First Black Premier League Ref Dies at 65 — Who Was He?

Uriah Rennie a pioneer who quietly reshaped the face of Premier League This week, the football community is mourning his passing at 65, and many are asking: who was the man behind the milestone?

Rennie was born in Jamaica and raised in Sheffield, Rennie’s journey to the top of English refereeing didn’t come with bright headlines or viral moments. It began on local football pitches in 1979. 

He steadily rose through the ranks with resilience as his closest companion until 1997, when he stepped onto the pitch for a Premier League match between Derby County and Wimbledon. With that, he became the first Black referee in the league’s history.

Across more than a decade, Rennie officiated over 300 professional matches, including 175 Premier League games. He was known for his calm authority and physical presence, a referee who commanded respect without theatrics.

But Rennie’s story went far beyond football. Off the pitch, he served as a magistrate in Sheffield, using his legal training and deep sense of fairness to contribute to his community. 

He earned a master’s degree in business administration and law and, just last year, was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University for his service to sport and society.

He was also a passionate advocate for equality and inclusion, pushing for better representation across sport and beyond. He worked on initiatives around mental health, deprivation, and social justice always with an eye on lifting others as he climbed.

Rennie recently revealed that he had been learning to walk again after a rare illness left him paralysed from the waist down. His honesty about this battle underscored the quiet strength he’d shown throughout his life.

Tributes have poured in from across the football world. Leon Mann, co-founder of the 

Football Black List, called him “a Black pioneering referee and leader in the game,” adding: “We owe so much to those who push open the doors. Uriah should never, ever be forgotten.”

And he won’t be. Uriah Rennie didn’t just referee matches, he broke barriers, shaped communities, and proved that progress is possible, one step at a time.