EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Derry City to face 'the most famous pub team in the world'

Derry City will face a club with a rising reputation, not just in Gibraltar, but in European football, with a young manager in charge who is determined to take the club to the highest level.

The club, just 11 years old, has gone on a remarkable upward trajectory wince its formation, rising from the lowest level to European football at a lightning pace, going from the lower reaches of Gibraltar’s footballing pyramid to lifting silverware and twice qualifying for the early rounds of the Europa Conference League.

Bruno’s Magpies were only founded in 2013 by then 18-year-old Louis Perry, who acquired Bruno’s Bar in Gibraltar from his grandparents.

The team got its name Bruno’s Magpies after the bar and because pub regular Mick Embleton, who became the first manager, was a die-hard Newcastle Utd fan and close friend of Alan Shearer.

All 11 teams in Gibraltar league play at Victoria Stadium, the national ground, which has a capacity of 5,000 spectators and is located next to Gibraltar International Airport.

In recent seasons, under manager Nathan Rooney, the Magpies lifted the Rock Cup, Gibraltar’s knockout tournament, before winning the Pepe Reyes Cup, its Community Shield equivalent, just afew months’ later.

They have featured in the first qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, beating Northern Irish side Crusaders 2-1 in the first leg in 2022 before losing 3-1 away from home, a loss which denied them a prestigious tie with Swiss side FC Basel.

Founded in 2013, the club were given the tag of ‘the most famous pub team in the world’ because of their origins as a group formed at Bruno’s Bar & Restaurant. However, due to UEFA rules, they are known as FCB Magpies in European competitions.

The club have experience against League of Ireland opposition also – having face d Dundalk in the First Qualifying Round of the Europa Conference League last season. The first leg ended in a 0-0 draw in Gibraltar before Dundalk won 3-1 at Oriel Park, with current Derry City striker Pat Hoban opening the scoring.

Rooney, wasn’t in charge of those matches, having left the club in June 2023 to coach at Portuguese team Espinho. He has since returned to the Gibraltarian club for a second spell in charge.