Europa Point F.C.

Last updated
Europa Point
Europa Point F.C.png
Full nameEuropa Point Football Club
Nickname(s)A Progressive Club
Founded2014
Ground Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar
Capacity2,000
ChairmanPär Magnus Roos
Head coachDalibor Savic
League Gibraltar Football League
2022–23 Challenge Group: 5th
Overall: 11th
Website Club website

Europa Point F.C. is a football team from Gibraltar. The club currently plays in the Gibraltar National League the top senior tier of association football in Gibraltar. [1] They also participate in the Rock Cup, the territory's primary cup competition.

Contents

History

The club formed in 2014 amidst the growing interest in association football on the territory of Gibraltar. The club held trials specifically aimed at bringing in youth team players that had been released by professional sides in England and Spain with the goal of getting them back into competitive football, with club founder John Gontier having formerly worked with such players while working for League Football Education. Before their maiden season, the club also announced a partnership with Chesterfield in League One, where the English side has first option on any Europa Point player.

After a strong start to the season, including a tight promotion challenge against Gibraltar United, the club narrowly missed out on promotion, finishing third in the league despite having the strongest goalscoring record in the Gibraltar Second Division. Despite missing out on promotion on the final day of the season, the club did end the season with silverware as they beat promoted side Angels 5–3 in a thrilling Gibraltar Division 2 Cup final that went to extra time.

After missing out on promotion in 2014–15, Europa Point were crowned champions of the 2015–16 Gibraltar Second Division [2] after an unbeaten league campaign (W17 D5) and completed the double by retaining the Gibraltar Second Division Cup by beating Bruno's Magpies 3–2 A.E.T in the final. In preparation for the new season in the Premier Division they have signed many players including ex-Norwich City players George Jermy and Tom Walters. However, the players failed to impress and despite substantial changes in playing and coaching staff throughout the season, Europa Point finished bottom of the Premier Division and were relegated.

On 1 November 2017, it was announced that an American consortium headed by Peter Grieve and Corey Woolfolk had purchased a controlling stake in Europa Point. Woolfolk took over as chairman of the club, while John Gontier moved to CEO. On 10 November, Joaquin Rodriguez was announced as the new Head of Commercial and Football Operations. As part of the takeover, Europa Point became a partner club to Bantu Rovers in Zimbabwe.[ citation needed ] Gontier negotiated to re-take control of the club in early 2019, helping the club to a second-place finish in the league. [3]

In the inaugural season newly formed Gibraltar National League, Europa Point started poorly under former Gibraltar national football team manager Allen Bula. However, the appointment of ex-Leyton Orient boss Ian Hendon in late November 2019 saw a significant upturn in results, only for the season to be voided by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July 2020, Andrew Pritchard purchased a majority stake in the club, while John Gontier stayed on as minority shareholder. Following the end of the 2020–21 season, Gontier sold his remaining stake in the club to focus on Gibraltar Women's Football League side Gibraltar Wave. In November 2021, former Charlton Athletic player and Kemi City chairman Mark Tivey was announced as the club's new co-owner and technical director. [4] However, this ownership was short lived and in July 2022, a Swedish consortium led by Pär Magnus Roos took over the club.

Seasons

SeasonDivisionLeague record Rock Cup
PWDLGFGAPtsPos
2014–15Second26203312420633rd Quarter-finals
2015–16Second2217507679561st↑ First round
2016–17 Premier27222313120810th ↓ Quarter-finals
2017–18 Second147343118244th Second round
2018–19 Second1813055026392nd Second round
2019–20 [lower-alpha 1] National187473538258th Quarter-finals
2020–21 National1810171073311th First round
2021–22 National18421217651410th Quarter-finals
2022–23 GFL1814131265711th First Round

Current squad

First team

Correct as of 31 July 2023.

