{{Short description|Association football club}} {{More footnotes needed|date=July 2018}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = | image = [[File:Lobi_Stars_logo.png|frameless|center|Lobi Stars F.C.]] | fullname = Lobi Stars Football Club | nickname = Alia Boys | founded = 1981 by late Bishop A.A. Usuh | ground = [[Aper Aku Stadium]]<br/>[[Makurdi]], [[Benue State]], Nigeria | capacity = 8,000 | chairman = Dr Philip Nongu | manager = [[Mika Lönnström]] | league = [[Nigeria Premier Football League]] | season = [[2024–25 Nigeria Premier Football League|2024–25]] | position = [[Nigeria Premier Football League]], 20th of 20 | pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = _bluehorizontal | pattern_ra1 = | leftarm1 = ffff00 | body1 = ffff00 | rightarm1 = ffff00 | shorts1 = 0000ff | socks1 = ffff00 | pattern_la2 = _redstripes | pattern_b2 = _redstripes | pattern_ra2 = _redstripes | leftarm2 = 000000 | body2 = 000000 | rightarm2 = 000000 | shorts2 = 000000 | socks2 = 000000 }}
'''Lobi Stars Football Club''' (formerly known as '''Mosquito Football Club''', '''Lobi Bank''', '''BBL Hawks''', and '''Hawks''') is a Nigerian professional [[association football|football]] club based in [[Makurdi]], [[Benue State|Benue]]. The club competes in the [[Nigerian National League]]. The Stars' home is the 8,000-seater [[Aper Aku Stadium]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lobi Stars Football Club History|url=https://www.sitesng.com/index.php?p=lobistars&page=en_History|access-date=2021-05-19|website=sitesng.com|archive-date=2021-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519073920/https://www.sitesng.com/index.php?p=lobistars&page=en_History|url-status=live}}</ref>
==History== Lobi Stars FC 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://iorfaonline.blogspot.com/p/about-lobi-stars.html|title=Dominic Iorfa Online : About Lobi Stars|website=Dominic Iorfa Online|access-date=2018-07-06|archive-date=2018-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706163434/http://iorfaonline.blogspot.com/p/about-lobi-stars.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
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, Lagos State|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|Sharks FC of Port-Harcourt]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Omuya |first=Kevin |date=2022-03-19 |title=Lobi Stars players, owner, stadium, coach, trophies, world rankings |url=https://sportsbrief.com/facts/teams/11295-lobi-stars-players-achievements-stadium-owner-net-worth/ |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=SportsBrief - Sport news. |language=en}}</ref>
In 2005 they reached the finals of the domestic [[Nigerian FA Cup|FA Cup]] where they lost to [[Enyimba International F.C.|Enyimba]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigeria: Enyimba Break Fa Cup Jinx |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200511140840.html}}</ref>
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.<ref name=":0" />
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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Adigun|first=Taye Hassan|title=Lobi Stars|url=https://felele247.com.ng/team/lobi-stars/|access-date=2021-05-18|website=Felele247 Football|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518133933/https://felele247.com.ng/team/lobi-stars/|url-status=live}}</ref> Lobi finished 3rd in the Glo Premier League in 2012. They also reached the Federation Cup final that season but lost to [[Heartland F.C.]] of [[Owerri]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=KickOff |title=Heartland FC and Lobi Stars FC reach Federation Cup final |url=https://www.snl24.com/kickoff/sanews/heartland-fc-and-lobi-stars-fc-reach-federation-cup-final-20120823 |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=KickOff |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-11-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122123422/https://www.snl24.com/kickoff/sanews/heartland-fc-and-lobi-stars-fc-reach-federation-cup-final-20120823 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Honours== *'''[[Nigeria Professional Football League]]''' **'''Champions:''' 1999 *'''[[Nigeria FA Cup]]''' **'''Winners:''' 2003 *'''[[Nigeria Super Cup]]''' **'''Winners:''' 1999, 2018
==Performance in CAF competitions== *'''[[CAF Champions League]]''' ::[[2000 CAF Champions League|2000]] – Group stage ::[[2018–19 CAF Champions League|2018–19]] – Group stage
*'''[[CAF Confederation Cup]]''' ::[[2004 CAF Confederation Cup|2004]] – Second round ::[[2006 CAF Confederation Cup|2006]] – Second round ::[[2012 CAF Confederation Cup|2012]] – First round
*'''[[WAFU Club Championship]]''' ::[[2010 WAFU Club Championship|2010]] – First round
==Current squad== ''As of 8 February 2024''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/championsleague20182019/TeamDetails/Home?TeamsIDs=aiQO58rSqB2euY%2bKQmbHqtMd5DzYh7OkJffAlKRVB3jowlKVPXn0a3UpEtO2rSUO |title=CAF Champions League squad |access-date=2018-12-25 |archive-date=2018-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201022246/http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/championsleague20182019/TeamDetails/Home?TeamsIDs=aiQO58rSqB2euY+KQmbHqtMd5DzYh7OkJffAlKRVB3jowlKVPXn0a3UpEtO2rSUO |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no= 1|nat=Nigeria|name=Daniel Atsaka|pos=GK}} {{Fs player|no= 2|nat=Nigeria|name=John Lazarus|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=31|nat=Nigeria|name=[[Solomon Kwambe]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no= 6|nat=Nigeria|name=[[Jimmy Iteji]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no= 10|nat=Nigeria|name=[[Stanley