MEN 1873-1895
MEN 1895-2024
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William Prescott

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
08-10-1875
N/A
Date unknown.
Unknown.
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
02-09-1899 v Warrington
Swinton
1906-
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1899-1905
150 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
8
0
0
24

Biography of William Prescott



HERITAGE NO : 79
William Prescott by SHS

William was a staple member of the St Helens pack for exactly 150 matches, from 1899-1906. He was a naturally tough player, with essential scrummaging capabilities which the game at that time required. William made his debut in a 3-3 draw against Warrington at Knowsley Road on 2 September 1899 and gradually built up a reputation as one of the best forwards in the county. His controlled aggressive play brought him to the attention of the Lancashire selectors and he took part in a Probables v Possibles trial at Central Park, Wigan on 12 October 1904. William was a ‘possible’ with team mate Charlie Creevey a ‘probable.’ Ironically it was Prescott who was chosen for all three county matches that season, although the Red Rose lost all three fixtures in the county Championship, against Cheshire [at Runcorn], Yorkshire [at Oldham] and an 11-0 reversal up in Cumberland at Whitehaven.

Prescott was involved in a race for silverware at the end of his first season , with the advent of the South West Lancs and Border Towns Cup. Originally 8 teams had put their names down but Swinton and Warrington later withdrew. This left St Helens, Leigh, Wigan, Tyldesley, Widnes and Runcorn to contest the silverware. Saints got to the final and played Runcorn at Widnes, winning 6-0, with William doing his usual grafting session in a hard-working pack. Jim Barnes and John Appleton scored the tries. It was the first trophy won by the club in the professional code.

William endured a torrid time at St Helens RFC when the club was relegated to the Second Division at the end of the 1902-03 campaign but bounced back twelve months later after winning a ‘Test match’ against Holbeck of Leeds, in equal second place in the Table. The play-off game was won 7-0 and Saints took up their place in the elite once more. Holbeck disbanded and went to Association football. As for William, it was the perfect way to celebrate his 100th appearance for the club.

His last game in the red, amber and black jersey was at home to Swinton on 17 March 1906. Alas, the result was a disappointing 0-0 draw, in what was his 150th appearance. In this game he was joined in the pack by his younger brother James, who had the soubriquet ‘Butcher’ who went onto carve out his own niche in the history of St Helens RFC. It is presumed that William just retired from the game at the end of the 1905-06 season, but this is not fully conclusive. He was a coal miner who was living in Albion Street, St Helens in 1911. In 1921 William was living in the Prescot Workhouse and Nursing Home, Whiston. William had been laid off from his position as a Miner at the Sutton Manor Colliery. William died in St Helens in June 1938 at the age of 63.

In the gallery below you can see William Prescott the Lancashire team who defeated Cheshire in 1905 on the Broughton Rangers ground.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1899~00 1 0 0 22
1900~01 0 0 0 19
1901~02 0 0 0 18
1902~03 0 0 0 12
1903~04 4 0 0 29
1904~052 0 0 35
1905~06 1 0 0 15
TOTALS:8 0 0 150
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1899~00 1003
1900~01 0001
1901~02 0001
TOTALS:1005

