Mike Gregory
Encyclopedia
Michael Keith "Mike" Gregory (20 May 1964 – 19 November 2007), was a rugby league player and later coach; the former head coach of Wigan
and player for Warrington
and Great Britain
.
and Great Britain
, gaining over 20 caps for the Lions. He captained a Great Britain tour to New Zealand
.
He made his Warrington début on 5 September 1982 and playing his last game on 12 February 1994, Making 222 1st team starts and 24 substitute appearances and scoring 45 tries and a total points of 176.
at Warrington
took place in 1994.
at St. Helens. He spent three successful seasons at Saints between 1996–98, before taking the head coach job at Swinton
. He later joined Wigan, taking charge of the Senior Academy
in 2001. He led the youngsters to first place in the 2002 Academy Championship, before being promoted to assistant coach for the 2003 season.
Following the departure of head coach Stuart Raper
in July 2003, Mike was appointed head coach until the end of the 2003 season. After Raper's announcement, Gregory had announced his intention to run for the job permanently. He spent three months as caretaker coach, remaining unbeaten for 11 matches and guiding Wigan into the Grand Final - becoming the first side from outside the top two to make it all the way - before being awarded the job full time on a 2 year contract. It was the first time since Colin Clarke, in 1985, that a Wigan-born man has coached Wigan.
Gregory has international coaching experience with Wales
in the 1995 World Cup
. He also guided the England Academy team to a historic series victory against the Australian Schoolboys in 2002. He was assistant coach of the Lancashire Origin squad for 2003 and was also appointed as head coach of Scotland for the 2003 European Nations' Cup.
, a form of motor neurone disease
affecting his nerves and muscle
s which he had possibly contracted as early as 2001. The illness blocks signals from the brain getting to muscles, causing weight-loss and affecting speech. Gregory went to the USA for a week in May 2004 to receive specialist treatment. Ian Millward
was appointed as head coach of Wigan while Mike was still recovering from his illness. It is believed that during rugby league duties in Australia in 2003, when Mike was a coach, he was bitten by a tick which was carrying an infection known as Borrelia
.
Though Mike was totally unaware of the bite, he later developed a large red-ring rash, unbeknown to him at the time that this rash was the hallmark for Borrelia (the causative agent of Lymes Disease) – and ushered in the beginning of the biggest fight of his life.
Mike felt that during 2004, he was able to return but the club blocked his return to work. This resulted in Mike taking Wigan and the club's owner Dave Whelan to court
claiming that Wigan should have done more to help him carry on. The case was settled by the two parties out of court with Wigan agreeing to pay Gregory £17,500. After the settlement Mike Gregory said:
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and player for Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
and Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
.
Playing career
Mike had a distinguished playing career captaining both WarringtonWarrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
and Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
, gaining over 20 caps for the Lions. He captained a Great Britain tour to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
He made his Warrington début on 5 September 1982 and playing his last game on 12 February 1994, Making 222 1st team starts and 24 substitute appearances and scoring 45 tries and a total points of 176.
Testimonial match
Mike Gregory's Testimonial matchTestimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
at Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
took place in 1994.
Coaching career
Gregory started his coaching career as assistant to Shaun McRaeShaun McRae
Shaun McRae is a rugby league coach, who is currently the director of rugby at hull fc after a spell with the Salford City Reds.-Career:...
at St. Helens. He spent three successful seasons at Saints between 1996–98, before taking the head coach job at Swinton
Swinton Lions
Swinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...
. He later joined Wigan, taking charge of the Senior Academy
Wigan Warriors Youth Development
Wigan Warriors Youth Development is the youth system of the Rugby League Football club Wigan Warriors. It is one of the most famous and successful youth system for rugby league and has produced some of the best players in both rugby league and rugby union. The Wigan Warriors Youth Development...
in 2001. He led the youngsters to first place in the 2002 Academy Championship, before being promoted to assistant coach for the 2003 season.
Following the departure of head coach Stuart Raper
Stuart Raper
Stuart Raper is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach. He has since become a sideline commentator for the NRL with Foxsports...
in July 2003, Mike was appointed head coach until the end of the 2003 season. After Raper's announcement, Gregory had announced his intention to run for the job permanently. He spent three months as caretaker coach, remaining unbeaten for 11 matches and guiding Wigan into the Grand Final - becoming the first side from outside the top two to make it all the way - before being awarded the job full time on a 2 year contract. It was the first time since Colin Clarke, in 1985, that a Wigan-born man has coached Wigan.
Gregory has international coaching experience with Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
in the 1995 World Cup
1995 World Cup
1995 World Cup may refer to:*1995 Rugby World Cup, held in South Africa for rugby union*1995 Rugby League World Cup, held in England and Wales for rugby league*1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, held in Sweden for women's football...
. He also guided the England Academy team to a historic series victory against the Australian Schoolboys in 2002. He was assistant coach of the Lancashire Origin squad for 2003 and was also appointed as head coach of Scotland for the 2003 European Nations' Cup.
Illness
In 2004, it was revealed that Gregory had been suffering from progressive muscular atrophyProgressive muscular atrophy
Progressive muscular atrophy is a rare subtype of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or motor neurone disease which affects only the lower motor neurones. PMA is thought to account for around 4% of all ALS/MND cases...
, a form of motor neurone disease
Motor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
affecting his nerves and muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
s which he had possibly contracted as early as 2001. The illness blocks signals from the brain getting to muscles, causing weight-loss and affecting speech. Gregory went to the USA for a week in May 2004 to receive specialist treatment. Ian Millward
Ian Millward
Ian Millward is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. Millward is currently the head coach at Super League side Castleford....
was appointed as head coach of Wigan while Mike was still recovering from his illness. It is believed that during rugby league duties in Australia in 2003, when Mike was a coach, he was bitten by a tick which was carrying an infection known as Borrelia
Borrelia
Borrelia is a genus of bacteria of the spirochete phylum. It causes borreliosis, a zoonotic, vector-borne disease transmitted primarily by ticks and some by lice, depending on the species...
.
Though Mike was totally unaware of the bite, he later developed a large red-ring rash, unbeknown to him at the time that this rash was the hallmark for Borrelia (the causative agent of Lymes Disease) – and ushered in the beginning of the biggest fight of his life.
Controversy
In September 2004 there were reports that Mike's illness would prevent him from returning to his job at Wigan. Maurice Lindsay said that Wigan would continue to employ and pay Mike while he was on sick leave and then wait on advice from medical advisers.Mike felt that during 2004, he was able to return but the club blocked his return to work. This resulted in Mike taking Wigan and the club's owner Dave Whelan to court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
claiming that Wigan should have done more to help him carry on. The case was settled by the two parties out of court with Wigan agreeing to pay Gregory £17,500. After the settlement Mike Gregory said: