Nairobi City Stars is an association football club based in Nairobi, Kenya that currently competes in the first tier Kenyan Premier League.

Nairobi City Stars
Full nameNairobi City Stars
Nickname(s)Simba wa Nairobi
Founded2003
GroundHope Centre,
Kawangware, Kenya
Capacity5,000
OwnerJonathan Jackson Foundation
ChairmanKenya Jonathan Jackson
Head coachKenya Nicholas Muyoti
LeagueKenyan Premier League
2022–202315th
WebsiteClub website

History edit

The club was founded in 2003 as World Hope Football Club after a majority of players followed head coach Zedekiah 'Zico' Otieno from relegated Kawangware United. The club was formed and owned by World Hope International, a charitable organization.

After one season in the Nationwide League, World Hope was promoted to the Kenyan Premier League.

In October 2008, the club was bought by Ambassadors in Sport (AIS Kenya),[1] who renamed the club to Nairobi City Stars FC after the 2008 season.[2]

After the take over Nairobi City Stars was initially coached by German manager Oliver Page, a former Bundesliga player.[3] He resigned from the post-half-season in June 2009 despite good results, citing personal issues[4]

After a short while under the new owners, the team reverted to Peter Jabuya who would struggle with the team till March 2019 when the club was fully acquired by Jonathan Jackson Foundation, a community-focused setup named after its founder Jonathan Jackson who is a real estate mogul in Kenya and in Europe.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Upon the change of hands the new owners hired online journalist Patrick Korir as the CEO to streamline the club's operations.[11] And in July 2019 the club went searching for a foreign coach and hired Sarajevo-born Sanjin Alagić, a UEFA Pro licensed coach from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He led the team to the 2019/20 Kenyan National Super League title and automatic promotion back to the Kenyan Premier League[12][13][14] after four seasons out.

Alagić exited at the expiry of his contract at the end of June 2021. From September of the same year Nicholas Muyoti was appointed the new coach on a three-year deal. [15][16][17][18][19]

Honors edit

  Champions (1): 2003/4
  Champions (1): 2005
  Champions (1): 2019/20

Performance in CAF competitions edit

2006 – Preliminary Round

Current squad edit

As of 12 February 2024.[20]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   KEN Edwin Mukolwe
13 GK   KEN Elvis Ochoro
23 GK   KEN Byron Owino
4 DF   KEN Timothy Muganda
8 DF   KEN Calvin Masawa
12 DF   KEN Edwin Buliba
15 DF   KEN Wycliffe Omondi
24 DF   KEN Rogers Obusu
26 DF   KEN Dennis Wanjala
30 DF   KEN Rowland Makati
32 DF   KEN Sosthenes Idah
2 MF   KEN Elvis Noor
5 MF   KEN Newton Ochieng
6 MF   KEN Shem Odinga
No. Pos. Nation Player
11 MF   KEN Andrew Kisilu
18 MF   KEN Clifford Ouma
19 MF   KEN Vincent Owino
25 MF   KEN Brian Mzee
31 MF   KEN Abuyeka Kubasu
3 FW   KEN Robinson Asenwa
7 FW   KEN Pius Omachi
9 FW   KEN Mohammed Bajaber
10 FW   KEN Dennis Oalo
17 FW   KEN Bian Mose
20 FW   KEN Kelvin Etemesi
21 FW   JPN Yuto Kusaba
22 FW   KEN Samuel Kapen
27 FW   KEN Gilbert Abala

Club officials edit

Management edit

Chairman   Jonathan Jackson
Chief Executive   Patrick Korir
Team Coordinator   Samson Otieno

Technical Bench edit

Position Name
Head coach   Nicholas Muyoti
Assistant & Goalkeeper coach   Abel Omuhaya
Assistant coach   Peter Opiyo[21]
Game Analyst   Obed Nyamweya
Team Manager   Ronny Kagunzi
Security Officer   Arthur Museve
Physio   Brian Otieno Odongo
Kit Manager   Dominic Mutiso

Past coaches edit

Notable past players edit

Top scorers per season edit

Top scorers per season. * Award shared during that season

Year Player Goals
*2004-5   Collins Tiego 5
*2004-5   Justus Basweti 5
2005-6   Samuel Ouma 13
2006-7   Justus Basweti 6
2008   Arthur Museve 7
2009   Arthur Museve 10
2010   Francis Thairu 5
2011   Dan Sserunkuma 7
2012   Dan Sserunkuma 5
2013   Jimmy Bageya 4
*2014   Dennis Okoth 3
*2014   George Abege 3
*2014   Lawrence Kasadha 3
2015   Ebrima Sanneh 11
2016   Ezekiel Odera 4
2017   Ezekiel Odera 11
2018   Sande Katumba 10
2018–19   Noah Abich 8
2019–20   Ebrima Sanneh 8
2020–21   Peter Opiyo 8
2021–22   Ezekiel Odera 10
2022–23   Kelvin Etemesi 12

All time top scorers edit

A list of all-time Nairobi City Stars goalscorers. For players who have scored 12 or more goals.

