His first Premier League game was abandoned when the floodlights went out. Not the debut most of us would pick. But Uriah Rennie went on to referee over 300 Premier League matches, and he did something nobody had done before him.
Black History Month wraps up this Saturday, and this year's theme is "Honouring Our Communities". There's no better excuse to tell the story of the Premier League's first Black referee, a Sheffield man who never stopped giving back to his city.
Uriah Rennie in numbers
- 1959: born in Jamaica on 23 October, moved to Sheffield aged six
- 1979: started refereeing in local leagues
- 1997: first Premier League match, the first Black referee in the competition
- 2000 to 2004: on the FIFA list
- 300+: Premier League matches between 1997 and 2008
From local leagues to the Premier League
Rennie's route to the top will look familiar to plenty of you. He started in local leagues in 1979, worked his way up to the Northern Premier League, and in 1994 made the jump onto the Football League list.
Three years later he was in the Premier League. His first match was Derby County against Wimbledon on 13 August 1997, the first competitive game at Pride Park. And it was abandoned, because the floodlights failed.
We've all had a game where something went wrong that was nothing to do with us. Most of us don't have it happen in front of a brand new stadium on our Premier League debut. It clearly didn't knock him off his stride.
The Premier League's first Black referee
That appointment made Rennie the first Black referee in Premier League history. He joined the Select Group of professional referees in 2001, and was on the FIFA list from 2000 until the end of 2004, when he reached what was then the compulsory retirement age of 45 for international referees.
He kept going domestically, retired, came back in November 2007, and finally hung up the whistle in 2008. By then he'd refereed over 300 Premier League matches.
Then came the bit that should make us all stop and think. After Rennie retired, it was 15 years before another Black referee took charge of a Premier League game. That was Sam Allison, a former firefighter, on Boxing Day 2023.
Quick quiz
Were you paying attention?
- Why was Rennie's first Premier League match abandoned?
- How many years passed between Rennie's retirement and the next Black referee in the Premier League?
- Which Sheffield club was he president of? (Clue: it's in the next section.)
Answers at the bottom. No peeking.
Honouring his community
This year's Black History Month theme is about recognising the everyday contributions that often go unseen. Rennie's life off the pitch fits it perfectly.
He held a master's degree in business administration and law, and served as a magistrate in Sheffield. He was president of Hallam FC. Sheffield Hallam University gave him an honorary doctorate in 2023 for his community work, then made him its Chancellor, installing him in May 2025.
Sadly, he died in June 2025, aged 65, and tributes were paid across the game. Which is all the more reason to make sure the next generation of referees knows his name.
Why it matters on a wet Sunday morning
You don't need to be heading for the Premier League for this to mean something. Refereeing is better when it looks like the game it serves, and every referee who sticks with it makes the path a bit easier for the next person who's wondering if it's for them.
So if you know someone who'd make a good ref, tell them. Anyone aged 14 or over can do the FA Referee Course through their County FA. According to England Football it's around 90 minutes of online learning and 11 hours face to face, then five games to qualify. Our New Referees page has the lot.
And if you're already in, look out for the new faces at your society or County FA events. A bit of encouragement after a tough first season can be the difference between someone packing it in and someone refereeing for 30 years. That's honouring your community too.
Three things you can do this week
- Share Uriah Rennie's story in your refs' group chat
- Encourage one person you think would make a good referee to look into the FA course
- Say hello to the newest referee at your next society meeting or development session
FAQs
Who was the first Black referee in the Premier League?
Uriah Rennie, who refereed his first Premier League match on 13 August 1997.
How many Premier League games did Uriah Rennie referee?
Over 300, between 1997 and 2008.
Who was the next Black referee in the Premier League after Uriah Rennie?
Sam Allison, on Boxing Day 2023, 15 years after Rennie retired.
How do I become a football referee in England?
If you're 14 or over, find a course through your County FA. You'll do the online Laws of the Game module and a safeguarding qualification, then the FA Referee Course, then five games to qualify.
Quiz answers
- The floodlights failed at Pride Park.
- 15 years.
- Hallam FC.
We've been kitting out referees since 1985, when former Premier League referee Paul Alcock started the shop, and we're still run by referees today. Stories like this are a big part of why we love this game. Read more about A&H, or come and join the rest of the refereeing family on the REF HUB.
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