It's been a roller coaster 12 months in football, but 2024 proved to be another landmark year for British South Asians in football.
Records were broken, league titles were won, milestones were achieved and promotions were achieved.
There were significant developments off the field, with a number of British South Asians also getting the opportunity to play on the international stage.
Sky Sports News has covered it from all angles – we look back on an unforgettable year for British South Asians in football…
Controversy to cup joy
There were fireworks at the start of the year when Kick it Out chairman Sanjay Bhandari MBE spoke out about 'lazy racist stereotyping' following a now-deleted LinkedIn post from a Crystal Palace academy scout, which highlighted the under-representation of the community in simply dismissed elite football as This is because Asian families “put all their efforts into education”, adding that they were “more attuned to the game of cricket”.
But the focus was soon back on the football as Luton Town earned almost £50,000 from their Women's FA Cup run after veteran striker Sam Khan's winner against Keynsham Town set up a fourth round draw against WSL side Brighton.
With the January transfer window open, Sky Sports News exclusively revealed that Birmingham City teenager Brandon Khela would join Ross County on loan for the remainder of the season.
The midfielder then got his first taste of top division football, making his first ever league start in Ross County's historic Scottish Premiership match at Celtic.
There was also a moment in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations to savour, when Tarryn Allarakhia – who has mixed Indian and East African heritage – headed to Tanzania and became the first British South Asian to ever win at a Cup of Nations Nations played in modern times. .
Former Spurs talent Zahmena Malik made a move to Saudi Arabian women's team Al Hmmah, while Arjan Raikhy replaced Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to make his Championship debut for Leicester City.
Singh Gill is a referee in the Premier League
There was another breakthrough moment when pioneer Sunny Singh Gill became the first ever British South Asian to referee a Premier League match when he officiated Crystal Palace's clash with Luton Town at Selhurst Park.
At the start of 2024, Sky Sports News broke the news that Sunny's brother Bhupinder would 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 match away at Reading and became the first ever British South Asian to play competitive football for Birmingham City Women.
Speaking to Sky Sports News just after the final whistle, Mannu's mother said: “We knew this day would come because Riya is very persistent and so determined.
“But to see her actually do that was just breathtaking. Riya has been working towards this moment for so long and Blues has been amazing since day one.”
'A football emergency'
In an exclusive interview with Sky Football the following month, Dhanda once again stood up for British South Asians in football, speaking out about the uphill battle against unconscious bias that the community still faces in the elite game.
The Football Association admitted that the under-representation of South Asians in football is 'stark' and could be seen as 'a football emergency'. body.
The FA is now expected to present its first dedicated South Asians in Football plan in early 2025.
Good luck at the end of the season
Millie Chandarana was at it again as she helped Blackburn Rovers to a record number of points in the Women's Championship, while she also claimed her team's Goal of the Season for the second year in a row after her miracle strike against Charlton.
Kira Rai also had a stunning end to the campaign, becoming the first ever British South Asian to win a national trophy with Derby County as the Ewe Rams lifted the FA National Plate.
Hamza Choudhury helped Leicester City win the Championship title and gain promotion to the Premier League under current Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca.
Dhanda and Khela also enjoyed an exciting end to the season as they helped Ross County emerge victorious from the relegation play-off, maintaining the club's status in the Scottish Premiership.
Khela scored the first goal of his senior career in that match, ending his loan adventure in Scotland on a high.
Goalkeeper Jaz Singh – who broke the club's all-time record earlier this year – won the National League North title as Tamworth earned back-to-back promotions and progressed 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 appearing at the home of English football at the Asian Football Awards at Wembley Stadium later that year.
Summer transfers
Dhanda's stunning two-year spell at Ross County earned him a big move to Scottish Premiership Giants Hearts upon the expiry of his contract.
In the English Championship, Danny Batth joined Blackburn Rovers, with Sky Sports News revealing that goalkeeper Rohan Luthra has joined 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 last season.
Chandarana left Blackburn Rovers to join ambitious Nottingham Forest. Birmingham City's Layla Banaras returned to Wolves on a double registration and Zahmena Malik rejoined London Seaward.
Early season milestones
Rai has made a dream start to the new season, with a century of first-team appearances in a Derby shirt, having first joined the club as an U10 player.
Back in Birmingham for the 2024/25 season, Khela announced herself to the Blues fanbase with a sensational long-range winner in a League Cup tie against Charlton, which was voted the best goal in the first round of the competition.
Barnsley midfielder Vimal Yoganathan scored the first goals of his senior career, scoring both of 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, returning to where his football journey began several years ago. He shadowed former Latics boss Roberto Martinez and provided match analysis for the opposition.
Elsewhere, Pav Singh replaced former Jamaican international Clayton Donaldson as manager of Farsley Celtic of the National League North, 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, while Rai was 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
However, a sharp dose of reality arrived for the South Asians in The Game when a racist comment from the crowd was aimed at assistant referee Bhupinder Singh Gill during Portsmouth's 1-1 draw against Oxford United at Fratton Park.
But Markanday's excellent form on loan at Chesterfield and Sonny Perkins' goal in his first league start for Leyton Orient provided optimism towards the end of the year.
Perkins, who joined Orient on a season-long loan 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 country end the year with their highest ever FIFA ranking points total.
Rovers defender Batth made his 500th first-team appearance, while fellow stalwart Mal Benning scored one of the most remarkable goals in English football in 2024, scoring directly from a 60-yard free-kick in his own half in the Shrewsbury Town League One match with Blackpool.
Ronan Maher, who joined Tamworth on loan from Walsall, also impressed as the year drew to a close, scoring an equalizer in the second round of the FA Cup against Burton Albion. Goalkeeper Jaz Singh then saved 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.
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