Lobi Stars Football Club History
Lobi Stars Football Club popularly known as (The Pride of Benue) is a professional soccer club located in Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria. The club plays in the Nigerian Premier League with Aper Aku Stadium as their home stadium for matches and soccer training.
The Football Club was founded in the year 1981 by Benue State Sports Council but has subsequently changed their name within the years, its first name as at the time of its creation was Hawks of Makurdi.
The name Hawks of Makurdi was later changed to Benue Breweries Limited (BBL) Football Club in the year 1985 when the club was bought was the Brewery Company owned by the state. After that, the club’s name was changed again in the year 1990, 5 years after its first change of name to Lobi Bank Football Club after Lobi Bank owned by the state acquired the club.
Throughout the subsequent years, the club has recorded some achievements as they were the first club to win the inaugurated Nigeria professional league in 1999 which is now known as Nigeria Premier League (NPL) with Godwin Koko Uwua as the then manager/coach. Their victory led to the final change of their name which is currently Lobi Stars Football Club.
The club has also recorded other achievement which includes winning their first FA Cup title in the year 2003 after knocking out Sharks FC of Port Harcourt. They ended the 2008-2009 season with a record of 13 wins, 10 draws & 15 losses when they won a game on appeal against Rangers International FC, with one point.
The team has taken part in so many African competitions such as (CAF Champions League) in the year 2000, (CAF Confederations Cup) in 2004, 2006, and 2010. The team also participated in WAFU Club Championship in the year 2010.
Lobi Stars came 3rd in the Glo Premier League in the year 2012 and in the same season reached the Federation Cup final although they lost to Heartland FC of Owerri.
Since then the club has been moving from one level of success to another making their state and the whole of Africa proud through their devoted team players who always aim for the best.
