Lobi Stars F.C.

Lobi Stars F.C.
Lobi Stars F.C.
Full name Lobi Stars Football Club
Nickname(s) Ortom boys
Founded 1981 by late Bishop A.A. Usuh of the catholic diocese of Makurdi.
Ground Aper Aku Stadium
Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria
Capacity 8,000
Chairman Tama Aondofar Emmanuel
League Nigeria Professional Football League
2020–21 Nigeria Professional Football League, 8th 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.

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.

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 of Port-Harcourt.

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.

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 16 April, 2023

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 Daniel Atsaka
2 DF NGA John Lazarus
4 DF NGA Barry Legbara
5 DF NGA Emmanuel Tony Agbaji
6 DF NGA Chinedu Sunday Chukwu
8 MF NGA David Tyavkase
9 FW NGA Barnabas Imenger
10 FW NGA Umar Abba
26 FW NGA Adewale Yusuff Alani
12 GK NGA Emmanuel Daniel
13 DF NGA Orji Kalu Okagbue
29 DF NGA Ebuka JohnPaul Anaekwe
17 DF NGA Moses Tsehuan
14 FW NGA Alao Dabani Godwin
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 DF NGA Mohammed Sani Rabiu
21 MF NGA Christian Madu
— FW NGA Aban Valentine Tersuur
23 DF NGA Godfrey Utim
25 FW NGA Inah Isha
26 MF NGA Anas Hassan
27 DF NGA Monday Akile
29 FW NGA Chinonso Okonkwo
30 GK NGA Mustapha Aliko
31 DF NGA Solomon Kwambe
32 DF NGA Emeka Obiora
34 MF NGA Francis Onyirimba Odinaka
37 FW NGA Terdoo Shimagande

Coaching staff

  • Technical Advisor – Eddy Dombraye
  • Assistant coach –
  • Technical coach –

Former managers

Notable players