Tonight (Sunday), the Gibraltar international team makes
history when it plays its first ever European Championship match against Poland.
UEFA has done something that Spain has ignored to do for more than 300 years; when the 2.3 square mile rocky peninsular was handed to England in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht, Spain refused to recognise Gibraltar as a separate country, Needless to say Portugal has lent the island a stadium
to play in. Recent fixtures against Estonia and Slovakia (drawn), Malta (won)
prove that Gibraltar has something to offer.
The present squad includes four notable Englishmen . Scott
Wiseman qualifies through his mother’s birth and has been a journeyman
footballer, presently with Preston NE. Jake Gosling is with Bristol Rovers and
has a Gibraltan born father whilst Adam Priestly, at present with non-league Farsley,
was born on the island when his father was stationed there with the RAF. David
Artell plays for Bala Town in the Welsh league.
They will have to leave for the game early to get through the very slow customs point into Spain.
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