Kwara United F.C.

Kwara United Football Club is a Nigerian football club based in Ilorin. They play in the top division in Nigerian football, the Nigeria Premier League after promotion in 2017 from the Nigeria National League. Their home stadium is the Kwara State Stadium.

Kwara United
Full nameKwara United Football Club
Nickname(s)Harmony boys
Founded1997
GroundKwara State Stadium
Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria
Capacity180.000
ChairmanKumbi Titiloye
ManagerBiffo Abdullahi
LeagueNigeria Professional Football League
2017 Nigeria National League2nd (promoted)

History

The club's roots go back to the Kwara Water Corporation Football Club in 1974. It was supposed to be an in-house club for the staffers of the Water Corporation. Due to the results and depth of talents in the club, the scope was opened and by 1979 qualified to play in the National League second division alongside the First Bank F.C. of Lagos. That same year, the club got to the quarter-final stage of the Football Association Cup (otherwise called the Challenge Cup) where she lost to Bendel Insurance football club of Benin 2–1. In 1985, due to the change in the name of the parent corporation to Kwara Utility Board, the club changed its name to Kwara Utility Bombers of Ilorin. It was relegated to division three at the end of that season. With the disengagement of the parent corporation from financing the team in 1990, the club adjusted its name to Kwara Bombers football club of Ilorin. It suffered financial stress, which culminated in her relegation to division three in 1996. The new state government led by Colonel Peter Asum Ogar led the purchase in March 1997 of the Exide Club of Ibadan, moved them to Ilorin and took their slot in the Second Division. Ogar christened the new outfit Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin.

The club came third at the end of the 2006 Super Four play-off behind Ocean Boys and Nasarawa United FC and qualified for the 2007 edition of the CAF Confederation Cup.

The coaching staff for the 2006–07 season included Swedes Roger Palmgren and Johan Eriksson (son of former England and Mexico manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson). The team was coached former players of the team: Toyin Ayinla, Tunde Sanni and Aliyu Muzambilu (Goalkeeper trainer) following the passing of Technical Adviser Kafaru Alabi on January 8, 2008. However, they were relegated from the Premier League on the last day of the 2007/08 season on goal differential. They regained promotion back to the top level the next year as Champions of Division 1-A. The team appointed an Investment Consultant, Goldenwing33 Nigeria Limited, headed by former Nigerian international and former deputy editor (Sports) of Thisday newspaper, Olajide Ayodeji Fashikun. The Investment Consultant is to organise the privatisation and private sector participation in the club's funding in two years. The fans of the club have one of the worst reputations in Nigeria, as witnessed during a vicious beating of the referees after a 0–0 tie in 2008. Kwara played some of the 2010/11 season in Offa and Abeokuta as the ground was renovated. After relegation in 2013 they won promotion back in 2014. After their last game with Ranchers Bees was abandoned in Kaduna with 28 minutes to play tied at 2–2, they played again at a neutral site with Kwara needing the win and three points to leapfrog Ranchers for promotion. The replay was again abandoned when Bees' players attacked the referee and team staff encroached the field. The League ruled Bees at fault, fined the club and awarded the win to Kwara United, thus securing the promotion.[1]

Farm Club

The club is owner of Kwara United Feeders Team of Ilorin.[2]

Club Names
  • 1974–85: Kwara Water Corporation football club
  • 1985–90: Kwara Utility Bombers of Ilorin
  • 1990–97: Kwara Bombers Football Club of Ilorin
  • 1997–: Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin

Achievements
  • Nigerian Premier League: 1
2006 Regular Season champions, 3rd in Super Four Play-off
1997

Performance in CAF competitions
2007 – Group stage
1994 – Semi-finals

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF  NGA Samuel Ganda
3 DF  NGA Bada Opeyemi
4 DF  NGA Onigbari Hakeem
5 DF  NGA Ibrahim Omolayo
6 MF  NGA Ufere Chinedu
7 FW  NGA Abdulsalam Abdulsalam
8 FW  NGA Agboola Joshua
9 FW  NGA Afolabi Abdulwaheed
10 MF  NGA Uzor Philip
11 MF  NGA Kalu Nweke
12 MF  NGA Kamal Sikiru
13 FW  NGA Isah Magaji
14 DF  NGA Oladejo Mutiu
15 DF  NGA Nworie Fabian
16 DF  NGA Ejeh Isiah
17 FW  NGA Isa Saidu
18 MF  NGA Ajibola Adeleke J.
19 MF  NGA Abubakar Chindo
20 FW  NGA Ajibola Otegbeye
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 MF  NGA Adeyi Tobiloba
22 FW  NGA Musa Abdulafeez
23 FW  NGA Kehinde Olajuyin
24 DF  NGA Muoghara Dede
25 MF  NGA Stephen Adah
26 DF  NGA Nweaze Christopher
27 MF  NGA Alao Dabani
28 MF  NGA Ochuba Henry
30 MF  NGA Aliyu Rasak
31 GK  NGA Joseph Isreal
33 DF  NGA Taiwo Salaudeen
34 GK  NGA Ishola Abdullateef
35 GK  NGA Emmanuel Iwu
36 GK  NGA Zubair Sulaimon
37 FW  NGA Alamoyo Rasak
38 MF  NGA Bashir Bolaji
39 MF  NGA Eguavon Charles
– ST  MLI Moussa Diarra

Former coaches
  • Kafaru Alabi
  • Toyin Ayinla
  • Johann Eriksson
  • Kosta Papić
  • Roger Palmgren (2006–07)
  • Kadiri Ikhana (1997), (2010–11)
  • Tunde Sanni (2011–12)
  • Samson Unuanel (2012–13), (2013–14)
  • Babatunde Abdulrahmon (2014–2015)
  • John Sam Obuh (2015–2017)
  • Abubakar Bala (2017–2019)

Notes
  1. "Bees fined;Kwara promoted (Daily Trust 22-12-2014)". Archived from the original on 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2014-12-25.
  2. Il Kwara United Feeders Team ospite dello Spezia Calcio
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