Uriah Rennie, the Premier League's first black referee, has died aged 65. Rennie took charge of over 300 top-flight matches from 1997 to 2008, after his debut match in charge of Derby County against Wimbledon.
In a heartfelt tribute, The FA's refereeing arm declared: "The FA Refereeing Department is saddened to hear of the passing of former FIFA and Premier League referee, Uriah Rennie.
"Uriah will forever be remembered as a true trailblazer of the game. Our thoughts are with Uriah's family and friends at this time."
Rennie's death comes shortly after being appointed chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University. He had openly discussed his fight with a rare ailment that caused paralysis below the waist.
It was during a trip to Turkey for his birthday celebrations last year that he learned