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

No.Pos.NationPlayer
2 DF Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE Martin Falkeborn (player-coach)
3 DF Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE Johan Andersson
4 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Sam Nicholson
5 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Will Sanders
6 MF Flag of the Netherlands.svg  NED Justino Boldewijn
7 MF Flag of Norway.svg  NOR Thomas Drage
8 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Thomas Parry
9 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Etien Victory
10 FW Flag of Saint Lucia.svg  LCA Kegan Caull
11 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Matthew Plumb
12 FW Flag of Lithuania.svg  LTU Edvinas Valatka
13 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Zane Holgado
14 MF Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE Nils Karlsson
15 DF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Antony Moulds
16 FW Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Kelvin Morgan
17 MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Joe Collins
19 MF Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE Hugo Jesslén
No.Pos.NationPlayer
20 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Stevie Black
21 DF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Adam Achhoud
22 DF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Leon Avellano
23 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Hampus Orsing
24 FW Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Mark Chichon
25 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Jonathan Molina
26 MF Flag of Sweden.svg  SWE Filip Tronêt
27 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Tyler Garratt
28 MF Flag of Ireland.svg  IRL Ryan McCarthy(player-coach)
30 MF Flag of Argentina.svg  ARG Fede Canteros
31 MF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Ezequiel Rojas Rodríguez
32 FW Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Ethan Perez
35 FW Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Lewis Navarro
40 GK Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Jesse Gonzalez
80 GK Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  CZE Ondrej Jacko-Lysak
99 GK Flag of Finland.svg  FIN Johannes Ström

Club staff

PositionName
Club Management
Head coach Flag of Sweden.svg Dalibor Savic
Assistant Coach
U23 Coach		 Flag of Ireland.svg Ryan McCarthy
U23 Assistant Coach Flag of Sweden.svg Martin Falkeborn
Physio Flag of Gibraltar.svg Gabriel Benatar
Board
Chairman Flag of Sweden.svg Pär Magnus Roos
Team Delegate Flag of Sweden.svg Björn Liljedahl
Head of Youth Flag of Gibraltar.svg Seamus Byrne

Honours

Gibraltar National League - Challenge Group
Gibraltar Second Division
Gibraltar Second Division Cup

Notes

  1. 1 2 Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic. Results not officially recognised.

Related Research Articles

The Gibraltar Premier Division was a football league established by the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) in 1905, and the top tier of football in Gibraltar. It originally contained eight member clubs, but it has grown over the years. In 1909 the league was split into two divisions between which clubs can be promoted and relegated at the end of each season. In the 2013–14 season, the Premier Division contained eight clubs with the Second Division containing 12 clubs. For sponsorship reasons it is known as the Argus Insurance Premier Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff Metropolitan University F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Cardiff Metropolitan University Football Club, commonly known as Cardiff Met F.C., are a Welsh football club, of the Athletic Union of Cardiff Metropolitan University, based in Cyncoed, Cardiff that plays in the Cymru Premier. The club badge features the bowman with the words "I lwyddo, rhaid chwarae" which is translated as "To succeed, [one] must play".

Ian Michael Hendon is an English football manager and former player who played as a defender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gibraltar United F.C.</span> Association football club in Gibraltar

Gibraltar United F.C. is a football team from Gibraltar. Founded in 1943 in the midst of World War II, they play in the Gibraltar Football League's Premier Division. In 2011 Gibraltar United joined forces with fellow local club Lions Football Club, with the club's new name Lions Gibraltar FC who played in Gibraltar's Premier Division. In 2014 the club announced their reformation as an independent club and played in the Gibraltar Football League's second tier once again in the 2014–15 season, winning promotion as champions.

Lincoln Red Imps Football Club is a professional association football club from Gibraltar. They play in the Gibraltar National League, and share Victoria Stadium with all other clubs in the territory. They are the country's record champion with 27 league titles, including fourteen consecutive titles between 2003 and 2016, and in 2014 were the first team to represent Gibraltar in the UEFA Champions League's qualifying stage. In August 2021, Lincoln became the first club from Gibraltar to ever reach the group stages of a European club competition after defeating the Latvian champions Riga FC in the play-off round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Europa F.C.</span> Association football club in Gibraltar

Europa FC is a professional football club from Gibraltar, that competes in the Gibraltar National League. As with all other clubs in the territory, Europa FC currently shares the Victoria Stadium on Winston Churchill Avenue. The club also operates a women's team which competes in the Gibraltar Women's Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lions Gibraltar F.C.</span> Association football club in Gibraltar