As of 12 February 2024
# Player Goals
1   Ezekiel Odera 37
2   Justus Basweti 35
3   Francis Thairu 34
4   Ebrima Sanneh 32
5   Arthur Museve 31
6   Jimmy Bageya 29
7   Davis Agesa 20
8   Anthony Kimani 17
9   Kelvin Etemesi 15*
9   Sande Katumba 15
11   Samuel Ouma 14
12   Peter Opiyo 13
13   Dan Sserunkuma 12
13   Robert Ndung'u 12

* Still active

Records edit

Type Nat Name Record
Most Premier League appearances (City Stars)   John Amboko 221 [2] at GAS
Most Premier League appearances (overall)   Anthony Kimani 284[22]
Most Premier League goals   Justus Basweti 27
Most Super League goals   Davis Agesa 17[23]
Overall top scorer   Ezekiel Odera 37
Most capped player   James Situma 43
Most league goals in a Premier League season   Samuel Ouma 13
Most goals in a Super League season   Ezekiel Odera 11
Longest unbeaten Super League run   2018/19-2019/20 NSL 22 [24]
Record premier league win run   2023–24 FKF PL 7[25]
Record victory   vs Vihiga Bullets[26][27]
vs Kisumu Telkom
vs Congo United[28]
4-0
Record defeat   vs Sofapaka F.C. 5-0[29]

Premier League records edit

Season Pos Record
P W D L F A GD CS Pts!
2004–05 8 22 7 7 8 22 23 -1 7 28
2005–06 7 38 14 13 11 43 41 2 16 55
2006–07 8 30 11 9 10 31 28 3 11 42
2008 7 30 11 7 12 25 31 -6 10 40
2009 6 30 11 10 9 30 29 1 10 43
2010 11 30 7 13 10 25 34 -9 8 34
2011 14 30 8 7 15 28 35 -7 9 31
2012 13 30 6 11 13 16 32 -8 14 29
2013 9 30 7 11 12 24 36 -12 9 32
2014 15 30 4 12 14 18 35 -17 8 24
2015 14[30] 30 6 10 14 25 37 -12 7 28
2016 16[31] 30 3 10 17 17 39 -22 7 19
2020-21 7 32 12 9 11 34 30 4 11 45
2021-22 5 33 14 10 10 45 34 11 14 52
2022–23 15 34 8 10 16 37 49 -12 8 34
Total 459 121 139 166 383 464 -76 141 536

CS - Clean Sheet

Second tier League records edit

Season Pos Record
P W D L F A GD CS Pts
2003-04 CHAMPIONS
2017 7 36 12 12 12 45 42 3 11 48
2018 7 36 14 10 12 41 39 2 10 52
2018-19 14 38 8 15 15 47 60 -13 3 39
2019-20 CHAMPIONS 26 20 4 2 40 18 22 14 64
Total 136 54 41 41 173 159 14 37 203

References edit

  1. ^ AIS, May 25, 2009: Nairobi City Stars Appoints new Head Coach Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Daily Nation, October 16, 2008: New owners take over World Hope FC Archived 2020-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Daily Nation, November 20, 2008: City Stars unveil new German coach Archived 2020-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Kenyafootball, May 25, 2009: Nairobi City Stars Appoints new Head Coach Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ The Standard, June 14, 2019: Jackson: Why we bought Nairobi City Stars squad Archived 2023-09-19 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Goal, May 1, 2019: Nairobi City Stars confirm takeover by Jonathan Jackson Foundation Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Citizen, May 1, 2019: City Stars has new owner; purchase coming after long financial struggles Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Futaa, June 13, 2019: Former KPL heavyweight owners make a vow ahead of new season Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Michezo Afrika, May 1, 2019: Hope as Nairobi City Stars gets new owner Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Daily Active Kenya, May 1, 2019: Just like Wazito, City Stars gets a new owner who will blow their problems away Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ SportPesa News, May 1, 2019: Seasoned Local Football Journalist Korir In New City Stars Management Team Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Nairobi News, May 1, 2020: City Stars raring to go with promotion to KPL Archived 2021-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Futaa, May 7, 2020: Nairobi City Stars coach Sanjin delighted after promotion to KPL Archived 2022-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Soka, April 30, 2020: OFFICIAL: GOR MAHIA ARE KPL CHAMPS; CITY STARS PROMOTED Archived 2021-01-24 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Nairobi City Stars, Sept 17, 2021: [1] Archived 2021-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Futaa, Sept 17, 2021: Nicholas Muyoti joins Nairobi City Stars Archived 2021-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ The Standard, Sept 17, 2021: Former KK Homeboyz coach Muyoti joins Nairobi City Stars Archived 2021-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ The Star, Sept 18, 2021: Muyoti joins City Stars, ready for a new challenge Archived 2022-03-27 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ MichezoAfrika, Sept 17, 2021: Muyoti unveiled as new City Stars Head Coach Archived 2021-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ "Nairobi City Stars – Pro Team Roster". Nairobi City Stars. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  21. ^ Nation, 2 Apr 2023 Ex-Harambee Stars midfielder Opiyo begins coaching journey Archived 2023-06-20 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ The Star, 27 Jun 2023 Nairobi City Stars skipper Kimani retires after 17 years
  23. ^ Goal, 21 Sep 2020 Nairobi City Stars' NSL top scorer Agesa ready for KPL return
  24. ^ Nation, 16 Dec 2019 Nairobi City Stars suffer first NSL defeat
  25. ^ Nation, 21 Jan 2024 Leopards derail City Stars' title charge, Police down Nzoia
  26. ^ The Standard 6 Nov 2021, Nairobi City Stars thrash Vihiga to close gap on K’Ogalo
  27. ^ 6 Nov 2021 Four Different Scorers for Nairobi City Stars as They Maul Vihiga Bullets
  28. ^ Michezoafrika 22 Oct 201, City Stars demolish Congo as relegation battle heats up
  29. ^ Futaa 7 Aug 2016 Sofapaka 5 City Stars 0
  30. ^ The Standard, 2 Nov 2015 City Stars survives the chop Archived 2022-03-19 at the Wayback Machine
  31. ^ Capital FM 31 Oct 2016 City Stars relegated after falling to Homeboyz Archived 2023-08-28 at the Wayback Machine

External links edit