Latest news with #HowardWebb
BreakingNews.ie
09-06-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Uriah Rennie remembered as ‘epitome of a role model' after death at 65
Uriah Rennie, the Premier League's first black referee, has been remembered as a 'trailblazer' and the 'epitome of a role model' following his death at the age of 65. Rennie was born in Jamaica before moving to Sheffield aged six with his family and went on to oversee more than 300 games between 1997 and 2008, including 175 in the English top flight. Advertisement Once described as the 'fittest' match official in world football, Rennie recently revealed he was learning to walk again after a rare neurological condition left him paralysed from the waist down. After his death was announced on Sunday, Howard Webb, the Professional Game Match Officials Board Limited (PGMOL) chief refereeing officer, paid tribute to his former colleague. Webb said in a statement: 'Uri was not only a trailblazer who paved the way for many others after becoming the first black referee in the Premier League, he was a great person and a great referee who cared deeply about his community and helping people fulfil their potential. 'He was a strong influence on our refereeing group too, offering a calming presence and we shared many good times together. Advertisement 'An epitome of a role model, Uri was a valued member of the football family who has been taken from us too soon. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. He will be sorely missed by us all but his legacy will live on.' Rennie started refereeing locally in 1979 before making history in 1997 when taking charge of his first Premier League match between Derby and Wimbledon, which he had to abandon because of a floodlight failure at Pride Park. The Premier League said on X: 'Uriah was a pioneering trailblazer whose legacy will live on, continuing to inspire future generations.' Rennie became a FIFA-listed referee in 2000 and joined the select group of professionals one year later before retiring in 2008. Advertisement Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out said on X: 'We are deeply saddened to hear the heartbreaking news about Uriah Rennie. 'A trailblazer in every sense, he will always be a Premier League legend by becoming its first black referee, providing leadership, talent and visibility that proved inspirational to many. 'Uriah played a massive role in shaping the game as we know it today. Football should always be grateful to him.' In November 2023 martial arts expert Rennie was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University for his distinguished contributions to sport and his work with South Yorkshire communities. Advertisement He was last month installed as the chancellor of the university and was labelled by former Premier League referee Chris Foy as a 'real community hero in that part of the world'. Chris Foy, pictured, paid tribute to mentor and friend Uriah Rennie (Mike Egerton/PA) In an emotional interview with talkSPORT, Foy said: 'He was a gentleman, a gentle giant. He was a friend to me, a mentor to me, he was just a special person who put everybody first before himself. 'He was a real presence on the field and he was a real presence off the field, a true gentleman. If it was difficult for him, he never showed it because he was always grounded. He loved refereeing.' Another former Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher, told Sky Sports: 'As a person he was humble, he was quiet, he was unassuming. But most importantly, he was kind.' Advertisement
The Independent
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Uriah Rennie remembered as ‘epitome of a role model' after death at 65
Uriah Rennie, the Premier League's first black referee, has been remembered as a 'trailblazer' and the 'epitome of a role model' following his death at the age of 65. Rennie was born in Jamaica before moving to Sheffield aged six with his family and went on to oversee more than 300 games between 1997 and 2008, including 175 in the English top flight. Once described as the 'fittest' match official in world football, Rennie recently revealed he was learning to walk again after a rare neurological condition left him paralysed from the waist down. After his death was announced on Sunday, Howard Webb, the Professional Game Match Officials Board Limited (PGMOL) chief refereeing officer, paid tribute to his former colleague. Webb said in a statement: 'Uri was not only a trailblazer who paved the way for many others after becoming the first black referee in the Premier League, he was a great person and a great referee who cared deeply about his community and helping people fulfil their potential. 'He was a strong influence on our refereeing group too, offering a calming presence and we shared many good times together. 'An epitome of a role model, Uri was a valued member of the football family who has been taken from us too soon. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. He will be sorely missed by us all but his legacy will live on.' Rennie started refereeing locally in 1979 before making history in 1997 when taking charge of his first Premier League match between Derby and Wimbledon, which he had to abandon because of a floodlight failure at Pride Park. The Premier League said on X: 'Uriah was a pioneering trailblazer whose legacy will live on, continuing to inspire future generations.' Rennie became a FIFA-listed referee in 2000 and joined the select group of professionals one year later before retiring in 2008. Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out said on X: 'We are deeply saddened to hear the heartbreaking news about Uriah Rennie. 'A trailblazer in every sense, he will always be a Premier League legend by becoming its first black referee, providing leadership, talent and visibility that proved inspirational to many. 'Uriah played a massive role in shaping the game as we know it today. Football should always be grateful to him.' In November 2023 martial arts expert 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 labelled by former Premier League referee Chris Foy as a 'real community hero in that part of the world'. In an emotional interview with talkSPORT, Foy said: 'He was a gentleman, a gentle giant. He was a friend to me, a mentor to me, he was just a special person who put everybody first before himself. 'He was a real presence on the field and he was a real presence off the field, a true gentleman. If it was difficult for him, he never showed it because he was always grounded. He loved refereeing.' Another former Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher, told Sky Sports: 'As a person he was humble, he was quiet, he was unassuming. But most importantly, he was kind.'
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
What is PGMOL's appointments policy?
