Dolphins, Sharks change name to Rivers United

- LMC approves change of merger of Rivers state clubs

- Dolphins and Sharks have merged to become Rivers United football club

- Rivers United to begin their campaign at home to Enyima in the new season

Port Harcourt based teams, Dolphins Football Club and Sharks will now be known as Rivers United as the League Management Company (LMC) has granted the Garden City based teams approval to merge into one, to become Rivers United FC.

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The commissioner for Sports on behalf of the Rivers state government had sought the permission of the LMC to have a new name as well as their logo, which has now been granted by the football body.

The chairman of the LMC Shehu Dikko in a telephone chat with Channels Sports disclosed that the Rivers state government was advised to merge both Sharks of Port Harcourt and Dolphins together.

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Football

"We had advised state governments that own two clubs to merge them in to one, especially to run a proper club. So they hid to our advice considered it for several months.

"Of course, they had to do several consultations with the stakeholders and stuffs like that. They have applied properly and the state government have written to us that they want to merge the two clubs and I can confirm they are looking for investors to buy the other club in the National League (Sharks' position in the NNL).

"The Dolphins and Sharks management as well as their players have been merged together. They have a new logo and we hope this would be better way to identify the club," he said.

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Dolphin escaped relegation last season as they needed a 2-2 away draw against Shooting Stars in the final day of the campaign to stay afloat in the top flight.

Rivers United will open their campaign against defending champions Enyimba on Sunday in Port Harcourt.