South Asian referee Sunny Gill promoted to EFL

Gill (right) was the referee for the National League play-off match between Notts County and Grimsby Town in May

Sunny Gill has become the first South Asian referee in the English Football League since his dad, Jarnail, in 2010.

Gill has been promoted to the EFL from the National League by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) - the body responsible for refereeing appointments in English leagues.

"It is a proud moment," said Gill.

"After more than a decade since my dad refereed in the EFL, I have achieved my dream and followed in his footsteps."

Gill's brother, Bhupinder, is an assistant referee in the EFL.

The pair, who are Sikh, were both part of the same officiating team for an EFL game between Bristol City and Nottingham Forest in 2021 when Sunny was the fourth official and Bhupinder an assistant referee.

"I want to now set more goals and dreams and make the Premier League as a referee," said Gill.

"It's been a tough year, a lot of hard work and training away from the pitch, improving in every department with the help of the PGMOL and my coaches.

"We can now set more goals and targets and aim to become the first Asian referee in the Premier League."

Gill will be joined in the EFL by Adam Herczeg, Tom Kirk, Tom Parsons and Martin Woods.

Woods and Parsons were involved in Sunday's National League play-off final as referee and fourth official respectively, while Kirk took charge of Solihull Moors' semi-final game with Chesterfield and Herczeg was part of the FA Youth Cup final refereeing team.