The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

Hi there. This is my first attempt at a FM story. I have played the game a long time, since its CM days and have always enjoyed the role play and story element of it. Gibraltar, my home town, has finally been accepted into UEFA and I was very enthused by the post January official SI patch which included the Gibraltarian PL as a fully playable league. As such I am going to dabble into FM story telling for the first time and taking the role of manager of Lynx FC.

PS Imageshack is now a to pay service? What image hosting do most of you guys use?

Good luck mate! I'm using https://imgur.com/

The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

Late September 2013. The start of the Gibraltarian footballing season nears. After the Euphoria of Gibraltar's successful entry in UEFA as Team 54 subsides comes the news that the Gibraltarian Premier League Winners will gain entry into the 4th Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League. Not only that the Rock Cup Winners will also gain entry into the UEFA Europa League Qualifying Round as well. In the event of a double, the league runners up will take the Europa League spot. Excitement was rife among the Rock's footballers as they lounged on the local beaches or took their holidays abroad.

All except Lynx FC's squad whose new manager had them in pre, pre season training since mid August. A new wind of change was blowing through local football. A hitherto unseen level of professionalism was sweeping through local clubs. Some like Glacis United, St Joseph's or Manchester United long established on the local scene. Others like Lynx FC relative new comers to the scene. Yet it had been College Europa that had taken the first step forward. They had hired a professional coach in Manolo Nuñez who had experience in the Spanish 2nd Division and at international level with the Bolivian national team. Others were also taking those first tentative steps into this brave new world. Lynx FC had attracted some local investment and had some former semi pros among their ranks but it was the allure of Champions League Football that galvanised the Rock's players and fans that summer of 2013.

Above them all, like the Rock on which they lived, towered perennial champions Lincoln FC. The challenge was going to be tough but Lynx, or EL Lince as known locally, was ready to bare its fangs and dig them deep into Lincoln's side. Was the Red Imps hegemony about to change? Time would tell. The ball would soon start to roll...

thanks AAN

The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

Competition rules state that only 3 foreign players are allowed per squad, a one year concession by UEFA to the Gibraltar Football Association to help safeguard the local game. British nationals and nationals from British dependant territories count as homegrown players. Lynx's initial squad was overloaded with foreigners and this was the first hurdle the recently appointed manager, Harry Garcia, had to meet. It was essential that he trim that number to three, the best quality of course.

Harry Garcia was in his mid-60s and somewhat of a local legend within the game. He'd played in what many consider to be the 'Golden Era' of football in Gibraltar. A time when teams such as the Real Madrid of Di Stefano came to play against the Gibraltar selection. Harry was a stalwart of two teams that no longer exist. Gibraltar United and Laguna. His pomp was the 60s and 70s, he even claimed he was turned down by Spurs after attending a trial. A craftsman by trade, football was his passion and he'd always maintained strong links with the local youth setup, coaching and managing on occasion. Due to his local status the GFA included him in the Team 54 Campaign for UEFA membership. This reawakened Harry's need to get involved in top flight local football again. Lynx FC, a relative new team, and its chairman, a lifetime friend, were a very attractive proposition when he was offered the job over a drink at the Caleta Palace Hotel, overlooking one of the local beaches. However due to Lincoln's dominance it would take all of Harry's guile to prise the league off their hands.

The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

Trimming the Squad


Garcia's first job was to reduce the number of foreigners. He had initially settled with three within the squad. Spanish striker Sergio Gines Perez, Argentine (though holding dual Italian nationality) Gabriel Gonzalez and Spanish center midfielder Jose Manuel Morente Hidalgo. However the fluidity and fickleness of amateur football was to scupper those plans. On the eve of kick off Gines, a decent amateur striker but advanced in years, decided to take up a player coach offer from Second Division side Boca Juniors (Gib). As such transfer listed attacking midfielder Jesus Gil Bado was kept at the club.

