Lobi Stars F.C.

Full nameLobi Stars Football Club
Nickname(s)Alia Boys
Founded1981 by late Bishop A.A. Usuh
GroundAper Aku Stadium
Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria
Capacity8,000
ChairmanDr Philip Nongu
ManagerMika Lönnström
LeagueNigeria Premier Football League
2023–24Nigeria Premier Football League, 6th of 20

Lobi Stars Football Club (formerly known as Mosquito football club, Lobi Bank, BBL Hawks, and Hawks) is a Nigerian professional soccer club based in Makurdi, Benue. The club competes in the Nigerian Professional Football League. The Stars' home is the 8,000-seater Aper Aku Stadium.[1]

History

Founded as Hawks of Makurdi in 1981 by the Benue State sports council, the club was renamed Benue Breweries Limited (BBL) Hawks Football Club, when the state-owned Breweries acquired the club in 1985. There was another change again when the state-owned Lobi Bank acquired the club in 1990 and named it Lobi Bank Football Club.[2]

In 1999, the Nigeria Football League was played in a new format which saw the top four teams squaring up in a knockout Super League at the National Stadium, Surulere. Lobi Stars won the maiden edition of the Nigerian Super League under coach Godwin Koko Uwua's management. Lobi Stars won its first and only FA Cup title in 2003 after beating Sharks FC of Port-Harcourt.[3]

In 2005 they reached the finals of the domestic FA Cup where they lost to Enyimba.[4]

They finished the 2008–09 season with 13 wins, 10 draws and 15 losses after winning a game on appeal against Enugu Rangers, avoiding the drop by one point.[5]

In August 2009, the Benue State government announced the club will be leased to private ownership, ending direct support from the State, but that never materialised.[5] Lobi finished 3rd in Glo premier league in 2012. They also reached the Federation Cup final that season but lost to Heartland F.C. of Owerri.[6]

Honours

Performance in CAF competitions

2000 – Group stage
2018–19 – Group stage
2004 – Second round
2006 – Second round
2012 – First round
2010 – First round

Current squad

As of 8 February 2024[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  NGA Daniel Atsaka
2 DF  NGA John Lazarus
31 DF  NGA Solomon Kwambe
6 DF  NGA Jimmy Iteji
10 FW  NGA Stanley Oganbor
8 MF  NGA Kumaga Suur
9 FW  NGA Barnabas Imenger
11 FW  NGA Samuel Tiza Iorwuese
12 GK  NGA Emmanuel Daniel
13 DF  NGA Orji Kalu Okagbue
14 FW  NGA Dabani Godwin Alao
16 FW  NGA Waheed Adebayo
17 DF  NGA Moses Tsehuan
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 MF  NGA Ajibola Adeleke
19 CF  NGA Ossy Martins
21 MF  NGA Christian Madu
25 DF  NGA Nnamdi Frank
33 MF  NGA Ifeanyi Assurance
22 MF  NGA Onah Peter
27 DF  NGA Monday Akile
28 MF  NGA Ahmadu Liman
5 FW  NGA Yem Reubem
30 GK  NGA Akor Itodo
33 DF  NGA Agbanyi Vershima
34 CB  NGA Arinze Ogbonna
37 FW  NGA Olorintoba Segun
35 FW  NGA Itim Paul


Coaching staff

As of 8 November 2024

Name Role
Mika Lönnström Head coach
Tar Akombo Assistant coach
Save Okoh Goalkeeping coach
Benjamin Bemgba Jiki Coach
Daniel Amokachi Technical advisor

Former managers

Notable players

References

  1. ^ "Lobi Stars Football Club History". sitesng.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-19. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  2. ^ "Dominic Iorfa Online : About Lobi Stars". Dominic Iorfa Online. Archived from the original on 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
  3. ^ Omuya, Kevin (2022-03-19). "Lobi Stars players, owner, stadium, coach, trophies, world rankings". SportsBrief - Sport news. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  4. ^ "Nigeria: Enyimba Break Fa Cup Jinx".
  5. ^ a b Adigun, Taye Hassan. "Lobi Stars". Felele247 Football. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  6. ^ KickOff. "Heartland FC and Lobi Stars FC reach Federation Cup final". KickOff. Archived from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  7. ^ "CAF Champions League squad". Archived from the original on 2018-12-01. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
  8. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "NFT player — National team & Club appearances: Okoye, Kelechi". national-football-teams.com. National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
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