View source for Gibraltar Premier Division

{{short description|Former association football league in Gibraltar}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox football league
| name = Gibraltar Premier Division
| image = 
| pixels = 128px
| country = Gibraltar 
| other countries = 
| confed = [[UEFA]]
| founded = 1895
| folded = 2019
| relegation = [[Gibraltar Second Division]]
| levels = 1
| teams = [[#Premier Division 2018–19 Season|10]]
| domest_cup = [[Rock Cup]]
| confed_cup = [[UEFA Champions League]]<br />[[UEFA Europa League]]
| most_successful_club = [[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]]<br>(24 titles)
| tv = 
| website = [http://www.gibraltarfa.com Gibraltar FA]
}}

The '''Gibraltar Premier Division''' was a football league established by the [[Gibraltar Football Association]] (GFA) in 1905, and the top tier of [[football in Gibraltar]]. It originally contained eight member clubs, but it has grown over the years. In 1909 the league was split into two divisions between which clubs can be [[promotion and relegation|promoted and relegated]] at the end of each season. In the 2013–14 season, the Premier Division contained eight clubs with the [[Gibraltar Second Division|Second Division]] containing 12 clubs. For sponsorship reasons it is known as the '''Argus Insurance Premier Division'''.

From the 2014–15 season, as a result of the territory's membership of [[UEFA]], the champions entered the first [[UEFA Champions League]] qualifying round. The winners of Gibraltar's cup competition, the [[Rock Cup]], meanwhile, gained entry to the following season's [[UEFA Europa League]] qualifying rounds. From the 2016–17 season, Gibraltar received an additional place in the Europa League qualifying round for the league runner-up. In 2019 the league merged with the [[Gibraltar Second Division]] and became the [[Gibraltar National League]].<ref>[https://www.chronicle.gi/key-changes-to-the-domestic-league-revealed-to-clubs/ Key changes to the domestic league revealed to clubs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801183407/https://www.chronicle.gi/key-changes-to-the-domestic-league-revealed-to-clubs/ |date=1 August 2019 }} Gibraltar Chronicle. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.</ref>

==History==
[[Football in Gibraltar]] dates from 1892, when military personnel in the territory started playing as [[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]]. By 1895 the number of clubs had grown to the point that the [[Gibraltar Football Association]] was formed and a tournament (the predecessor to the Premier Division), the Merchants Cup, began, with [[Gibraltar F.C.|Gibraltar]] winning the inaugural competition. By 1907 the Premier Division had officially taken shape with Prince of Wales winning the first full season of league football in Gibraltar. The side went on to win 19 league titles before folding some time in the 1950s.

Since the league's formation, football has been played almost every season, along with the [[Gibraltar Second Division]] (founded 1909) and a national cup competition, the [[Rock Cup]]. After the FA's admission to [[UEFA]], the [[Gibraltar Premier Cup]] was established in 2013 to provide more competitive games for the sides in the top tier.

Due to the restricted and amateur nature of the league in the past, the competition has been prone to spells of dominance at certain times: for example, the early 20th century dominance by Prince of Wales and the 10 league titles in 11 seasons attained by [[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] in the 1960s and 1970s. At present [[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] are the dominant side in the division, having won every season since 2000–01 with the exception of the 2001–02 season, until 2017. However, the UEFA acceptance and potential for increased professionalism in the league has opened the possibility of other sides closing the gap, with sides such as [[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]] and [[Lynx F.C.|Lynx]] making inroads in the 2013–14 season. This came to pass in the [[2016–17 Gibraltar Premier Division|2016–17]] season, when [[Europa F.C.|Europa FC]] won their first title in over 60 years.

In 2018, the Gibraltar FA announced changes to the league involving an increase in the "Home Grown Player" quota to 3 players on the pitch, per team, at any one time, as well as introducing salary caps (to be introduced in the senior leagues from 2019) and the introduction of the [[Gibraltar Intermediate League]], replacing the Reserves League and Under-18 League, in order to promote local player development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://footballgibraltar.com/2018/06/gfa-rule-changes-pave-the-way-for-more-locals-to-play-in-the-leagues/|title=GFA rule changes pave the way for more locals to play in the leagues|access-date=9 June 2018|archive-date=26 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926164106/http://footballgibraltar.com/2018/06/gfa-rule-changes-pave-the-way-for-more-locals-to-play-in-the-leagues/|url-status=live}}</ref>

