Lincoln Red Imps Football Club is a professional association football club from Gibraltar.[1] They play in the Gibraltar National League, and share Victoria Stadium with all other clubs in the territory.[2] 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.
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| Full name | Lincoln Red Imps Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short name | Lincoln | ||
| Founded | 1976 as Blue Batons | ||
| Ground | Victoria Stadium, Winston Churchill Avenue, Gibraltar | ||
| Capacity | 2,000 | ||
| Chairman | Dylan Viagas | ||
| Manager | Javi Muñoz | ||
| League | Gibraltar National League | ||
| 2022–23 | Championship Group: 1st Overall: Champions | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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The club holds Europe's longest chronological unbeaten league run of 88 matches over 1,959 days from May 2009 to September 2014.[3]
HistoryEdit
The football club was first formed in 1976 by Charles Polson and Charles Head, the latter managing the team. A group of players associated to the old Police youth team called the "Blue Batons" and complemented by players that had been released by Glacis United and St Jago's joined forces to form the first Lincoln team that played in the Gibraltar fourth division as a youth team. The team was named after Lincoln City FC, who are nicknamed the "Imps" after the legend of the Lincoln Imp. Lincoln Red Imps received their name after they were sponsored by Reg Brealey, the former Sheffield United chairman and Lincoln resident who is friends with Charles Polson.[4][5][6]
When this Lincoln team became old enough to play Senior Football, it was decided to place the young team into the GFA second division. The team started to climb to the top in the second division in the season 1981–82 winning the league, the division cup and gaining promotion to the GFA's first division after only one season. The next year Lincoln finished in mid table in the first division. In 1983–84 Lincoln won the league and promotion to the Gibraltar Premier Division.[7]
In 1984–85 Lincoln played their first season in the Gibraltar Premier Division in which they were joint champions with Glacis United – the first of seven league titles which were won between 1984 and 1994.
Lincoln won 14 Gibraltar Premier Division titles in a row from 2003 to 2016, bettering the previous record of nine in a row held by Glacis United in the 1960s. They also won the national treble of League, Rock Cup and Senior Cup in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011.
2014Edit
In 2014, after Gibraltar had joined UEFA as the 54th member, Lincoln became the first Gibraltarian team to play in the qualifying stages of the UEFA Champions League. After claiming a 1–1 draw in the home match, they lost 5–2 at Faroese team HB and were eliminated in the first qualifying round.[8]
Lincoln Red Imps squad in May 2014
UEFA President Michel Platini at the 2014 Rock Cup presentation
Lincoln Red Imps Captain lifting 2014 Rock Cup from Platini
Lincoln Red Imps players with 2014 silverware
Joseph Chipolina holding plaque commemorating club's Rock Cup victory
2015Edit
Lincoln won both the 2015 Rock Cup with a 4–1 victory over Lynx F.C.[9] and the 2014–15 Gibraltar Premier Division championship by 16 points,[10] again playing in the qualification stages for the UEFA Champions League for with their second straight double.[11] In the First Qualifying Round Lincoln were drawn against FC Santa Coloma of Andorra.[12] After a scoreless draw in the first leg in Gibraltar,[13] the club earned a 2–1 victory at the Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella to advance to the Second Qualifying Round with goals coming from Anthony Bardon and Lee Casciaro.[14] With the victory, Lincoln became the first club from Gibraltar to reach the second round of UEFA Champions League qualification, setting up an encounter with 2015 Danish champions FC Midtjylland,[15] which Lincoln Red Imps lost on aggregate 0–3.
2016Edit
In 2016 Lincoln pulled off a surprise victory against Scottish Premiership champions Celtic, with a 1–0 victory at home after a 48th-minute strike from Lee Casciaro in the club's second round match of the UEFA Champions League qualifying stage. The match was Brendan Rodgers first competitive fixture as manager of Celtic.[16] The Glasgow side still comfortably qualified thanks to a 3–0 victory in the return leg at Celtic Park.
2021Edit
On 26 August 2021, Lincoln became the first team from Gibraltar to qualify for the group stage in a European Competition, as they defeated Riga FC by a score of 3–1 (4–2 aggregate) and advanced to the group stage of the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League.[17]
Seasons (since UEFA acceptance)Edit
| Season | Division | League record | Rock Cup | Pepe Reyes Cup |
Europe | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Pos | Competition | Result | ||||
| 2013–14 | Premier | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 66 | 6 | 36 | 1st | Winners | Runners-up | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Premier | 21 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 80 | 12 | 58 | 1st | Winners | Winners | Champions League | First qualifying round |
| 2015–16 | Premier | 27 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 130 | 9 | 76 | 1st | Winners | Winners | Champions League | Second qualifying round |
| 2016–17 | Premier | 27 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 100 | 16 | 72 | 2nd | Runners-up | Runners-up | Champions League | Second qualifying round |
| 2017–18 | Premier | 27 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 71 | 19 | 65 | 1st | Semi-finals | Winners | Europa League | First qualifying round |
| 2018–19 | Premier | 27 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 84 | 19 | 66 | 1st | Second round | Runners-up | Champions League Europa League |
Preliminary round Second qualifying round |
| 2019–20 | National | 17 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 68 | 15 | 39 | 3rd[a] | Abandoned | Runners-up | Champions League Europa League |
Preliminary round Second qualifying round |
| 2020–21 | National | 20 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 62 | 13 | 48 | 1st | Winners | — | Europa League | Second qualifying round |
| 2021–22 | National | 20 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 65 | 17 | 58 | 1st | Winners | Runners-up | Champions League Europa League Europa Conference League |
Second qualifying round Third qualifying round Group stage |
- ^ The 2019–20 Gibraltar National League season, and the 2020 Rock Cup, were abandoned with results declared null and void and results expunged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
StadiumEdit
Lincoln currently plays all league games at the 2,000-seat Victoria Stadium. The club share this ground with all clubs currently participating in the Gibraltar Premier Division, as well as the Gibraltar Women's Football League, of which Lincoln also runs a team.
