bit ious ▁M alt ese ▁club ▁had ▁made ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁sign ▁former ▁England ▁legend ▁Paul ▁Gas co igne , ▁but ▁the ▁club ▁failed ▁in ▁any ▁attempt , ▁despite ▁a ▁reported ▁sal ary ▁of ▁£ 1 2 , 5 0 0 ▁a ▁month , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁record ▁sal ary ▁in ▁Mal ta ▁had ▁Gas co igne ▁agreed ▁to ▁the ▁terms . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁January ▁transfer ▁window ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 3 / 0 4 , ▁the ▁club ▁strength ened ▁the ▁squad ▁further , ▁with ▁the ▁sign ings ▁of ▁highly ▁r ated ▁young ▁M alt ese ▁mid field ▁du o ▁André ▁Sch emb ri ▁from ▁Hi ber ni ans ▁and ▁Cle av on ▁Fr endo ▁from ▁Piet à ▁Hot sp urs . ▁ ▁Mars ax lo kk ▁were ▁showing ▁real ▁promise ▁by ▁this ▁stage ▁and ▁were ▁looking ▁ready ▁to ▁challenge ▁the ▁lik es ▁of ▁the ▁S li ema ▁W ander ers , ▁Val lett a ▁and ▁B irk irk ara ▁to ▁major ▁hon ours , ▁and ▁yet ▁again ▁sign alled ▁they ▁were ▁a ▁side ▁impro ving . ▁However , ▁the ▁side ▁finished ▁in ▁fifth ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 / 0 5 ▁season , ▁a ▁place ▁lower ▁than ▁their ▁highest - ever ▁league ▁finish ▁of ▁fourth ▁the ▁season ▁prior . ▁ ▁( 2 0 0 5 – 2 0 0 6 ) ▁season ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 / 0 6 ▁season , ▁Mars ax lo kk ▁made ▁some ▁very ▁interesting ▁sign ings :