Sam Reay
Encyclopedia
Sam Reay is a professional rugby league
player who currently plays for Swinton
. His position is full back/centre, but has played loose forward, winger, hooker and scrum half.
High School in Wigan
.
Sam gained Rugby League
international and representative experience with both England and Lancashire schoolboys.
as a reserve grade player.
He switched codes to play Rugby Union
for the famous Orrell R.U.F.C.
Rugby Union Club alongside current England Rugby player Nick Easter
. Orrell R.U.F.C.
were relegated for two consecutive years and after many broken promises by the Orrell club Sam moved on to Rugby Union
club West Park St Helens
. During the 2006–07 seasons Wigan
approached Sam about a possible code switch back to Rugby League
. He re-signed for Wigan during the 2007 season, playing Full Back for the reserves.
He made his first team debut for Wigan on the 13th of January 2008 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium
against Warrington
. He made two further appreances for the first team in games against Bradford
and Widnes
.
Sam went out on loan to National League Two side Doncaster playing five games. He returned to Wigan for the remainder of the 2008 season.
Sam left Wigan at the end of the 2008 season. Joining local rivals Leigh
with a promise for more first team football. Sam became unsettled at the club and moved to Blackpool
in August 2009. He has settled in fast shining in his club debut, much to the enjoyment of the Blackpool faithful. Despite this wonderful start to his Blackpool career, Sam announced that he will be leaving the club for the 2010 season.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player who currently plays for 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:...
. His position is full back/centre, but has played loose forward, winger, hooker and scrum half.
Early life
He is a former pupil of GolborneGolborne
Golborne is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.It lies south-southeast of Wigan, northeast of Warrington and to the west of the city of Manchester. It has a population of 23,119....
High School in Wigan
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...
.
Sam gained Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
international and representative experience with both England and Lancashire schoolboys.
Professional career
Sam started his professional career after signing for WiganWigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
as a reserve grade player.
He switched codes to play Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for the famous Orrell R.U.F.C.
Orrell R.U.F.C.
Orrell Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union team from the Orrell area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester.The club were founded in 1927, holding a place in the top-tier of rugby union from 1986 to 1997.-1927–1939:...
Rugby Union Club alongside current England Rugby player Nick Easter
Nick Easter
Nick Easter is a rugby union rugby player who plays at No. 8 or Flanker for Harlequins and England.He is the brother of Sale Sharks player Mark Easter and the nephew of author Anne Easter Smith. His father John, played squash professionally and reached number 1 in Britain and No.9 in the world...
. Orrell R.U.F.C.
Orrell R.U.F.C.
Orrell Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union team from the Orrell area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester.The club were founded in 1927, holding a place in the top-tier of rugby union from 1986 to 1997.-1927–1939:...
were relegated for two consecutive years and after many broken promises by the Orrell club Sam moved on to Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club West Park St Helens
West Park St Helens
West Park St Helens is a Rugby Union club based in St Helens, Merseyside. They currently play in the North 1 League.-Early years:West Park RFC was formerly established in August 1947 at a meeting held in the Black Bull Hotel, though occasional matches had been played the previous season under the...
. During the 2006–07 seasons Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
approached Sam about a possible code switch back to Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. He re-signed for Wigan during the 2007 season, playing Full Back for the reserves.
He made his first team debut for Wigan on the 13th of January 2008 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium
Halliwell Jones Stadium
Halliwell Jones Stadium is a rugby league stadium in Warrington, England that is the home ground of Warrington Wolves. It has also staged Challenge Cup semi-finals, the European Nations Final and the National League Grand Finals' Day....
against 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....
. He made two further appreances for the first team in games against Bradford
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
and Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
.
Sam went out on loan to National League Two side Doncaster playing five games. He returned to Wigan for the remainder of the 2008 season.
Sam left Wigan at the end of the 2008 season. Joining local rivals Leigh
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
with a promise for more first team football. Sam became unsettled at the club and moved to Blackpool
Blackpool Panthers
Blackpool & The Fylde Panthers RLFC was an English professional rugby league club based in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire. They played at Woodlands Memorial Ground owned by Fylde rugby union club...
in August 2009. He has settled in fast shining in his club debut, much to the enjoyment of the Blackpool faithful. Despite this wonderful start to his Blackpool career, Sam announced that he will be leaving the club for the 2010 season.