Lobi Stars F.C.

Lobi Stars Football Club (formerly known as Mosquito football club, Lobi Bank, BBL Hawks, and Hawks) is a soccer club based in Makurdi, Benue. They play in the Nigerian Professional Football League. The Stars' home is the 15,000 seat Aper Aku Stadium.

Lobi Stars F.C.
Full nameLobi Stars Football Club
Nickname(s)Ortom boys
Founded1981 by late Bishop A.A. Ushu of the catholic diocese of Makurdi.
GroundAper Aku Stadium
Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria
Capacity15,000
ChairmanMike Idoko
LeagueNigeria Professional Football League
201514th

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 state-owned Lobi Bank acquired the club in 1990 and named it Lobi Bank Football Club.[1]

In 1999, the Nigeria Football League was played in a new format which saw the top four teams squaring up in a knock out 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.

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

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

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

For the 2012 season they played some games at Abuja's Old Parade Ground after they were denied use of Emmanuel Atongo Stadium, Katsina-Ala or Aper Aku Stadium.

Achievements
1999, 2018.
2003.
  • Nigerian Super Cup: 1
1999.
2018.

Performance in CAF competitions
2000 – Group stage
2018 – Group stage
2004 – Second Round
2006 – Second Round
2012 – First Round
2010 – First Round

Current squad

As of 21 December 2018[2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  NGA Olufemi Kayode
2 DF  NGA John Lazarus
3 DF  NGA Ebube Duru
4 DF  NGA Umar Zango
5 DF  NGA Emmanuel Tony Agbaji
6 MF  NGA Otakho Alex Aghahowa
8 MF  NGA Cletus Itodo
9 FW  NGA Sikiru Alimi
10 FW  NGA David Tyavkase
11 MF  NGA Kester Kelly
12 FW  NGA Mbah Ezekiel
14 FW  NGA Samad Kadhiri
15 FW  NGA Najeem Olaitan Olukokun
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 GK  NGA John Lawrence
18 MF  NGA Joseph Osadiaye
19 MF  NGA Samuel Mathias
21 GK  NGA Egbe Ospina
22 MF  NGA Timothy Atamenwan
23 DF  NGA Monsuru Olawale Bashiru
25 FW  NGA Austine Ogunye
27 DF  NGA Azu Endurance Chile
28 GK  NGA Tambe Charles Mchinda
29 DF  NGA Ekene Olisema
34 FW  NGA Ezekiel Mbah

Coaching staff
  • Technical Advisor – Gbenga Ogunbote
  • Assistant Coach –
  • Technical Coach –

Former managers

Notable Players

References
  1. "Dominic Iorfa Online : About Lobi Stars". Dominic Iorfa Online. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
  2. CAF Champions League squad
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