On 26 December 2023, Sam Allison became the first black referee in the Premier League in 15 years and the second ever in history, following Uriah Rennie. The English professional football referee, who was a former firefighter and player himself, oversaw Luton Town’s 3-2 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Before the game, BAMRef, which provides mentorship, counseling, support, and direction to referees of Black, Asian, and mixed origin, made the following statement: “We welcome this appointment. It is a further step in the right direction towards refereeing reflecting society and the playing contingent within football.”
They also talked about how “It is also the culmination of years of hard work by BAMRef members. We hope to work with Howard Webb (Chief of the Professional Game Match Officials Board) to identify and progress more black officials to the top flight.”
Despite having a 2-1 advantage, Sheffield United scored two own goals in the final thirteen minutes, leading to their loss. With the exception of Allison’s contentious decision to give Jack Robinson a corner, which eventually built up to United’s first own goal, he largely avoided controversy.
Allison was also under scrutiny for Sheffield United’s second goal, which required a VAR review before his decision could be confirmed, and he booked five players but did not send anyone out.
Sam Allison becomes the first Black Premier League referee since 2008, as he takes charge of Sheffield Utd vs Luton Town 🙌 pic.twitter.com/3oDURoL29q
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 26, 2023
Diversity Needed in Referees
Semi-professional referee Ashley Hickson-Lovence expressed how the appointment is “tinged with a bit of sadness” as he thinks that diversity in the role is something that “should be happening more regularly.” He tells BBC Sport, “I think it’s a huge achievement, but there’s still a long way to go.”
The Football Association has established goals to diversify match officials at all levels of the football pyramid. Specifically, it wants to see 1,000 more women and 1,000 more Black or Asian referees at all levels within three years.
Legacy of Uriah Rennie
Uriah Rennie, the Sheffield-born magistrate, was the first black referee in the Premier League who officiated over three hundred Premier League games between 1997 and 2008.
When Rennie entered the top division, Jamaican professional footballer Ian Wright was a player for Arsenal. He shared his memories regarding Rennie’s appointment to BBC Sport: “Well, obviously with the announcement, it wasn’t like, ‘Oh my God, it’s a black referee.’ It was more like, ‘Oh, it’s a black referee’”.
Uriah Rennie – The First Black Official in Premier League History. pic.twitter.com/K4ysDiKyvK
— Black Things UK (@Blackthingsuk) December 14, 2023
Wright also talks about the struggles faced by a colored referee like Rennie in English football: “I always found that when I played with him, there was no real interaction. With some of the other referees, you could speak to them and have a little banter.
And I think that the pressure he probably would have been under – to not have that kind of interaction with the other black players – must have been really intense, simply because of what people might say.”
Uriah Rennie, who was 6 feet 2 inches tall and trained in aikido and kickboxing, was a formidable character who players quickly realized would not hesitate to defend his decision during an exchange. His appointment, however, did not bring about a subsequent wave of black, Asian, or mixed-race referees.
According to the Football Association, over 32,000 referees officiate football in England at all levels, but only a little over 8% of people identify as being of Black, Asian, or mixed ethnicity; in the men’s professional game, that number falls to 4%.
Wright, an advocate for diversity in football, expresses how “That is a big surprise because Asian and black referees are out there. Maybe the path to get them to that elite level needs to be looked at.”
