Mark Preston (rugby)

Mark Preston (born 3 April 1967) is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer who played as a winger. He started his career with Fylde RFC in rugby union, and represented England B. He switched to rugby league in 1988, where he played for Wigan, Halifax and Widnes, and also represented Lancashire.

Mark Preston

Personal information
Born	(1967-04-04) 4 April 1967 (age 57) Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England
Playing information
Rugby union
Position	Wing
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P Preston Grasshoppers Fylde RFC Total 0 0 0 0 0 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1988 England B 1
Rugby league
Position	Wing
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1988–91 Wigan 84 57 0 0 228 1991–96 Halifax 1996 Widnes 8 4 0 0 16 Total 92 61 0 0 244 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1988–89 Lancashire 2 1 0 0 4
Source: ^[1]^[2]

Early life

Preston was born in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire.^[3] He attended Kirkham Grammar School, where he began playing rugby union.^[4]

Playing career

Rugby union

After leaving school, Preston continued playing rugby union with Preston Grasshoppers before later joining Fylde RFC. He was the country's leading try scorer during the 1987–88 season, and received a call up for the England B team,^[5] scoring a try in a 35–9 win against Italy B at Welford Road, Leicester on 4 March 1988.^[6] A few days later he switched codes to rugby league, signing a contract with Wigan.^[7]

Rugby league

Preston made his debut for Wigan on 1 April 1988 in a 10–9 win against local rivals St Helens,^[8] and scored his first try for the club a few days later in a 42–16 victory against Swinton.^[9] Later that month, he scored five tries in a 62–10 win against Hunslet.^[10]

Preston's best season for Wigan came in the 1989–90 season. He was the club's top try scorer with 32 tries in 41 appearances,^[11] helping the club win the league championship that season. He also played for Wigan in the 1989–90 Regal Trophy final victory against Halifax, and scored two tries in the club's 36–14 win against Warrington in the 1990 Challenge Cup final.

In June 1991, he was transferred to Halifax for a fee of £50,000.^[12]

References

1. "Mark Preston - Playing Career". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
2. "Player Summary: Mark Preston". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
3. "Preston hops to success". Manchester Evening News. 11 October 1988. p. 58 – via British Newspaper Archive.
4. "Sports History". Kirkham Grammar School. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
5. "Cusworth called up after all". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 2 March 1988. p. 18 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Shadows set right example". Leicester Mercury. 5 March 1988. p. 51 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "Union's try king signs for Wigan". Liverpool Echo. 9 March 1988. p. 38 – via British Newspaper Archive.
8. . Cherryandwhite.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
9. "Preston opens his Wigan account". The Guardian. London. 5 April 1988. p. 13. ProQuest 186897433.
10. "Preston runs Hunslet ragged". The Guardian. 18 April 1988. p. 12. ProQuest 186872305.
11. "1989-90 season: In stats". Wigan Warriors. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
12. "Blease agrees a new deal". Manchester Evening News. 14 June 1991. p. 70 – via British Newspaper Archive.