Steve Prescott
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Stephen Prescott | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | St Helens, Lancashire, England | 26 December 1973||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 9 November 2013 Oxford, Oxfordshire, England[1] | (aged 39)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 13 st 12 lb (88 kg)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stephen Prescott MBE (26 December 1973 – 9 November 2013) was a professional rugby league footballer who played as a fullback during the 1990s and 2000s.
Prescott made his début for
After spending two years at Hull, Prescott joined Wakefield Trinity in 2000, but rejoined Hull a year later after being released by Wakefield Trinity due to the club's financial difficulties. He changed his international allegiance to Ireland, who he represented at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. He also made one appearance for Lancashire in 2003, but suffered a serious knee injury while playing for the team, which ultimately ended his playing career.
In 2006, Prescott was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer and was given months to live. He set up the Steve Prescott Foundation in 2007, and went on to organise a series of money-raising initiatives. He raised almost half a million pounds for charity through the foundation, and was awarded an MBE in 2009 for his efforts. After a long battle with the disease, he died in 2013, aged 39. A year later, the
Early life
Steve Prescott was born in St Helens, Lancashire, England on 26 December 1973. He attended De La Salle High School,[6] and he was the son of the rugby league footballer; Eric Prescott. Steve Prescott was introduced to sports from an early age, often playing both football and rugby league on the same weekend.[7] Prescott trialled with several football clubs before opting to focus on rugby league during his teens.[8] He was playing for local amateur side Nutgrove before signing for St Helens in 1992.
Club career
St Helens
Although he was initially deemed too small to make the grade by St Helens,
Prescott won his first silverware during the
Hull F.C.
In February 1998, Prescott made his début for
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Prescott signed for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in 2000, scoring 3 tries in 25 games, but his contract was terminated after one season to ease the club's financial problems. He subsequently rejoined Hull.[19] In April 2001, Prescott was one of 12 former Wakefield Trinity Wildcats players to take the club to an employment tribunal claiming unfair dismissal, and was awarded compensation after the club was found to be in breach of contract.[20]
Return to Hull F.C.
At the start of the 2003's
Representative career
Prescott made his representative début in November 1994, playing at fullback for Great Britain's under-21 side against Australia, who were touring Great Britain and France. Despite Great Britain's heavy 54–10 defeat, Prescott was one of the players singled out for praise, having scored all of the team's points (one try and three goals).[24] In January 1995, he was selected to represent Great Britain in the Rugby League World Sevens.[25] He made a second appearance for the under-21s later that year in a 17–16 loss against France.
In 1996, Prescott played both games for England in the European Championship, including a man of the match performance against France, scoring two tries and kicking seven goals in the 73–6 win, a then-record margin of victory for England.[26] The 22 points scored by Prescott was also an individual record for most points scored in a single match for England until this was surpassed by Richie Myler in 2009.[27] He also scored a try in the deciding game against Wales, helping the team finish as tournament winners with a 26–12 win. Later that year, he was selected in the squad for the Great Britain tour of Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Zealand, but did not feature in any Test matches.[28]
In 1998, Prescott changed his international allegiance to
Prescott also made one appearance for
Personal life
In September 2006, Prescott was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei, a rare form of cancer, and was told that he would not see his two children grow up; he was given months to live. He underwent an emergency operation in Basingstoke Hospital and a tumour was removed from his stomach. In February 2007, a charity boxing event, featuring a bout between Stuart Fielden and Lee Radford, helped raise more than £50,000 in aid of Prescott.[32] In 2013 three weeks before his death he allowed for an experimental surgery under which he had five transplants during 32 hours of operations in an attempt to advance research and help others.[33]
Steve Prescott Foundation
In August 2007, Prescott set up the Steve Prescott Foundation, which aimed to raise funds for two organisations:
He was appointed
Shortly after Prescott's death in 2013, the foundation had raised almost £500,000.
