In recognition of Black History Month, Club Historian Keith Brookman follows up last year’s Black History Month article with an update.
Just to recap, October is the designated Black History Month in the United Kingdom, a celebration that began in this country in 1987 which was the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean.
In terms of football, though, it’s a celebration of black players in our game and remembering those who came before and paved the way for black footballers to play our national sport as equals. It also serves as a reminder of the abuse that many have had to face, and which is still prevalent in some pockets of our game.
Last year I mentioned Jarell Quansah, who appeared in 16 league games for us when on loan from Liverpool. Since last season’s article, he’s appeared for England in a World Cup and got himself sent off in that competition, but he’s bounced back and was in the squad again during the recent international break.
I have to admit I had doubts as to whether or not he would become a regular first team player at Liverpool, let alone Bayer Leverkusen (his current club) or England following his loan spell in BS7, but what do I know? I wonder if he recalls his Rovers debut at Morecambe, where we were on the end of a 5-1 drubbing back in January 2023? If he does, it’s probably one very painful memory!
Perhaps Rovers was the making of the player he’s become, because he’s come a long way since his time at The Mem, and it was good to see him as one of two former Rovers loanees named in an England World Cup squad (Elliot Anderson being the other).
Also mentioned a year ago were Micah Anthony, Bryant Bilongo and Promise Omochere. Anthony didn’t really get a look in as far as first-team football at Rovers was concerned and left in February of this year following a loan spell at Bath City and quite a time out injured with a tear to his medial knee ligament.
He later played for Kettering and ended last season at Farnborough Town. He looked to be an exciting talent when playing in pre-season 2024 but was unable to build on his early, promising displays whilst with us.
Bilongo, a wholehearted defender with an infectious smile, scored on his debut for us in a 1-0 home win against Northampton Town on the opening day of the 2024/25 season. It was his only Rovers goal in 23 league games, though he did score a second league goal when on loan at Harrogate Town. He joined Rochdale on a permanent deal in January of this year. Sent off in Dale’s 3-0 defeat at Newport in August, he doesn’t appear to have featured for them since then.
Omochere is currently on loan with National League side Southend United and, as I write, has scored four goals in eight games. Rovers paid big money to bring him to The Mem, and whilst he has undoubted ability and could comfortably score goals at our level, injuries have limited his time on the pitch. It is to be hoped he stays injury-free during his loan spell and that he continues to score freely; if he can maintain his fitness then he could prove to be an undoubted asset to Rovers in the second half of this season.
Shaq Forde also received a brief mention this time last year, and his 2025/26 campaign was almost derailed by the fact that he collected red cards in both of our league fixtures against Bromley. Whilst some were prepared to write him off after that, Steve Evans stuck by a player who is, without a doubt, a very talented footballer. He’s improved a great deal since that last red card and, at only 22 years of age, there is surely more to come from him; hopefully, in a Rovers shirt.
Clinton Mola has been a revelation since a switch into midfield and has been a model of consistency since. I think we forget that he has won representative honours for England from U16 through to U21 levels, and he has definitely shown how important he is to the side since his positional switch. Mola has certainly proved the doubters wrong and must be one of the first names on the teamsheet at this moment in time.
Freddie Issaka has been and gone since last year’s article. Arriving on loan from Plymouth Argyle in September 2025, he made just seven appearances in a Rovers shirt, and his lack of first-team football means we never really got to see how good a player he might be. He has since spent time on loan with Truro City and is currently on loan again at National League side Gateshead.
Another player who has arrived and departed since last year is Kane Thompson-Sommers. A talented midfielder who arrived on loan from MK Dons, his solitary goal in 14 league games for Rovers was pretty spectacular and gave us the lead in a game against Wiltshire rivals Swindon Town at The County Ground on Saturday 28 February this year.
He returned to his parent club in the summer and was then transferred to Fleetwood Town for an undisclosed fee, though to date he has appeared in just two first team games in their colours.
This season has seen the arrival of a player with four names, though they won’t all fit on his shirt! I refer, of course, to another talented on-loan Tottenham Hotspur player, Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny, who arrived at the season after his Spurs teammate Yusuf Akhamrich was with us. To date, Reiss-Denny hasn’t had too much of an opportunity to shine as he’s made one start in the league along with six substitute appearances.
In some of his cameo appearances from the bench, though, he’s shown that he could quite easily become an important player for us as the season progresses and he gets more game time; at least, that’s my opinion!
Bobby Kamwa, signed from Newport County in the summer, made an explosive start to his Rovers career, scoring on his home debut against his former club and celebrating wildly in front of the County fans who had abused him throughout the game, something I found quite strange, to be honest, given that his goals saw County retain their league status last season. Still, their loss is our gain, and he looks certain to become a crowd favourite here at The Mem.
It’s really not possible to say whether on-loan QPR player Philip Sanyaolu or recent signing Arvin Appiah will contribute to what we all hope will be a successful season for our club, but I’m sure we all wish them every success in the months ahead.
That brings me back to another player who was mentioned last time around. As a young player with the club, he wasn’t always the best decision-maker out on the pitch, but he has matured into the player he is today via spells at Ipswich Town, Portsmouth, Fleetwood Town, Port Vale and Walsall, before a return to the club where it all began for him in the summer of 2025.
I refer, of course, to Ellis Harrison, who has remained a Rovers supporter even when his football journey has taken him to other clubs. His return became something of a slow burner as he hadn’t managed a full pre-season before his arrival back in BS7, and it wasn’t until the second half of last season that we once again saw the best of him. His hat-trick in the penultimate game of the season, against Cheltenham Town, was undoubtedly a standout moment last season.
An enthusiastic player who always strives to work for the good of the team, I’m told that he mentors some of the younger players who have arrived at the club in recent times and is a strong presence in the dressing room. It must have been a proud moment for him when he was handed the captain’s armband prior to kick-off against Barnet in our last home game, and to score after just four minutes was definitely the icing on the cake even though we went on to lose the match.
There you have it, a second instalment of Black History Month and it’s only right that all of the players mentioned are recognised as having played their part, no matter how big or how small, in our club’s history.
Black History Month is a celebration of the black players who have enriched not only our football club, but our national game, though I have to say that any player who represents the club we follow should receive our support, irrespective of their skin colour.
