Louis Perry is sitting in Bruno's Pub in the centre of Gibraltar and can hardly believe it himself.
"It started right here, at the bar. We were a real pub team," says the founder, ex-player and ex-chairman of Bruno's Magpies FC, glasses clinking in the background: "And now we're playing FC Copenhagen in a European cup. It's a fairytale."
Perry is now the owner of the pub where he started a small football miracle in 2013. He was 18 years old at the time, wanted to play football, couldn't find a suitable club in Gibraltar and quickly set up his own - he found his teammates in Bruno's Pub.
Eleven years later, his Magpies face the 15-time Danish champions in the Conference League qualifiers on Thursday. They have already knocked out Northern Irish representative Derry City.
£1,000 to start
Perry, who hails from England, remembers exactly how it all began. "I went to the FA and put £500 on the table for the first team and £500 for the second. They thought it was a joke," he tells SID on the phone.
He received the money from his grandparents, who owned the pub at the time. "Bruno's" was immortalised in the club's name as a thank you.
Because the first coach at the time, Mick Embleton, was a loyal fan of Newcastle United's Magpies and a close friend of club icon Alan Shearer, the entire name was quickly finalised.
All that was missing were the players. "I practically made the selection at the bar. I asked everyone who was under 35 if they wanted to play football," says Perry.
The trial training took place on a beach in Spain as there was no space available in Gibraltar. "We were as much of a pub team as you can be a pub team," says Perry with a laugh.
Sensation against Derry
From then on, things slowly started to improve. In 2019, the club was promoted to the National League, Gibraltar's top division, for the first time. Professional structures slowly began to emerge, and none of the founders are still actively playing today.
"Our players now train five times a week," says Perry. Third place last season was enough to secure a place in the European Cup.
The Magpies are hoping for a surprise against Copenhagen. Just like against Derry, when Gibraltar's former junior basketball international Evan De Haro scored the decisive goal in extra time. In any case, the Europa Point Stadium is sold out - with 730 spectators.
And then there's the weather. "It's 32 degrees here right now. This could be our chance," says Perry. And anyone who hasn't managed to get a ticket simply goes to Bruno's Pub.
The game is being shown on a screen in the place where it all began. "A point of honour," says Perry.