Yet Harry's biggest coup came in a raid on Lincoln's reserve team. Aware of tensions between players and management about whether or not payments were going to be made this season he swooped in quick and was able to prise away to key players of the Lincoln set up. Firstly it was striker George Cabera. A regular in the international squad and Lincoln's top scorer the previous season, he'd quickly taken up the offer presented by Lynx FC whose players would be receving performance related bonuses during the season.


A second Lincoln player soon followed, and during the course of the season may prove to the signing of the season. Midfielder Aaron Payas had been sidelined by a double hernia operation for 8 months and was something of a forgotten man. Harry Garcia though had worked with him at junior levels of football and remembered what a cultured football brain he had. He was able to get his release from Lincoln and was soon setting Aaron up as his midfield general in the yellow of Lynx.


Several other players came in. GFA international left back Yogen Santos came in from Manchester Untied 62 along with Under 19 international striker Lython Marquez, a powerhouse for such an age and soon to start a productive partnership with Cabrera. English winger Mark Gerrard also came in from Gibraltar Magpies to give some cover to the right wing. Lynx also lost some good players in particular holding midfielder Tyson Ruiz who joined Glacis United and Aziz Atitachen who left to join the College Europa revolution under Nuñez. These two losses in particular seemed a terrible blow as they had been solid and effective during pre season.

The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

The exodus of players however had one substantial silver lining. While El Lince had lost several influential and experienced players two youngsters within the squad rose to prominence. Firstly right winger Wayne Harding, a pacy and powerful winger with a potent right foot that took the Gibraltarian league by storm. His mazy runs and powerful incursions from the wing reminded spectators of a young Ryan Giggs and indeed Harding had been attracting the interest of scouts from Spanish Third Division teams from the immediate hinterland. Him and Payas were going to make a solid and powerful right flanks of Lynx's midfield.


Similarly John Barcelo on the other flank provided an incisive and strong attack minded young player who took to the Premier League like a duck to water. Playing with the freedom that youth brings Barcelo struck decisively in several games early in the campaign and forced Garcia to bench several more experienced players.


During the hot last weeks of august Garcia drilled his team in his version of 4-4-2 basing itself on pace and power to provide his two forwards with enough chances in a game to let the goals flow. Though defence was a concern, the six forward players would prove a devastating unit.

The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

The league kicked off mid way through October and Lynx and Garcia debuted against Lions Gibraltar. The extra training over the summer seemed to have paid off as the Yellows dominated both possession and shots on target. Yet as is so common in the game of football, Lions took the lead in the 72nd minute. Debutant George Cabrera equalised 10 minutes later to spare Garcia's blushes. As the transfer window shuts in October in Gibraltar this proved to be Ruiz's and Gines's only appearances for the club before thier departures. As November rolled in so did the fixtures. Gib Phoenix, promoted from Division 2, were the first victims of the Cabrera/Marquez partnership, the latter scoring on his debut. This match also saw Wayne Harding produce the first of several stellar performances during the month. It was Lynx's third match that raised sporting eyebrows in Gibraltar. Facing defending champions Lincoln, Harding destroyed their left wing, scored one, setup another and led the team to a 2-1 victory. This however was followed by two monumental collapses that left Garcia spewing at his team and officials. Leading St Joseph's 3-0, Lynx FC endeavoured to let their opponents score three goals while in the last match of the month, versus Manchester United 62 they again threw a 2-0 lead to lose the match 3-2 to a 95th goal! Suffice to say Harry Garcia was not much pleased. Lynx sat third in the table.