Former referee Chris Foy explained it can be tricky for officials to be allotted a fixture based on current Villa have complained to referees' body PGMOL about Thomas Bramall after he made a "big mistake" in their 2-0 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday that contributed to them missing out on the Champions Game Match Officials Limited told BBC Sport it does not comment on why individual appointments for matches are to the PGMOL appointments policy, all match officials must submit a declaration of interests form before the start of each officials, video assistant referees and assistant video assistant referees are only eligible to officiate games that do not involve a club for which they have a conflict of includes clubs they support, have played competitive matches for at first-team level or clubs from the same town or city, excluding London, where the official policy also states officials cannot be involved in a match that directly involves a club "which has a strong association with a club for which an interest has been declared".It is up to PGMOL's discretion to determine if a club has a strong association with that other chief refereeing officer Howard Webb can also vary the appointments at his discretion.
Daily Mirror
04-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Howard Webb ready to issue ultimatum to Premier League clubs over referees
Premier League clubs are set to discover a new demands from PGMOL's Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb as the body records yet another loss amid the elevating costs of VAR Howard Webb is set to tell Premier League clubs that they must invest in long-term budgets if they want to see best in class officiating in the division. The Professional Match Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief will reportedly announce new losses of almost £1million next week. PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing games in English professional English football, appears to be haemorrhaging cash. And Chief Refereeing Officer Webb is to reveal losses of £900,000, per the Telegraph That figure comes in additions to losses suffered last year that saw a £379,000 figures adjusted to £1.8 million. That means the group now have a loss of £3.4m totalled over the last three years. With that in mind, it is claimed that Webb will inform top-flight clubs that in order to get the highest standard of officiating they will need to increase their budgets. And PGMOL could yet have more financial undertakings to come. The body have been forced to make plans to cover a possible tax bill from HMRC that could yet arriving following a decade-long legal issue, the report adds. That has seen proceedings head to the Supreme Court over a case that will determine whether lower league referees can be treated as self-employed or not. As well as renewed financial concerns and scrutiny PGMOL is set to for internal change to be introduced by Webb. Referees could soon find themselves being relegated from Premier League responsibilities. Officials who form part of select group one could soon find themselves outside of that if they do not deliver on the pitch. This forms part of wider restructure. Select group one is also set to merge with select group two, the group who officiate matches in the Championship, League One and League Two. PGMOL is joint-owned by the Premier League, the Football League and Football Association. At a recent meeting of 350 officials, referees learned change was coming. The 20 select group one refs discovered they can fall down the hierarchy. The last official to suffer that ignominy was Stuart Attwell when he was temporarily demoted in 2012. There is now said to be a determination to fast-track the best young officials however, particularly those involved in the elite referee development plan including figures such as Sam Barrott, Lewis Smith and Sam Allison. VAR's introduction has added greater scrutiny than ever but also seen an immense rise in costs. A combination of millions in fees and hundreds of work hours has added additional strain, while funding for officials has stagnated. PGMOL's budget is said to be in the region of £33m. Webb and chief operating officer Danielle Every want to agree a multi-year deal with the body's beneficiaries as they currently work year to year with reserves covering losses.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Howard Webb 'will announce losses of £900,000 at PGMOL' - as referees chief 'prepares to tell clubs' they must increase budgets if they want the highest standard of officiating
PMGOL chief Howard Webb is set to announce losses of nearly £1millon at the body, according to a report. The body, full name Professional Game Match Officials Limited, is responsible for refereeing matches in England, including the Premier League, but continues to bleed money and will post major losses again this year. According to The Telegraph, losses of £379,000 last year have been adjusted to £1.8million, taking the total sum over the last three years to close to £3.4m. Scrutiny is regularly aimed at the body, though increased transparency has been targeted with regular communication methods including explaining decisions in real-time on social media, trialling giving referees microphones during games and a regular referees show which Webb appears on to show and explain decisions. There are, though, inconsistencies, with the report suggesting a camera would regularly disappear at one ground early on in the VAR era and that camera coverage is inconsistent from stadium to stadium in the top flight. The main issues, though, are believed to be financial, with it also suggested that PGMOL have made plans to cover a potential tax bill from HMRC, which surrounds a debate over whether lower-league referees can be classed as self-employed. It has lasted a decade and has gone to the Supreme Court. There continue to be complaints over refereeing standards in the league, with a decision overturned as recently as Evanilson being sent off against Manchester United last week. There is, though, reportedly a belief from within that the standards have been high since Luis Diaz's goal against Tottenham in late 2023 was incorrectly ruled out for offside. Yet, with money being lost year on year, Webb is reportedly set to tell clubs that they must increase long-term budgets if they want the highest standard of officiating. A recent introduction to the Premier League, meanwhile, is semi-automated offsides, which was introduced in April. So far, there have been no major complaints, but it is suggested that some officials are worried about the technology, which is provided by Genius Sports and uses different staff to Hawk-Eye. That means there are concerns both on and off the field in terms of the body, from financial to the use of technology. Earlier this year, meanwhile, David Coote was sacked after he was videoed criticising Jurgen Klopp and admitted to taking drugs. It is also reported that two psychologists for top referees left PGMOL at the start of the year and have not been replaced.
