2 days Ago
Life Rennie, born in Jamaica, grew up in Sheffield, and was in 1979 when he started to referee local football. In 1997 he made history when he officiated a top-flight match between Derby County and Wimbledon, the first black man to referee in England's top flight.
The Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA, of which Rennie was formerly chair, described him as a "trailblazing referee" who "broke down barriers, shaped our football community and inspired generations to come.
Tributes Pour In
Tributes have poured in from football all over the world. Leon Mann, co-founder of the Football Black List, said: "We are all indebted to those who push open the doors. Uriah should never, ever be forgotten."
Former football players also offered their condolences. He was eulogized as a "trailblazer" and a "pioneer" by Stan Collymore and Mark Bright said he was "a good referee and thoroughly decent person."
Beyond the Pitch
Off the field, Rennie was a magistrate in Sheffield from 1996, focusing on social issues including equality in sport, mental health and community development. He had master's qualifications in business administration and law and received an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University in November 2023 for his contribution to sport and society.
Rennie had told earlier this year how he had learned to walk again after being struck with a rare medical condition that left him paralysed from the waist down.
Rennie's legacy will be profound, and not just as a respected referee but as a campaigner for inclusion and social justice in and beyond football.
