Lobi Stars

Full name	Lobi Stars Football Club
Nickname(s)	Suswan Boys
Founded	1981
Ground	Aper Aku Stadium Makurdi, Nigeria (Capacity: 15,000)
Chairman	Dominic Iorfa
Manager	Mitko Dobrev
League	Nigerian Premier League
2008/09	15th
Home colours Away colours

Lobi Stars Football Club (formerly known as Lobi Bank, BBL Hawks, and Hawks) is a soccer club based in Makurdi, Nigeria. They play in the Nigerian Premier League. They finished the 2008-09 season with a official record of 13 wins 10 draws & 15 losses after winning a game on appeal against Enugu Rangers, avoiding the drop by one point.

Contents 1 History 2 Current squad 2.1 Goalkeeper 2.2 Defenders 2.3 Midfielders 2.4 Forwards 2.5 Coaching staff 3 Former Players 4 Former Coaches 5 Achievements 6 Performance in CAF competitions 7 Sources

[edit] History

The Stars' home is the 15,000 seat Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi that is arguably one of Nigeria's best state-owned sports complexes. 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 therefore won the maiden edition of the Nigerian Super League under the managerial acumen of coach Godwin Koko Uwua. In 2005 they reached the finals of the domestic FA Cup where they lost to Enyimba.

In August 2009,the Benue State government announced the club will be leased to private ownership, ending direct support from the state. They and Ranchers Bees will be the only top flight clubs not run by a state government.

[edit] Current squad

[edit] Goalkeeper

[edit] Defenders

• Andy Ogwuche
• Ismaila Suleiman
• Joshua Obaje

[edit] Midfielders

• Oguchi Uche
• Benedict Atule
• Haliru Sanni
• 11 Abdulwaheed Afolabi
• Eugene Salami
• Sam Ledor
• Wukari Akinsola
• Garba Lawal
• James Okwuosa
• Blessing Okardi

[edit] Forwards

• David Abidoye
• Andre Ighado
• Emeka Akueme
• Victor Barnabas

[edit] Coaching staff

• Technical Advisor - Mitko Dobrev
• Chief Coach - Ufere Nwankwo
• Assistant Coach - Garba Lawal
• Technical Coach - Baldwin Bazuaye

[edit] Former Players

Sari Abacha Robert Akaruye Sunday Chibuike Imadu Dooyum Michael Eneramo Greg Etafia Bartholomew Ogbeche Taye Taiwo David Tyavkase Gbenga Ajala Amusan Timothy Anjembe

Robert Akaruye Terkimbi Akighir Iorfa Apuruugh Moses Bala Kingsley Elvis Sunday Ibeji Barnabas Imenger Lemmy Isah Emmanuel Issah Paul Kpuulgh Ode Thompson John Zaki

[edit] Former Coaches

• Shaibu Amodu
• Kosta Papić
• Godwin Uwua
• Salisu Yusuf

[edit] Achievements

• Nigerian Premier League: 1

1999

• Nigerian FA Cup: 1

2003

[edit] Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Champions League:

2000 - Group Stage

• CAF Confederation Cup: 2 appearances

2004 - Second Round

2006 - Second Round

[edit] Sources

• Enyimba wins again at newswatchngr.com, accessed 3 January 2006.

• Lobi Management Face Sack! at CompleteSportsNigeria.com, accessed 27 Sept. 2008
• Iorfa vows to lift Lobi, as Board drops Kpakpor. Vanguard accessed 9 Nov. 2008
• Lobi okays Dobrev, places 10 on transfer
• Lobi Stars to be privatised next month (goal.com)
• Nwankwo joins Lobi Stars

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