Steve Prescott

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 St Helens in 1993, 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, and touring with Great Britain in the Southern Hemisphere. In the same year, he also helped St Helens 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 Sharks at the end of the season.

After spending two years at Hull, Prescott joined Wakefield Trinity in 2000, but re-joined 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 Rugby Football League renamed the Man of Steel Award in Prescott's honour.