Martin Gleeson

Martin Gleeson

Gleeson playing for Warrington in 2007
Personal information
Born	25 May 1980 (1980-05-25) (age 31) Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	95 kg (14 st 13 lb) [1]
Playing information
Position	Centre, Stand-off/Five-eighth
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1999–01	Huddersfield Giants	56	18	0	0	72
2001–04	St. Helens	57	25	0	0	100
2004–09	Warrington Wolves	110	44	0	0	176
2009–2011	Wigan Warriors	51	22	0	0	88
2011	Hull	7	5	0	0	20
	Total	281	114	0	0	456
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2002–07	Great Britain	20	3	0	0	12
2008	England	6	8	0	0	32
As of 4 October 2009
Source: Rugby League Project

Martin Gleeson is an English professional rugby league footballer, who plays for Hull in the Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative Centre, and Stand-off/Five-eighth, he previously played for Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants, St. Helens (with whom he won the 2002 Super League championship and 2004 Challenge Cup) and Warrington. His brother, Mark Gleeson, is also a rugby league player who plays for Halifax.

Early life

Gleeson was born in Wigan on 25 May 1980. Much of his early rugby development took place in Australia, where he emigrated with his family at age 10 to live in Queensland, where he played his junior rugby league for the Logan Brothers club based in Woodridge, Queensland.^[2] He returned to England aged 17 and embarked on a professional career, signing for Huddersfield Giants in 1999.

Club career

Huddersfield Giants (1999–2001)

St Helens RLFC (2002–2004)

After three seasons with the Giants he left the club after their relegation from Super League in 2001, and signed for St. Helens. In 2002 he won the Super League Grand Final.

Injury lay off disrupted him in 2003. He opened the 2004 season for St. Helens, and won the Challenge Cup against Wigan Warriors at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. He and teammate Sean Long were later involved in a betting scandal that saw both players fined and suspended for the last four months of the 2004 season.^[3]

Warrington Wolves (2005–2009)

Whilst serving his suspension, Gleeson was signed by Warrington Wolves for a club record fee reported in the region of £200,000, and made his debut for the Wolves in the 2005 season. Gleeson enjoyed a fine first season for the Wolves, recording a personal best scoring tally of 17 tries in 27 Super League appearances, and he was named as a centre in the Super League Dream Team 2005. Gleeson was also heavily involved in providing scores for his winger partner, New Zealand international Henry Fa'afili. Gleeson signed a two year extension until 2011. However on the 4th April, 2009 he signed for local rivals, the Wigan Warriors, on a three and a half year deal.

Wigan Warriors (2009–2011)

Seven rounds into the 2009 season, with both Warrington and Wigan at the time drifting outside of play-off positions, Gleeson was transferred to the Wigan Warriors on a 3½ year contract, with fullback Richie Mathers moving the other way in return. Gleeson was an integral part of Wigan's 2010 season, scoring two tries as they claimed the Grand Final victory over his former club St. Helens.^[4]

His start of the 2011 season came against St Helens RLFC in the first regular round.^[5] He also featured in the side's win at Bradford Bulls but had to be taken off in the first half due to a hamstring injury.^[6] He recovered in time for the World Club Challenge fixture against St George Illawarra Dragons, but was ineffective and again had to be withdrawn during the match due to the injury.^[7] Prior to the match, the Manchester Evening News reported that in December 2010, Gleeson had contacted the police alleging he was the victim of blackmail but had decided to drop the charge.^[8] Amid growing speculation, the club released a statement saying he had left his hometown club with immediate effect citing his injury, disciplinary problems and a "serious distraction in his personal life"^[9] as the reasons for the departure.

Hull FC (2011–present)

Gleeson signed for Super League club Hull FC on Thursday 15th April on an 18 month contract, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2012 season. He made a try scoring debut in the 36 - 18 thrashing of bitter city rivals Hull KR in the good Friday derby at the KC Stadium.

Representative career

He made his debut for Great Britain against Australia in Sydney in July 2002, also participating in the test series against New Zealand at the end of the season.

Although he missed seven games between July and September, he came back at the end of the 2003 season to win back his place in the Great Britain squad after a fine performance for England A against the touring Australians.

In September 2008 he was named in the England training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,^[10] and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man England squad.^[11]

He was chosen for the England team to face Wales at the Keepmoat Stadium prior to England's departure for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.^[12]

References

1. ^ "Hull F.C.". web page. Hull F.C.. http://www.hullfc.com/personnel.aspx?pr=219180. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
2. ^ Ricketts, Steve (2008-10-17). "England centre Martin Gleeson wants NRL spot in 2010". http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,24512252-5003409,00.html. 
3. ^ "Tri-Nations: Great Britain profiles". Daily Mail (London). 19 October 2004. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-322576/Tri-Nations-Great-Britain-profiles.html. Retrieved 14 February 2011. 
4. ^ "St Helens 10-22 Wigan". BBC News. 2 October 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/9037764.stm. 
5. ^ Scott, Ged (12 February 2011). "St Helens 16-16 Wigan". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/9393298.stm. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
6. ^ "Bradford 10 Wigan 44: match report". The Daily Telegraph (London). 20 February 2011. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/8337082/Bradford-10-Wigan-44-match-report.html. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
7. ^ Wilson, Andy (27 February 2011). "Wigan Warriors make brave attempt but Dragons are still worlds apart". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/feb/27/wigan-st-george-illawarra-world-club-challenge. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
8. ^ Keegan, Mike (25 February 2011). "Wigan rugby league star Martin Gleeson 'received death threats in blackmail plot'". Manchester Evening News. http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1409264_wigan_rugby_league_star_martin_gleeson_received_death_threats_in_blackmail_plot. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
9. ^ "Wigan Warriors part with troubled Martin Gleeson". BBC. 4 March 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/wigan/9415552.stm. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
10. ^ "Myler gets England call". England Rugby League. 2008-09-29. http://www.englandrl.co.uk/article.php?id=11890. Retrieved 2008-10-03. 
11. ^ "Purdham earns World Cup call-up". BBC. 2008-10-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7656553.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
12. ^ "Gleeson to lead new-look England". BBC. 2008-10-09. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7642490.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-10. 

External links

• Wigan Warriors profile
• Warrington Wolves profile
• International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
• Martin Gleeson Wigan Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.
• Wigan Warriors fans profile

Persondata
Name	Gleeson, Martin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	25 May 1980
Place of birth	Wigan, Greater Manchester
Date of death
Place of death