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 to 2016 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.
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. 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.
Starting from this season, Gibraltar are granted two spots instead of one in the Europa League. 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
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. ClubFinishing position 2015–16Europa FC 2ndEuropa Point 1st in Second division (Promoted)Gibraltar United 8thGlacis United 7thLincoln Red Imps 1st (champions)Lions Gibraltar 4thLynx 5thManchester 62 6thMons Calpe 2nd in Second division (Promoted via play-off)St Joseph's 3rd
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
Managerial Changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Lions Gibraltar Resigned 14 September 2016 Pre-season 15 September 2016 Manchester 62 Sacked Europa Point 15 December 2016 10th 15 December 2016 St Joseph's Signed by Beijing Guoan 19 December 2016 3rd 19 December 2016 Mons Calpe Sacked 16 January 2017 5th 17 March 2017 Manchester 62 8 February 2017 8th 8 February 2017 Resigned 17 March 2017 8th 21 March 2017
League table
Results
Matches 1–18 Teams played each other twice.
Matches 19–27 Teams played each other once.
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. FCB Magpies finished second in the Second Division after their win on May 8, 2017.
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Kike GómezEuropa FC302 Joseph ChipolinaLincoln Red Imps173 John-Paul DuarteSt. Joseph's15 Guillermo RoldánEuropa FC Liam WalkerEuropa FC6 Lee CasciaroLincoln Red Imps147 George CabreraLincoln Red Imps138 Salvador Carrasco LopezGlacis United11 Juan Pablo Pereira SastrieMons Calpe10 Tulio EtchemaiteLincoln Red Imps10
See also 2016–17 Gibraltar Second Division
References
External links Season at soccerway.com Gibraltar Football Association