Uriah Rennie, the first black Premier League referee, has died at the age of 65
The Jamaica-born official grew up in Sheffield and oversaw more than 300 matches starting with his breakthrough appointment as Derby hosted Wimbledon in August 1997.
The Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football Association posted on X: 'We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former chair and trailblazing referee, Uriah Rennie.
'Uriah made history as the Premier League's first black referee, officiating over 300 top-flight matches between 1997 and 2008. He broke down barriers, shaped our football community and inspired generations to come.
'Our thoughts are with Uriah's family and friends at this difficult time.'
Rennie became a FIFA-listed referee in 2000 and joined the select group of professionals one year later, with his retirement coming in 2008.
In November 2023 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University for his distinguished contributions to sport and his work with South Yorkshire communities.
However he told BBC News in April how, while on holiday in Turkey last year, he felt severe pain in his back and doctors discovered he had an inoperable neurological condition that left him wheelchair-bound.
'I spent a month laid on my back and another four months sitting in bed,' he said.
'They kept me in hospital until February, they found a nodule pushing on my spine and it was a rare neurological condition so it's not something they can operate on.
'No one has told me I won't walk again, but even if someone did say that I want to be able to say I did everything I could to try.'
Former Liverpool and Nottingham Forest striker Stan Collymore posted on X: 'Incredibly sad to hear of the passing of referee Uriah Rennie. A pioneer, trailblazer and a bloody good ref. Rest in peace, ref.'
Rennie had been the honorary president of Sheffield side Hallam FC at the time of his death while both Sheffield United and Wednesday also paid tribute to the referee, saying the clubs' 'thoughts are with his friends and family at this time.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
32 minutes ago
- Reuters
LAFC acquire Dutch attacker Javairo Dilrosun on loan
June 11 - Los Angeles FC acquired attacker Javairo Dilrosun from LIGA MX side Club America on Wednesday. The loan agreement runs through July 24 and includes an option to purchase the 26-year-old Dutchman. Dilrosun will fill a Designated Player spot on the roster and is available for action in the FIFA Club World Cup. "Javairo is a player we are familiar with who has shown his talent playing in some of the top leagues in the world," said LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington. "We are excited to add a quality player like Javairo as we prepare for the unique challenge of playing in the Club World Cup." Dilrosun has produced 19 goals and 33 assists in 199 professional appearances while winning five trophies during stints in Germany (Hertha BSC), France (Bordeaux), the Netherlands (Feyenoord) and Mexico. LAFC will open the Club World Cup on Monday in Atlanta against Premier League powerhouse Chelsea. --Field Level Media
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Tired players face 100-minute games as Fifa ignores Club World Cup fears
Fifa has ignored pressure from players and unions and will use stoppage-time rules at the Club World Cup that are likely to make some games last more than 100 minutes. Pierluigi Collina, the Fifa referees' chief, said officials have been told to compensate for any time lost to injuries, goal celebrations, penalties or red cards. The same rules were in place at the 2022 World Cup, when England's game against Iran lasted 117 minutes. Collina also revealed that assistant referees have been told to be 'braver' in raising their flag for obvious offsides — and that a new semi-automated offside system will alert them when a player is ten centimetres or more offside. Players unions are already concerned about the demands on individuals of a big new summer tournament and Uefa took a more relaxed approach for Euro 2024. Former Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has been among those who criticised the longer matches. Collina said that match officials had been told to encourage games to restart quicker, which should reduce stoppage time, but that the strict approach would still be applied. 'This is the Laws of the Game, that there are losses of time that should be compensated at the end of the match,' Collina said. 'They are simply compensating for time when the ball was off. The objective is to make the game more enjoyable and entertaining. There is nothing entertaining with the ball not being on the field of play. So, certainly, the time loss will be compensated. 'By being proactive to restart play quicker at throw-ins, goal kicks, corners and free kicks, the time added would be reduced, probably.' The 2022 World Cup had an average stoppage time of a little more than 11min 30sec, more than double the previous tournament in Russia in 2018. Premier League matches were nearly two minutes shorter last season than the previous year after instructions to referees to be less strict on stoppage time, which was down from 11min 35sec to 9min 53sec for matches played between August and February. Collina also revealed that match officials should raise their flag if a player is 10cm or more offside rather than leave it to the VAR. It follows the Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi being injured when play was allowed to continue despite Anthony Elanga being clearly offside in the build-up. Awoniyi collided with the goalpost as he tried to reach Elanga's cross and had surgery on a serious abdominal rupture. At the Club World Cup, a new semi-automated offside system will send a message to the assistant referee when a player is 10cm offside or more so they can raise their flag immediately. 'We have encouraged our referees to be a bit braver with offside,' Collina said. The Club World Cup will also see referees wear body cameras for the first time as part of a trial. The footage will be available to broadcasters to use for goal replays and will also be available to VARs if required.
South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Emma Raducanu keen to explore doubles partnership with Katie Boulter
The duo, who have been bestowed the portmanteau 'Boultercanu', earlier this week described the 'spontaneous' nature of their decision to pair up ahead of this tournament. After booking their place with a straight-sets opening victory over Wu Fang-Hsien and Jiang Xinyu on Monday, they faced a much tougher test in the top-seeded doubles pair. Emma Raducanu is keen to explore her doubles partnership with Katie Boulter (Jordan Pettitt/PA) 'Katie made me feel really comfortable out there over the two matches and I hope we can team up again soon,' said 2021 US Open winner and former British number one Raducanu, who next faces Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova in the last 16 of the singles on Thursday afternoon. 'Given the quick turnaround from clay to grass it's great to get some extra matchplay on grass. The atmosphere again was unreal.' This is the first time in 52 years that women's tennis has been hosted at Queen's. It was just the third doubles match in Raducanu's career and only the second time she paired up with Boulter. The two still looked to be ironing out the finer points of their partnership when they clashed rackets in the first game and were down a break early on before Kichenok and Routliffe claimed the first set with another break. Katie Boulter will start the action at Andy Murray Arena on Thursday (John Walton/PA) The Britons grew into the match more in the second set – amusingly interrupted for a moment so a security guard could rescue a bee that had wandered down the baseline – bouncing back from a 4-1 deficit to level and converting their first break point of the match en route. But they squandered an opportunity to turn the screw when they could not convert four break points in the next game, and – despite plenty of encouragement from the crowd – eventually fell to the favourites. Boulter opens the action at the larger Andy Murray Arena on Thursday morning at midday, when she faces fifth-seed Diana Shnaider. 'Me and Emma played some very good tennis over these two doubles matches and our level was really high,' she said. 'The support from the crowd was immense as well and we're really grateful that so many people came out to support us.' British qualifier Heather Watson's meeting with former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina immediately follows on the newly-renamed centre court before wild card Raducanu's clash with Sramkova. Sonay Kartal was beaten by Amanda Anisimova (Adam Davy/PA) Sonay Kartal's Queen's campaign came to an end after the British wild card was defeated 6-1 6-3 by eighth seed Amanda Anisimova. Kartal, who confirmed she plans to participate at next week's Nottingham Open, said: '(Anisimova) didn't do too much wrong in that one. You just take it on the chin. The good thing about the grass is we are a couple of days and we're back at it again.' The British number three had booked her place in the second round on Monday after beating world number 16 Daria Kasatkina for the biggest win of her career. British doubles specialist Olivia Nicholls and her partner, Slovakian Tereza Mihalikova, lost 7-6 (3) 7-6 (5) to third seeds Ellen Perez (Australia) and Shuai Zhang (China).
