{{short description|Nigerian football club}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Shooting Stars SC | image = Shooting_Stars_SC.svg | upright = 0.9 | alt = Shooting Stars SC logo | fullname = Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) | nickname = Oluyole Warriors | founded = 1950s (As WNDC Ibadan) | ground = Lekan Salami Stadium | capacity = 10,000 | owntitle = Sporting Director | owner = Tobi Adepoju | chairman = Hon. Taiwo Lekan Salami | manager = Nurudeen Aweroro | league = Nigeria Professional Football League | season = 2024–25 | position = 8th | pattern_la1 = _whiteshoulders | pattern_b1 = _thinwhitestripes | pattern_ra1 = _whiteshoulders | leftarm1 = 0000FF | body1 = 0000FF | rightarm1 = 0000FF | shorts1 = 0000FF | socks1 = 0000FF | pattern_la2 = _whiteborder | pattern_b2 = _bluehalf | pattern_ra2 = _blueborder | leftarm2 = 0000FF | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = FFFFFF | shorts2 = FFFFFF | socks2 = FFFFFF }}
'''Shooting Stars Sports Club''' (often nicknamed '''3SC''' or ''Oluyole Warriors'') is a Nigerian professional football club based in Ibadan, in south-western Nigeria.
==History==
The club was one of the founders of the Nigerian Premier League in 1972, when they were called ''WNDC Ibadan'' (Western Nigeria Development Corporation), and were later called IICC (Industrial Investment and Credit Corporation) Shooting Stars of Ibadan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/4374879.stm|title=BBC SPORT – Football – African – Living for 'Shooting'|website=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=26 May 2017|archive-date=20 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620075039/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/4374879.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
Their nickname "Shooting Stars" was added on the suggestion of the team's founding members, the late Jide Johnson and Niyi Omowon the "Aare Odan Liberty" (Generalissimo of Liberty Stadium) who believed that the players were "stars" in their own right.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Ministry – Oyo State Government MDA |url=https://shootingstars.oyostate.gov.ng/about-ministry/ |access-date=2022-11-22 |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-11-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122101603/https://shootingstars.oyostate.gov.ng/about-ministry/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Shooting Stars is one of the most followed football clubs in Nigeria. They play their home matches at the Lekan Salami Stadium. The stadium was named after one of the prominent supporters of the club who is now deceased. "Sooting", as it is called by its supporters, earlier used to play at the famous Liberty Stadium, one of the venues for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Shooting Stars is the first club to win the FA Cup on club basis in Nigeria in 1971, when players like Aderoju Omowon, Niyi Akande, Jossy Lad, Amusa Adisa were prominent in the squad.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-01-07 |title=‘I locked up dead body of my daughter in a room and escaped |url=https://guardian.ng/sport/i-locked-up-dead-body-of-my-daughter-in-a-room-and-escaped-to-the-stadium/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-11-22 |newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US |archive-date=2022-11-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122102252/https://guardian.ng/sport/i-locked-up-dead-body-of-my-daughter-in-a-room-and-escaped-to-the-stadium/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Shooting Stars is one of the most decorated club sides in Nigeria alongside Enyimba Enugu Rangers and the defunct Stationery Stores of Lagos though they have failed to win any major trophy since 1998. In fact, Shooting Stars and Enugu Rangers<ref>{{Cite web |last=Omachonu |first=Kelvin |date=2024-06-16 |title=NPFL: Flying Enugu Rangers claim eighth league title |url=https://soccernet.ng/2024/06/npfl-flying-enugu-rangers-claim-eighth-league-title.html |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Soccernet.ng |language=en-US}}</ref> are known as the traditional football clubs in the country, both dominating the football scene in the country during the 1970s and 1980s.
