IN a landmark moment for refereeing in English football, the highest-ranked Black referee along with the top referee from Britain’s South Asian community will preside over Swindon vs Leyton Orient game on Easter Monday, reported Sky Sports.
Sam Allison and Sunny Singh Gill will “break down barriers” when they officiate together the match at the County Ground in another.
According to the report, Allison will take charge of the fixture between 11th-placed Swindon and 14th-placed Leyton Orient, with National League referee Singh Gill acting as the fourth official.
Gill is the son of Jarnail Singh, the first turbaned referee to grace league football.
Sikh-Punjabi brothers Bhups and Gill made English Football League history when they become the first pair of British South Asians to officiate in the same Championship game.
Allison is a firefighter and former semi-professional footballer, and became just the second Black referee in English Football League history – behind only Uriah Rennie – at the beginning of the 2020-21 season.
Gill told Sky Sports: “It’s an absolute privilege to work with Sam for the first time for an EFL fixture. Sam is someone I am in regular contact with and try and learn from.
“Working with colleagues from diverse ethnic communities should be normal and not just a one-off but this is most definitely a step in the right direction.”
Allison said he is relishing the opportunity to work with a friend and fellow diverse match official on the same game in an EFL game.
“It’s always pleasure going out with your mates and especially when we’ve both had similar journeys and experiences. It’s going to be great supporting and learning from a fellow match official as we continue to break down barriers,” he was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
Jarnail Singh told Sky Sports in February that his sons are giving members of the community hope that they can make it in the game.
“As a parent, I’m very proud that the boys have followed in my footsteps and they are doing themselves and the community proud,” Singh said.