Player of the Month

Wayne Harding

- 5 goals and 4 assists

The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

December proved to be a fruitful month for Lynx FC. 4 games played, 4 victories.Aggregate score of 15-4. Two Premier League fixtures were played. On the 14th Lynx came up against former midfielder Atitachen now playing for College Europa. A hard fought game resulted in a 2-1 victory. Both centre backs scoring from corners to cancel a 1-0 College lead. Glacis United was next and another former player in the shape of Tyson Ruiz felt the wrath of El Lince. In an easy 3-0 win Marquez and Cabrera scored again. December also saw the start of the Premier League Cup. Gibraltar has two cup competitions. There is the Rock Cup, the equivalent of the FA Cup, and each division has its own league cup. Teams are divided into two groups with the top two making the semis. Unlike the Rock Cup, the Premier League Cup has no European 'reward' per se.Our first opponents were Glacis United, that were at the wrong end of a 5-2 drubbing and we confirmed our presence in the semi finals by getting revenge on Manchester United 62 and beating them 3-1.

Player of the Month

Lython Marquez

- 3 goals in 3 appearances.

Post Script

The unprecedented success Lynx FC has achieved has meant that our players are attracting a lot of interest. Harding, Barcelo, among others have had bids from other teams but Lynx sit pretty at the top of the table and Harry Garcia is confident the allure of Champions League football will be enough to keep these players within the fold. Anyhow, he has already started to reinforce the team and Gib Phoenix right back, Brian Brosco signed on the 1st January to reinforce a position where Lynx was spread rather thin.

The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

1 league match, 2 cup matches and 3 victories as the Yellow Machine rumbles on. Brian Brosco made his debut against Lions in a 2-0 win to cement top spot in the league, which is still held 2 points ahead of Lincoln, though the latter have a game in hand! The other two fixtures in the month were cup fixtures. A dead rubber versus Gib Phoenix resulted in a comfortable 4-1 victory with an XI full of reserves and youth players. 2nd Division College Pegasus provided 2nd Round Rock Cup opponents in a match where Aaron Payas strode across the field like some Greek hero of old. A 25 yard strike the pick of his two goals to help Lynx FC book a Quarter Final berth against Gibraltar Phoenix. The local press had the following to say.


In transfer news Wayne Harding and John Barcelo remained with the club and despite several offers made to fringe players no one left the club. Harry Garcia though was busy in the transfer window bringing in St Joseph's FC defensive midfielder Mark Bacarese as cover for Gaviso and Payas. He was however unsuccessful in a relentless pursuit of promising 17 year old Lee Coombes from College Europa, certainly one for the future and current captain of the Gibraltar Under 19 team.

Player of the Month

Aaron Payas

- 2 goals 2 assists

Great start. I can't wait to see you cause havoc in Europe.

The Lynx Roars - A Gibraltar Lynx FC Story

With the match against Lincoln FC mere weeks away Lynx FC are hit with the devastating news that wingers John Barcelo and Wayne Harding will be about through injury for a number of weeks. Barcelo suffered a gashed leg in training meaning he will miss 2-4 weeks of game time. More worrying for Garcia is the news after the College Pegasus game that in form winger Wayne Harding will be out for roughly a month with a pulled hamstring. El Lince will surely miss their wingers, so crucial to their system of play, in the top of the table clash versus Lincoln in a few weeks time!

Thanks BayernAmerica

Nice start mate, really interesting to read as I (and I'm sure most on the site) have quite limited knowledge of football on The Rock.

Keep it up!

Thanks Jason

As to the football on the Rock, though long established it is amateur level and only one ground (The Victoria Stadium), though plans are afoot for a new national stadium to be built to UEFA standards. Since becoming members of UEFA we've drawn 0-0 with Slovakia but lost two against the Fareos and Estonia. We've got another match against Malta coming up in June in Faro, our home away from home for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.

The local club scene has been glavanised by UEFA membership though Lincoln will be champions again this year. They recently beat Lynx 3-0 to consolidate top spot. The Rock Cup will prove to be interesting this year and tonight actually sees the clash for second (Lynx vs Man Utd 62).

If any of you guys use Twitter and are interested in following the Gib football scene follow @GibFootballTalk. They update on all matches and matters of football.

Anyhow thanks for the comment and I hope the story is up to standard!