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Lions Gibraltar F.C.

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Lions Gibraltar
Full nameLions Gibraltar Football Club
Short nameLions
Founded1966
GroundVictoria Stadium,
Winston Churchill Avenue Gibraltar
Capacity5000
PresidentAlexander Grech
ManagerAdrian Parral
LeagueGibraltar National League
2021–22Challenge Group: 5th
Overall: 11th
Websitehttp://www.lionsgibraltarfc.com/

Lions Gibraltar is a professional football club in Gibraltar. They play in the country's top-level league, the Gibraltar National League.

They were created by a merger of Gibraltar United F.C. and Lions FC in 2011.[1] Aside from their first team, they also run an intermediate (under-23) team, several youth teams, futsal teams and a women's team.

History

Lions Gibraltar was founded as Lions Football Club in 1966 when a group of friends decided to take up a team after the euphoria of England winning the 1966 World Cup, thus the three lions on its club badge. After a quiet 45-year history, the club merged with league giants Gibraltar United in 2011 to create a much stronger side.

Their time together saw the side consistently compete in the Gibraltar Premier Division, and the side continued this upon the GFA's admittance to UEFA in 2013. The 2013–14 season, their final season united with Gibraltar United, saw them narrowly avoid a relegation playoff with a 6th-place finish. After this, Gibraltar United joined the Gibraltar Second Division and Lions restructured, with English coach Jeff Wood appointed manager with ambitions to challenge the top sides and qualify for the UEFA Europa League. In February 2015 the club announced plans to become a feeder club with Premier League club Swansea City, although these plans eventually fell through.

However, after a disappointing season in which the club finished bottom of the league (avoiding relegation due to the league's expansion), the club announced in July 2015 that it was to be taken over by Hercules Sports Promotion, Ltd, headed by Andrew Flowers (who had previously attempted to purchase Leeds United in 2013). Significant investment by the new ownership meant that Lions would now become a semi-professional club with the aim of toppling Lincoln Red Imps' dominance.[2] The following season saw immediate improvement, with the club finishing 4th, however they remained significantly off the pace compared to the region's top two sides Lincoln Red Imps and Europa.

On 31 May, the board announced former national team coach David Wilson as their new manager for the 2016–17 season. However, after the collapse of the club owners' other companies left Lions' future uncertain, Wilson resigned before the beginning of the season to take over at FCB Magpies and the previous season's co-caretaker Rafael Bado was announced as manager. A season spent primarily in the bottom two ended in safety, however, after an upturn in form from the beginning of 2017 despite only winning one game in the first 4 months of the season.

Seasons (since UEFA acceptance)

Season Division League record Rock Cup
P W D L GF GA Pts Pos
2013–14 Premier 14 4 2 8 23 33 14 6th Semi-final
2014–15 Premier 21 1 5 15 9 48 8 8th Quarter-final
2015–16 Premier 27 14 3 10 49 44 45 4th Semi-final
2016–17 Premier 27 4 9 14 17 54 21 8th Quarter-final
2017–18 Premier 27 6 5 16 27 63 23 8th Second round
2018–19 Premier 27 3 0 24 17 77 9 9th Quarter-final
2019–20 National 20 4 4 12 13 33 16 6th[a] Quarter-final
2020–21 National 20 4 4 12 13 33 16 6th First round
2021–22 National 18 1 5 12 13 45 8 11th Quarter-final

Current squad

First team

As of 15 October 2022[3]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Spain ESP Borja Valadés
2 DF Spain ESP Patito
3 MF Gibraltar GIB Evan Green
4 MF Spain ESP Adrián Vera
5 MF Spain ESP Ñito
6 DF Gibraltar GIB Shea Breakspear (captain)
7 MF Gibraltar GIB Kaylan Rumbo
8 MF Spain ESP Antonio Cintas
9 DF Italy ITA Sergio Lengua
10 MF Gibraltar GIB Aidan Serra
11 MF Gibraltar GIB Davan Martin
12 DF Gibraltar GIB David Gallardo
13 GK Spain ESP Juan Muñoz
14 MF Gibraltar GIB Sykes Garro
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 MF Spain ESP Joel David
16 FW Gibraltar GIB Charles Gaivizo
17 MF Gibraltar GIB Cecil Prescott
18 FW Spain ESP Mai
19 FW Gibraltar GIB Byron Espinosa
20 FW Spain ESP Labra
21 MF Gibraltar GIB Etien Victory
22 DF Gibraltar GIB Leon Payas
23 MF Gibraltar GIB Harrison Murray-Freeman
24 DF Gibraltar GIB Thomas Hastings
28 FW Gibraltar GIB Lewis Navarro
30 DF England ENG Jack Lee
41 DF Gibraltar GIB Jaydan Catania

Intermediate League squad

Players below are registered to play in the Gibraltar Intermediate League. Players from the first team may also appear for this team. Correct as of 17 December 2020.[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
26 MF Gibraltar GIB Aaram Hanglin
27 MF Spain ESP Luismi Delgado
29 FW Gibraltar GIB Ellis Wilson
31 FW Gibraltar GIB Ethan Dobinson
32 DF Gibraltar GIB Javan Robertson
33 GK Gibraltar GIB Denzel Navarro
35 MF Gibraltar GIB Naseem Ben Youssef
No. Pos. Nation Player
37 MF Spain ESP Hugo Álvarez
38 MF Gibraltar GIB Jerome Duarte-Chipol
39 MF Gibraltar GIB Julian Grech
41 MF Gibraltar GIB Richie Parral (player-assistant manager)
44 GK Gibraltar GIB James Rovegno
MF Gibraltar GIB Kiri McGrail

Club staff

Position Name
Club Management
Manager Gibraltar Adrian Parral
Assistant Coach Gibraltar Richie Parral
Coach Spain David Aguilar
Physical Trainer Spain Roberto Carrasco
Physiotherapist Gibraltar Kamyl Hammond
Board
Chairman Gibraltar Alexander Grech
Vice-President Gibraltar Dylan Buhagiar
Club Secretary Gibraltar Kadrian Bugeja

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic

References

  1. ^ "Division Structure". footballgibraltar.wordpress.com. 2 October 2011.
  2. ^ LIONS GIBRALTAR TAKEOVER COMPLETE GibFootballTalk. 10 July 2015. Accessed 20 July 2015.
  3. ^ Lions Gibraltar Squad Lions Gibraltar FC. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  4. ^ Lions Gibraltar FC Intermediate. Lions Gibraltar FC. Retrieved 18 December 2020.