Iconic Premier League referee Uriah Rennie dies aged 65

Uriah Rennie took charge of 175 Premier League matches (Picture: Getty Images)

Uriah Rennie, the Premier League’s first black referee, has sadly passed away aged 65.

The iconic official took charge of 175 Premier League games and refereed over 300 between 1997 and 2008.

The Football Association’s Refereeing Department posted a statement on X on Sunday evening, which read: ‘The F.A Refereeing Department is saddened to hear of the passing of former FIFA and Premier League referee, Uriah Rennie.

‘Uriah will forever be remembered as a true trailblazer of the game.

‘Our thoughts are with Uriah’s family and friends at this time.’

Rennie was born in Jamaica but moved to Sheffield as a child and grew up in the South Yorkshire city.

Sheffield United were quick to pay tribute to the trailblazing referee, posting on X: ‘Sheffield United are saddened to learn of the passing of popular and trailblazing referee Uriah Rennie.

‘Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this time.’

Rennie was a fixture in the top flight for years (Picture: Getty Images)

Rennie suffered a rare condition last year and spent five months in hospital after being left paralysed from the waist down.

Speaking to the BBC in April about the terrifying ordeal which happened on a holiday in Turkey, he said: ‘By the end of the holiday I couldn’t sleep a wink from the pain, and by the time I got home I could barely walk.

‘I spent a month laid on my back and another four months sitting in bed.

‘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.

‘I have had to learn to move all over again, I’m retraining my legs.’

Rennie refereed many of the Premier League’s greatest players (Picture: Getty Images)

Since then he had been installed as chancellor of Sheffield Hallam Univeristy, with vice-chancellor Prof Liz Mossop saying: ‘Uri is a true Sheffield trailblazer who has broken down barriers and continues to campaign on important issues within our community.

‘This makes him an ideal fit for Sheffield Hallam University and we are looking forward to working with him as our next Chancellor.’

Rennie became the first black referee in the Premier League when he took charge of Derby County vs Wimbledon on August 13, 1997.

Former head of Premier League referees, Keith Hackett, once described him as: ‘The fittest referee we have ever seen on the national and world scene.’

Rennie got physical to separate Roy Keane from Jason McAteer in 2002 (Picture: Getty Images) Uriah Rennie showed Alan Shearer his first red card in August 1999 (Picture: Getty Images)