British South Asians in Football: How 2024 became another landmark year in the English game

It’s been a rollercoaster 12 months across football, but 2024 proved to be another landmark year for British South Asians in the game.

Records were broken, league titles were won, landmarks were reached, and promotions were clinched.

There were significant developments away from the pitch, with a number of British South Asians also earning the opportunity to play on the international stage.

Sky Sports News had it covered from all angles – we look back at an unforgettable year for British South Asians in football…

Controversy to cup joy

There were fireworks at the start of the year with Kick it Out chair Sanjay Bhandari MBE hitting out at “lazy racist stereotyping” after a now-deleted LinkedIn post by a Crystal Palace academy scout who dismissed the community’s under-representation from elite football as simply being down to Asian families putting “all their efforts into education”, adding they were “more aligned to the game of cricket”.

But the focus was quickly back on the football when Luton Town earned almost £50,000 from their Women’s FA Cup run after veteran forward Sam Khan’s winner against Keynsham Town set up a fourth-round tie against WSL side Brighton.

With the January transfer window open, Sky Sports News exclusively revealed Birmingham City teenager Brandon Khela was set to join Ross County on loan for the rest of the season.

The midfielder went on to earn his first taste of top-division football and make his first-ever league start in Ross County’s historic Scottish Premiership clash away at Celtic.

Yan Dhanda captained the Staggies in the game at Celtic as Ross County became the first Premiership side in SPFL history to field two British South Asians in their starting line-up.

There was also a moment of Africa Cup of Nations history to savour, when Tarryn Allarakhia – who has mixed Indian and East African heritage – turned out for Tanzania and became the first British South Asian ever to play at a Cup of Nations in the modern era.

Former Spurs youngster Zahmena Malik clinched a move to Saudi Arabian women’s side Al Hmmah, while Arjan Raikhy came on to replace Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and make his Championship debut for Leicester City.

Singh Gill referees in Premier League

There was another breakthrough moment when trailblazer Sunny Singh Gill became the first British South Asian ever to referee a Premier League game as he presided over Crystal Palace’s clash with Luton Town at Selhurst Park.

At the turn of 2024, Sky Sports News broke the news that Sunny’s brother Bhupinder was going to make history as the first Sikh-Punjabi assistant referee to officiate in the Premier League.

There was also an unforgettable moment for Blues teenager Riya Mannu, who featured in a Women’s Championship game away at Reading, becoming the first British South Asian ever to play league football for Birmingham City Women.

Speaking to Sky Sports News moments after the final whistle, Mannu’s mother said: “We knew this day would come because Riya is really persistent and so determined.

“But to actually see her do it was just mind-blowing. Riya’s been working towards this moment for such a long time and Blues have been amazing since day one.”

‘A football emergency’

In an exclusive interview with Sky Football the following month, Dhanda once again stepped up for British South Asians in Football, speaking up about the uphill battle against unconscious bias the community continues to face in the elite game.

The Football Association conceded the under-representation of South Asians in the game is “stark” and could be viewed as “a football emergency”, adding that taking steps to addressing the issue is now “a long-term aim” for English football’s governing body.

The FA is now expected to deliver its first dedicated South Asians in Football plan early in 2025.

End-of-season success

Millie Chandarana was at it again as she helped Blackburn Rovers to a record Women’s Championship points total, while also landing her team’s Goal of the Season for the second year in a row after her wonder-strike against Charlton.

Kira Rai also enjoyed a stunning end to the campaign, becoming the first British South Asian ever to win a national trophy with Derby County as the Ewe Rams clinched the FA National Plate.

Hamza Choudhury helped Leicester City win the Championship title and earn promotion back to the Premier League under now-Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca.

Dhanda and Khela also enjoyed a thrilling end to the season as they helped Ross County emerge victorious from the relegation play-off, preserving the club’s status in the Scottish Premiership.

Khela scored the first goal of his senior career in that game to end his loan adventure in Scotland on a high.

