Overview

• Rennie broke barriers by officiating over 300 top-flight matches from his Premier League debut in 1997 until his retirement in 2008.
• He earned a place on the FIFA referees list in 2000 and joined the Select Group of professional officials in 2001, gaining acclaim for his fitness and authority.
• In 2024, he was diagnosed with an inoperable neurological condition that left him paralysed from the waist down and forced him to relearn how to walk.
• His death on June 8 followed a private battle with cancer and came weeks after his May installation as chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University.
• The FA Refereeing Department, Sheffield FA and colleagues including Stan Collymore and Chris Foy paid tribute to his pioneering impact on diversity and inclusion in football officiating.