Lagos – The Chairman, Lagos-based Stationery Stores FC Ltd., Tilewa Adebajo, has said that the club planned to establish a world class academy as part of efforts for its resurgence.
Adebajo made the revelation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos while speaking on the plans to revive the club formerly regarded as the “Pride of Lagos’’.
He noted that the club was expected to come back to the Nigerian football scene in a big way with encouragements from the supporters club.
“We have a world class football academy in the making now. The academy will be based in Olashore School in Iloko, Ijesha, Osun, where they will be provided with excellent academic background.
“We are also in partnerships with Supreme Academy in Ghana and Aspire Academy in Qatar for technical support. We want to use that opportunity to develop quality U-15 footballers.
“The players from this academy will not only be for Nigeria, but will have the opportunity to play for any club of their choice anywhere in Africa and the world.
“This is what we have been looking at, an academy that will develop the right product needed for a quality side like Stationery Stores,’’ he said.
Adebajo said that Stationery Stores would be competing in some championships in 2017, and that the club was ready to evolve a new way of sustaining its emergence.
“Lagosians should watch out for Stationery Stores in the Lagos Challenge Cup which will be the first major championships this season.
“Lagosians will also see a lot of changes in the brand new team this time around. We have also proposed to play a novelty match during the commemoration of Lagos State at 50.
“The history of Lagos will not be complete without mentioning Stationery Stores as the state’s darling team. We will make a requisition to the government to play Asante Kotoko of Ghana.
“We will recall our players from academies for this match to be part of the historic event,’’ he said.
Adebajo said that Stationery Stores would be organised in a more structured manner to allow for innovations and financial independence.
“We have been in consultations with the supporters club and ex-players. What we have done is to register our supporters under a Trust in conjunction with Sandlanders Group Worldwide.
“What that translates to is to give authenticity to the supporters club so that they will be organised in a structured manner and give a lot of what we are talking about in form of support.
“We can now use that to leverage on our challenges. Right now, the key challenge we are facing is financial support and we have been looking
for credible sponsors,’’ he said.