Third Division 2009-10|2009-10]] saw [[Swieqi United F.C.]] joining, and they were followed by [[Marsascala F.C.]] in [[Maltese Third Division 2010–11|2010-11]].

On January 13, 2011, the [[Malta Football Association]] decided to reform the league to 14 teams as from season 2011–12, with the top 3 teams being promoted to the Second Division.<ref>{{citation|title=Changes to National League, FA Trophy format approved | url=https://www.maltafootball.com/2011/01/13/changes-to-national-league-fa-trophy-format-approved/}}</ref>

For season 2015–16, the matches were played at the [[Charles Abela Memorial Stadium]] in Mosta, Luxol St. Andrews ground in Pembroke and Sirens F.C. ground in San Pawl il-Baħar.

==Season-by-Season==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season
! Champions
! Promoted
|-
| align="center"|[[2000–01 Maltese Third Division|2000–01]]
| [[Msida Saint-Joseph F.C.|Msida Saint-Joseph]]
| [[Senglea Athletic F.C.|Senglea Athletic]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2001–02 Maltese Third Division|2001–02]]
| [[San Ġwann F.C.|San Ġwann]]
| [[Vittoriosa Stars F.C.|Vittoriosa Stars]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2002–03 Maltese Third Division|2002–03]]
| [[Żejtun Corinthians F.C.|Żejtun Corinthians]]
| [[St. George's F.C.|St. George's]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2003–04 Maltese Third Division|2003–04]]
| [[Melita F.C.|Melita]]
| St. Venera Lightnings, [[Qormi F.C.|Qormi]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2004–05 Maltese Third Division|2004–05]]
| [[Gudja United F.C.|Gudja United]]
| [[Għargħur F.C.|Għargħur]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2005–06 Maltese Third Division|2005–06]]
| [[Birżebbuġa St. Peter's F.C.|Birżebbuġa St. Peter's]]
| St. Venera Lightnings, [[Rabat Ajax F.C.|Rabat Ajax]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2006–07 Maltese Third Division|2006–07]]
| [[Mgarr United F.C.|Mgarr United]]
| [[Sirens F.C.|Sirens]], [[Żurrieq F.C.|Żurrieq]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2007–08 Maltese Third Division|2007–08]]
| [[Gozo F.C.|Gozo]]
| [[Żebbuġ Rangers F.C.|Żebbuġ Rangers]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2008–09 Maltese Third Division|2008–09]]
| [[Gżira United F.C.|Gżira United]]
| [[Għargħur F.C.|Għargħur]], [[Żurrieq F.C.|Żurrieq]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2009–10 Maltese Third Division|2009–10]]
| [[Żejtun Corinthians F.C.|Żejtun Corinthians]]
| [[Mġarr United F.C.|Mġarr United]], [[Naxxar Lions F.C.|Naxxar Lions]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2010–11 Maltese Third Division|2010–11]]
| [[Għargħur F.C.|Għargħur]]
| St. Venera Lightnings, [[Kirkop United F.C.|Kirkop United]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2011–12 Maltese Third Division|2011–12]]
| [[Pembroke Athleta F.C.|Pembroke Athleta]]
| [[Fgura United F.C.|Fgura United]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2012–13 Maltese Third Division|2012–13]]
| [[Senglea Athletic F.C.|Senglea Athletic]]
| [[Mdina Knights F.C.|Mdina Knights]], [[Marsaskala F.C.|Marsaskala]], [[Marsa F.C.|Marsa]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2013–14 Maltese Third Division|2013–14]]
| [[Sirens F.C.|Sirens]]
| [[Swieqi United F.C.|Swieqi United]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2014–15 Maltese Third Division|2014–15]]
| [[Mgarr United F.C.|Mgarr United]]
| [[Kirkop United F.C.|Kirkop United]], [[Qrendi F.C.|Qrendi]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2015–16 Maltese Third Division|2015–16]]
| [[Marsaxlokk F.C.|Marsaxlokk]]
| [[Attard F.C.|Attard]], [[Għaxaq F.C.|Għaxaq]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2016–17 Maltese Third Division|2016–17]]
| [[Kalkara F.C.|Kalkara]]
| [[Luqa St. Andrew's F.C.|Luqa St. Andrews]], [[St. Lucia F.C.|St. Lucia]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2017–18 Maltese Third Division|2017–18]]
| St. Venera Lightnings
| [[Mellieħa S.C.|Mellieħa]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2018–19 Maltese Third Division|2018–19]]
| [[Żurrieq F.C.|Żurrieq]]
| [[Xgħajra Tornadoes F.C.|Xgħajra Tornadoes]]
|-
| align="center"|[[2019–20 Maltese Third Division|2019–20]]
| [[Attard F.C.]]
| [[Għargħur F.C.]]
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|https://mfa.com.mt/en/leagues/leagues/76/bov-second-division.htm}}
* [https://www.maltafootball.com/tables-statistics/third-division/ League] at MaltaFootball.com

{{Maltese Third Division seasons}}
{{Maltese football}}
{{UEFA fourth leagues}}

[[Category:Maltese Third Division| ]]
[[Category:Football leagues in Malta|4]]
[[Category:Fourth-level football leagues in Europe]]

{{Malta-footy-competition-stub}}