F.C. Bruno's Magpies

{{Infobox football club

|nickname = The Magpies

|ground = Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar

|capacity = 5,000

|clubname = Bruno's Magpies

|image = FCB Magpies.png

|upright = 0.92

|fullname = Football Club Bruno's Magpies

|shortname = FCB Magpies

|founded = {{start date and age|2013}}

|dissolved =

|owntitle =

|owner =

|chrtitle = Co-Chairmen

|chairman = Louis Perry
Haig Oundjian

|mgrtitle =

|manager = Terence Jolley

|league = Gibraltar Football League

|season = 2023–24

|position = 3rd

|website = {{URL|https://www.fcbmagpies.club/}}

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Football Club Bruno's Magpies, also known as FCB Magpies, is a semi-professional football team from Gibraltar. They play in the Gibraltar Football League and the Rock Cup.{{Cite web|url=http://gibraltarfa.com/domestic-football/cup/rock-cup|title=Gibraltar Football Association|access-date=2015-02-17|archive-date=2018-05-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511145712/https://www.gibraltarfa.com/domestic-football/cup/rock-cup|url-status=dead}}{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cw0yk2nz4q5o | title=Hops and dreams - the former pub team aiming to shock Europe | date=25 July 2024 | accessdate=25 July 2024}} From the 2025–26 season, the club will be known as Calpe City Magpies following a merger with Calpe City.

History

The club was formed in 2013 as Football Club Bruno's Magpies, initially as a group of friends who drank at the Bruno's Bar & Restaurant (a bar in Gibraltar).{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/exclusive-brunos-magpies-europe-gibraltar-30340669|title='I paid £500 to start a football team in a pub aged 18 – now we're playing in Europe'|date=12 July 2023 |access-date=2023-09-12|archive-date=2023-07-28|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230728184909/https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/exclusive-brunos-magpies-europe-gibraltar-30340669|url-status=bot: unknown}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022/0621/1306077-from-pub-team-to-europe-brunos-magpies-soar/|title=From pub team to Europe, Bruno's Magpies soar|date=21 June 2022 |publisher=rte.ie |last1=Houston |first1=Rory }}{{Cite web|url=https://as.com/futbol/internacional/la-historia-del-brunos-magpies-del-pub-a-europa-n/|title=La historia del Bruno's Magpies: del pub a Europa|date=6 July 2022 |publisher=as.com}} The club derive their nickname The Magpies from Newcastle United.{{cite web| url = https://www.newcastleworld.com/news/inside-story-of-uefas-other-newcastle-united-themed-side-their-conference-league-journey-4217764| title = Inside story of UEFA's other Newcastle United-themed side - & their Conference League journey| last = Lake| first = Evie| date = 20 July 2024| website = newcastleworld.com}}{{cite web| url = https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/newcastle-united-missed-out-on-europa-league-football-but-bruno-hasnt| title = Newcastle United missed out on Europa League football – but Bruno hasn't| last = Mewis| first = Joe| date = 19 July 2024| website = fourfourtwo.com}} In its first two seasons, the club achieved respectable mid-table finishes in the Gibraltar Second Division. Mick Embleton was appointed the first manager of the team and was instrumental in the initial setting up, organising and managing of the squad.

With the introduction of Chestertons, a Gibraltarian real estate agent, as the sponsor in 2015–16, the intent grew more serious, with moves to professionalise the club and establish a fanbase with the introduction of matchday programs and incentives for fans who attended games.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} The club finished fourth in that season and were the runners-up in the Second Division Cup, losing in extra time to Second Division champions Europa Point.

In October 2016, the club appointed Davie Wilson as manager, who has previously been assistant-manager the Gibraltar national football team and had recently departed Gibraltar Premier Division side Lions.[https://gibraltarfootballtalk.com/magpies-appoint-wilson-as-head-coach/ Magpies appoint Wilson as head coach]{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} GibFootballTalk. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2017. The club enjoyed a dominant start to the campaign, however a faltering winter saw them embroiled in a title race with the resurgent Gibraltar Phoenix. Ending the season in second place, they entered the play-off with Manchester 62, who finished 9th in the 2016–17 Gibraltar Premier Division. However, a 3–1 defeat ensured that The Magpies remained in the Second Division for the following season.

