Steve Prescott
A courageous fullback whose legacy transcends sport, defined by an inspirational fight against a rare cancer that united rugby league.
1973–2013 (age 40)·England & Ireland international rugby league footballer·Birthday: December 26·Generation X
Biography
Steve Prescott's story is one of two profound battles. On the field, he was a dynamic and reliable fullback, making over 200 appearances for St Helens and Hull FC in the English Super League and earning caps for both England and Ireland. His career was marked by consistency and a keen attacking sense. In 2006, his life took a dramatic turn when he was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei. With the same determination he showed on the pitch, Prescott refused to be defined by his illness. He established the Steve Prescott Foundation, embarking on a series of extraordinary physical challenges—from marathon runs to grueling hikes—raising millions for charity. His incredible spirit and fundraising efforts earned him the Man of Steel award in 2010, an honor usually reserved for on-field excellence, cementing his status as a true hero of the rugby league community.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Steve was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Steve Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Steve's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Founded the Steve Prescott Foundation, which has raised millions of pounds for charitable causes.
- Awarded the Man of Steel award in 2010 for his inspirational charity work, the first time it was given for reasons beyond playing merit.
- Made over 200 Super League appearances for clubs including St Helens and Hull FC.
- Represented both England and Ireland at the international level in rugby league.
Did You Know?
He completed the London Marathon in 2008 while undergoing chemotherapy.
Prescott undertook a 1,000-mile walk from Perpignan to Hull, visiting every Super League ground to raise funds.
He was posthumously awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2014 New Year Honours.
The Super League's annual Man of Steel award was renamed the Steve Prescott Man of Steel award in his honor in 2014.
“You have to have goals. If you don't have goals, you have nothing to aim for.”
