Outstanding contributions made by British South Asians at every level of British football from grass roots to the Premier League have been celebrated at the Asian Football Awards.
The event, which is supported by the Premier League and football organisations including PGMOL and The FA, highlights the impact of individuals from the South Asian community, as well as being a platform to drive change and inspire future generations.
Players, coaches, match officials, community figures and industry professionals were recognised as part of an awards ceremony held at Wembley Stadium.
Premier League honours for Academy staff
There were three recipients of the inaugural Academy Award, sponsored by the Premier League, which is presented to individuals for outstanding contributions within the Academy system, both on and off the pitch.
Manisha Tailor MBE – International Development Coach, Tottenham Hotspur
Before moving to Spurs, Manisha blazed a trail during eight years at Queens Park Rangers, where she became the first woman of South Asian heritage to hold a position as Head of Coach Development for the boy’s academy and also worked with England women's development teams.
Manisha took part in the Premier League’s Elite Coach Apprenticeship Scheme (ECAS), a two-year development programme designed to elevate the quality of Academy coaches and has been vocal in her belief that it should be commonplace that leadership positions are reflective of society. Her award was received by her former QPR colleague Chris Ramsey.
Ashvir Singh Johal - Senior Professional Development Phase Coach, Notts County
During the the 2022/23 season, Ashvir became the first Sikh-Punjabi in the dugout in his role as first-team coach at Championship side Wigan Athletic alongside manager Kolo Toure, using his visibility to provide inspiration to others.
In his current role as B Team Head Coach at Notts County, Ashvir creates an environment where young people can thrive, helping players aged 16-21 to develop at the club. His coaching journey began at hometown Leicester City, where he spent eight years as an Academy Coach and participated in ECAS.
Jazz Sodhi - Head of Academy Sports Medicine & Science, Aston Villa
Experienced physiotherapist Jazz uses his expertise to optimise athlete health and wellbeing to minimise time loss and maximise performance. He has been involved in professional football for more than 15 years, having previously been first-team physio for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Jazz’s participation in the Premier League’s Academy Leaders programme underscores his commitment to advancing diversity and leadership within football.
Neil Saunders, Director of Football at the Premier League, commented: “It was great to be able to celebrate the fantastic work of individuals from the South Asian community, including Manisha, Ashvir and Jazz’s success, through a dedicated awards evening.
“Their journeys within football are an inspiration to others and demonstrate how South Asian communities have got a massive role to play in football now and in the future.
“Through our South Asian Action Plan, which launched three years ago, the Premier League is committed to addressing the underrepresentation of British South Asians across English football, including enhancing player pathways and the diversity of the workforce.
“In collaboration with Kick It Out and local communities, we continue to develop ways to break down barriers to participation. Last season, we engaged more than 1,000 young players in emerging talent festivals across the country, aimed at increasing the number of South Asian footballers playing academy football and on the professional pathway.”
Football Awards for Choudhury, Dhanda and Rai
The Men’s Player Award was shared by Leicester’s Hamza Choudhury and Yan Dhanda of Heart of Midlothian, the latter spending time developing his game in the Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion Academies.
Derby County Women winger Kira Rai was honoured with the Women’s Player Award for her outstanding contributions to the game, having made more than 100 appearances for the club and championing players of Punjabi background.
The Young Player accolade, for Under-23s, went to Iraq international Zidane Iqbal, who is at Dutch Eredivisie side Utrecht after a transfer from Manchester United.
Sunny Singh Gill, who last season became the first South Asian to referee a Premier League match, was recognised as Match Official of the Year.
Baljit Rihal, founder of the Asian Football Awards, said: "It was amazing seeing so many people from across the South Asian community who are involved in the world of football here in the UK.
“All of the shortlisted individuals, not only the winners, have so many inspirational stories to tell. We are glad that, through the awards platform, we are able to amplify their voices so that their stories can inspire future generations.
“The support from major football organisations was a show of unity for the South Asian under-representation cause.”
Asian Football Awards 2024 Winners:
Community Club Award - Punjab United
FA Grassroots Award - Shahid Malji (Super 5 League London)
Match Official of the Year - Sunny Singh Gill
Inclusion Project Award - The FA (Faith in Football/South Asian Inclusion)
Media Award - Dev Trehan (Sky Sports News)
Premier League Academy Award - Manisha Tailor (Tottenham Hotspur), Ashvir Johal (Notts County) & Jazz Sodhi (Aston Villa)
Inspiration Award - Rashid Abba (West Ham United)
Professional Coach Award - Shadab Iftikhar (Wigan Athletic)
Young Player (U23) Award - Zidane Iqbal (FC Utrecht)
Founders Special Recognition Award - Vinay Menon (Wellness Coach - former Chelsea FC and Belgium World Cup team)
Men’s Player Award - Joint Winners: Yan Dhanda (Hearts) and Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City)
Women’s Player Award - Kira Rai (Derby County Women’s FC)
Fan Group Award - Punjabi Villans (Aston Villa)
Special Recognition – Voluntary Services to Officiating - Rashpal Shergill