Mick Burke

Mick Burke
Personal information
Full name Michael Burke
Playing information
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Waterloo R.F.C.
Rugby league
Position Fullback, Wing, Stand-off/Five-eighth
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1978–87 Widnes 308 64 708 2
1987–89 Oldham 50 9 56 1 149
Total 358 73 764 3 149
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1980–86 Great Britain 15 0 10 0 20
1984 England 1 1 4 0 12
Lancashire

Michael "Mick" Burke is an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, and '80s. A Great Britain, and England international representative fullback, he played his club rugby for Widnes and Oldham.

Biography

1970s

After playing rugby union in his youth for Waterloo R.F.C., Burke turned professional and started playing for Widnes in 1978. Playing mostly on the Wing in his first season, Burke helped his club to win the Lancashire Cup, the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy and the Challenge Cup. He also kicked the winning penalty goal in a close match against a touring Australian side. That season Burke not only broke Ray Dutton's goal-scoring record, with 140 goals from his 47 games, but also Harry Dawson's long-standing points record for a season. Mick amassed 316 points, beating the old record by 34 points. The following season, Burke took over the Fullback role at Widnes. Burke played Left-Wing, i.e. number 5, scored a try, and 4-conversions in Widnes' 12–3 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the 1979 Challenge Cup final during the 1978–79 season at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 5 May 1979.

Burke played Left-Wing, i.e. number 5, and scored 3-conversions in Widnes' 15-13 victory over Workington Town in the 1978 Lancashire Cup final during the 1978–79 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 7 October 1978, and played Left-Wing, and scored 2-conversions in the 11-0 victory over Workington Town in the 1979 Lancashire Cup final during the 1979–80 season at The Willows, Salford on Saturday 8 December 1979.

1980s

Burke made his international début for Great Britain in 1980 against New Zealand.[1] Burke played Fullback, scored a try, and 4-conversions, and was named Man of the match, winning the Lance Todd Trophy in the 18–9 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers in the 1981 Challenge Cup final during the 1980–81 season at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 2 May 1981. In 1982 he was man-of-the-match in Widnes' Premiership final win against Hull. Burke had earned a spot in the Great Britain side that toured Australia and New Zealand in 1984.

Burke played Fullback in the 3-8 defeat by Leigh in the 1981 Lancashire Cup final during the 1981–82 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 26 September 1981, and played Fullback in the 8-12 defeat by Barrow in the 1983 Lancashire Cup final during the 1983–84 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday Saturday 1 October 1983.

Burke won a cap for England while at Widnes in 1984 against Wales.[2]

Burke played in the 19–6 victory over Wigan in the 1983–84 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 5 May 1984.

Burke won caps for Great Britain while at Widnes in 1980 against New Zealand, in 1981 against France (sub), and France; in 1983 against France, in 1984 against Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (3 matches), and Papua New Guinea, in 1985 against New Zealand (3 matches), and in 1986 against France.[3]

Burke was one of the original thirteen former Widnes players inducted into The Widnes Hall of Fame in 1992.

References

  1. ↑ "International Player Records". England Rugby League. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  2. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.

External links