Nigeria Football League body names highest Goal-scorer's award after Rasheed Yekini

Nigeria Professional Football League body LMC, has named the Highest Goal Scorer trophy in honour of Super Eagles legend Rashidi Yekini.

The League Management company Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, said in a statement that the decision to name the trophy after the late striker was made by the board in order to immortalise the player who scored a total of 37 goals in 58 appearances for Nigeria.

“There is a broad plan to institute awards and honour outstanding players, officials, key stakeholders and fans in the league at the end of every season. There are a number of factors that led us to reach the decision to name one of these awards, that of the highest goal scorer, after the late Rashidi Yekini. The awards is part of strategic plans of the LMC to create commercial value and additional revenues out of the assets inherent in the league property,” Dikko said in a statement on the league’s website.

“We considered the aspiration factor, which seeks to let the players know that they too can become national heroes if they achieve excellence and make a success of their career. It says to them that they too can become legends of the game and the society will honour them as we have sought to honour the late Yekini.”

The LMC Chairman disclosed that a monetary incentive and other social benefits will be attached to the awards.

He said, “We have received a request from the Rashidi Yekini Foundation to provide additional cash support to the winner and we are studying their proposal. There are already plans to officially unveil the special trophy for this award at one of the league games.”

Sunshine Stars slip, promises Akwa tough time as Wikki stuns Ifeanyi Ubah

Sunshine Stars of Akure have dropped to second spot after they were pipped 1-0 by Rangers International in Enugu in Sundays league fixture at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium.

The host proved the better side in the first 45' and did not hesitate when the opportunity came calling as Alex Emenike's goal separated by both sides before the half which also proved to be the match decider.

Having lost to a better side on the day, the Akure Gunners conceded defeat and praised the Referee for fair officiating saying that the Antelopes deserved the victory.

Shortly after the match, the club shared via twitter, "Bad day in the office for our boys. The two injuries enforced the substitution, also limited our chances. Rangers deserved their win, the statement reads.

"We will bounce back against Akwa on Wednesday in Akure."

Interestingly, Ifeanyi Ubah lost at home for the first time since joining the Premier league to visiting Wikki Tourists by a lone goal scored by Chukwudi Samue in the 77th minutes.

The victory catapults Wikki to the summit as they now have 27points from 14 league matches, leading Sunshine Stars and Enyimba who also won 2-0 at home by a point.

In other results, last season champions Kano Pillars were held to a 2-2 draw by Dolphins FC who came from behind to put the match at per. Lobi Stars beat Abia Warriors 2-0, Bayelsa 2-0 Kwara United, Giwa FC 3-1 El-kanemi, Sharks 1-1 Heartland, Akwa United 1-1 Warri Wolves.

Meanwhile the only Saturday fixture saw Shooting Stars grab one point away after securing a 1-1 draw against FC Taraba.

LMC Okays Sharks Sponsorship deal with Eunisell

The League Management Company (LMC) has endorsed a shirt sponsorship deal between Sharks FC of Port Harcourt and Eunisell Limited in line with provisions of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Rules and Framework.

In a letter to Sharks FC, Chief Operating Officer of the league body Salihu Abubakar, congratulated the club for securing the deal and also complying with regulation which provides that all external commercial relationships of clubs must be vetted and approved by the LMC before signing.

"There are regulations guiding commercial relationships which prescribes the processes to ensure that existing rights are not violated. While we congratulate Sharks for their good fortune which we hope will grow, it is our expectation that other clubs will set up strong marketing units or engage marketing agencies to expand their revenue generating capacities", Abubakar said.

Abubakar further reminded other clubs that it is a breach of the rules to wear shirts with unauthorized endorsements and advised any club that is yet to have the approval of LMC to desist from further wearing of such shirts. He also reminded clubs that pitch panel displays must be approved by the LMC and their deployment for match day branding are to be handled by the LMC approved agency or any such persons authorized by it.

Source: npfl.ng

Forgiven! LMC Pardons Sunshine Stars' Strippers

The Leagues Management Company (LMC) has decided to temper justice with mercy after accepting the apologies tendered by two players of  Sunshine Stars duo of Kunle Odunlami and Prince Aggrey, following their indecent behaviour.

Both players were banned for one league game and fined N50,000, after they stripped to their pants to celebrate the winning goal in a Week 4 game against Dolphins.

According to a statement on the league body's website, the players have been warned about their future conduct but must serve the one match ban and pay the sum as levied. 

Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salisu Abubakar said: ''The two players have written to accept full responsibility for their bad behaviour and have accordingly apologized to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the LMC, our broadcast partners; Supersport, the owners of the club; the Ondo Government, their employers; the Ondo State Football Agency, Supporters of Sunshine Stars and the general public.''

