Bhupinder Singh Gill made history as the Premier League’s first Sikh-Punjabi assistant referee on Wednesday when he took the lead in Southampton’s home game against Nottingham Forest at St Mary’s.
The 37-year-old comes from a football familywith father Jarnail Singh the first referee to wear a turban in the English league, taking part in more than 150 Football League (EFL) matches between 2004 and 2010.
Bhupinder’s elder brother Sunny is also an EFL referee.
“This has got to be the proudest and most exciting moment in my refereeing journey, but I’m not getting carried away as it’s just another step towards where I want to be,” Bhupinder told English media before the match.
“Hopefully this is another time to help inspire the next generation to enroll in a refereeing course and enlist.
“My dream has always been to reach the top of the game, be a role model for future officers and encourage more people from different backgrounds to serve, especially those with a South Asian background, just like me.”