Warri Wolves F.C.

Warri Wolves

Full name	Warri Wolves Football Club
Nickname(s)	Seasiders, Wolves
Ground	Warri Township Stadium
Capacity	20,000
Chairman	Amaju Pinnick
Manager	Napoleon Aluma
League	Nigeria National League
2020–21	Nigeria Professional Football League, 17th of 20 (relegated)
Home colours Away colours

Warri Wolves Football Club (formerly NPA) is a Nigerian football club. Formerly run by the Nigeria Port Authority, the club was based in Warri, before relocating to Lagos after promotion to the Nigerian Premier League in 2003.^[1]

History

After making the 2001 Super Four play-offs, NPA FC was relegated by three points in the next season after winning only 10 of their 34 league games.^[2] They were promoted again in 2003 after finishing second in Division 2. NPA FC ended their 2004/05 season near the bottom of the table and it was announced that 16 of their 40 players would be laid off. The team was relegated again after the 2005–06 season, and moved back to Warri in April 2007 after a deal with the government of Delta State.

The team was renamed "Warri Wolves" at the start of the season and won promotion to the 2009 Premier League season as champions of Division 1B. Wolves finished with 59 points from 18 wins, five draws and seven losses, scoring 42 goals and conceded 16. They were involved in an incident on March 8, 2008, when a pitch invasion after a goalless draw at First Bank FC left seven players and officials injured.^[3] They played the first part of the 2008–09 season in Oleh because of renovations to the Warri Stadium.^[4]

The Seasiders as they are fondly called are back in Warri City. They now play all their matches at the Warri Township Stadium.

Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Champions League: 1 appearance

2016 – First Round

• CAF Confederation Cup: 3 appearances

2010 – First Round of 16

2012 – Second Round

2014 – Second Round

• CAF Cup: 1 appearance

2002 – First Round (as NPA)

Staff

• Peter Nieketien (Technical Adviser)
• Moses Etu (chairman)
• Azuka Chiemeka (Media Officer)
• Tony Okowa (Chairman of Delta Sports Commission)
• Napoleon Aluma (Head Coach)

Coaching history

• Maurice Cooreman (Jan 2005 – Jan 2006)
• Solomon Ogbeide (2008–2009)
• Paul Aigbogun (Jan 2010 – Feb 2012)^[5]
• Maurice Cooreman (Feb 2012 – Sept 2012)^[6]
• Edema Fuludu (2012)^[7]
• Solomon Ogbeide (2013)^[8]
• Paul Aigbogun (Jan 2014 – Jan 2016)
• Sam Okpodu (Jan 2016 – Jun 2016)
• Ard Sluis (2016)^[9]
• Mansur Abdullahi (2016)^[10]
• Ngozi Elechi (Aug 2019 – Sept 2019)^[11]
• Evans Ogenyi (Sept 2019 – 2022)
• Jolomi Atune (2022 – 2024)^[12][13]
• Napoleon Aluma (2024 – present)^[14]

References

1. "Premier League: NPA Reforms".
2. "Nigeria 2002". RSSSF.
3. "Declare Onikan a Disaster Zone".
4. Nigeria needs 100,000 mw to meet demand, says expert
5. "Warri Wolves sack Paul Aigbogun as coach | Goal.com". goal.com. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
6. "Breaking News: Warri Wolves sack Maurice Cooreman | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
7. "Fuludu: Warri Wolves to bounce back to NPFL soon". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
8. "Nigerian League: Ogbeide Blames Ref For Wolves' Loss". P.M. News. 2013-03-12. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
9. "Ard Sluis – Free – Stats – titles won". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
10. "Warri Wolves appoint Abdullahi as new Chief Coach". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 2016-07-10. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
11. Saliu, Mohammed (2019-09-21). "Ngozi Elechi leaves Warri Wolves on mutual consent". Latest Sports News In Nigeria. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
12. "Warri Wolves unveil Jolomi Atune as new head coach". ThisDay. 2022-10-16.
13. "Warri Wolves sack head coach Jolomi Atune". Daily Post. 2024-01-21.
14. "Warri Wolves kickoff new NNL campaign against Crown FC". TheGuardian. 2022-10-16.