Mick Burke

For other people named Michael Burke, see Michael Burke (disambiguation).

Mick Burke

Personal information
Full name	Michael Burke
Playing information
Position	Fullback
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1978–87	Widnes	308	64	708	2
86/87–88/89	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

Michael "Mick" Burke is an English former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He represented both England and Great Britain whilst playing club football for Widnes.

After playing rugby union in his youth, he 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. He made his international debut for Great Britain in 1980 against New Zealand.^[1]

In his club's 1981 Challenge Cup final victory, Burke scored a try and kicked four goals and was named man-of-the-match, winning the Lance Todd Trophy. 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 was also one of the original thirteen former Widnes players inducted into The Widnes Hall of Fame in 1992.

International honours

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

References

1. ^ "International Player Records". England Rugby League. http://fluidab1.memset.net/~englandr/international_stats.php. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
2. ^ "International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 2008-12-31. http://www.englandrl.co.uk/international_stats.php?GBSearch=Burke&EnSearch=Burke&submit_x=7&submit_y=3&submit.x=7&submit.y=8. Retrieved 2009-01-01. 

External links

• Statistics at rugby.widnes.tv
• Hall Of Fame at rugby.widnes.tv
• Mick Burke at rugbyleagueproject.com
• International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Cumbrians lose Lancashire Cup Final
• Maurice Bamford column

Persondata
Name	Burke, Mick
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