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
2nd Sep 1899 1
D
 13 Warrington L H 3 3 VIEW
21st Oct 1899 2
W
 13 Stockport L H 17 3 1 VIEW
28th Oct 1899 3
L
 13 Widnes L A 3 5 VIEW
4th Nov 1899 4
W
 13 Wigan L A 6 0 VIEW
25th Nov 1899 5
W
 13 Stockport L A 6 3 VIEW
9th Dec 1899 6
W
 13 Oldham L H 17 14 VIEW
23rd Dec 1899 7
W
 13 Warrington L A 11 0 VIEW
25th Dec 1899 8
W
 13 Broughton Rangers L H 4 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1899 9
L
 13 Millom L A 8 10 VIEW
30th Dec 1899 10
W
 13 Tyldesley L A 14 3 VIEW
1st Jan 1900 11
W
 13 Leigh L H 26 0 VIEW
6th Jan 1900 12
D
 13 Swinton L A 0 0 VIEW
13th Jan 1900 13
W
 13 Millom L H 7 2 VIEW
20th Jan 1900 14
W
 13 Rochdale Hornets L H 6 0 VIEW
27th Jan 1900 --
W
 11 Birkenhead * Fr A 15 0 1 VIEW
17th Feb 1900 15
L
 13 Runcorn L A 0 9 VIEW
24th Feb 1900 16
W
 13 Runcorn L H 3 2 VIEW
27th Feb 1900 17
D
 13 Leigh L A 0 0 VIEW
3rd Mar 1900 18
L
 9 Oldham L A 6 35 VIEW
17th Mar 1900 19
L
 13 Warrington CC1 H 0 6 VIEW
4th Apr 1900 20
W
 13 Leigh BTC1 H 8 0 VIEW
13th Apr 1900 --
L
 13 Birkenhead * Fr A 5 8 VIEW
14th Apr 1900 --
W
 13 Lancaster * Fr A 15 8 VIEW
26th Apr 1900 21
W
 13 Widnes BTCSF A 3 0 VIEW
30th Apr 1900 22
W
 13 Runcorn BTCF N 6 0 VIEW
1st Sep 1900 23
W
 8 Broughton Rangers L H 5 3 VIEW
8th Sep 1900 24
W
 8 Rochdale Hornets L H 10 3 VIEW
15th Sep 1900 25
D
 8 Warrington L A 0 0 VIEW
22nd Sep 1900 26
L
 8 Runcorn L H 0 11 VIEW
24th Sep 1900 --
W
 13 Huddersfield * Fr A 15 2 VIEW
29th Sep 1900 27
W
 8 Wigan L H 16 9 VIEW
6th Oct 1900 28
W
 8 Stockport L H 3 0 VIEW
13th Oct 1900 29
L
 8 Oldham L A 2 22 VIEW
27th Oct 1900 30
L
 8 Millom L H 2 4 VIEW
3rd Nov 1900 31
W
 8 Wigan BTC1 A 7 0 VIEW
10th Nov 1900 32
D
 8 Wigan L A 8 8 VIEW
17th Nov 1900 33
L
 8 Salford L H 2 13 VIEW
24th Nov 1900 34
L
 8 Warrington L H 0 7 VIEW
22nd Dec 1900 35
L
 8 Broughton Rangers L A 0 29 VIEW
26th Jan 1901 36
L
 8 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 2 VIEW
9th Feb 1901 37
W
 8 Widnes L H 7 5 VIEW
16th Feb 1901 38
L
 8 Runcorn L A 0 5 VIEW
23rd Feb 1901 39
L
 8 Millom L A 2 5 VIEW
2nd Mar 1901 40
W
 8 Goole CC1 A 12 2 VIEW
9th Mar 1901 41
D
 8 Stockport CC2 H 0 0 VIEW
7th Sep 1901 42
L
 13 Wigan L & SWLL H 2 8 VIEW
21st Sep 1901 43
L
 13 Widnes L & SWLL H 2 5 VIEW
16th Nov 1901 44
W
 14 Birkenhead Wanderers L AB A 5 0 VIEW
23rd Nov 1901 45
W
 11 Millom L A 8 6 VIEW
30th Nov 1901 46
L
 11 Warrington SWLL A 5 11 VIEW
14th Dec 1901 47
L
 12 Barrow L A 5 7 VIEW
26th Dec 1901 48
W
 8 Leigh SWLL H 11 8 VIEW
1st Jan 1902 49
W
 8 Rochdale Hornets L H 7 5 VIEW
4th Jan 1902 50
W
 10 Altrincham L A 11 0 VIEW
11th Jan 1902 51
L
 13 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 7 15 VIEW
18th Jan 1902 52
W
 14 Stockport L H 13 7 VIEW
25th Jan 1902 53
W
 14 Birkenhead Wanderers L A 6 0 VIEW
1st Feb 1902 54
W
 8 Altrincham L H 35 0 VIEW
22nd Feb 1902 55
L
 10 Leigh SWLL A 3 13 VIEW
8th Mar 1902 56
W
 8 Widnes L & SWLL A 3 2 VIEW
29th Mar 1902 --
W
 13 Oldham * Fr A 26 2 VIEW
31st Mar 1902 57
L
 8 Runcorn SWLL A 3 11 VIEW
5th Apr 1902 58
W
 8 Birkenhead Wanderers L H 13 0 VIEW
12th Apr 1902 59
