Neptunes WPSC is a water polo and swimming club, founded in 1929, based in Balluta Bay, Saint Julian's, Malta.
The club has other very promising youngsters like, Benji Lanzon, Kyle De Battista, Gabriel Pace, Zack Mizzi and Jordan Camileri who is Stevie Camilleri's younger brother.
Neptunes’ glorious history all but started in 1929 when a certain Alfred Gauci, then popularly known as Is-sur Fred, formed a strong water polo team from the many youngsters who used to meet and swim regularly at Balluta Bay.
Franz Wismayer, Jimmy Chetcuti and the Podestà brothers, Wilfred and Arthur, the latter known as Babsie, gradually made the grade and were drafted in to support the squad.
In 1933 Neptunes, who in previous years were being denied participation among the ‘elite’, this time found themselves playing in the top sphere as all clubs were grouped in one division.
They continued on this vein by winning the knock-out competition as well and so Neptunes confirmed their true force which broke Sliema's long-standing monopoly.
The Neptunes tree flourished with players by the name of Eggie Xuereb (whose son Martin was our goalkeeper in early seventies), Joe (Dormi) and Teddy Gatt (Teddy's son Edward also had a say in the club's successes), Marcel Bianchi, Alfred Lanzon (grandfather of Niki and Kayne), Wilfred Gatt, Alex Mizzi and others.
The Maltese national water polo team that took part in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin included six players from the Neptunes’ side.
Efforts to stage the 1936 championship officially on the national team's return from Berlin proved futile, as other clubs did not relish facing Neptunes with the aforementioned Olympians in their side.
After winning the 1945 and 1949 leagues and the 1947 and 1949 KO competitions, Neptunes were to face a ten-year barren spell as we could find no youngsters who could replace the ageing veteran stars.
Support in no small measure also came from several other faithful club members, such as the Floridias, Degiorgio Lowes, Nanny Cachia, Wismayers, Albanese, all household names at Neptunes.
Long-serving secretary Stanley Ellul Mercer was instrumental in revitalising Neptunes by infusing amongst the members that much-needed spirit which was at that time waning.
This included, among others, the indefatigable Wilfred Mamo, Edward Xuereb, Tancred Gouder, Victor Cachia, Donald and Bertie Agius, goalkeepers Jimmy Micallef Eynaud and Tony Gialanze and his brother Michael.
The kingpins during these years, however, were Loris Manché, Jimmy Platts and Bertie Portelli who all remained with the club even when Neptunes were relegated.
Having been in the fray prior to the introduction of their younger colleagues, Portelli, Mamo and Micallef Eynaud ushered Neptunes to a new era which was soon to blossom.
Through the unstinted efforts of Angelo Debono, Loris Manché and Stanley Ellul Mercer, ably aided by newcomers to the club administration such as Wilf Mamo and Jimmy Micallef Eynaud who were both still on the playing staff, Tony Coleiro (even he put up an occasional appearance in the sides), George Sclivagnotis and others, Neptunes were becoming more organised.
Enthusiastic but very raw youngsters, unaware of the rigours the water polo game entailed, did not take long to call it a day.
Franz Wismayer, Joe Albanese and John Degiorgio all carried out, over the years, circuit training in an effort to bring the players in shape for the impending season.
However, the dynamic Angelo Debono was adamant that Neptunes returned to winning silverware as the fare being offered by the up-and coming youngsters gave a clear indication that success for the club was not far away.
With Joseph Wismayer and Tony Albanese entering the scene at a relatively very young age, the Neptunes team started having a sounder look.