{{short description|Nigerian football club}} {{use Nigerian English|date=May 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Recent|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Bridge Football Club | image = Julius Berger.png | fullname = Bridge Football Club | nickname = ''Bridge Boys'' | founded = 1976 | ground = [[Agege Stadium]] | capacity = 4,000 | chairman = Adebanjo Shalom | manager = Danmola Lateef | league = Metro Pro League | season = | position = | website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20111007085819/http://bridgefcng.com/|bridgefcng.com}} | pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = | pattern_ra1 = | leftarm1 = 0000dd | body1 = 0000dd | rightarm1 = 0000dd | shorts1 = white | socks1 = 0000dd | pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = | pattern_ra2 = | leftarm2 = DDDDDD | body2 = DDDDDD | rightarm2 = DDDDDD | shorts2 = DDDDDD | socks2 = DDDDDD| }}
'''Bridge Football Club''' is a Nigerian football club based in [[Lagos]] that was founded in 1976. As a result of its association with the [[Julius Berger (construction company)|Julius Berger]] construction company, the club was known as '''Julius Berger Football Club''' until 2010. The club has won national championships and competed internationally. Players such as [[Odion Ighalo]], [[David Adekola]], [[Yakubu (footballer)|Yakubu]], [[Taribo West]], [[Sunday Oliseh]], [[Samson Siasia]], [[Emmanuel Amuneke]], [[Rashidi Yekini]], [[Garba Lawal]], and [[Mutiu Adepoju]] have played for the club.
==History== Until 2006, the club played in the [[Nigerian Premier League]], but their owners announced plans to close the club by 2008. However, outgoing chairman of the board of directors [[Mobolaji Johnson]] (a former governor of [[Lagos State]]) said in August 2008 that the company had steadied their finances and were prepared to fully fund the team in 2008–09.
They played their final 2008 home games at the [[University of Lagos]] after [[Onikan Stadium]] was shut down for the rest of the season. Berger temporarily relocated to [[Abeokuta]] for two years in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Akanni woos Berger back to Lagos |url=http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/sports/2006/may/27/sports-27-05-2006-003.htm |location=Lagos, Nigeria|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231033651/http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/sports/2006/may/27/sports-27-05-2006-003.htm |archive-date=31 December 2006 |access-date=9 August 2022 |newspaper=[[The Sun (Nigeria)|The Sun]]}}</ref>
In July 2010, the team was bought by seven private individuals led by Emmanuel Ibru<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/hurrah-lagos-gets-new-club/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Hurrah! Lagos gets new club - Vanguard News|access-date=10 January 2024|archive-date=28 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328011804/http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/hurrah-lagos-gets-new-club/|url-status=live|newspaper=[[Vanguard (Nigeria)|Vanguard]]}}</ref> The club was renamed "Bridge Football Club".<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/hurrah-lagos-gets-new-club/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Hurrah! Lagos gets new club |last=Ajom |first=Jacob |date=6 December 2010 |newspaper=[[Vanguard (Nigeria)|Vanguard]]|access-date=24 November 2016 |archive-date=28 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328011804/http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/hurrah-lagos-gets-new-club/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Bridge Football Club featured in the Nigerian National League (NNL) in the 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 seasons and finished 3rd and 4th, respectively. The club has a staff strength of over 70, including players and coaches of their academy 'BRF Academy'.
However, in Dec. 2012 just before the 2012 [[Nigeria National League]] season the team tried to sell their league slot to Ekiti-based Fountain F.C. They withdrew from the league when the sale fell through. This left their future participation in Nigerian football in doubt, but they participated in the 2013 Lagos State Federation Cup and joined the Lagos-based Private Professional Football League 'Metro Pro League' for the 2013/2014 season and finished second (2nd) in the maiden season of the elite private professional football league.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Football {{!}} Nigeria |url=http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/121222/Two_clubs_opt_out_of_NNL |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902165045/http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/121222/Two_clubs_opt_out_of_NNL |archive-date=2 September 2015 |access-date=24 December 2012}}</ref>
==Achievements== *'''[[Nigerian Premier League]]: 2''' :: 1991, 2000.
*'''[[Nigerian FA Cup]]: 2''' :: 1996, 2002.
*'''Nigerian Super Cup: 2''' :: 2000, 2002.
*'''Metro Pro League: 2013/2014''' :: 2nd Position
==Performance in CAF competitions== *'''[[CAF Champions League]]: 2 appearances''' ::[[CAF Champions League 2001|2001]] – Group Stage ::[[CAF Champions League 2004|2004]] – First Round
*'''[[African Cup of Champions Clubs]]: 1 appearance''' ::[[African Cup of Champions Clubs 1992|1992]]: Second Round
*'''[[CAF Cup Winners' Cup]]: 3 appearances''' ::1995 – ''Finalist'' ::1997 – Second Round ::2003 – ''Finalist''
==Sources== '''References''' {{reflist}}
'''Further reading''' * [https://web.archive.org/web/20081218061119/http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/details.php?category=news Berger Accept Omoruyi's Resignation] * [http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/sports/article21//indexn3_html?pdate=230808&ptitle=Julius%20Berger%20To%20Reposition%20Bridge%20Boys&cpdate=240808 Julius Berger To Reposition Bridge Boys] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311073411/http://guardiannewsngr.com/sports/article21/indexn3_html?cpdate=240808&pdate=230808&ptitle=julius%20berger%20to%20reposition%20bridge%20boys |date=11 March 2016 }} * [http://allafrica.com/stories/200812230696.html Amuneke Bags Berger Job] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20150707101719/http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2009051716463746 Why I left Berger- Amuneke] *[http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/121222/Two_clubs_opt_out_of_NNL Two clubs opt out of NNL (Supersport.com) 23–12–12] *[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Metro-Pro-League/246307715550055?hc_location=timeline Metro Pro League]
[[Category:Football clubs in Lagos]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1975]] [[Category:1975 establishments in Nigeria]]