The Premier League is set to appoint its first-ever female referee this Christmas as English Football League official Rebecca Welch will take charge in the top flight for the very first time.
Rebecca Welch has been refereeing in the EFL since 2021, having first officiated a League Two match between Harrogate Town and Port Vale before working her way up the football pyramid.
Now, as per an announcement by the Premier League, the 40-year-old will be overseeing Fulham vs Burnley on Saturday, December 23, becoming the first woman to ever be appointed as the first official for a first-division game.
Welch also became the first female to referee an FA Cup fixture back in January 2022 and was the first woman to serve as a fourth official Welch was also appointed as the fourth official for Manchester United‘s 1-0 win over Fulham this past November.
BREAKING 🚨: Rebecca Welch is set to become the first woman to referee a Premier League match.
Sam Allison will become the first Black official to referee a Premier League game since 2008. pic.twitter.com/3TLrUQBRWK
Regularly operating in the WSL and having been part of the officiating team for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Welch has been growing a reputation across the beautiful game and it seems as though it was only a matter of time before she was assigned to a Premier League round.
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Refereeing colleague Sam Allison is also set to become the first Black official to take charge of a Prem game in over a decade and a half on Boxing Day when Sheffield United take on Luton Town, the last being Uriah Rennie in a game between Liverpool and Spurs back in May 2008.
The lack of diversity, both in gender and race, in refereeing seen throughout English football has remained a pressing issue among many fans and advocates within the sport for years and now this latest announcement comes as a welcome step in the right direction.
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Speaking on the decision this Thursday, refereeing veteran and PGMOL chief Howard Webb said the league has been attempting to “fast-tracking talented officials” through their training programme and labelled both of the appointments as “really well deserved”.
🗣️ "Both appointments are really well deserved"
PGMOL chief Howard Webb on the news that Rebecca Welch and Sam Allison will referee Premier League matches this month ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/nYNefGt67n
Unfortunately, with the way latent prejudices still reside in the modern game, Welch has never had it easy on her journey to this historic appointment, as it was only last month that two young male fans were arrested for ‘misogynistic chanting’ during Birmingham home match against Sheffield Wednesday.
While sexism and misogyny in sport and life, in general, are obviously outdated attitudes, it was concerning to see that the two individuals were just 17 years old and that there’s still work to be done in educating people and rooting out those underlying issues.
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Nevertheless, having qualified and well-respected officials like Welch and Allison become prominent figures, role models and leading examples in football will do wonders for the future of representation equality throughout the sporting world.
Howard Webb talks about the referees making Premier League history 📖
✅ Rebecca Welch will become the first female referee in the PL
Police appeal after teenage girl reports being sexually assaulted in a Stretford park
Emily Sergeant
An urgent appeal for information has been issued after a teenage girl reported being sexually assaulted in a park in Stretford.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers attended Victoria Park, in the Stretford area, earlier this week on Tuesday night (21 July) following reports that a teenage girl had been sexually assaulted.
The incident is reported to have happened between 5:30pm and 5:44pm, and the offender is described to be an older white male of a large build who was wearing a black t-shirt.
No arrests have been made at this time, GMP confirmed, and enquiries are ongoing.
As police continue their investigation at pace, a public appeal for information has been issued in the hopes that someone can come forward and provide the details needed to track down the offender.
“Detectives are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry and the victim is being fully supported by specially trained officers,” explained Detective Superintendent Suzanne Keenaghan, from GMP’s Trafford district.
“There will be an increased police presence in and around Victoria Park while officers continue their investigation and provide reassurance to the local community.”
Police say they are ‘particularly keen’ to hear from anyone who was in the park at the time, or who may have CCTV, doorbell, mobile phone or dashcam footage from the area.
Anyone with information can speak to police officers at the scene, call 101, or contact GMP via LiveChat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 3029 of 21/07/26.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues to be slashed by 20% next year
Emily Sergeant
Business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues across England are set to be slashed by 20% next year.
Continuing on with his week of, seemingly, introducing a new measure a day amid the cost of living crisis, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has now announced that he has taken action to cut business rates for pubs, social clubs, and live music venues across England from April next year.
It’s expected that these new business rate cuts will benefit nearly 32,000 pubs, clubs and live music venues, saving the typical pub an estimated £1,100 in the next financial year.
“For too long, the pubs, social clubs, and live music venues that form the backbone of local high streets have been replaced by boarded up windows and for sale signs,” the Government said in a statement as the cuts were announced today.
Andy Burnham is slashing business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues by 20% next year / Credit: John Arano (via Unsplash) | Wikimedia Commons
These changes are set to be fully funded by the Government – including through reviewing reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities, such as vape shops for example.
The Government says it also plans to crack down on businesses that sell through online marketplaces but do not comply with their tax obligations, which therefore puts them at an unfair advantage over businesses that do play by the rules.
I’m giving thousands of pubs, clubs and music venues a 20% cut in business rates.
I won’t stand by while these cherished local spaces disappear, replaced by boarded-up windows and ‘For Sale’ signs.
They’re the heart of our communities and it’s time we backed them.
“Pubs, clubs and live music venues are at the heart of communities across the UK,” explained Chancellor John Healey. “They help make a place what we love. They bring people together, support local jobs and help keep high streets, and town centres busy, which is why we will back them all the way.
“We are determined to bring hope back, give businesses the support they need and generate growth in every postcode.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham added: “For too long, Governments have stood by while cherished venues have disappeared from our local high streets. So today I am changing that.
“This Government will back the businesses that people want to see in their communities. I said I would protect pubs and local high streets, and that’s what we will do. What we’re announcing today is just the start as we work to bring back hope across the country.”
Danny Jones -
14th December 2023 
