The 2017–18 Gibraltar Second Division was the fifth season of the second-tier football in Gibraltar since the Gibraltar Football Association joined UEFA. Like the previous season, this year the league was contested by 9 clubs. The season began on 26 September 2017, and ended in May 2018, with a mid-season break while Victoria Stadium underwent improvements. There was no Chesterton's Cup this season.
Gibraltar Phoenix were the reigning champions, having won the league for the first time the previous season and earning promotion to the Premier Division. Boca Gibraltar won their first title this season, securing the title by a single point after a 1–1 draw with arch-rivals Bruno's Magpies on the final day of the season.
Format Clubs play each other twice for a total of 16 matches each. The Second Division winner is promoted while the second-placed team enters a playoff with the ninth-placed team from the Premier Division. This season sees the continuation of the Home Grown Player (HPG) rule, requiring clubs to name 3 home grown players in their matchday squads with at least one of them on the field of play at all times. On 1 October, FC Olympique were awarded a 3–0 win over College 1975 after College fielded an ineligible player. The match had originally finished 2–1 to Olympique.
On 2 February 2018, Angels were expelled from the league due to violations of squad quota and Home Grown Player rules, with their record expunged.Angels FC have their Domestic License Revoked by the GFA Gibraltar Football Association. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
Teams
Gibraltar Phoenix were promoted to the 2017–18 Gibraltar Premier Division as champions last season. Bruno's Magpies lost their promotion playoff, so remain in the division. Europa Pegasus had applied to join the division for the coming season after their expulsion at the end of the 2015–16 season, but the Gibraltar Football Association turned down their request, citing new rules now forbidding feeder clubs from joining the Gibraltar football pyramid. ClubManagerCaptainKit supplierSponsor2016–17AngelsSport CityEroski Center8thBoca Gibraltar Liam ClarkeNikeCoral3rdBruno's Magpies David Wilson Ryan McCarthyNikeGVC HoldingsChestertons2ndCannons Dani Gámez Daniel Jimenez FalconJomaOcean Medical Clinic4thCollege 1975 Nolan Bosio Nazim HughesJomaCosmopolitan7thEuropa Point Juan Molina Ivan RuizLuanviSunborn Yacht HotelsHound Dogs Chris Gomez Ivan BorgJoma9thLeo FC Angelo LavagnaErrea5thOlympique 13 Lewis Fraser Jordan PerezUhlsportHungry Monkey6th
Managerial Changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Leo Mutual Consent 15 June 2017 Pre-season 15 June 2017 Angels Resigned 21 June 2017 1 July 2017 Olympique 13 Mutual consent1 July 2017 21 July 2017 Cannons Moved to assistant manager 1 July 2016 Europa Point Sacked18 August 2017 18 August 2017 College 1975 Signed by Europa Point 20 August 2017 Leo Resigned 24 August 2017 27 September 2017 Sacked 21 December 2017 9th 1 12 January 2018 1 Norberto Alonso Simón was re-appointed by Leo in January after initially being dismissed by the new owners.
League table
Results
Season statistics Scoring
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 José ValdiviaBoca Gibraltar182 Robert MontovioFC Olympique 1314 Max BothenFC Olympique 134 Conor GaulBruno's Magpies9 Orlando JoãoLeo6 Samuel MescuaCannons8 Alexis SanchezEuropa Point Tirjon Dos SantosLeo9 Javier RivasCannons7 Dani Figueroa1Leo 15 goals for College 1975
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Boca Gibraltar Leo 4–0 (A) FC Olympique 13 Leo 6–0 (A) Bruno's Magpies College 1975 8–1 (H) 4 Boca Gibraltar Hound Dogs 8–1 (A) 4 Europa Point Hound Dogs 8–0 (H) 4 Bruno's Magpies Cannons 8–3 (A) Boca Gibraltar Europa Point 4–0 (A) Bruno's Magpies Hound Dogs 5–0 (H) 5 FC Olympique 13 Cannons 16–0 (A) 8 FC Olympique 13 Cannons 16–0 (A)
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubClean sheets1 Jordan PerezFC Olympique 1382 Alvaro SerranoEuropa Point4 Francisco José JimenezAngels4 Javier Gomez FernandezBoca Gibraltar3 Tom HullBruno's Magpies Carlos CarenoteLeo7 Emmanuel SanchezBoca Gibraltar2 Jamie CarlinBoca Gibraltar Stefan MascharenhasCannons10 Albert ChichonCannons1 Juan Antonio PerezCollege 1975 Salva BallesterosEuropa Point Juan Carlos El AbdHound Dogs
See also 2017–18 Gibraltar Premier Division
References
External links Gibraltar Football Association