Sports

Lobi Stars Football Club, Makurdi

HISTORY:

Lobi Stars Football Club, Makurdi was founded as Hawks of Makurdi in 1981, by the Benue State sports council was renamed Benue Breweries Limited (BBL) Hawks Football club, when the state owned Breweries acquired the club in 1985.

The club broke into national reckoning when it qualified for the defunct division (iv ) as Hawks in 1987 and reached the division (iii) in 1988.

In 1989, the club reached the division (ii) and gained promotion to the defunct amateur division (i) league in 1990.

There was another change again when state owned Lobi Bank acquired the club in 1990 and named it Lobi Bank Football club and in the same year, the club won the defunct amateur division (i) league

The club was the first to win the innograted Nigeria professional league in 1999 now known as Nigeria Premier League (NPL)

With the Bank running into stormy waters, the club returned to the state and was renamed Lobi Stars football club

The club participated in African competition on several occasions including:

  • 2000 (Caf Champions League)
  • 2004 (Caf Confederations Cup)
  • 2006 (Caf Confederations Cup) and
  • 2010 (Caf Confederations Cup)

LOBI STARS SCORECARD OVER THE YEARS:

  1. Division (iv) champion – 1987
  2. Division (iii) champion – 1988
  3. Division (ii) champion – 1989
  4. Promoted division (i) – 1990
  5. Professional League Champion – 1999
  6. Coca-Cola FA Cup (now Federation Cup) Winners  – 2003
  7. Coca-Cola FA Cup runner – up 2005
  8. Federation Cup Second Runner-Up (former Coca-Cola FA Cup) 2010
  9. Federation Cup Runner-Up (former Coca-Cola FA Cup) 2012

FORMER NAMES:

Hawks

Benue Breweries Ltd Hawks

Lobi Bank

Lobi Stars

CLUB RECORDS | FORMER AND PRESENT STARS:

  • 2013: Finished 14: Nigeria Premier League
  • 2012: Second Runner-Up: Nigeria Premier League
  • 2012: First Runner-Up: Federation Cup

Stars: John Lawrence, Ezekiel Bassey, Jonah Abutu, Tony Okpotu, David Tyakase, Luther Iorhe

Coach: Dominic Iorfa

2005: Silver medal Coca-Cola FA Cup (Now Federation Cup)

2006 Caf Confederations Cup: Second Round

Coach: Tunde Disu

2004 Caf Confederations Cup: Second Round

Coach: Maurice Cooreman.

2000 Caf Champions League: Reached Group stage

2003: Coca-Cola FA Cup (Now Federation Cup)

Stars: Sani Haliru, John Agbawu, Sumaila Suleiman

1999: Defunct Professional League: PEPSI Super Four

Stars: Greg Etafia, Sunday Ibeji, Robert Akaruye

Coach: Godwin Uwua

1990: Amateur Division One League

Wafu Cup: 1991: Lost finals to Africa Sports

 Stars: John Zaki

 Coach: Bernard Ogbe