Shooting Stars have played and won many matches against top club sides in Africa. 3SC won the first edition of CAF Cup, defeating the Nakivubo Villa of Uganda 3–0 in the finals at the Lekan Salami stadium after the first leg ended goalless. They won the African Cup Winners' Cup in 1976,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Shooting Stars have no reason to fail promotion bid, says Balogun|url=https://guardian.ng/sport/shooting-stars-have-no-reason-to-fail-promotion-bid-says-balogun/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2020-12-18|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210050810/https://guardian.ng/sport/shooting-stars-have-no-reason-to-fail-promotion-bid-says-balogun/|url-status=live}}</ref> becoming the first Nigerian clubside to win an international trophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup76.html|title=African Club Competitions 1976|website=RSSSF|access-date=26 May 2017|archive-date=25 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225014625/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afcup76.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
They ended their 2004–05 season in fifth place in the Premier League. After the introduction of a strange double-league format by the Nigerian Football Association, Shooting Stars got relegated to the lower division in 2006, but won promotion in 2009 after finishing second in the Division 1B. They were relegated back on the last day of the 2017 NPFL season. Head Coach Edith Agoye and the rest of the 3SC Management board resigned in July 2019 after they lost a promotion playoff to Akwa Starlets.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.brila.net/shooting-stars-top-officials-resign-after-failure-to-gain-npfl-promotion/ |title=Shooting Stars top officials resign |access-date=2019-07-23 |archive-date=2021-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517114117/https://www.brila.net/shooting-stars-top-officials-resign-after-failure-to-gain-npfl-promotion/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Many well-known international stars have played for Shooting Stars in the past, including former African footballer of the year Rashidi Yekini, "the mathematical" Segun Odegbami and so on.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://shootingstarssc.com/about/history/|title=3SC History|website=shootingstarssc.com|access-date=8 March 2021}}</ref> Notable players include Rashidi Yekini, Segun Odegbami, Felix Owolabi, Niyi Akande, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Duke Udi, Olumide Harris, Golden Ajeboh, Ajibade Babalade, Ademola Johnson, and Jude Axelsson.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Where are they now – The history making 1976 shooting stars squad?|url=https://guardian.ng/sport/where-are-they-now-the-history-making-1976-shooting-stars-squad/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2020-12-18|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-11-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103123641/https://guardian.ng/sport/where-are-they-now-the-history-making-1976-shooting-stars-squad/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Crest== <gallery class="center"> File:Shooting Stars SC (logo).png|Old logo File:Shooting Stars SC.svg|Present logo </gallery>
==Honours==
===Domestic=== * '''Nigerian Premier League''' ** '''Winners (5):''' 1976, 1980, 1983, 1995, 1998 * '''Nigerian FA Cup''' ** '''Winners (8):''' 1959, 1961, 1966, 1969, 1971 (as WNDC), 1977, 1979, 1995
===Continental=== * '''African Cup of Champions Clubs''' ** Runners-up (1): 1984, 1996 * '''CAF Cup''' ** '''Winners (1):''' 1992 * '''African Cup Winners' Cup''' ** '''Winners (1):''' 1976
===Regional=== * '''West African Club Championship''' ** '''Winners (1):''' 1998
==Performance in CAF competitions== *'''African Cup of Champions Clubs/CAF Champions League: 5 appearances''' ::1972 – Second Round ::1981 – Second Round ::1984 – ''Runners-up'' ::1996 – ''Runners-up'' ::1999 – Group stage
*'''CAF Cup: 3 appearances''' ::1992 – '''Champion''' ::1993 – First Round ::1995 – Second Round
*'''CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 4 appearances''' ::1976 – '''Champion''' ::1977 – Semi-finals ::1978 – First Round ::1980 – Quarter-finals
== Current Squad == ''As of 4 May, 2026''
