Bryant Bilongo
English association football player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bryant Akono Bilongo (born 15 September 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for National League club Rochdale.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bryant Akono Bilongo[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 15 September 2001[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Wandsworth, England[1] | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rochdale | ||
| Number | 29 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| AFC Wimbledon | |||
| Hanworth Villa | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2021 | Hanworth Villa | 10 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Kingstonian | 20 | (1) |
| 2022–2024 | Middlesbrough | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Woking (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Ebbsfleet United (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2024–2026 | Bristol Rovers | 23 | (1) |
| 2025 | → Harrogate Town (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2026– | Rochdale | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:44, 16 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Released by AFC Wimbledon at a young age,[3] Bilongo went on to join Hanworth Villa youth side[4] before eventually making the step up into the first-team during the 2020–21 campaign, in which he featured ten times.[5]
Following his breakthrough season, Bilongo joined Isthmian League Premier Division side, Kingstonian in June 2021.[3] Impressing early on, his form attracted the attention of both Football League and Premier League sides, including Chelsea who subsequently trialled the full-back in October 2021.[6] Despite this, Bilongo agreed to join Middlesbrough three months later for an undisclosed fee.[7] On 10 August 2022, he made his first-team debut for Middlesbrough, replacing Paddy McNair during an EFL Cup first round tie defeat against Barnsley, with half an hour remaining.[8] On 29 October 2022, he joined National League side, Woking on a one-month loan.[9] Bilongo went onto feature twice for the Cards before returning to Middlesbrough in November.
On 1 February 2024, Bilongo joined National League club Ebbsfleet United on loan until the end of the season.[10]
Bristol Rovers
On 28 June 2024, Bilongo signed for League One side Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee, signing a two-year deal with the option for a further year.[11] He made his debut for the club on the opening day of the season, scoring a 92nd minute winner as Rovers defeated Northampton Town to claim a first opening day victory in thirteen years.[12] Following the match, he described it as the highlight of his career to date.[13]
On 15 January 2025, Bilongo joined League Two club Harrogate Town on loan for the remainder of the season.[14]
Rochdale
On 15 January 2026, Bilongo joined National League club Rochdale on an eighteen-month contract.[15]
Career statistics
- As of 15 January 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hanworth Villa | 2020–21[5] | Combined Counties League Premier Division | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Kingstonian | 2021–22[16] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 20 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 4[a] | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| Middlesbrough | 2021–22[1] | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23[1] | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Woking (loan) | 2022–23[1] | National League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Ebbsfleet United (loan) | 2023–24[1] | National League | 12 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | ||
| Bristol Rovers | 2024–25[17] | League One | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| 2025–26[18] | League Two | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| Total | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||
| Harrogate Town (loan) | 2024–25[17] | League Two | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Career total | 82 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 101 | 4 | ||
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy