Lions Gibraltar F.C.

Last updated

Lions Gibraltar
Lions Gibraltar F.C.png
Full nameLions Gibraltar Football Club
Short nameLions
Founded1966
Ground Victoria Stadium,
Winston Churchill Avenue Gibraltar
Capacity5000
ChairmanMark Palmer
ManagerAdrian Parral
League Gibraltar National League
2022–23 Challenge Group: 3rd
Overall: 9th
Website Club website

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

Contents

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.

On 28 January 2024, it was announced that Solihull Moors CEO Mark Palmer had purchased a controlling stake in the club, becoming owner and Chairman. [3]

Seasons (since UEFA acceptance)

SeasonDivisionLeague record Rock Cup
PWDLGFGAPtsPos
2013–14 Premier144282333146th Semi-final
2014–15 Premier21151594888th Quarter-final
2015–16 Premier27143104944454th Semi-final
2016–17 Premier2749141754218th Quarter-final
2017–18 Premier2765162763238th Second round
2018–19 Premier273024177799th Quarter-final
2019–20 National2044121333166th [lower-alpha 1] Quarter-final
2020–21 National2044121333166th First round
2021–22 National1815121345811th Quarter-final
2022–23 GFL185492537198th First round

Current squad

First team

As of 17 September 2023 [4]

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

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Borja Valadés
2 DF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Patito
3 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Evan Green
4 MF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Adrián Vera
5 DF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Ezequiel Rojas
6 DF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Shea Breakspear
7 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Kaylan Rumbo
8 MF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Antonio Cintas(captain)
9 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Kiri McGrail
10 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Aidan Serra
11 MF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Joel David
12 DF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB David Gallardo
13 GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Dylan Taylor
14 MF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Iván Ruíz
No.Pos.NationPlayer
15 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Ben Seaton
19 DF Flag of Russia.svg  RUS Iakov Shmelev
20 FW Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Eduardo Navas
21 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Jayce Consigliero
22 DF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Leon Payas
24 DF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Thomas Hastings
28 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Hatim Smith
30 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Alan Parker
31 DF Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Karim Piñero
33 GK Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB John Paul Hernandez
37 FW Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Juanca Olmedo
38 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Dennis Bautista
41 DF Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  CAN Jamieson Parchment

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. [5]

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

No.Pos.NationPlayer
13 GK Flag of Spain.svg  ESP Juan Muñoz
17 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Davan Martin
23 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Harrison Murray-Freeman
26 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Aaram Hanglin
32 DF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Javan Robertson
34 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Elton Victory
No.Pos.NationPlayer
35 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Johnpaul Balloqui
36 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Sebastian Yeats
39 FW Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Jayvan Figueras
40 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Naseem Ben Youssef
43 MF Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Richie Parral(player-assistant manager)
— FW Flag of Gibraltar.svg  GIB Paul Francis

Club staff

PositionName
Club Management
Manager Flag of Gibraltar.svg Adrian Parral
Assistant coach Flag of Gibraltar.svg Richie Parral
Coach Flag of England.svg C Jackson
Physical Trainer Flag of Spain.svg David Aguilar
Physiotherapist Flag of Gibraltar.svg Luke Henshaw
Team delegate Flag of Spain.svg Ángel Luis Chozas
Board
Chairman Flag of Gibraltar.svg Alexander Grech
Vice-President Flag of Gibraltar.svg Dylan Buhagiar
Club Secretary Flag of Gibraltar.svg Kadrian Bugeja

See also

Notes

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

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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 FC announce change of ownership Gibraltar Chronicle. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  4. ↑ Lions Gibraltar Squad Lions Gibraltar FC. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  5. ↑ Lions Gibraltar FC Intermediate. Lions Gibraltar FC. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
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