Uriah Rennie RIP

[Northstandboy]

Uriah Rennie has died, age 65.

He was the first black referee. In 2024, suffered intense back pain while on holiday in Turkey; diagnosed with a rare neurological condition causing paralysis from the waist down

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[greatunclekip]

An absolute legend up here in Sheffield. Did a huge amount in the community as well as being Chancellor of the University.

Seems weird looking back now with how much we focus on DEI (thank goodness) but he was an absolute trailblazer.

 

[TheDukeOfBanburyshire]

That's very sad news. RIP.

 

[SSO]

RiP

 

[Steve Gilbert]

RIP, a great referee.

 

[Colin B]

Truly shocked.

I remember the first time I saw him referee. It was a game at The Manor and he was warming up pre match. He didn't have referee kit on and we didn't know who he was. As he was a black guy, who looked really fit, we thought he must be a player (there were no black referees then), so imagine our surprise when 15/20 minutes later he ran onto the pitch in referees' kit. He was bloody good as well.

RIP.

 

[Emilio]

RIP to a man who was literally a game changer!

I've heard good things about him once he stepped down from refereeing, though I only really know him for being an icon at that. He never put up with any s**t from the so-called "hard men", nor did he give into pressure from managers on the sidelines. England's answer to Pierluigi Collina, you might say.

 

[m]

Sad news.

RIP.

 

[Belgium Yellow]

Sad news, not many referees have universal respect. RIP.

 

[Royalstandard74]

If there is such a thing as a referee icon, he was one, RIP.

 

[holdsteady]

Was browsing through the Waterstones in Oxford on Saturday as I was early to meet up with mates a as me came across a novel someone had based on his life, hadn’t given much thought to him in years and though it was a strange subject matter, but was slightly strange to find out he died the very next day. Can’t really remember if he was any good as a ref, but that doesn’t really matter now, always a shame when someone goes at a relatively young age.