97 per cent of refs are white

FooTBall’s lack of diversity in refereeing has been laid bare by data which shows 97 per cent of officials are white.

It comes as the Professional Game Match offcials limited and their fellow footballing bodies prepare to launch the elite Referee Development Plan, aimed at helping officials from underrepresented backgrounds break into the game. The Premier league’s last black referee was Uriah Rennie, whose final match was in May 2008. of the 254 officials operating across select Group 1 (Premier league), Group 2 (Championship) and National Group (leagues one and Two), 247 are white. akil howson and sam allison are the only two black officials, and there are five from minority ethnic backgrounds.

There are five female officials — one being Natalie aspinall, who has been promoted to join sian Massey-ellis as a Premier league assistant.