For the 2019–20 season, the Premier Division and the Second Division were merged to create a single division for Gibraltar, known as the [[Gibraltar National League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gibraltarfa.com/uploads/documents/gibraltar-fa-league-rules-season-2018-2019.pdf |title=Senior League Rules |publisher=GFA |access-date=13 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414003723/https://www.gibraltarfa.com/uploads/documents/gibraltar-fa-league-rules-season-2018-2019.pdf |archive-date=14 April 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Premier Division 2018–19 season==
{| class="wikitable"
!width="150px"|Club
!width="300px"|Last season
|-
|[[F.C. Boca Gibraltar|Boca Gibraltar]]
|align="center"|[[Gibraltar Second Division]], 1st (promoted)
|-
|[[Europa FC]]
|align="center"|2nd
|-
|[[Gibraltar Phoenix F.C.|Gibraltar Phoenix]]
|align="center"|6th
|-
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]]
|align="center"|4th
|-
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]]
|align="center"|7th
|-
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]]
|align="center"|1st (champions)
|-
|[[Lions Gibraltar F.C.|Lions Gibraltar]]
|align="center"|8th
|-
|[[Lynx F.C.|Lynx]]
|align="center"|9th
|-
|[[Mons Calpe S.C.|Mons Calpe]]
|align="center"|5th
|-
|[[St Joseph's F.C.|St Joseph's]]
|align="center"|3rd
|}
Source:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gibraltarfa.com/gibraltar_fa_new_002.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113020907/http://www.gibraltarfa.com/gibraltar_fa_new_002.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 November 2012 |title=GFA Senior League 2012-13 |publisher=Gibraltar Football Association |access-date=3 November 2012}}</ref>

==League Champions==
{{col-start}}
{{col-3}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Season
!Winner
|-
|1895–96
|[[Gibraltar F.C.|Gibraltar]] (1)
|-
|1896–97
|[[Jubilee F.C.|Jubilee]] (1)
|-
|1897–98
|[[Jubilee F.C.|Jubilee]] (2)
|-
|1898–99
|[[Albion F.C. (Gibraltar)|Albion]] (1)
|-
|1899–1900
|[[Exiles F.C.|Exiles]] (1)
|-
|1900–01
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (1)
|-
|1901–02
|[[Exiles F.C.|Exiles]] (2)
|-
|1902–03
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (2)
|-
|1903–04
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (3)
|-
|1904–05
|[[Athletic F.C.|Athletic]] (1)
|-
|1905–06
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (4)
|-
|1906–07
|''No competition''
|-
|1907–08
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (1)
|-
|1908–09
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (5)
|-
|1909–10
|[[South United F.C. (Gibraltar)|South United]] (1)
|-
|1910–11
|[[South United F.C. (Gibraltar)|South United]] (2)
|-
|1911–12
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (2)
|-
|1912–13
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (3)
|-
|1913–14
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (6)
|-
|1914–15
|[[Royal Sovereign F.C.|Royal Sovereign]] (1)
|-
|1915–16
|''No competition''
|-
|1916–17
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (7)
|-
|1917–18
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (4)
|-
|1918–19
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (8)
|-
|1919–20
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (5)
|-
|1920–21
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (9)
|-
|1921–22
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (10)
|-
|1922–23
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (11)
|-
|1923–24
|[[Gibraltar F.C.|Gibraltar]] (2)
|-
|1924–25
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (12)
|-
|1925–26
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (13)
|-
|1926–27
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (14)
|-
|1927–28
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (15)
|-
|1928–29
|[[Europa FC|Europa]] (1)
|-
|1929–30
|[[Europa FC|Europa]] (2)
|-
|1930–31
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (16)
|-
|1931–32
|[[Europa FC|Europa]] (3)
|-
|1932–33
|[[Europa FC|Europa]] (4)
|-
|1933–34
|[[Commander of the Yard F.C.|Commander of the Yard]] (1)
|-
|1934–35
|[[Chief Construction F.C.|Chief Construction]] (1)
|}

{{col-3}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Season
!Winner
|-
|1935–36
|[[Chief Constructor F.C.|Chief Constructor]] (1)
|-
|1936–37
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (6)
|-
|1937–38
|[[Europa FC|Europa]] (5)
|-
|1938–39
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (17)
|-
|1939–40
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (18)
|-
|1940–41
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (7)
|-
|1941–46
|''No competition''
|-
|1946–47
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (1)
|-
|1947–48
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (2)
|-
|1948–49
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (3)
|-
|1949–50
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (4)
|-
|1950–51
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (5)
|-
|1951–52
|[[Europa FC|Europa]] (6)
|-
|1952–53
|[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]] (19)
|-
|1953–54
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (6)
|-
|1954–55
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (8)
|-
|1955–56
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (9)
|-
|1956–57
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (10)
|-
|1957–58
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (11)
|-
|1958–59
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (12)
|-
|1959–60
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (7)
|-
|1960–61
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (13)
|-
|1961–62
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (8)
|-
|1962–63
|[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]] (14)
|-
|1963–64
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (9)
|-
|1964–65
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (10)
|-
|1965–66
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (1)
|-
|1966–67
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (2)
|-
|1967–68
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (3)
|-
|1968–69
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (4)
|-
|1969–70
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (5)
|-
|1970–71
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (6)
|-
|1971–72
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (7)
|-
|1972–73
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (8)
|-
|1973–74
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (9)
|-
|1974–75
|[[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]] (1)
|-
|1975–76
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (10)
|-
|1976–77
|[[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]] (2)
|-
|1977–78
|''No competition''
|-
|1978–79
|[[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]] (3)
|}

