2016–17 Gibraltar Premier Division

The 2016–17 Gibraltar Premier Division (known as the Argus Insurance Premier Division for sponsorship reasons) was the 118th season of the national amateur and semi-professional football league in Gibraltar since its establishment - the highest level of football in Gibraltar. The league was contested by ten clubs, the top eight clubs from last season and two promoted clubs from 2015–16 Gibraltar Second Division. Lincoln Red Imps were the reigning champions, sealing a record 22nd title last season. The season began on 21 September 2016 and ended on 22 May 2017. Europa won the title, ending Lincoln's 14 title run and winning their first title since 1952.

Premier Division
Season2016–17
ChampionsEuropa (7th title)
RelegatedEuropa Point
Champions LeagueEuropa
Europa LeagueLincoln Red Imps
St Joseph's
Matches played135
Goals scored443 (3.28 per match)
Top goalscorerKike Gómez (30 goals) [1]
Biggest home winEuropa FC 13–1 Europa Point
(19 March 2017)
Biggest away winEuropa Point 0–15 Lincoln Red Imps
(23 January 2017)
Highest scoringEuropa Point 0–15 Lincoln Red Imps
(23 January 2017)
All statistics correct as of 22 May 2017.

Format

As with the previous season, each of the ten Premier Division teams played each other three times for a total of 27 matches each.[2] The tenth-placed team was relegated while the ninth-placed team from the Premier Division entered a playoff with the second-placed team from the Second Division for a spot in the 2017–18 Premier Division.[2]

Starting from this season, Gibraltar are granted two spots instead of one in the Europa League.[3] The season also saw the introduction of a Home Grown Player (HGP) rule, forcing clubs in both of Gibraltar's divisions to have at least 3 Gibraltarian players in their matchday squads, with at least one on the field of play at all times.

Teams
Location of the stadium where all teams play

After the previous season, Angels and Britannia XI were both relegated to the Second Division; Europa Point and Mons Calpe were promoted in their places.

Club Finishing position 2015–16
Europa FC2nd
Europa Point1st in Second division (Promoted)
Gibraltar United8th
Glacis United7th
Lincoln Red Imps1st (Champions)
Lions Gibraltar4th
Lynx5th
Manchester 626th
Mons Calpe2nd in Second division (Promoted via play-off)
St Joseph's3rd

Personnel and kits

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

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Europa Juan José Gallardo Javi Muñoz Jako Grand Home Care
Europa Point Daniel Amaya Kivan Castle Luanvi Malaga City Academi
Gibraltar United Manolo Nuñez Sánchez Robert Montovio Nike Sunborn / Turicum Bank
Glacis United Manuel Jimenez Perez Leandro Pereyra Nike Atlantic Financial Group
Lincoln Red Imps Julio César Ribas Roy Chipolina Joma U-Mee
Lions Gibraltar Rafael Bado Kalian Perez Erreà
Lynx Albert Parody Robert Guilling Erreà DS Group
Manchester 62 Kiko Prieto Aaron Payas Joma CEPSA GIB
Mons Calpe Mauro Ardizzone Hugo Colace Daen Reygada Sports Group
St. Joseph's Raúl Procopio Baizán Javier López Joma Neptune Marine

Managerial Changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Lions Gibraltar David Wilson Resigned 14 September 2016 Pre-season Rafael Bado 15 September 2016
Manchester 62 Juan Carlos Camacho Sacked Gabino Rodríguez
Europa Point George Jermy 15 December 2016 10th Daniel Amaya 15 December 2016
St Joseph's Alfonso Cortijo Signed by Beijing Guoan 19 December 2016 3rd Raúl Procopio Baizán 19 December 2016
Mons Calpe William Sacked 16 January 2017 5th Mauro Ardizzone 17 March 2017
Manchester 62 Gabino Rodríguez 8 February 2017 8th Carlos Inarejos 8 February 2017
Carlos Inarejos Resigned 17 March 2017 8th Kiko Prieto 21 March 2017

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Europa FC (C) 27 24 1 2 93 18 +75 73 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
2 Lincoln Red Imps 27 23 3 1 100 16 +84 72 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round
3 St Joseph's 27 16 6 5 53 18 +35 54
4 Glacis United 27 12 8 7 42 34 +8 44
5 Mons Calpe 27 13 3 11 44 35 +9 42
6 Lynx 27 8 4 15 34 45 −11 28
7 Gibraltar United 27 4 9 14 20 43 −23 21
8 Lions Gibraltar 27 4 9 14 17 54 −37 21
9 Manchester 62 (O) 27 4 5 18 27 60 −33 17 Qualification for the play-off
10 Europa Point (R) 27 2 2 23 13 120 −107 8 Relegation to the Gibraltar Second Division
Source: UEFA, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.[4]
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Europa FC qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2017 Rock Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.

Results
  1. Match awarded 3–0 to Lynx; the match originally finished 2–1 to Lynx.[5]
  2. Match awarded 3–0 to Gibraltar United due to Europa Point failing to raise a team for the match.[6]
  3. Match awarded 3–0 to Glacis United due to Mons Calpe breaching league rules; the match originally finished 0–0.[7]

Promotion/Relegation play-off

At the end of the season, the ninth-placed team from the Premier Division will enter a play-off with the second-placed team from the Second Division for a spot in the 2017–18 Premier Division.[2] FCB Magpies finished second in the Second Division after their win on May 8, 2017.

Manchester 623–1FCB Magpies
Diaz  6'
Payas  29'
Pacheco  35'		 Report Busumbru  70'
Referee: Yaroslaff Borg

Top goalscorers
As of 22 May 2017[8]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Kike Gómez Europa FC 30
2 Joseph Chipolina Lincoln Red Imps 17
3 John-Paul Duarte St. Joseph's 15
Guillermo Roldán Europa FC
Liam Walker Europa FC
6 Lee Casciaro Lincoln Red Imps 14
7 George Cabrera Lincoln Red Imps 13
8 Salvador Carrasco Lopez Glacis United 11
Juan Pablo Pereira Sastrie Mons Calpe
10 Tulio Etchemaite Lincoln Red Imps 10

See also

References
  1. "Europa FC League Champions". GFA. Archived from the original on 28 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  2. "Premier Division: Season Rules". scoresway. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  3. "Gibraltar gains an additional spot in the Europa League". Gibraltar Football Association. 20 September 2016. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  4. "Premier Division 2016/2017 - Season rules". Scoresway. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  5. "Europa Point FC vs Lynx FC Match Report - Gibraltar Football Association". Gibraltar Football Association. Archived from the original on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  6. "Europa Point FC Forfeit Fixture - News - Gibraltar Football Association". Gibraltar Football Association. 2 December 2016. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  7. "Mons Calpe found In Breach of HGP Rule - News - Gibraltar Football Association". Gibraltar Football Association. 25 October 2016. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  8. "Gibraltar Premier League-Top Scorers".
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