Europa Point F.C.

Europa Point F.C. is a football team from Gibraltar. The club, is best known for its "A Progressive Club" philosophy, and 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.

Europa Point
Full nameEuropa Point Football Club
Nickname(s)A Progressive Club
Founded2014
GroundVictoria Stadium, Gibraltar
Capacity5,000
OwnersAndrew Pritchard
Mark Tivey
Head coachTommy Taylor
LeagueGibraltar National League
2020–21Challenge Group: 5th
Overall: 11th
WebsiteClub website

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. 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]

In February 2022, West of Scotland Football League Premier Division side Rossvale announced new co-owner's, shareholder's and directors to their newly formed structure subject to SFA approval. Europa Point co-owners Mark Tivey[5] and Andrew Pritchard MSc[6] joined Chairman Dom McInally in forming the new structure of the club, subject to SFA approval. In doing so, the two clubs established a link with players moving between the two clubs.[7]

Seasons

Season Division League record Rock Cup
P W D L GF GA Pts Pos
2014–15 Second 2620331242063 3rd Quarter-finals
2015–16 Second 221750767956 1st First round
2016–17 Premier 272223131208 10th Quarter-finals
2017–18 Second 14734311824 4th Second round
2018–19 Second 181305502639 2nd Second round
2019–20[lower-alpha 1] National 18747353825 8th Quarter-finals
2020–21 National 18101710733 11th First round

Current squad

First team

Correct as of 29 January 2022.

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  ENG Benjamin Maidens (player-coach)
2 DF  ENG Oliver Pritchard
3 MF  GIB Ilyas El Ouahabi
4 DF  GIB Michael Zapata
5 DF  GIB Jemar Matto
6 MF  LCA Kegan Caull
9 FW  ENG Adé Francis
10 DF  GIB Dylan Saxby
11 FW  GIB Mark Chichon
12 MF  MEX Sebastian Pandura
13 MF  GIB Mohamed El Andaloussi
16 DF  GIB Leon Avellano
17 FW  ENG Alex Taylor
19 FW  GIB Johan Wahnon
21 DF  BEL Sam Bunch
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 MF  GIB Ricky Almeida
25 DF  GIB Antony Moulds
27 GK  GIB Jorge Avellano
28 DF  GIB Mark Ballester
29 MF  ENG Riccardo Andrady
32 MF  GIB Elton Victory
36 MF  GIB Aiman Mkerreff (captain)
40 DF  GIB Miguel Sanchez-Bula
41 DF  GIB Kivan Castle
43 MF  GIB Naoufal El Andaloussi
44 DF  GIB Nazim Hughes
55 MF  POR Mamado Djau
61 FW  ENG Marc Bannatyne
77 GK  GIB Jesse Gonzalez

Intermediate team

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
8 DF  GIB Adam Reese
24 MF  GIB Felix Formica-Corsi
27 GK  GIB Dion Danino
No. Pos. Nation Player
33 MF  GIB Sean Reyes
45 DF  GIB Leon Wells
46 MF  GIB Ilyai El Jjouaoui

Club staff

Position Name
Club Management
Head Coach Tommy Taylor
Assistant Coach
U23 Coach
Garry Lowe
Goalkeeper Coach Benjamin Maidens
Board
Chairman / Co-Owner Andrew Pritchard
Technical Director / Co-Owner Mark Tivey

Honours

Gibraltar National League - Challenge Group
Gibraltar Second Division
Gibraltar Second Division Cup
  • Winners: 2014–15,[8] 2015–16

Notes

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

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". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  3. Julian Lopez impresses as Europa Point finish second Football Gibraltar. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  4. Official Statement Europa Point FC. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  5. Tivey, Mark. "LinkedIn".
  6. Pritchard, Andrew. "LinkedIn".
  7. Wilson, Fraser (2022-02-09). "Rossvale in ambitious tie-up with Gibraltar Premier Division club Europa Point". Daily Record. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  8. Europa Point FC see off Angels FC after Extra Time Gibraltar FA. 20 April 2015 (dead link).
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