# 2008–09 Maltese First Division

The 2008–09 Maltese First Division season (known as 2008–09 BOV First Division for sponsorship reasons) started in October 2008 and ended in May 2009. Pieta Hotspurs and Mqabba were relegated from the Premier League. The promoted teams were San Gwann and Rabat Ajax. Dingli Swallows and Vittoriosa Stars finished the league as joint first with the same number of points. Both were promoted but a decider had to be played to decide who the champions would be. The decider was won by Dingli by the score of 2–1. At the other end Rabat Ajax and Senglea Athletic were relegated to the Second Division.

## Teams

These teams will contest the Maltese First Division 2008-09 season:
* Dingli Swallows
* Mosta
* Mqabba
* Pietà Hotspurs
* Rabat Ajax
* San Ġwann
* St. George's
* Senglea Athletic
* St. Patrick
* Vittoriosa

## Changes from previous season

* Tarxien Rainbows and Qormi were promoted to the Premier League. They were replaced with Pieta Hotspurs and Mqabba, both relegated from 2007–08 Maltese Premier League
* Mellieha and Marsa were relegated to the 2008–09 Maltese Second Division. They were replaced with San Gwann and Rabat Ajax.

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Dingli Swallows (C) | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 17 | +16 | 34 | Promoted to 2009–10 Maltese Premier League |
| 2 | Vittoriosa Stars | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 34 | 20 | +14 | 34 | |
| 3 | Pietà Hotspurs | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 34 | 23 | +11 | 33 | |
| 4 | St. George's | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 34 | 32 | +2 | 27 | |
| 5 | St. Patrick | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 27 | |
| 6 | Mqabba | 18 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 24 | +4 | 24 | |
| 7 | Mosta | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 22 | −2 | 22 | |
| 8 | San Ġwann | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 31 | 38 | −7 | 22 | |
| 9 | Rabat Ajax (R) | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 36 | −16 | 17 | Relegation to 2009–10 Maltese Second Division |
| 10 | Senglea Athletic (R) | 18 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 18 | 40 | −22 | 8 | Relegation to 2009–10 Maltese Second Division |
* ↑ Vittoriosa Stars were promoted. However, after playing one match in the Premier League, Vittoriosa Stars were relegated to the First Division due to a decision by the Board to Investigate Corrupt Practices.

## Championship play-offs

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Dingli Swallows | 2–1 | Vittoriosa Stars |

## Results

| Home \ Away | DIN | MOS | MQA | PIE | RAB | SĠW | SEN | STG | STP | VIT |
| Dingli Swallows | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Mosta | 0–1 | — | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| Mqabba | 3–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–4 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Pietà Hotspurs | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | — | 3–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 |
| Rabat Ajax | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–1 | — | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 |
| San Ġwann | 4–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–3 | — | 4–2 | 0–3 | 4–1 | 1–2 |
| Senglea Athletic | 0–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | — | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 |
| St. George's | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 7–2 | 2–0 | — | 3–3 | 0–4 |
| St. Patrick | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | — | 1–3 |
| Vittoriosa Stars | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 5–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — |

## Top scorers

    As of 17 May 2009
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Simon Shead | Pietà Hotspurs | 15 |
| 1 | Anthony Eviparker | Vittoriosa Stars | 15 |
| 3 | Uchenna Anyanwu | Dingli Swallows | 13 |
| 4 | Martin Deanov | Pietà Hotspurs | 11 |
| 5 | John Nwoba | St. George's | 10 |