Steve Prescott

Steve Prescott

Personal information
Full name	Stephen Prescott
Born	(1973-12-26)26 December 1973 St. Helens, Lancashire, England
Died	9 November 2013(2013-11-09) (aged 39) Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Playing information
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	13 st 12 lb (88 kg; 194 lb)
Position	Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1993–97 St. Helens 117 52 66 0 340 1998–99 Hull F.C. 40 15 63 2 188 2000 Wakefield Trinity 25 3 13 0 38 2001–03 Hull F.C. 67 41 134 1 433 Total 249 111 276 3 999 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1996 England 2 3 7 0 26 2000 Ireland 4 1 17 0 38 2003–1 Lancashire 0 0 0 0
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Stephen Prescott MBE (26 December 1973 – 9 November 2013) was a British professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s, and 2000s. He was born in St. Helens, Lancashire and started his professional career with his hometown club, who signed him in 1992. Prescott made his début for St Helens a year later, and soon established himself as the club's first choice fullback. He made his senior international début in 1996, playing both games for England in their 1996 European Championship victory. Also that year he helped Saints win the Championship (Super League I) and Challenge Cup for the first time in two decades. He went on to win a second consecutive Challenge Cup with the club in 1997, but was sold to Hull F.C. at the end of the season.

After spending two years at Hull, Prescott joined Wakefield Trinity (Heritage № 1154) 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. In October 2013 a small group of people started a campaign to get the highest honour in English Rugby League the Man of Steel Award to be renamed after Steve. On 5 March 2014 the RFL announced that the Man of Steel award will be renamed after Steve and is now known as the Steve Prescott Man of Steel Award.