Stationery Stores F.C.

Stationery Stores Football Club was founded in 1958 by Israel Adebajo, who managed the Nigerian Office Stationery Supply Stores Limited. The club became a prominent team in Lagos and Nigeria, providing many players for the national team and winning 13 Lagos State Challenge Cups, which serve as the preliminary round for the Nigerian FA Cup, as well as 4 National FA Cup competitions. The club began achieving notable successes in 1967, winning two FA Cups during that time. The starting lineup of the Nigerian national team in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic football event included 9 Stationery Stores players, such as Sam Opone and Peter Fregene. The team also contributed goalkeepers to the Nigerian national team—the Super Eagles—including Peter Rufai and Ike Shorounmu. Between 1973 and 1993, Stores was regarded as one of the successful clubs in Nigerian football. During those years, the team had a competitive rivalry with three other major club sides: WNDC (later IICC) Shooting Stars (now known as 3SC Football Club), Enugu Rangers, and Bendel Insurance.