{{col-3}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Season
!Winner
|-
|1979–80
|[[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]] (4)
|-
|1980–81
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (11)
|-
|1981–82
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (12)
|-
|1982–83
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (13)
|-
|1983–84
|[[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]] (5)
|-
|1984–85
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (14) / [[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln]] (1)
|-
|1985–86
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (2)
|-
|1986–87
|[[St Theresa's F.C.|St Theresa's]] (1)
|-
|1987–88
|[[St Theresa's F.C.|St Theresa's]] (2)
|-
|1988–89
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (15)
|-
|1989–90
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (3)
|-
|1990–91
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (4)
|-
|1991–92
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (5)
|-
|1992–93
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (6)
|-
|1993–94
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (7)
|-
|1994–95
|[[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]] (6)
|-
|1995–96
|[[St Joseph's F.C.|St Joseph's]] (1)
|-
|1996–97
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (16)
|-
|1997–98
|[[St Theresa's F.C.|St Theresa's]] (3)
|-
|1998–99
|[[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]] (7)
|-
|1999–2000
|[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] (17)
|-
|2000–01
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (8)
|-
|2001–02
|[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]] (11)
|-
|2002–03
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (9)
|-
|2003–04
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (10)
|-
|2004–05
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (11)
|-
|2005–06
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (12)
|-
|2006–07
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (13)
|-
|2007–08
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (14)
|-
|2008–09
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (15)
|-
|2009–10
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (16)
|-
|2010–11
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (17)
|-
|[[2011–12 Gibraltar Premier Division|2011–12]]
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (18)
|-
|[[2012–13 Gibraltar Premier Division|2012–13]]
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (19)
|-
|[[2013–14 Gibraltar Premier Division|2013–14]]
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (20)
|-
|[[2014–15 Gibraltar Premier Division|2014–15]]
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (21)
|-
|[[2015–16 Gibraltar Premier Division|2015–16]]
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (22)
|-
|[[2016–17 Gibraltar Premier Division|2016–17]]
|[[Europa FC|Europa]] (7)
|-
|[[2017–18 Gibraltar Premier Division|2017–18]]
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (23)
|-
|[[2018–19 Gibraltar Premier Division|2018–19]]
|[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]] (24)
|}



{{col-end}}
* [[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]] and [[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln]] shared the 1984–85 title.

==Performance by club==
'''Bold''' indicates club still playing in top division. <br />
''Italics'' indicates club no longer active.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!width=150|Team
!width=75|Titles
!width=100|Last Title
|-
|'''[[Lincoln Red Imps F.C.|Lincoln Red Imps]]'''
|24
|[[2018–19 Gibraltar Premier Division|2018–19]]
|-
|''[[Prince of Wales F.C.|Prince of Wales]]''
|19
|1952–53
|-
|'''[[Glacis United F.C.|Glacis United]]'''
|17
|1999–2000
|-
|''[[FC Britannia XI|Britannia XI]]''
|14
|1962–63
|-
|''[[Gibraltar United F.C.|Gibraltar United]]''
|11
|2001–02
|-
|'''[[Europa FC|Europa]]'''
|7
|[[2016–17 Gibraltar Premier Division|2016–17]]
|-
|'''[[Manchester 62 F.C.|Manchester 62]]'''
|7
|1998–99
|-
|''[[St Theresa's F.C.|St Theresa's]]''
|3
|1997–98
|-
|''[[Jubilee F.C.|Jubilee]]''
|2
|1897–98
|-
|''[[Exiles F.C.|Exiles]]''
|2
|1901–02
|-
|''[[South United F.C. (Gibraltar)|South United]]''
|2
|1910–11
|-
|''[[Gibraltar F.C.|Gibraltar]]''
|2
|1923–24
|-
|''[[Chief Construction F.C.|Chief Construction]]''
|2
|1935–36
|-
|''[[Albion F.C. (Gibraltar)|Albion]]''
|1
|1898–99
|-
|''[[Athletic F.C.|Athletic]]''
|1
|1904–05
|-
|''[[Royal Sovereign F.C.|Royal Sovereign]]''
|1
|1914–15
|-
|''[[Commander of the Yard F.C.|Commander of the Yard]]''
|1
|1933–34
|-
|'''[[St Joseph's F.C.|St Joseph's]]'''
|1
|1995–96
|}

==See also==
* [[Gibraltar National League]]
* [[Rock Cup]]
* [[Gibraltar Premier Cup]]
* [[Pepe Reyes Cup]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Gibraltar|Soccer}}
*[http://www.gibraltarfa.com/ Gibraltar FA Website]
*[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesg/gibchamp.html Gibraltar - List of Champions], RSSSF.com

{{Gibraltar Premier Division}}
{{UEFA leagues}}
{{Football in Gibraltar}}

[[Category:Gibraltar Premier Division| ]]
[[Category:Football leagues in Gibraltar|1]]
[[Category:Defunct top-level football leagues in Europe]]
[[Category:1905 establishments in Gibraltar]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1905]]
[[Category:2019 disestablishments in Gibraltar]]
[[Category:Sports leagues disestablished in 2019]]