Uriah Rennie: The Premier League trailblazer who was also a community stalwart

He remained the Premier League’s only black referee until Sam Allison took charge of Sheffield United v Luton Town on Boxing Day, 2023.

Rennie was born in Jamaica before moving to Sheffield aged six with his family and went on to oversee 175 games in the English top flight.

Once labelled the fittest match official in world football, he recently revealed he was learning to walk again after a rare neurological condition left him paralysed from the waist down.

He had started refereeing locally in 1979 before making history when taking charge at that 1997 game at Derby. It was abandoned when the floodlights failed.

Rennie had become a FIFA-listed referee in 2000 and joined the select group of professionals one year later before retiring in 2008.

“If it was difficult for him, he never showed it because he was always grounded. He loved refereeing,” said his friend Chris Foy, a fellow former Premier League referee.

In November 2023 Rennie was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University for his distinguished contributions to sport and his work with South Yorkshire communities.

He was last month installed as the chancellor of the university and was described by Foy as a “real community hero in that part of the world”.

Foy added: “Away from football, he always had an escape from refereeing because of the other things he did in his life. He loved his community and charity work.

"He loved other sports, which we used to talk about fondly.”

Rennie later became president of Hallam FC, in which role he officiated at an historic Sheffield Rules-style match, dressed in a top hat.

He held a master’s degree in business administration and law, and served as a magistrate in Sheffield. He also practised kick-boxing and was a black belt in aikido.

He was married with a son and daughter.