Due to the ground's failure to meet guidelines in the 2017–18 season, Lincoln, along with Europa and St Joseph's, were forced to play their European competition matches at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal, while improvements were carried out on Victoria Stadium.
It is expected that the ground will be renovated and expanded to a football specific stadium with a capacity of 8,000 by 2021.[18]
HonoursEdit
- 1985–86, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1993–94, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2020–21, 2021–22
- 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022
RegionalEdit
- Gibraltar League Senior Cup: 18[22]
- 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14
European recordEdit
Lincoln's first qualifying round match of the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League marked the first match played by a Gibraltarian club in UEFA competition. After converting a penalty, a second half goal was conceded and the game ended in a draw.[23]
OverallEdit
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | 19 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 22 | 29 | –7 |
| UEFA Europa League | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 22 | –11 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 22 | –16 |
| Overall | 40 | 9 | 7 | 23 | 39 | 73 | –34 |
MatchesEdit
- Notes
- PR: Preliminary round
- 1Q: First qualifying round
- 2Q: Second qualifying round
- PO: Play-off round
- GS: Group stage
Current squadEdit
First teamEdit
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Intermediate League squadEdit
Players registered for the Gibraltar Intermediate League without senior squad numbers. First team players may also appear for this team
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On loanEdit
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Club staffEdit
- Correct as of 25 October 2022.[25]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Club Management | |
| Head coach |  Javi Muñoz
|
| Assistant coach | Juan José Alarcón
|
| Fitness coach | Sergio Garcia Dominguez
|
| Strength & Conditioning Coach |  Liam Mesilio
|
| U23 Coach | Tarik Chrayeh
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| U23 Assistant Coach | Andy Storey
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| Head of Youth Development | Charles Cumbo
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| Head physio | Keith Ramirez
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| Physio | Adam Oria
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| Team Doctor | Francisco Moya
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| Kit Man | José Manuel Corrales
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| Team Delegate | Christian Fortuna
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| Board | |
| President | Dylan Viagas
|
| Director | Christian Laguea
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| Director | Elton Duarte
|
| Sporting director | Juan José Gallardo
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| Secretary | Michael Ruiz
|
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Brookfield, Saul (12 July 2016). "Lincoln Red Imps, the Gibraltar part-timers who embarrassed Celtic". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "Lincoln Red Imps". Uefa.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
- ^ "Where did Liverpool's run rank with greats?". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 4 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Red Imps invite Gibraltarian Red Imps to celebrate victory". BBC. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "The story behind Gibraltarian football club Lincoln Red Imps". lincolnshirelive. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Imps invite namesakes after Celtic win". BBC News. 13 July 2016. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2019 – via www.bbc.com.
- ^ "Club history". lincolnredimps.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ^ "Five-goal HB hold off Lincoln comeback". UEFA. 8 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ^ "2015 Rock Cup Final Match Report". Gibraltar FA. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "201/15 Gibraltar Premier Division". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ Gonzalez, Ryan (June 2015). "Gibraltar double for Rock Cup winners Lincoln". UEFA. Archived from the original on 29 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "Qualifying round draws start road to Milan". UEFA. 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "Red Imps vs. FC Santa Coloma Match Report 1". UEFA. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "Lincoln Red Imps vs. FC Santa Coloma Match Report 2". UEFA. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "Lincoln Make History!". 5point4sports.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "Lincoln Red Imps 1 Celtic 0". BBC Sport. 12 July 2016. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
- ^ "Lincoln Red Imps FC vs Riga FC - Europa Conference League stats, H2H, lineups". FotMob. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ Events, UKi Media & (26 June 2018). "New Gibraltar national stadium plans revealed". Stadia Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ "Gibraltar – List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ^ "Gibraltar – List of Cup Winners". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ^ "PEPE REYES CUP". footballgibraltar. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- ^ "History – Senior Cup TITLES". Lincoln Red Imps FC. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "Hanssen leveller denies Lincoln dream start". uefa.com. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ^ FIRST TEAM Archived 21 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 June 2019.
- ^ First Team Archived 13 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine Lincoln Red Imps FC.