Lions Gibraltar F.C.

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

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
WebsiteClub website

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 Premier144282333146thSemi-final
2014–15 Premier21151594888thQuarter-final
2015–16 Premier27143104944454thSemi-final
2016–17 Premier2749141754218thQuarter-final
2017–18 Premier2765162763238thSecond round
2018–19 Premier273024177799thQuarter-final
2019–20 National2044121333166th[lower-alpha 1] Quarter-final
2020–21 National2044121333166thFirst round
2021–22 National1815121345811thQuarter-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  ESP Borja Valadés
2 DF  ESP Patito
3 MF  GIB Evan Green
4 MF  ESP Adrián Vera
5 MF  ESP Ñito
6 DF  GIB Shea Breakspear (captain)
7 MF  GIB Kaylan Rumbo
8 MF  ESP Antonio Cintas
9 DF  ITA Sergio Lengua
10 MF  GIB Aidan Serra
11 DF  ENG Liam Preston
12 DF  GIB David Gallardo
13 GK  ESP Juan Muñoz
15 MF  ESP Joel David
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 FW  GIB Charles Gaivizo
17 MF  ESP Estiven
18 FW  ESP Mai
19 FW  GIB Byron Espinosa
20 FW  ESP Labra
21 MF  GIB Etien Victory
22 DF  GIB Leon Payas
23 MF  GIB Harrison Murray-Freeman
24 DF  GIB Thomas Hastings
28 FW  GIB Lewis Navarro
30 DF  ENG Jack Lee
32 DF  GIB Javan Robertson
34 MF  GIB Karl Poggio
41 DF  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
21 DF  GIB Liam Yeats
26 MF  GIB Aaram Hanglin
27 MF  ESP Luismi Delgado
31 FW  GIB Luigi Walton
33 GK  GIB Denzel Navarro
35 MF  GIB Naseem Ben Youssef
37 MF  ESP Hugo Álvarez
No. Pos. Nation Player
38 MF  GIB Jerome Duarte-Chipol
39 MF  GIB Julian Grech
40 FW  GIB Javier Ramos Perera
41 MF  GIB Richie Parral (player-assistant manager)
42 MF  GIB Kiri McGrail
44 GK  GIB James Rovegno

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