Bridge Football Club is a Nigerian football club based in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

that was founded in the mid-1970s. As a result of an association with the Julius Berger construction company, the club was known as Julius Berger Football Club until 2010. The club has won national championships and competed internationally. Players such as

Odion Ighalo Odion Jude Ighalo (born 16 June 1989) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Saudi Professional League club Al Hilal and the Nigeria national team. After starting his career at Nigerian clubs Prime and Julius Ber ...

, David Adekola,

Yakubu Yakubu is an English transliteration of a West African name and is a cognate of Jacob and James. Notable people with the name include: ;Given name * Yakubu (born 1982 as Yakubu Ayegbeni), Nigerian footballer * Yakubu (Gobir ruler), historical ruler ...

, Taribo West, Sunday Oliseh,

Samson Siasia Samson Siasia (born 14 August 1967) is a Nigerian former professional football striker and the former head coach of the Nigeria national team from 2010 to October 2011. He was reappointed in 2016. On 16 August 2019, FIFA banned Siasia from all ...

Emmanuel Amuneke Emmanuel Amunike (born 25 December 1970) is a Nigerian professional football manager and former professional football player who played as a winger. and is currently the assistant coach of Nigeria national team. Playing career He played fo ...

, Rashidi Yekini,

Garba Lawal Garba Lawal (born 22 May 1974) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a left midfielder. In 2014 he became general manager at Kaduna United and left his role in 2015. He is with the technical department of the Nigeria Footba ...

, and Mutiu Adepoju have played for the club.

History

Until 2006, the club played in the

Nigerian Premier League The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is the highest level of the Nigerian football league system, for the Nigerian club-football championships. The Nigerian league has suffered, like many others, from the financial impact and dwind ...

, but their owners announced plans to close the club by 2008. However, outgoing chairman of the board of directors

Mobolaji Johnson Mobolaji Olufunso Johnson (9 February 1936 – 30 October 2019) was a Nigerian Army Brigadier who served as Military Administrator of the Federal territory of Lagos from January 1966 to May 1967 during the military regime of General Aguyi-Ironsi ...

(a former governor of

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 states, it is both the most populous and smallest in area. Bounded to the south by the Bight of Benin and to the west by the international border with Ben ...

) said in August 2008 that the company has steadied their finances and are prepared to fully fund the team in 2008/09. They played their final 2008 home games at the

University of Lagos The University of Lagos, popularly known as UNILAG, is a public research university located in Lagos, Nigeria and was founded in 1962. UNILAG is one of the first generation universities in Nigeria and is ranked among the top universities in th ...

after

Onikan Stadium The Mobolaji Johnson Arena is a multi-purpose stadium in Lagos. It is currently used for football matches and it is the home stadium of various Lagos teams, most notably Ikorodu United F.C., Stationery Stores F.C., First Bank and Julius Berger ...

was shut down for the rest of the season. Berger temporarily relocated to

Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokuta and the surrounding a ...

for two years in 2004. In July 2010, the team was bought by seven private individuals. The club was renamed "Bridge Football Club". Bridge Football Club featured in the Nigerian National League (NNL) in the 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons and finished third (3rd) and fourth (4th) respectively. The club have a staff strength of over seventy (70) including players and coaches of their academy 'BRF Academy'. However, in Dec. 2012 just before the 2012

Nigeria National League The Nigerian National League (formerly known as ''National Division 1'') is the second tier of club football in Nigeria. History From 1997-2011, the league has been split into 1A for Northern teams and 1B for southern teams. The top two f ...

season the team tried to sell their league slot to Ekiti-based Fountain F.C. They withdrew from the league when the sale fell through. This left their future participation in Nigerian football in doubt, but they participated in the 2013 Lagos State Federation Cup and joined the Lagos-based Private Professional Football League 'Metro Pro League' for the 2013/2014 season and finished second (2nd) in the maiden season of the elite private professional football league

Achievements

: 2 :: 1991, 2000. *

Nigerian FA Cup The AITEO Cup (a.k.a. Challenge Cup, sometimes shortened to Fed Cup), is the main football single-elimination tournament in Nigeria contested by 74 teams, representing the 36 states + 1 FCT of Nigeria. It is the Nigerian domestic cup and the Nig ...

: 2 :: 1996, 2002. *Nigerian Super Cup: 2 :: 2000, 2002. *Metro Pro League: 2013/2014 :: 2nd Position

Performance in CAF competitions

* CAF Champions League: 2 appearances :: 2001 – Group Stage :: 2004 – First Round * African Cup of Champions Clubs: 1 appearance :: 1992: Second Round * CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 3 appearances ::1995 – ''Finalist'' ::1997 – Second Round ::2003 – ''Finalist''

Sources

{{reflist
Berger Accept Omoruyi’s Resignation

Julius Berger To Reposition Bridge Boys

Why I left Berger- AmunekeTwo clubs opt out of NNL (Supersport.com) 23–12–12Metro Pro League
Football clubs in Lagos Association football clubs established in 1975 1975 establishments in Nigeria Sports clubs in Nigeria