Death and legacy
Steve Prescott died on 9 November 2013,
Honours
Club
International
- European Rugby League Championship: 1996
Individual
- Rugby League Writers' Association Merit Award, 2009[40]
- Mike Gregory Spirit of Rugby League Award, 2009[40]
- Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), 2010[40]
- Honorary doctorate from the University of Hull, 2011[41]
Statistics
Season | Team | Apps | Tries | Goals | DG | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993–94 | St. Helens | 15 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 70 |
1994–95 | 34 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 90 | |
1995–96 | 21 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 62 | |
1996 |
27 | 15 | 17 | 0 | 94 | |
1997 |
20 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24 | |
1998 |
Hull Sharks | 21 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 72 |
1999 |
19 | 7 | 43 | 2 | 116 | |
2000 |
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats | 25 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 38 |
2001 |
Hull F.C. | 26 | 17 | 55 | 1 | 179 |
2002 |
22 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 38 | |
2003 |
19 | 18 | 72 | 0 | 216 | |
Total | 249 | 111 | 276 | 3 | 999 |
References
- ^ a b Hadfield, Dave (15 November 2013). "Steve Prescott: Sportsman who raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity after being diagnosed with terminal cancer". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ a b "Steve Prescott". Hull FC. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "Player Summary: Steve Prescott". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "steveprescottfoundation.co.uk". Steve Prescott Stats. Steve Prescott Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
- ^ a b "Steve Prescott – Obituary". The Telegraph. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ a b c Service, Alex. "Stephen Prescott The Life and Times of a true Sporting Legend". Steve Prescott Foundation. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ^ Critchley, Mike (9 November 2013). "Steve Prescott was one in a million". St Helens Star. Newsquest (North West). Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ISBN 978-1-904091-84-4.
- ^ a b c Dooley, Dave; Service, Alex. "Steve Prescott". Saints Heritage Society. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ Hadfield, Dave (24 December 1993). "Rugby League: Hughes has early look at Wigan". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ Hadfield, Dave (7 January 1995). "Fearless Prescott on growth curve". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ProQuest 294885996.
- ^ a b "Obituary: Steve Prescott MBE (1973–2013)". TotalRL.com. League Publications. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "13th January 1996: St Helens 16 Wigan 25 (Regal Trophy Final)". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ Hadfield, Dave (7 May 1997). "Rugby League: Martyn has more cause to celebrate". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
- ^ "News in brief: Rugby league". The Guardian. 9 January 1997. p. 22.
- ^ Hadfield, Dave (12 September 1999). "Prescott on salvage mission". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ Hadfield, Dave (9 September 2000). "Wakefield's spirit is intact". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ^ "Goodway calls for aid package". BBC Sport. 24 April 2001. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
- ^ "Prescott signs Hull deal". BBC Sport. 12 June 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "Injury finishes Prescott". BBC Sport. 18 June 2004. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ "Super League VIII 2003 – Hull FC". Rugby League Project. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ProQuest 318205450.
- ^ Hadfield, Dave (13 January 1995). "Rugby League: Offiah leads way to Sevens". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
- ProQuest 295003441.
- Independent.co.uk. 13 June 2009. Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2022.
- ^ Wilson, Andy (17 December 2013). "Steve Prescott obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ "Rugby League: Irish welcome Prescott". The Independent. 28 June 1998. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ProQuest 312232821.
- ^ Ledger, John (17 December 2003). "Prescott optimistic of making Hull return". Yorkshire Post. Johnston Press. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "Radford wins £50,000 charity bout". BBC Sport. 3 February 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ "Steve Prescott: Dying rugby league star had surgery to help save others". BBC News. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "No. 59282". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2009. p. 21.
- ^ BBC Sport, "Rugby League star Steve Prescott dies of stomach cancer, aged 39", 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013
- ^ "St Helens and Hull FC to compete for Steve Prescott Cup". BBC Sport. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ^ Campbell, James (19 February 2014). "'Man of Steel Steve Prescott Award' petition handed into Rugby League HQ in honour of Hull FC legend". Hull Daily Mail. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ "Man of Steel award to be re-named in memory of the late Steve Prescott". Sky Sports. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ BBC Sport, "Bridge in St Helens renamed after player Steve Prescott", 16 January 2014 Retrieved 16 January 2014
- ^ a b c "Cancer battler Steve Prescott awarded MBE". St Helens Reporter. 31 December 2009. Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ^ "Former Hull FC player honoured by university". BBC News. 12 July 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
External links
- Profile at saints.org.uk
- (archived by web.archive.org) Ireland 2000 RLWC squad
- (archived by web.archive.org) Statistics at slstats.org
- 2001 Super League Team-by-team guide