"The way I manage people is probably different"
Sunny Singh Gill recently made history in the world of football refereeing.
On November 4, 2023, Sunny stepped onto the pitch to oversee a Championship match, becoming the first South Asian heritage referee to do so since his father, Jarnail Singh.
Jarnail, a trailblazer in English League football, was renowned for being the first turbaned referee in the game’s history.
He officiated an impressive 200 English Football League (EFL) matches across various divisions from 2004 to 2010 before retiring in 2011.
Sikh referee, Sunny, commanded the centre stage during Huddersfield’s thrilling 0-0 draw with Watford in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 18,000 fans at the John Smith’s Stadium.
His composed and confident performance earned him praise from fans and pundits alike.
His father Jarnail told Sky Sports News:
“He handled the occasion, did what he had to do and acquitted himself very well.
“There will be more opportunities for him to referee in the Championship and continue to progress.”
Speaking on the type of impact he hopes he has, Sunny revealed:
“I’m a different personality, I’m a different character. I bring something different.
“The way I manage people is probably different. The way I look is different. Everything’s different.
“So the more diverse it is, I think it just gets more respect because it becomes the norm, doesn’t it, if you see different faces.
“It’s happening with football players, why not referees?”
“If I can help you in any way of taking up the whilst, getting into refereeing, then I’m there to help and support anyone that needs it.”
However, this remarkable family isn’t done making history.
Sunny, along with his younger brother Bhupinder, who serves as an assistant referee, achieved another milestone in October 2023 by officiating the first-ever England Euro Elite League game on home soil.
Talking about his sons’ immense strides in diversifying the sport, Jarnail stated to Sky Sports:
“I’m very proud of my sons Sunny and Bhupinder.
“They are great role models, who provide much-needed representation in the elite game in the same way that the likes of [ethnically diverse match officials] Sam Allison, Damith Bandara and Akil Howson do as well.”
Their journey was first unveiled by Sky Sports News in the summer of 2022 when Sunny was promoted to the prestigious EFL National Group of match referees.
Then, Referees’ chief Howard Webb said Bhupinder deserved his opportunity to become the first Sikh-Punjabi assistant referee in Premier League History.
He did so when he helped officiate Southampton’s game against Nottingham Forest in January 2023.
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