Southampton host Nottingham Forest on Wednesday when Bhupinder Singh Gill will make Premier League history. But who is the first Sikh-Punjabi set to act as an assistant referee?
Singh Gill will take the honour at St Mary’s this week while Thomas Bramall will referee the affair. Marc Perry will also work as an assistant on the south coast, with fourth official John Brooks. Lee Mason with assistant Darren Cann are the VARs for the matchweek 19 fixture.
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Southampton go into the match bottom of the top-flight table, without a win in six games and after a run of five defeats. While Nottingham Forest are also in the relegation zone on 14 points to the Saints’ 12. The Reds have won two of their last six matches to two defeats.
Who is Bhupinder Singh Gill? The first Sikh-Punjabi Premier League assistant referee
So, who is Singh Gill, the man due to become the first Sikh-Punjabi to be a Premier League assistant referee as Southampton host Nottingham Forest? Well, he comes from a family of officials with his father, Jarnail Singh, also a trailblazing referee between 2004 and 2010.
Singh Gill is Jarnail’s youngest son and is also the brother of Sunny Singh Gill, who became the first British South Asian to referee an English Football League game since his dad back in August. Now, Bhupinder is set to make his Premier League debut on Wednesday night.
He has been an official since he was a teenager and also works as a PE teacher, Sky Sports reports. Singh Gill will also be in action at a Premier League team on Sunday when he acts as the assistant referee for the FA Cup third-round tie between Aston Villa and Stevenage.
Bhupinder Singh Gill comes from a family of trailblazing officials in football
Sunny Singh Gill will also be in FA Cup action on Sunday when he referees the third-round tie between Derby County and Barnsley. It is likely to be the biggest crowd the official has yet worked in front of. But their father, Jarnail, enjoyed a successful career as an official.
Jarnail held the whistle in excess of 150 English Football League games from 2004 to 2010. He also worked with the new first chief refereeing officer of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Howard Webb, during his trailblazing time as a football official.
Jarnail Singh was the first referee to wear a turban in the professional game in England. He retired as an official in 2011 and Sky Sports reports he now works as an advisor with The Football Association. He also still referees in the Combined Counties League occasionally.
What has been said about Bhupinder Singh Gill?
Webb has praised Bhupinder Singh Gill ahead of his historic debut as an assistant referee in a Premier League game. He also backs the 37-year-old to perform well as Southampton host Nottingham Forest at St Mary’s in a crucial clash at the bottom of the top-flight table.
“First and foremost, I’m delighted that Bhupinder has been given this appointment in the Premier League – for him as an individual, and for the recognition of the talented and dedicated official he is, having worked his way through the levels,” Webb told Sky Sports.
“He comes from a family with a lot of refereeing pedigree. His dad Jarnail was a legendary referee in our eyes. He was a great referee and a great friend, he was the first referee to wear a turban in the professional game.
“So, he stood out and that puts pressure on you as a referee. He obviously pulled that off exceptionally well and was a great role model for people following on – including his sons, Bhupinder and Sunny.”
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