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

Rafael Jesús Bado Blanco is a Spanish-Gibraltarian former footballer who plays for Tercera Andaluza Cádiz side AD Taraguilla, and formerly represented the Gibraltar national team, as a central midfielder. From 2016 to 2018 he served as player-manager of Lions Gibraltar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angels F.C.</span> Former association football club in Gibraltar

Angels F.C. is a football team from Gibraltar. They played in the Gibraltar Second Division and the Rock Cup until February 2018, when their license was revoked.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mons Calpe S.C.</span> Sports club in Gibraltar

Mons Calpe S.C. is a professional football and sporting club from Gibraltar. Founded in 2013, the club's first team plays in the Gibraltar Football League. Mons Calpe also has a U-23 squad, futsal teams and darts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leo F.C.</span> Association football club in Gibraltar

Leo F.C. was a football team from Gibraltar. They played in the Gibraltar Second Division and the Rock Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F.C. Bruno's Magpies</span> Association football club in Gibraltar

FC Bruno's Magpies, also known as FCB Magpies in UEFA competition, is a professional football team from Gibraltar. They play in the Gibraltar National League and the Rock Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F.C. Olympique 13</span> Association football club in Gibraltar

F.C. Olympique 13 is a football team from Gibraltar. They play in the Gibraltar National League, having played in the Gibraltar Second Division since their formation in 2013 until the two divisions merged in 2019, and compete in the Rock Cup, the country's top tier cup competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F.C. Boca Gibraltar</span> Association football club in Gibraltar

Boca Gibraltar was a football team from Gibraltar. They played in the Gibraltar National League until 2020, having previously played in the Gibraltar Premier Division and the Gibraltar Second Division and they also played in the Rock Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College 1975 F.C.</span> Association football club in Gibraltar

College 1975 F.C. is an association football team from Gibraltar. Originally formed in 1975, they currently play in the Gibraltar National League.

Jayce Lee Mascarenhas-Olivero is a Gibraltarian footballer who plays as a defender for Gibraltar Football League club St Joseph's. He is member of the Gibraltar national football team, having played at every youth level since Gibraltar joined UEFA in 2013.

The 2016–17 Gibraltar Premier Division was the 118th season of the national amateur and semi-professional football league in Gibraltar since its establishment - the highest level of football in Gibraltar. The league was contested by ten clubs, the top eight clubs from last season and two promoted clubs from 2015–16 Gibraltar Second Division. Lincoln Red Imps were the reigning champions, sealing a record 22nd title last season. The season began on 21 September 2016 and ended on 22 May 2017. Europa won the title, ending Lincoln's 14 title run and winning their first title since 1952.

The 2018–19 Gibraltar Second Division was the sixth season of the second tier football in Gibraltar since the Gibraltar Football Association joined UEFA. The season began on 15 August 2018. After the expulsion of Angels the previous season and withdrawal of Cannons, the league was contested by 7 clubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019–20 Gibraltar National League</span> Football league season

The 2019–20 Gibraltar National League season is the first season of the new Gibraltar National League in Gibraltar, and the 121st season of football on the territory overall. The league was announced in June 2018 when the Gibraltar Football Association decided to merge the Gibraltar Premier Division and Gibraltar Second Division at the conclusion of the 2018–19 season.

The Gibraltar Football League is the only senior tier of association football in Gibraltar, founded in 2019 as the Gibraltar National League after a merger of the Gibraltar Premier Division, which served as the top division of football on the Rock since 1905, and the Gibraltar Second Division, which had existed since 1909. It was announced in August 2019 by the Gibraltar Football Association. The league is supported by the Gibraltar Intermediate League for U23 sides and Hound Dogs.

References

  1. ↑ Moitra, Soumalya (4 November 2016). ""I trained with the Argentinian National team, with the likes of Messi, Aguero, Di Maria" says Indian born Uday Arora". sportskeeda.com. Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "Gibraltar 2015/16". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  3. ↑ Julian Lopez impresses as Europa Point finish second Archived 2019-05-28 at the Wayback Machine Football Gibraltar. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  4. ↑ Official Statement Archived 2021-11-09 at the Wayback Machine Europa Point FC. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  5. ↑ Europa Point FC see off Angels FC after Extra Time Gibraltar FA. 20 April 2015 [ dead link ].
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.