Singh Gill to become first British South Asian referee in PL

Sunny Singh Gill is set to become the first British South Asian to referee a Premier League match when he takes charge of Saturday's match between Crystal Palace and Luton Town.

Singh Gill comes from a family with a proud umpiring heritage. His father Jarnail, who officiated 150 matches between 2004 and 2010, remains the first and only English league football referee to wear a turban.

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When Singh Gill took charge of a League Two match between Northampton and Hartlepool last season, he became the first British South Asian to referee a Championship match since his father more than a decade previously.

In January last year, his younger brother Bhupinder became the first Sikh-Punjabi to serve as an assistant referee in a Premier League match, when he led the line in a match between Southampton and Nottingham Forest.

The brothers made history in April 2021, when they became the first British South Asian duo to officiate in the same championship match.

Sunny will be the seventh referee outside of the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) select group to take charge of a Premier League match this season, following Sam Allison, Sam Barrott, Bobby Madley, Josh Smith, Rebecca Welch and Lewis Smith.

Welch became the first woman to referee a Premier League match when she took charge of Fulham against Burnley in December last year.