I’M SO PROUD TO BE A PIONEERING BLACK REF
Sam Allison will make history when he blows his whistle in Football League
ALMOST a fortnight on, referee Sam Allison is still struggling to contain his pride and joy following his momentous elevation to the Football League.
‘I might have to see a physio as my cheekbones have been aching for the last 11 days, I’ve just been smiling constantly,’ he laughs.
Allison’s promotion is a hugely significant development in English football. He will become the first black referee in the top four divisions since Uriah Rennie retired in 2009.
He has been inundated with wellwishes from friends, family, refereeing peers and work colleagues, including Rennie himself.
‘Uriah has always been there as a sounding board,’ says Wiltshirebased Allison, 39.
‘He just reiterated that he was there for me, to support me. He would have experienced a lot of things that I’ll encounter or experience and, based on his expertise, it can only be good for me.
‘To have that appreciation and validation from someone who has been there meant so much. It made me proud and reflect. It was humbling and a bit emotional.’
Allison’s swift rise up the refereeing ladder, from only starting in 2011 to now preparing to take charge of games in League One and League Two, is testament to his ability as an official.
As he felt ‘behind the curve’ and was so set on trying to make a difference, Allison rarely took time to celebrate the ‘small wins’ during his journey, such as his five promotions in five seasons from junior football to the list of referees just below the Football League.
This time, he wants to give himself ‘some props and credit’. But his desire to inspire others to follow him through the door he has prised open remains strong.
‘It makes me so proud to be a black man in today’s society and be successful in getting to be a Football League referee,’ he says.
‘There are not that many people from black and ethnic minority communities holding positions of power or influence so, by me getting to this position, I know it will have an impact.
‘That’s part of the reason why I have to be successful, so I can be that role model shining that light to show lots of youngsters or people in our communities who look like me that you can actually be successful and think, “If Sam can do it, I can do it”. My aim is to try and make the FA and PGMOL as inclusive as it can be.
‘ Your Sterlings, Defoes, Kompanys, people like that, are spreading their message about doing the right thing. There are so many influential leaders. People are listening now. Everybody is pulling in the right direction.
‘ If I can be a leader within my domain, and we’re all doing it collectively as one team to make sure society is better, there can’t be any bigger reward.’
There is a chronic shortage of black referees in football which, like the lack of coaches and senior officials, does not tally with the numbers of black players. It is a damning indictment of English football. Allison insists his experience of racism as a referee, either systemic or on the pitch, is ‘very little or non- existent’, though being a rare black face doing his job brings its own pressures. ‘Carrying that weight on your shoulders of being the only black referee in the organisation means when you go to grounds you know you’re going to be remembered,’ he adds. Allison, though, is an upbeat character with an infectious passion for refereeing and football. He was at Swindon’s school of excellence as a player, played for England schoolboys and is a former semi-professional. He has also done some coaching. And those experiences help him quickly strike up a rapport with players. He has an optimistic outlook and, when he has been greeted by surprise on his arrival for a game as referee, Allison prefers to focus on the fact that he is opening people’s eyes to the existence of black officials. ‘I’m not saying racism doesn’t exist in today’s society because I’m not blinkered,’ he stresses. ‘I’m aware of what is happening globally and locally but I can’t afford to focus on the negative parts of racism — that won’t help me get to where I want to get. If anything, it will hold me back.’
Allison feels the shortage of role models is a factor contributing to the low number of black referees, along with a lack of awareness about how good a job it is.
He also wonders if the stereotype of what a referee looks like — ‘very authoritarian, like a head teacher or police officer’ — may dissuade ethnic minorities from the job.
That part is no issue for Allison, whose day job as a firefighter means he is well used to authority and discipline, elements that transfer well into refereeing.
And he is determined to lead the way in proving it can be a career path for anyone.
‘Everyone wants to get to the pinnacle but, of course, you have to be realistic,’ he says. ‘What I will do is leave no stone unturned.
‘I will work my socks off, not just for me but everybody else who looks like me in my communities, for the PGMOL, and do the best I can for the players and sport itself.
‘If I can encompass all that and be successful at the same time by encouraging people along the journey and be a beacon, a role model and influence, what more could we want out of life?’