The LMC, he said has further advised all Club Management to discharge their technical responsibilities to players and other personnel by providing continuous enlightenment on codes of conduct and other rules of the game.

Sunshine Stars Players face ban for stripping to celebrating a goal

Courtesy: Footballlive.ng

Kunle Odunlami and Prince Aggrey of Sunshine Strs have been slammed with a one-match ban and a fine of N50,000 for stripping to their underpants while celebrating one of their goals against Dolphins at the weekend.

According to a statement released by the League Management Company, both players have 48hours to either submit to the League Management Company (LMC) decision and or elect to be dealt with by a special LMC commission.

The statement read, - ''Two players of Sunshine Stars who stripped themselves to celebrate their winning goal against Dolphins FC on Match Day 4 in Akure have been suspended for one match each and also fined N50, 000 for indecent exposure and conduct capable of bringing the league to disrepute.'' 

An injury time winner from Prince Aggrey condemned the Port-Harcourt side to a painful 2-1 defeat on Sunday evening but moved the Akure Gunners to seven points from four matches.

Kano Pillars get Lion share as Glo Premier League clubs share N75m Merit Award

The League Management Company has revealed that N75m will be shared among the 20 Glo Premier League Clubs, an amount which surpasses last season's N50m from the Financial Merit Award.

The merit award represents cash earnings shared to the 20 clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) sponsored by Globacom Limited in accordance with their placing on the final league table ratified by the league body.

League Champions Kano Pillars will recieve N15m as opposed to N10m awarded to the champions last season, LMC Chairman Nduka Irabor revealed in a report on the league body's website.

''Last season, we had a pool of N50m from where clubs shared based on their final placement on the log but this season, the share-out is N75m representing 50% increase across all positions. It therefore means that any club that improved on its position last season will receive even higher than 50%'', stated Hon. Irabor

Runner-up Enyimba will smile to the bank with N11.25m while Warri Wolves who finished third gets N7.5m. And whereas the least placed club got N1m last season, the earning this season is N1.5m, the breakdown further showed.

The distribution order shows that the 4th placed team will receive N3.75m while N3.15m, N2.925M and N2.85m will go to the fifth, sixth and seventh placed teams. Others are N2.775m, N2.7m, N2.625m and N2.55m for the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th placed clubs.

A further breakdown shows that N2.475m, N2.4m, N2.25m and N2.1m will be received by the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th placed clubs while from 16th to 19th will receive N1.95m, N1.875m, N1.8m and N1.575m respectively.

All payments will be made immediately after the NFF Congress ratifies the season’s placement.

LMC postpones final day Glo Premier League matches

The League Management Company (LMC) has announced the postponement of all Match Day 38 games in the Nigeria Glo Premier League which was earlier scheduled for this weekend.

According to report on the league body's website the decision was taken to quell all matters arising from teams which may influence the finishing points. 

The Chief Operating Officer of LMC, Salihu Abubakar said a decision has been reached to shift the end games by another week.

''Some of the protests will affect the final declaration of position of clubs on the log and we are aware that Confederation of African Football (CAF) has issued a November 30 deadline for return of entries for representatives of member federations seeking to play in any of the continental club championships'', Abubakar explained.

''The LMC is committed to protecting the integrity of all match results and will therefore await pronouncement of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) relevant committees on the outstanding protests in the coming days. This way there won’t be any spill over games after the final day of matches'', Abubakar further clarified.

He said the LMC regrets any inconveniences arising from this but insisted it was the right decision to have taken in the circumstance.

Vote your Nigeria Glo Premier League Wonder Goal between Rasheed Olabiyi, Ifeanyi Egwim and Ajia (WATCH VIDEO)

Fans and lovers of the Nigeria football have been given a chance to vote their best goal in the Glo Premier League for the 2013/2014 season.

Rasheed Olabiyi of Enyimba

Enyimba’s  Rasheed Olabiyi, Ifeanyi Egwim of Dolphins and Emmanuel Ajia of El-Kanemi Warriors are in the running for the 4th Wonder Goal Award.

Ifeanyi Egwin of Dolphins FC

The nominees were announced in the League Management Company (LMC) website, www.lmc-ng.org  with fans urged to vote for any of the players whose goal is considered the most spectacular. The LMC had at the inaugural edition of the Wonder Goal scheme stated that it was instituted to reach out to fans and enhance engagement between the Clubs, the fans and the communities.

“The Wonder Goal also seeks to reward marksmanship of the highest quality in the Glo Premier League as it was instituted to celebrate eye-catching and brilliant goals as well as the collective effort that resulted in the superb finish,” the LMC stated on the website Wonder Goal page on its website.

Voting will end by 11.59pm on Saturday, October 4 and the player whose goal attracts the highest number of goals will receive the prize money of N100, 000 from which 50% will be donated to a Charity of his choice within the city where the club is based.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH GOALS