Calpe City Magpies F.C.

Last updated
Calpe City Magpies
Logo Calpe City Magpies.png
Full nameCalpe City Magpies Football Club
Nickname(s)The Magpies
Short nameCCM
Founded1 June 2025;2 months ago (2025-06-01) as Calpe City Magpies (commencing play 1 June 2026)
Ground Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar
Capacity5,000
Owners Haig Oundjian
Seamus Byrne
Managervacant
League Gibraltar Football League
2026–27 First season

Calpe City Magpies F.C. are a semi-professional football team from Gibraltar. They play in the Gibraltar Football League and contest the Rock Cup.

Contents

The club announced on 6 April 2025. [1] it will merge on 1 June 2025 with Calpe City, a sports club which participates in various sport disciplines to strengthen not only its youth football, but also to promote cross-training with other sports disciplines. The club will continue to operate as FCB Magpies in the 2025–26 season before commencing play as Calpe City Magpies in 2026.

History

Bruno's Magpies was formed in 2013 by Louis Perry with support from Bruno's Bar and Grill, from which the club got its name, adopting the "Magpies" nickname from Newcastle United after a request from first manager Mick Embleton. [2] [3] [4] [5] After spending its first 6 seasons in the Gibraltar Second Division, it became a founder member of the new Gibraltar National League in 2019, eventually winning its first major honour, the Rock Cup, in 2023 under the management of Nathan Rooney. The club won its second title in 2025.

Calpe City formed in 2019 after the collapse of Gibraltar United, in order to preserve the successful youth system that had been set up there, competing in numerous international youth tournaments including the 2023 Boni Cup in Algarve. [6] However, despite being able to play youth football and join the futsal system, the club saw resistance from other clubs regarding full membership and participating in the Gibraltar Football League, seeing its application rejected in 2022. In 2023 they reached an agreement with Europa Point to act as their youth system, but frictions with the agreement led to Calpe City announcing its intention to fold in 2024. [7] After the Gibraltar Football Association intervened in the dispute, [8] the two clubs continued their arrangement for a further season. [9]

On 6 April 2025, both FCB Magpies and Calpe City Sports Club announced their plans to merge at the end of the 2024–25 Gibraltar Football League season, with co-operation from the Gibraltar Institute of Sport to aid development of players. [1] FCB Magpies' victory in the 2024–25 Rock Cup, means it will participate in its 4th season in the 2025–26 UEFA Conference League. [10] This participation caused the launch of Calpe City Magpies to be delayed for one more season due to UEFA rules regarding licensing.

Club staff

PositionName
Club Management
Head CoachTBC
Assistant CoachTBC
Board
Joint Chairmen Flag of England.svg Haig Oundjian
Flag of Gibraltar.svg Seamus Byrne


References

  1. 1 2 Calpe City and Bruno Magpies merger begins in June as youth side look to secure their future again Gibraltar Chronicle. 8 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  2. Houston, Rory (21 June 2022). "From pub team to Europe, Bruno's Magpies soar". rte.ie.
  3. "La historia del Bruno's Magpies: del pub a Europa". as.com. 6 July 2022.
  4. Lake, Evie (20 July 2024). "Inside story of UEFA's other Newcastle United-themed side - & their Conference League journey". newcastleworld.com.
  5. Mewis, Joe (19 July 2024). "Newcastle United missed out on Europa League football – but Bruno hasn't". fourfourtwo.com.
  6. Calpe City FC At Boni Cup Algarve Your Gibraltar TV. 11 April 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  7. Calpe City Release Statement Following Decision To Close Next Month Your Gibraltar TV. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  8. GFA weigh in after Calpe City announces closure GBC. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  9. Unity Prevails: Gibraltar Football Association, Calpe City FC, and Europa Point FC Resolve Youth Team Dispute Gibraltar Chronicle. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  10. Match Report: FCB Magpies clinch European spot as they claim their second ever Rock Cup! Gibraltar Football Association. 29 March 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.