2012 Nigeria Premier League

Last updated
Nigeria Premier League
Season2011–12
ChampionsKano Pillars F.C.
Relegated Niger Tornadoes, Jigawa Golden Stars, Rising Stars F.C.
Champions League Kano Pillars F.C.
Enugu Rangers
Confederation Cup Lobi Stars
Heartland F.C. (cup winner)
Matches played342
Goals scored687 (2.01 per match)
Top goalscorer Sibi Gwar (Niger Tornadoes) - 13
Biggest home winGombe United 5 Sharks F.C. 0 (1 Feb.)
Rangers 5 Jigawa Golden Stars 0 (2 May)
2013

The 2012 Nigeria Premier League is the 41st season of the competition since its inception, and the 22nd since the rebranding of the league as the "Professional League".

Contents

Sixteen teams from the previous season and four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League (Akwa United, Rising Stars, Jigawa Golden Stars and Wikki Tourists) are participating in this season.

The season was originally due to start November 26, 2011, less than a month after the conclusion of the previous season due to many long delays by the NFF. [1] The date was pushed back to January 2012 to give time to organize and to sort out the league's sponsorship and scheduled to run to July. [2]

Clubs

Team nameHome cityHome venueFirst year of current stint in League
ABS Ilorin Kwara State Stadium 2010
Akwa United Uyo Uyo Township Stadium/UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar2011
Dolphins Port Harcourt Liberation Stadium 2009
Enugu Rangers Enugu Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium 1973
Enyimba Aba Enyimba International Stadium 1994
Gombe United Gombe Pantami Stadium 1994
Heartland Owerri Dan Anyiam Stadium 1975
Jigawa Golden Stars Dutse Hadejia Stadium 2011
Kaduna United Kaduna Kaduna Township Stadium 2008
Kano Pillars Kano Sani Abacha Stadium/Hadejia Stadium 2001
Kwara United Ilorin Kwara State Stadium 2009
Lobi Stars Makurdi Emmanuel Atongo Stadium, Katsina-Ala/Aper Aku Stadium/Old Parade Ground 1999
Niger Tornadoes Minna Minna Township Stadium 2003
Ocean Boys Brass Samson Siasia Stadium 2006
Rising Stars Akure Gateway Stadium (Ijebu Ode)/Akure Township Stadium 2011
Sharks Port Harcourt Sharks Stadium 2008
Shooting Stars Ibadan Awolowo Stadium/MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta2009
Sunshine Stars Akure Akure Township Stadium2007
Warri Wolves Warri Warri Township Stadium 2008
Wikki Tourists Bauchi Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium 2011

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1 Kano Pillars (C)36171094626+2061Qualification for 2013 CAF Champions League
2 Enugu Rangers (Q)36177124527+1858
3 Lobi Stars (Q)36183153830+857Qualification for 2013 CAF Confederation Cup
4 Enyimba 36166143830+854
5 Sunshine Stars 36157144135+652
6 Kwara United 36164163536152
7 Sharks 36164164346352
8 Heartland (Q)36149133230+251 [a] Qualification for 2013 CAF Confederation Cup
9 Gombe United 36156154045551
10 Wikki Tourists 361631733461351
11 Dolphins 36155163739250
12 Akwa United 36155162731450
13 Shooting Stars 36147153134349
14 Kaduna United 36154173742549
15 Warri Wolves 36139143229+348
16 ABS 36146164240+248
17 Niger Tornadoes (R)36146163842448Relegated to Nigeria National League
18 Jigawa Golden Stars (R)361461629421348
19 Rising Stars (R)361091723371439
20 Ocean Boys (D)0-----0 [b]
Updated to match(es) played on 9 Sept. 2012. Source: Nigeria Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Heartland qualified for the 2013 CAF Confederation Cup as the 2012 Nigerian FA Cup winner.
  2. Ocean Boys were disqualified September 6 after no-showing four straight games when their relegation was confirmed. All points/results of games involving them were expunged.

News

Team of the Year

From MTNFootball [6]

Reserves GK: Moses Ocheje (Sunshine Stars) D: ThankGod Ike (Warri Wolves) D/M:Chinedu Efugh (Heartland) M: David Tyavkase (Lobi Stars) M: Abduljaleel Ajagun (Dolphin) F: Dele Olorundare (Sunshine Stars) F: Chikeluba Ofoedu (Rangers)

Managerial (head coach) changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming managerDate of appointment
EnyimbaFelix EmordiResignedEnd of 2010-11 SeasonAbdu Maikaba [7] Nov. 26 2011
Shooting StarsFatai AmooResigned [8] End of 2010-11 SeasonFestus Allen [9] Dec. 30 2011
Enugu RangersAlphonsus DikeResigned [10] End of 2010-11 SeasonFelix EmordiDec. 23 2011
Wikki TouristsHassan AbubukarContract not renewedEnd of 2010-11 SeasonLadan BossoDec. 23 2011 [11]
Warri WolvesPaul AigbogunFamily reasons [12] Feb. 20, 2012 Maurice Cooreman Feb. 20 2012
Kaduna UnitedMaurice CooremanResignedFeb. 20, 2012Saleh Tanko Lato
ABSErasmus OnuhSacked [13] Feb. 27, 2012Kabiru Suleiman Dogo (interim)Feb. 27, 2012
Shooting StarsFestus AllenSackedMar. 26, 2012Tunde Odubola/Busari Akeem [14] Mar. 26, 2012

References

  1. One month offseason for NPL
  2. "New NPL season begins in January". Archived from the original on 2011-11-17. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  3. "NPL cancels weekend matches over strike". www.dailytrust.com.ng. Archived from the original on 2012-01-14.
  4. "Pillars to play in Hadejia". Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
  5. "Armed robbers attack Wikki". Archived from the original on 2012-02-28. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
  6. "NPL Special: All-Star Team of the Season - MTNFootball". Archived from the original on 2012-11-24. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  7. Enyimba appoint new head coach Abdu Maikaba
  8. "Amoo rejects 3SC offer". Archived from the original on 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  9. "3SC name ex-Bukola coach Allen new coach". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
  10. Dike quits Enugu Rangers
  11. "Bosso dumps Pillars for Wikki - MTNFootball". Archived from the original on 2012-09-09. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  12. Wolves snag Cooreman
  13. ABS throw out Onuh
  14. Shooting Stars fire Allen