Tranmere Rovers in the Community have presented Rovers shirts to the winners of a football match between two teams from the Elkanah Onyeali Care Foundation in Nigeria, as part of our partnership in memory of Tranmere’s first-ever black player, Elkanah Onyeali.
As part of Black History Month in October, we partnered with EOCF after Obidinma Onyeali, the president of the foundation and son of Elkanah, told us it was the last wish of his father to be recognised by Rovers.
Elkanah was one of the first Nigerians to play professional football in Britain, and scored nine goals in his 16 appearances for Rovers after joining in 1960.
We sent Rovers shirts over to Nigeria for the children in the Elkanah Onyeali Care Foundation, and the two teams aged 12-15 competed against each other to win the shirts.
The blue team won 5-4 and were handed the Rovers shirts by Obidinma.
We will also be welcoming four members of the foundation’s committee over to tour the stadium, to take a look at where Elkanah lived during his time at Tranmere Rovers, and to an upcoming Rovers game in the coming weeks.
Details of their trip will be confirmed soon.