Mike Stephenson
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Stephenson, also commonly known as Stevo, (born 27 January 1947 in Dewsbury
, West Yorkshire
) is an English
Rugby League World Cup
winning Rugby League, and presenter/commentator on British satellite television channel Sky Sports
who also represented Great Britain
in the sport.
Stevo, the nickname that he is commonly known as on TV and in rugby league circles, played at club level for English club Dewsbury
and Australian side Penrith
, and also played representative rugby league for the Yorkshire
county team. Stephenson played in the specialist role for the vast majority of his playing career.
Mike Stephenson was responsible for the setting-up of the Rugby League Heritage Centre
at the George Hotel
, Huddersfield
.
debut in Castleford
in 1971, against the touring New Zealand
side. His greatest moment in international rugby league, however, was being a member of Great Britain's victorious 1972 World Cup
-winning side that won the trophy in France
; Stevo scored a try against Australia in the final.
Stephenson won caps for Great Britain
while at Dewsbury in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France, and in the 1972 World Cup against Australia, France, New Zealand, and Australia.
Stephenson's time in the Dewsbury first team coincided with an upturn in the club's fortunes on the pitch, culminating with the team winning the British Rugby Football League Championship in the 1972–73 season. He left Dewsbury after their championship winning season in 1973 to join Australian Rugby League
outfit Penrith
. He played 169 games for the Panthers 1974-78, scoring 21 tries. Stevo was also player-coach of the side for a brief, unsuccessful spell. He ended his playing career in 1978 and settled in Sydney
.
with Eddie Hemmings
.
In 1990, Stevo joined the new UK satellite television broadcaster BSB
as a match summariser for its Rugby League coverage. At BSB, he joined up again with Hemmings, who had also been signed up by the broadcaster. The pairing were kept together when BSB and Sky Television
merged to form BSkyB in 1991; the combined satellite TV network inherited BSB's rugby league TV contract.
Stevo was a massive supporter of the creation of Super League
, the elite northern hemisphere club rugby competition which started in the British spring of 1996.
Eddie & Stevo are still the main presenters and commentators on Sky Sports' Super League coverage; they are arguably one of the most recognisable sports commentary teams on British television.
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
winning Rugby League, and presenter/commentator on British satellite television channel Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
who also represented 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"....
in the sport.
Stevo, the nickname that he is commonly known as on TV and in rugby league circles, played at club level for English club Dewsbury
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
and Australian side Penrith
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
, and also played representative rugby league for the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
county team. Stephenson played in the specialist role for the vast majority of his playing career.
Mike Stephenson was responsible for the setting-up of the Rugby League Heritage Centre
Rugby League Heritage Centre
The Rugby League Heritage Centre is located in the basement of the George Hotel, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is the UK’s only rugby league heritage museum and was the brainchild of BSkyB sports presenter and former Great Britain international Mike Stephenson.It was in the George...
at the George Hotel
George Hotel, Huddersfield
The George Hotel, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, situated in the centre of the city, is a Grade II listed building famous as the birthplace of rugby league football....
, Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
.
Playing career
Stephenson began his professional playing career at his hometown club Dewsbury in 1966, after being signed from local amateur club Shaw Cross. He went on to make his Great BritainGreat 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"....
debut in Castleford
The Jungle (Wheldon Road)
The Jungle is the former name of Wheldon Road, a stadium in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. This is the home of the Castleford Tigers rugby league team....
in 1971, against the touring New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
side. His greatest moment in international rugby league, however, was being a member of Great Britain's victorious 1972 World Cup
1972 Rugby League World Cup
The sixth Rugby League World Cup was held in France in October and November of 1972. Australia started as the favourites to retain the trophy they had won just two years previously. New Zealand had beaten all three of the other nations in 1971 and France were expected to be tough opponents on their...
-winning side that won the trophy in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; Stevo scored a try against Australia in the final.
Stephenson won caps for 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"....
while at Dewsbury in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France, and in the 1972 World Cup against Australia, France, New Zealand, and Australia.
Stephenson's time in the Dewsbury first team coincided with an upturn in the club's fortunes on the pitch, culminating with the team winning the British Rugby Football League Championship in the 1972–73 season. He left Dewsbury after their championship winning season in 1973 to join Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
outfit Penrith
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
. He played 169 games for the Panthers 1974-78, scoring 21 tries. Stevo was also player-coach of the side for a brief, unsuccessful spell. He ended his playing career in 1978 and settled in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Broadcasting career
Stevo began his broadcasting career in Australia with brief spells at radio and television stations in Sydney. He first appeared on British airwaves in 1988, when he was invited to co-commentate on the rugby league Ashes series in Australia for BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
with Eddie Hemmings
Eddie Hemmings (rugby league)
Eddie Leslie Bruce Hemmings presents Sky Sports rugby league coverage, and is also the channel's main commentator for the sport. Hailing from Warrington, Cheshire, England, Hemmings is usually partnered by the idiosyncratic co-commentator Mike Stephenson....
.
British Satellite Broadcasting
British Satellite Broadcasting was a British television company which provided direct broadcast satellite television services to the United Kingdom...
as a match summariser for its Rugby League coverage. At BSB, he joined up again with Hemmings, who had also been signed up by the broadcaster. The pairing were kept together when BSB and Sky Television
Sky Television plc
Sky Television plc was a public limited company which operated its four-channel satellite television service, launched by Rupert Murdoch's News International on 5 February 1989...
merged to form BSkyB in 1991; the combined satellite TV network inherited BSB's rugby league TV contract.
Stevo was a massive supporter of the creation of Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
, the elite northern hemisphere club rugby competition which started in the British spring of 1996.
Eddie & Stevo are still the main presenters and commentators on Sky Sports' Super League coverage; they are arguably one of the most recognisable sports commentary teams on British television.