In August 2017, the club announced a new sponsorship deal with GVC Holdings. The side finished 3rd in the league that season, however, in May 2019 they completed a league and cup double, securing the Second Division title while also winning the Second Division Cup. After the season concluded, the club announced that former Watford chairman and British Olympian Haig Oundjian had purchased a stake in the club and become co-chairman with Louis Perry.[http://footballgibraltar.com/2019/05/oundjian-appointed-joint-chairman-of-brunos-magpies/ Oundjian appointed joint-chairman of Bruno's Magpies] Football Gibraltar. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.

The appointment of Nathan Rooney midway through the 2021–22 season saw a significant upturn in Magpies' fortunes in the league, with a 4th-place finish and a first Rock Cup final. The next season, along with an overhaul of the club's image, saw more improvement, with a 3rd-place finish and victory in the 2022–23 Rock Cup. However, on 17 May 2023, Rooney announced his departure from the club,[https://www.fcbmagpies.club/post/nathan-rooney-departs-magpies Nathan Rooney departs Magpies] Bruno's Magpies. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023. only to return as manager on 1 September. During this time, the club rebranded as FCB Magpies. A third place finish followed ensuring another season of European football. On 18 July 2024, Magpies knocked Derry City out of the UEFA Conference League qualifying rounds, but were then themselves knocked out in the next round by F.C. Copenhagen after losing 8–1 on aggregate.{{Cite news |last=Ignacio |first=Stephen |date=25 July 2024 |title=Magpies find Copenhagen too strong |url=https://www.chronicle.gi/magpies-find-copenhagen-too-strong/ |access-date=17 November 2024 |work=Gibraltar Chronicle}}

On 6 April 2025, after securing their second Rock Cup victory against Lions Gibraltar the week prior, the club announced a merger with youth club Calpe City FC, with the new entity, Calpe City Magpies, officially launching on 1 June 2025.[https://www.instagram.com/p/DIHqXh8tNzA/ Club Joint Statement April 2025] FCB Magpies. 6 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.

Current squad

=First team=

As of 18 August 2024.[https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/clubs/2606279--magpies/squad/ FC Magpies | Squad] UEFA.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.[https://www.fcbmagpies.com/teams/262748/the-team First Team Squad] Bruno's Magpies. Retrieved 10 July 2022.

{{Fs player | no= 5 | nat=MEX | pos=DF | name=Paco Zúñiga | other=captain}}

{{Fs player | no=19 | nat=CAN | pos=FW | name=Dontaye Whittaker}}

{{Fs player | no=44 | nat=GIB | pos=MF | name=Anthony Hernandez}}

=Out on loan=

{{Fs player | no= | nat=GIB | pos=MF | name=Shay Jones | other=at Europa}}

Club staff

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
Position !Name
colspan="2"\|Club Management
align="left"\|Head Coach \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|GIB}} Terrence Jolley
align="left"\|Assistant Coach \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|GIB}} Garry Lowe
align="left"\|Goalkeeper Coach \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|ESP}} Miguel Ángel Bazán
align="left"\|Fitness Coach \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|ESP}} Adrián Conde
align="left"\|Sports Therapist \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|GIB}} Frederick Martin
align="left"\|First Team Doctor \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|ARG}} Dr Lorena Soler {{flagicon\|ARG}} Dr Catalina Fernández Suárez
align="left"\|Kit manager \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|GIB}}
colspan="2"\|Board
align="left"\|Joint Chairmen \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|ENG}} Louis Perry
\|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|ENG}} Haig Oundjian
align="left"\|Vice-chairman \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|GIB}} Aaron Edwards
align="left"\|Financial Director \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|ENG}} Mike Nicholls
align="left"\|Director of Football Development \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|ESP}} Alfonso Cortijo
align="left"\|Director of Football \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|GIB}} Jansen Dalli
align="left"\|Youth Development Manager \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|GIB}} Terrence Jolley
align="left"\|Secretary \|align="left"\|{{flagicon\|ENG}} David Frier