Goalkeeper Jaz Singh – who broke a club clean sheet record that had stood for almost a century earlier in the year – won the National League North title as Tamworth earned back-to-back promotions and went up to the Conference.

Singh’s performances earned him his first appearance in the annual South Asians in Football Team of the Season – with Chandarana, Choudhury and Dhanda all retaining their places from the previous season.

The team was showcased at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, and at Leicester City, before going on show at the home of English football at the Asian Football Awards at Wembley Stadium later in the year.

Summer Transfers

Dhanda’s stunning two-year spell at Ross County earned him a big move to Scottish Premiership giants Hearts following the expiry of his contract.

In the English Championship, Danny Batth joined Blackburn Rovers, with Sky Sports News revealing that goalkeeper Rohan Luthra was joining Derby County after leaving Cardiff City.

Elsewhere, Dilan Markanday joined Chesterfield on loan from Blackburn, Wolves academy graduate Kam Kandola signed for Kidderminster Harriers, Dillon De Silva moved to Sutton United and Tarryn Allarakhia joined Rochdale.

Former England youth international Asmita Ale joined WSL side Leicester City on a permanent basis following her loan from Spurs the previous season.

Chandarana left Blackburn Rovers to join ambitious Nottingham Forest. Birmingham City’s Layla Banaras returned to Wolves on a dual registration and Zahmena Malik rejoined London Seaward.

Early season milestones

Rai enjoyed a dream start to the new season, bringing up a century of career first-team appearances in a Derby shirt, having first joined the club as an U10s player.

Back at Birmingham for the 2024/25 season, Khela properly announced himself to the Blues fanbase with a sensational long-range winner in a League Cup tie at Charlton that was named best goal in the first round of the competition.

Barnsley midfielder Vimal Yoganathan scored the first goals of his senior career, netting both of the Tykes’ goals in a 3-2 EFL trophy loss to Manchester United’s youngsters in the EFL Trophy.

Shadab Iftikhar joined Shaun Maloney’s staff as first-team coach at Wigan – marking a return to where his football journey started some years back, shadowing former Latics boss Roberto Martinez and providing opposition match analysis.

Elsewhere, Pav Singh replaced former Jamaica international Clayton Donaldson as manager of National League North side Farsley Celtic, becoming the highest-ranked British South Asian in such a role in English men’s football.

Dhanda and Choudhury were named joint winners of the men’s footballer of the year at the Asian Football Awards, with Rai named women’s footballer of the year at the showpiece gala at Wembley Stadium. FC Utrecht midfielder Zidane Iqbal was named young player of the year as the awards returned after a seven-year absence.

Highs and lows

There was a sharp dose of reality to come for South Asians in The Game, however, when a racist comment from the crowd was directed at assistant referee Bhupinder Singh Gill during Portsmouth’s 1-1 draw with Oxford United at Fratton Park.

But Markanday’s excellent form on loan at Chesterfield and Sonny Perkins’ goal on his first league start for Leyton Orient provided cause for optimism towards the end of the year.

Perkins, who joined Orient on a season-long from Leeds United, also came on and scored with his first touch in Orient’s 3-0 Boxing Day win at home to Blackpool.

Four British girls – Zahmena Malik, Nadia Khan, Amina Hanif and Sanah Mehdi – would all enjoy a 2024 to remember, representing Pakistan at the South Asian Football Federation Championship (SAFF) and helping the nation end the year with their highest-ever FIFA rankings points total.

Rovers defender Batth made his 500th senior first-team appearance, while fellow stalwart Mal Benning scored one of the most remarkable goals in English football in 2024, netting directly from a 60-yard free-kick in his own half in Shrewsbury Town’s League One clash with Blackpool.

Ronan Maher, who joined Tamworth on loan from Walsall, also impressed as the year drew to a close, scoring an extra-time equaliser in an FA Cup second round to against Burton Albion. Goalkeeper Jaz Singh would then go on to save two penalties to seal Tamworth’s progress to the third round and set up a dream third-round tie against Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur in January.

British South Asians in Football

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