{{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no=16|nat=Nigeria|name=Mustapha Lawal|pos=GK|other=}} {{Fs player|no=33|nat=Nigeria|name=Elkanah Godgift|pos=GK|other=}} {{Fs player|no=34|nat=Nigeria|name=Ozovehe Emmanuel Adeiza|pos=GK|other=}} {{Fs player|no=40|nat=Nigeria|name=Christian Dawariomi|pos=GK|other=}} {{Fs player|no=7|nat=Nigeria|name=Edoho Friday Mfon|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=7|nat=Nigeria|name=Monsoor Saleh Aliyu|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=7|nat=Nigeria|name=Desmond Ojietefian Sylvester|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=8|nat=Nigeria|name=Utin Ikouwem Udo|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=8|nat=Nigeria|name=Al-Ameen Tijani Kehinde|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=9|nat=Nigeria|name=Okon Samuel Godwin|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=11|nat=Nigeria|name=Ismail Ghali Falke|pos=DF|other=captain}} {{Fs player|no=13|nat=Nigeria|name=Adelowo Gbolagade Damilola|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=14|nat=Nigeria|name=Justice Apaingolo Mathew|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=15|nat=Nigeria|name=Jamiu Hamzat Opeyemi|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=16|nat=Nigeria|name=Emmanuel Ndubueze Chinedu|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=17|nat=Nigeria|name=David Luis Johnson|pos=DF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=18|nat=Nigeria|name=Charles Ribannu|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|no=19|nat=Nigeria|name=Kalio Tamuno|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=20|nat=Nigeria|name=Chukwudi Ekeocha Lawrence|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=21|nat=Nigeria|name=Ayobami Junior|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=22|nat=Nigeria|name=Stephen Amos|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=23|nat=NGA|name=Abayomi Adebayo Emmanuel|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=25|nat=Nigeria|name=Tunde Azeez Akeem|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=26|nat=Nigeria|name=Alex Aghahowa Otakho|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=27|nat=Nigeria|name=Tijani Kabiru Manchy|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=29|nat=Nigeria|name=Olajobi Olaoke Oladiran|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=30|nat=Nigeria|name=James Namapele|pos=MF|other=}} {{Fs player|no=33|nat=Nigeria|name=Mustapha Adam Agba|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=34|nat=Nigeria|name=Wasiu Ganiyu|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=35|nat=Nigeria|name=Akpan Joshua Akan|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=36|nat=Nigeria|name=Qamar Adegoke|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=Nigeria|name=Lucky Gyang Emmanuel|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=Nigeria|name=Onyemaechi Austin Tochukwu|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=Nigeria|name=Ismael Ayodele Ayanda|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=Nigeria|name=Alade Muyiwa Balogun|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=Nigeria|name=Ibrahim Sodiq Tunde|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=Nigeria|name=Promise Awonsanmi Abiodun|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=Nigeria|name=TimiTimi Ineikade Nelson|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=Nigeria|name=Ohiobe Emmanuel Matthew|pos=FW|other=}} {{Fs end}}
==Notable coaches== *{{flagicon|England}} Alan Hawkes * Franklin Howard * Akintola Idowu * Yusuf Lati * Festus Onigbinde * Tayo Oloniyo * Siegfried Bahner * Jossy Ladipo * Fatai Amoo * Edith Olumide Agoye * Niyi Akande
==Notable players== *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Segun Odegbami *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Duke Udi *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Junior Ajayi *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Abiodun Baruwa *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Mutiu Adepoju *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Mudashiru Lawal *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Ajibade Babalade *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Felix Owolabi *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Rashidi Yekini *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Idowu Otubusen (Slow Poison) *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Alao Dabani Godwin *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Adewale Yusuff Alani *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Opeoluwa Olufemi *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Ebuka Anaekwe *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Omar Rekik *{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Best Ogedegbe
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://shootingstarssportsclub.com/}} *Shooting Stars Squad list<ref>{{Cite web |title=Players |url=https://shootingstarssportsclub.com/players/ |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=shootingstarssportsclub.com |language=en-US}}</ref> *[https://www.flashscore.com.ng/team/shooting/thJIFAIJ/results/ Shooting Stars Results] – current results of Shooting Stars matches
{{Nigerian Premier League}} {{Nigeria Football League Original Six}} {{CAF Cup Winners' Cup winners}} {{CAF Confederation Cup winners}}
Category:Shooting Stars S.C. Category:1950s establishments in Nigeria Category:Football clubs in Nigeria Category:Sport in Ibadan Category:African Cup Winners Cup winning clubs Category:CAF Cup winning clubs Category:Association football clubs established in the 1950s