Oganbor]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no= 8|nat=Nigeria|name=Kumaga Suur|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no= 9|nat=Nigeria|name=[[Barnabas Imenger (footballer, born 1991)|Barnabas Imenger]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=11|nat=Nigeria|name=Samuel Tiza Iorwuese|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=12|nat=Nigeria|name=Emmanuel Daniel|pos=GK}} {{Fs player|no=13|nat=Nigeria|name=Orji Kalu Okagbue|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=14|nat=Nigeria|name=Dabani Godwin Alao|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=16|nat=Nigeria|name=Waheed Adebayo|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=17|nat=Nigeria|name=Moses Tsehuan|pos=DF}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|no=20|nat=Nigeria|name=Ajibola Adeleke|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=19|nat=Nigeria|name=Ossy Martins|pos=CF}} {{Fs player|no=21|nat=Nigeria|name=[[Christian Madu]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=25|nat=Nigeria|name=Nnamdi Frank|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=33|nat=Nigeria|name=Ifeanyi Assurance|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=22|nat=Nigeria|name=Onah Peter|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=27|nat=Nigeria|name=Monday Akile|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=28|nat=Nigeria|name=Ahmadu Liman|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=5|nat=Nigeria|name=Yem Reubem|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=30|nat=Nigeria|name=Akor Itodo|pos=GK}} {{Fs player|no=33|nat=Nigeria|name=Agbanyi Vershima|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=34|nat=Nigeria|name=Arinze Ogbonna|pos=CB}} {{Fs player|no=37|nat=Nigeria|name=Olorintoba Segun|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=35|nat=Nigeria|name=Itim Paul|pos=FW}} {{Fs end}}
==Coaching staff==
[[File:Mika Lonnstrom.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Mika Lönnström]] became the manager of the Lobi Stars in 2024.]]
''As of 8 November 2024'' {| |- |valign="top"| {| class="wikitable" |- !Name
!Role |- |{{Flag icon|FIN}} [[Mika Lönnström]] |Head coach |- |{{Flag icon|NGA}} Tar Akombo |Assistant coach |- |{{Flag icon|NGA}} Save Okoh |Goalkeeping coach |- |{{Flag icon|NGA}} Benjamin Bemgba Jiki |Coach |- |{{Flag icon|NGA}} [[Daniel Amokachi]] |Technical advisor |} |}
==Former managers== *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} [[Shaibu Amodu]] *{{flagicon|Serbia}} [[Kosta Papić]] *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Godwin Uwua *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Salisu Yusuf *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Ufere Nwankwo *{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Mitko Dobrev]] (2009–??) *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} [[John Zaki]] *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} [[Garba Lawal]] *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} [[Solomon Ogbeide]] *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} [[Gbenga Ogunbote]] *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} [[Kabiru Dogo]] *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} [[Eddy Dombraye]] *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} [[Eugene Agagbe]]
==Notable players== *[[Kelechi Okoye]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/29366/Kelechi_Okoye.html|title=NFT player — National team & Club appearances: Okoye, Kelechi|publisher=National Football Teams|access-date=25 November 2023|archive-date=4 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004194257/https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/29366/Kelechi_Okoye.html|website=national-football-teams.com}}</ref>
==References== <references />
==External links== *[http://iorfaonline.blogspot.com/p/about-lobi-stars.html http://iorfaonline.blogspot.com/p/about-lobi-stars.html] *[https://www.flashscore.com.ng/team/lobi/CK3dUv9I/results/ Lobi Stars FC Results] - current results of Lobi Stars FC matches *[http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=105307:lobi-raids-enyimba-heartland-sign-16-new-stars&catid=59:home&Itemid=620 Lobi signs 16 players] at www.ngrguardiannews.com, accessed 20 November 2012 *[http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/21232/50/ Iorfa vows to lift Lobi, as Board drops Kpakpor. Vanguard accessed 9 Nov. 2008]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/sports/article23//indexn3_html?pdate=040809&ptitle=Lobi%20okays%20Dobrev,%20places%2010%20on%20transfer&cpdate=050809 Lobi okays Dobrev, places 10 on transfer]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://www.goal.com/en/news/89/africa/2009/08/19/1449580/nigerias-lobi-stars-to-be-privatised-next-month Lobi Stars to be privatised next month (goal.com)] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110714150047/http://naijapremierleague.com/2009/09/18/ufere-nwankwo-joins-lobi-stars/ Nwankwo joins Lobi Stars] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110708222003/http://sunday.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2603:the-bizarre-refereeing-that-nearly-claimed-lives-at-aper-aku-stadium&catid=24:sports-news&Itemid=112 The bizarre refereeing that nearly claimed lives at Aper Aku Stadium (Sunday Trust)] *[http://npfl.ng/lmc-declares-2017-18-npfl-season-concluded-at-match-day-24/ LMC declares 2017/18 NPFL season concluded at Match Day 24]
{{Nigerian Premier League}}
[[Category:Lobi Stars F.C.| ]] [[Category:Football clubs in Nigeria]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1981]] [[Category:Benue State]] [[Category:1981 establishments in Nigeria]]