PHEW! THEY SURVIVED THE IMP INVASION

If  Leicester City caused an upset last season in England then we have already had a few surprises before 2016-7 really gets going. The IMPS have upset Brendan Rogers and his Celts, who have been on the embarrassing end of a 0-1 defeat by the Gilbraltan Lincoln Red Imps in the Champions League. The Imps are a bunch of island footballers referred to in my blog in 2015.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/lincoln-imps-hope-to-court-one-of-big.html

The club was founded in 1976 and share the Victoria Stadium on the rock with every other team in the island's league. With a capacity of 5,000 the Imps play in the GFA Premier Division and as winners of the league qualify for the Champions League. Mind you they have won 14 consecutive league titles and 22 overall since the club got itself playing in adult football.

The Red Imps began life as an "Old Police Youth Team", a side made up from a number of  chaps in a successful Gibraltan U15 squad. The youth team played in the 4th division of the island's league and when they got older they attracted the best players on the island. They were moved to the adult second division in 1981-2 and won promotion to division 1 in 1983-4, then moving up to the premier.

When Gibraltar were admitted to UEFA, the league winners were entitled to join the Champions League, so the Imps benefitted. The club runs 10 youth sides from U7 to U15.

Last season the Imps beat FC Santa Coloma Andorra in the first qualifying round and were duly dispatched by Midtylland, a proper side from Denmark. This season it was FC Flora Tallinn, put to the sword 3-2 in the first qualifying round and now Celtic is before them.

The 1-0 win at home could be explained by the partisan crowd, the 90 deg F, it was "pre-season" and an artificial pitch that was crumpled and worn out. Added to that the players were distracted through ducking away from planes landing at the nearby airport!! The IMPS pose for post match celebs.

The Imps are made up from locals, Portuguese and Spanish bred players. One of them, Jamie Bosio, is on loan to Ashford United in England, there are three Chipolinas and three Casciaros in the squad. 

Ray Chipolina was born in Enfield and is club and national captain.  Lee Casciaro scored against Celtic and also scored against Scotland in a European Nations tie in March 2015. Here is the famous goal.

Celtic have been able to calm their 50,000 supporters (well there would have also been a few Rockies at Celtic Park) with a 3-0 response and now go through to meet FC Astani in Kazakhstan; a 6 hour flight, 5 hour time difference, plastic pitch..........come on Brendan.

Just a quicky; Dundalk from Ireland won their fixture last night beating Fimleikafelag Hafnarfjardar 3-3 on away goals. Commentator's nightmare.