Sam Allison is set to make history as the first Black referee in the Premier League in 15 years, and only the second ever. 

The 42-year-old, a former firefighter, will officiate the Boxing Day fixture between Sheffield United and Luton Town, breaking a significant barrier since Uriah Rennie’s last Premier League appearance in 2008.

BAMRef, an organization providing guidance and support to Black, Asian, and mixed heritage referees, welcomed the milestone, noting its importance in aligning refereeing with the diversity of society and football players.

“We welcome this appointment.

“It is a further step in the right direction towards refereeing reflecting society and the playing contingent within football.

“It is also the culmination of years of hard work by BAMRef members. We hope to work with Howard Webb (Professional Game Match Officials Board chief) to identify and progress more black officials to the top flight,” BAMRef said in a statement.

This landmark comes on the heels of another historic moment, with Rebecca Welch officiating a Premier League match on December 23, becoming the first woman to do so. 

Having climbed the ranks through university and Sunday league games, Welch’s journey included refereeing an EFL match in April 2021, officiating a men’s FA Cup fixture in January