Elkanah Bollington Onyeali (7 June 1939 – 11 August 2008) was a Nigerian professional footballer who played as a centre forward for Tranmere Rovers, scoring 8 goals in 13 games in the Football League during the 1960–61 season. Onyeali was one of the first African players to play in England, and the first black player to play professionally on Merseyside. He came to England in 1960, to study at Birkenhead Technical College, and was offered a contract by local club Tranmere Rovers. However, he was released after one season as the new manager did not want to accommodate a part-time player. Both before and after coming to England, he also played for the Nigeria national team, scoring 11 goals in as many games between 1959 and 1961. Between September 1961 and October 1962, Oneyali played for Prescot Cables whilst studying at Liverpool University and was the club's top scorer during the 1961–62 season. He returned to Nigeria at the end of his studies. He later studied in the United States before returning to Nigeria, where he coached teams including the Trojans and the Spartans. Onyeali died in August 2008, aged 69. References 1939 births 2008 deaths Nigerian footballers Association football forwards Nigeria international footballers Tranmere Rovers F.C. players Holyhead Town F.C. players Prescot Cables F.C. players English Football League players Nigerian expatriate footballers Expatriate footballers in England Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in England Sportspeople from Port Harcourt