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

Position

!Name

colspan="2"|Club Management

align="left"|Head Coach

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GIB}} Terrence Jolley

align="left"|Assistant Coach

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GIB}} Garry Lowe

align="left"|Goalkeeper Coach

|align="left"|{{flagicon|ESP}} Miguel Ángel Bazán

align="left"|Fitness Coach

|align="left"|{{flagicon|ESP}} Adrián Conde

align="left"|Sports Therapist

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GIB}} Frederick Martin

align="left"|First Team Doctor

|align="left"|{{flagicon|ARG}} Dr Lorena Soler
{{flagicon|ARG}} Dr Catalina Fernández Suárez

align="left"|Kit manager

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GIB}}

colspan="2"|Board

align="left"|Joint Chairmen

|align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Louis Perry

|align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Haig Oundjian

align="left"|Vice-chairman

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GIB}} Aaron Edwards

align="left"|Financial Director

|align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Mike Nicholls

align="left"|Director of Football Development

|align="left"|{{flagicon|ESP}} Alfonso Cortijo

align="left"|Director of Football

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GIB}} Jansen Dalli

align="left"|Youth Development Manager

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GIB}} Terrence Jolley

align="left"|Secretary

|align="left"|{{flagicon|ENG}} David Frier

Honours

Rock Cup: 2

:: 2022–23, 2024–25

Pepe Reyes Cup: 1

:: 2023

GFA Challenge Trophy: 1

:: 2020–21

Second Division Cup: 1

:: 2018–19

Club achievements

Best league finish – 3rd, Gibraltar Football League: 2022–23, 2023–24
Biggest win – 17–0 vs Hound Dogs, 15 February 2025

European record

:Accurate as of match played 1 August 2024

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
Competition	Played	Won	Drew	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Win%
align=left\|{{sort\|3\|UEFA Conference League}} {{WDL\|8\|2\|1\|5\|for=8\|against=17\|diff=yes}}
class="sortbottom" !{{sort\|8\|Total}} {{WDL\|8\|2\|1\|5\|for=8\|against=17\|diff=yes}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

Competition

Played

Won

Drew

Lost

Win%

align=left|{{sort|3|UEFA Conference League}}

class="sortbottom"

!{{sort|8|Total}}

Legend: GF = Goals For. GA = Goals Against. GD = Goal Difference.

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"\| Season ! scope="col"\| Competition ! scope="col"\| Round ! scope="col"\| Club ! scope="col"\| Home ! scope="col"\| Away ! scope="col"\| Aggregate
2022–23 \| UEFA Europa Conference League \| 1Q \| {{flagicon\|NIR}} Crusaders \| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"\|2–1 \| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"\|1–3 \| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"\|3–4
2023–24 \| UEFA Europa Conference League \| 1Q \| {{flagicon\|IRL}} Dundalk \| bgcolor="#ffffdd" style="text-align:center;"\|0–0 \| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"\|1–3 \| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"\|1–3
rowspan=2 \| 2024–25 \| rowspan=2 \| UEFA Conference League \| 1Q \| {{flagicon\|IRL}} Derry City \| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"\|2–0 \| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"\|1–2 {{aet}} \| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"\|3–2
2Q \| {{flagicon\|DEN}} Copenhagen \| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"\|0–3 \| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"\|1–5 \| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"\|1–8
2025–26 \| UEFA Conference League \| 1Q \| \| \| \|

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

scope="col"| Season

! scope="col"| Competition

! scope="col"| Round

! scope="col"| Club

! scope="col"| Home

! scope="col"| Away

! scope="col"| Aggregate

2022–23

| UEFA Europa Conference League

| 1Q

| {{flagicon|NIR}} Crusaders