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]
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| Full name | Lobi Stars Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Alia Boys | ||
| Founded | 1981 by late Bishop A.A. Usuh | ||
| Ground | Aper Aku Stadium Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria | ||
| Capacity | 8,000 | ||
| Chairman | Dr Philip Nongu | ||
| Manager | Mika Lönnström | ||
| League | Nigeria Premier Football League | ||
| 2023–24 | Nigeria Premier Football League, 6th of 20 | ||
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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
- Nigeria Professional Football League
- Champions: 1999
- Nigeria FA Cup
- Winners: 2003
- Nigeria Super Cup
- Winners: 1999, 2018
Performance in CAF competitions
- 2010 – First round
Current squad
As of 8 February 2024[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Coaching staff
As of 8 November 2024
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Former managers
Shaibu Amodu
Kosta Papić- Godwin Uwua
- Salisu Yusuf
- Ufere Nwankwo
Mitko Dobrev (2009–??)- John Zaki
- Garba Lawal
- Solomon Ogbeide
- Gbenga Ogunbote
- Kabiru Dogo
- Eddy Dombraye
- Eugene Agagbe
Notable players
References
External links
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