Lions Gibraltar is a professional football club in Gibraltar. They play in the country's top-level league, the Gibraltar Football League.
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| Full name | Lions Gibraltar Football Club | ||
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| Short name | Lions | ||
| Founded | 1966 | ||
| Ground | Victoria Stadium, Winston Churchill Avenue Gibraltar | ||
| Capacity | 5000 | ||
| Chairman | Mark Palmer | ||
| Manager | David Wilson | ||
| League | Gibraltar Football League | ||
| 2023–24 | 10th | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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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
editLions 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]
On 5th June 2024, Lions Gibraltar FC announced The Online Betting Guide, OLBG as their lead partner and front-of-shirt sponsor on a multi-year deal.[4]
Seasons (since UEFA acceptance)
edit| 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 |
| 2022–23 | GFL | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 25 | 37 | 19 | 8th | First round |
| 2023–24 | GFL | 20 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 50 | 13 | 10th | Quarter-final |
Current squad
editFirst team
edit- As of 18 August 2024[5]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club staff
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Club Management | |
| Head coach |  David Wilson
|
| Assistant coach |  Peter Hyde
|
| Head Physio |  Kopi Godri
|
| Sports Therapist | Luke Henshaw
|
| Team delegate |  Ángel Luis Chozas
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| Board | |
| Chairman CEO |
 Mark Palmer
|
| Director | James Pickering Darryl Eales
|
| Sporting Director | Neale Marmon[6]
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| Club Secretary | Kadrian Bugeja
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| Head of Operations | Alex Grech
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| Head of Communications | Sharon Millar
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| Head of Facilities | Daniel Buhagiar
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See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic
References
edit- ^ "Division Structure". footballgibraltar.wordpress.com. 2 October 2011. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ LIONS GIBRALTAR TAKEOVER COMPLETE GibFootballTalk. 10 July 2015. Accessed 20 July 2015.
- ^ Lions Gibraltar FC announce change of ownership Archived 29 January 2024 at the Wayback Machine Gibraltar Chronicle. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "Lions Gibraltar x OLBG Sponsorship Announcement". OLBG. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ Lions Gibraltar Squad Lions Gibraltar FC. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ BREAKING: New Sporting Director Appointed Archived 14 June 2024 at the Wayback Machine Lions Gibraltar FC. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
External links
edit- Official website (archived 27 November 2017)
- Lions Gibraltar F.C. on Twitter
- OLBG.com (sponsors)
