Uriah Rennie, the Premier League’s first ever black referee, has died aged 65. His family said he had been “privately battling a recent cancer diagnosis” prior to his death.

Born in Jamaica, Rennie moved to Sheffield as a child and started refereeing in local football in 1979, before becoming a member of the list of Football League match officials in 1994, going on to officiate over 300 games.

He would referee his first Premier League game in 1997 and went on to oversee 175 top-flight matches over a period of 11 seasons.

That opening Prem fixture was to end in controversy when Rennie abandoned the clash between Derby County and Wimbledon after a floodlight failure, with the official coming in for criticism from the home side for being too quick to call the game off.

Once described as the “fittest” referee in world he was added to the Fifa international list in 2000 and was regularly praised for breaking down barriers and inspiring generations of would-be referees.

Family’s appreciation

His partner Jayne and brother Glenroy spoke of their appreciation for all the support the family had received from the nursing teams from Northern General and Weston Park Hospitals that had cared for Uriah during “such a difficult time”.

Honorary doctorate

The former official had been a magistrate in his favourite city of Sheffield since 1996 and had passionately campaigned on issues including improving equality and inclusion in sport, mental health and tackling deprivation.

He had a master’s degree in business administration and law and, in November 2023, was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University for his distinguished contributions to sport and his work with South Yorkshire communities.

Proud day takes a dark turn

What should have been a proud and memorable occasion for the official in August 1997 turned out to be a huge disappointment, when he felt pressured to abandon his first ever Premier League fixture.

Derby County were playing their first ever fixture at a brand new Pride Park Stadium, after leaving the iconic Baseball Ground at the end of the previous season. Things were going well for both Rennie and the home side, when on 56 minutes the lights literally went out.

No lights at the end of the tunnel

A floodlight failure with the Rams leading 2-1 against Wimbledon caused the players to leave the field for what was initially thought to be just a few minutes.

However, after a couple of failed attempts and a little pressure from the losing side, the referee – who had been quietly going about his business – took the decision to call the game off at 9.30pm and predictably the lights burst back into life three minutes later.

Unfortunately, with the decision already taken, there was no turning back, even though nearly 25,000 fans had remained in the ground.

Inevitably the official came in for some stick from the home club, who naturally did not want their big day to have such an anti-climatic ending, especially as they had the lead at the time.   

Shy away from limelight

Rennie was a reluctant celebrity, which he quite rightly said had been thrust on him simply because of the colour of his skin.

He hated the glitz and glamour and would always shy away from repeated requests for media interviews throughout his career.   

He was well respected by fellow referees and more importantly the players he officiated. That was down to his unfussy manner on the pitch and also perhaps the fact that he was a black belt in kick-boxing and aikido

Former colleagues pay respects

Former referee Keith Hackett spoke of his admiration for the man, remarking how he had stature and presence on the field of play, but was a real gentleman off it. He recalled Rennie’s remarkable fitness and terrific communication skills during a game. “He was quietly spoken, hardly ever lost his cool in any situation and understood the game really well,” his former colleague added.

Another ex ref, Chris Foy also called him a gentleman, going a little further to refer to him as “a gentle giant”. He spoke of how Uriah would always put others first, loved refereeing and constantly managed to remain grounded.

Tributes

Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out said Rennie was “a trailblazer in every sense”, adding: “He will always be a Premier League legend by becoming its first black referee, providing leadership, talent and visibility that proved inspirational to many.

“Uriah played a massive role in shaping the game as we know it today, so football should always be grateful to him.”

The FA released a statement which read: “The FA Refereeing Department is saddened to hear of the passing of former FIFA and Premier League referee, Uriah Rennie. Uriah will forever be remembered as a true trailblazer of the game. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”

Leon Mann, co-founder of the Football Black List said it was “incredibly sad news” calling him a pioneer and leader in the game. “We owe so much to those who push open the doors; Uriah should never, ever be forgotten,” he exclaimed.

One-off

Incredibly only one other black referee has officiated in the Premier League and even that was a brief introduction before disappearing back into the Championship. Despite his best efforts, Uriah Rennie was truly a one off.