Referee Akil Howson listens to voice notes from his loved ones and reflects on his journey ❤️⚽️
► Subscribe to Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWFootballYT Akil Howson - the first ever black referee to officiate on the FA Cup final and the first black official in 15 years in the Premier League - listens to voice notes of support from his family and friends and reacts to them. This year’s theme for Black History Month is Honouring Our Communities, recognising the individuals whose everyday contributions shape, support and sustain Black life across the UK. football blackhistorymonth efl premierleague ► EFL highlights: https://bit.ly/EFLHighlights2627 ► EFL Cup highlights: https://bit.ly/CarabaoCupHL ► SPFL highlights: https://bit.ly/SPFLHighlights2627 ► Bundesliga highlights: https://bit.ly/BundesligaHighlights2627 ► Buy this season’s shirts: https://bit.ly/SkySportsShop More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkySportsFootball ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skysportsfootball ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsfootball / https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportswsl ► X: https://x.com/SkyFootball / https://x.com/SkySportsWSL ► Website: https://www.skysports.com ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can find out more here: https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/news/31754/11434270/license-sky-sports-footage
Transcript
He was absolutely appointed [music] on merit. His performance justified that appointment as well. It's about breaking [music] that ceiling and he's going out there as a trailblazer and that brings pressure. So, uh, really proud of him. Akil, it's a privilege and honor to have you as a friend. [music] Everyone around you is so proud of what you've achieved. One week you're officiating one of the biggest games in the Premier League and the next you're on a local park doing grassroots football. That's a true testament [music] to your character. You're making history, breaking records, but none of that happens by chance. [music] It's a reflection of your discipline, the sacrifices you've made, and the standards you hold to yourself every single day. This is only the beginning. Me and Lewis go together. He's like my biggest fan. He's such a good friend and he's seen it all. He's seen me grassroots football, the times when I'm out refereeing and I can't make sort of friends events, etc. because I'm refereeing. I'm trying to take his journey seriously. And then, yeah, he's seen it all. He's seen the bad times, the good times. It's been real. a kill. In the words of the Reverend [music] Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, [music] but by the content of their character. Akil, you have shown true strength, [music] resilience, compassion, and commitment. We love you and are proud of you, Achille. She's the reason I started um got me on the course. Didn't want to do it. She was taking me to all the games cuz I couldn't drive at the start cuz I was 14. So she was going from one end of Leicester to the other end of Leicester taking me game after game. There's times when I wanted to quit. She didn't allow me to quit. Um yeah, everything I've done for her. >> She was obviously so proud of your whole journey, but the FA Cup in particular, what what was that moment like for for the both of you? >> It was great. She had just come out hostile as well um a week before, so it was touch and go over whether she'd make it. So the game had finished I don't know 5:00 or whatever just got the medals and the first person wanted to see is my mom left the changing rooms went straight upstairs and there's a nice moment where I was just able to just just give my mom a hug share the tear and went back downstairs to the guys and I was able to know make history with her there. >> Hi daddy I am so proud of what you have achieved. [music] I am so happy that I got to watch you making history and I loved seeing you in the news. I just want to say I love you and [music] I am so proud of you to have a dad like you. >> She makes me proud every day obviously as a dad just trying to be there just trying to be a role model for her and inspiration for her. This football world takes a lot of time away from the family, from being around my daughter. Just her seeing that daddy's trying to change history and do things to hopefully make make sure that her life's a a better life. Thank [laughter] you, Maya. You never told me about that. >> You didn't tell me [music] about that. >> I just wanted to say huge congratulations on your achievements. [music] I am so extremely proud of you for not only for your success but for the wonderful, kind, loving and generous [music] person that you are. Remember son, the world is your oyster, but just keep being a wonderful you. Dad had a stroke four years ago. He's never fully healed from the stroke. So dad was a dad was very inspirational. Um growing up very intelligent, more intelligent than me, very articulate, more articulate than me. Um and growing up all I ever wanted to do is make make obviously mom and dad proud. And refereeing gave me gave me a chance to to finally make dad proud. I'm forever thankful for my parents. And I feel it. I feel it all the time. The pressure in terms of I've got to uphold standards. I've got to be a better person. um to make sure the next generation have it easier than than I had it. Um I've got to make sure every time I go out I'm I'm doing the best job, the best best job I can do to make sure that the barriers can be broken down and stay broken down for the next generation coming through. >> I remember as a 56 year old Elvis Rainford brought you to Lester Nana on Spine Park to start your football journey. You said the president in our community seeing you on telly they saying there's a Zakil. He kind of inspired them that it is achievable. I would like to congratulate you where where you've reached and the [music] journey continues and we call it the journey to excellence. My old manager when I used to think that I was going to be a professional footballer and my old club um Lester Nana it means a lot club um growing up it means a lot to me and the people there have been amazing. They were amazing are amazing and and I'll do anything for them. Akil Hson. What can I say? To officiate on the FA Cup final. Wow. The first black match official to do that. It's an immense [music] achievement. It fills me with pride. It's a landmark achievement. Not just for you, Akil, [music] but for everybody, the refereeing fraternity, the community, your family, everyone. What excites me most though is that I [music] don't think this FA Cup appointment is the ceiling. I think with your work ethic, your ambition, the competitiveness and personality, that's what's going to set you apart. And you still got other milestones [music] to knock off. Keep breaking barriers, inspiring others, and show what's possible. [snorts] >> It's good. It's nice. I only met Sam through refereeing. Um, and we got close probably 5 years ago, and I see him as my big brother. I've never heard him say those words to me ever. The first person I talk to when when things aren't going well. First person I talk to when things are going well. The only person I talk to for advice and the moment I see someone just happy like it's my voice. >> It's been great to be part of Akil's [music] journey to the FA Cup final from the very first referee course we took together back in [music] 2004. Little did we know sat in that room as teenagers that would be officiating on the the Premier League together and Akil's achieved I think probably the ultimate game that everybody in English football and refereeing wants to be involved in which is the FA Cup final. He's [music] a real role model and I look forward to working with him you know in the coming season and seasons hopefully. >> We started the refereeing journey together 14 didn't know each other and and now we're both from the family league which is which is great. It's been great to see Akquil develop as a match official over a number of years. His performances at championship level were consistently high over numerous seasons and those [music] performances fully merited his progression to the Premier League level. Ke is a fantastic role model for all officials and [music] continues to perform in a way that makes us proud of what he has achieved. >> It's a nice message, wasn't it? in that I I think initially when I got into the Premier League list I had imposter syndrome. Um I still feel it sometimes just am I good enough to be here and to to prove that you are good enough to be there and and to [music] to get that respect from from those sort of people to be involved in the meetings to be training um and then [music] guys to to to tell you that you're good enough and to show that they respect you and they're happy for you is is nice and it's great and I'm yeah so Coffee.