L
 8 Wigan L & SWLL A 2 11 VIEW
6th Sep 1902 60
L
 15 Bradford L H 11 21 VIEW
20th Sep 1902 61
L
 15 Warrington L H 5 18 VIEW
27th Sep 1902 62
W
 15 Brighouse Rangers L A 4 3 VIEW
4th Oct 1902 63
L
 15 Swinton L H 6 10 VIEW
11th Oct 1902 64
D
 15 Runcorn L H 0 0 VIEW
18th Oct 1902 65
L
 15 Batley L A 4 7 VIEW
1st Nov 1902 66
L
 15 Halifax L A 0 8 VIEW
29th Nov 1902 67
L
 9 Broughton Rangers L A 0 23 VIEW
6th Dec 1902 68
L
 9 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 0 10 VIEW
13th Dec 1902 69
L
 9 Hunslet L A 3 9 VIEW
20th Dec 1902 70
L
 9 Wigan L H 5 6 VIEW
11th Apr 1903 71
D
 10 Hunslet L H 5 5 VIEW
7th Nov 1903 72
W
 14 South Shields L A 6 0 VIEW
14th Nov 1903 73
W
 14 Millom L H 17 4 VIEW
19th Dec 1903 74
W
 14 Rochdale Hornets L OBJ H 14 2 VIEW
25th Dec 1903 75
L
 14 Wigan SWLL A 6 12 VIEW
26th Dec 1903 76
L
 14 Lancaster L OBJ A 3 10 VIEW
9th Jan 1904 77
W
 14 Birkenhead Wanderers L H 3 0 VIEW
16th Jan 1904 78
W
 14 Barrow L A 8 0 VIEW
23rd Jan 1904 79
W
 14 Holbeck L H 10 0 VIEW
30th Jan 1904 80
W
 14 Normanton L A 8 6 VIEW
13th Feb 1904 81
L
 14 York L A 0 5 VIEW
16th Feb 1904 82
D
 14 Dewsbury L A 3 3 VIEW
20th Feb 1904 83
W
 14 Morecambe L H 8 0 VIEW
22nd Feb 1904 84
W
 14 Rochdale Hornets L H 6 0 VIEW
27th Feb 1904 85
L
 14 Brighouse Rangers L A 0 3 VIEW
5th Mar 1904 86
W
 14 Highfield CCP H 48 5 1 VIEW
12th Mar 1904 87
L
 14 Halifax CC1 A 0 15 VIEW
16th Mar 1904 88
W
 14 Millom L A 3 0 VIEW
19th Mar 1904 89
W
 14 Bramley L H 21 2 1 VIEW
26th Mar 1904 90
L
 14 Wakefield Trinity L A 0 20 VIEW
1st Apr 1904 91
W
 14 Widnes SWLL A 8 4 VIEW
2nd Apr 1904 92
D
 14 Runcorn SWLL A 3 3 VIEW
4th Apr 1904 93
L
 14 Warrington SWLL A 3 19 VIEW
9th Apr 1904 94
W
 14 Castleford L H 31 3 1 VIEW
13th Apr 1904 95
W
 14 Lancaster L A 12 2 VIEW
16th Apr 1904 96
L
 14 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 5 VIEW
21st Apr 1904 97
W
 14 Pontefract L H 19 0 VIEW
23rd Apr 1904 98
W
 14 Lancaster L H 35 2 VIEW
30th Apr 1904 99
W
 14 South Shields L H 23 0 1 VIEW
14th May 1904 100
W
 14 Holbeck LPO N 7 0 VIEW
3rd Sep 1904 101
L
 11 Oldham L H 4 10 VIEW
10th Sep 1904 102
L
 11 Wigan L H 7 11 VIEW
17th Sep 1904 103
L
 11 Swinton L A 7 17 VIEW
24th Sep 1904 104
L
 11 Broughton Rangers L A 5 24 1 VIEW
1st Oct 1904 105
W
 11 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 10 6 VIEW
8th Oct 1904 106
L
 11 Batley L A 10 20 VIEW
15th Oct 1904 107
L
 11 Hunslet L H 3 9 VIEW
22nd Oct 1904 108
W
 11 Widnes L A 8 0 1 VIEW
29th Oct 1904 109
W
 11 Salford L H 13 11 VIEW
19th Nov 1904 110
L
 11 Leigh L A 5 14 VIEW
3rd Dec 1904 111
L
 11 Hull L A 0 14 VIEW
10th Dec 1904 112
L
 11 Bradford L H 8 18 VIEW
17th Dec 1904 113
L
 11 Leeds L A 2 17 VIEW
24th Dec 1904 114
W
 11 Runcorn L H 9 5 VIEW
26th Dec 1904 115
D
 11 Warrington L H 0 0 VIEW
31st Dec 1904 116
L
 11 Oldham L A 3 13 VIEW
7th Jan 1905 117
L
 11 Wigan L A 3 15 VIEW
11th Jan 1905 118
W
 11 Halifax L H 14 5 VIEW
14th Jan 1905 119
W
 11 Swinton L H 5 3 VIEW
21st Jan 1905 120
L
 11 Broughton Rangers L H 6 8 VIEW
28th Jan 1905 121
L
 11 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 3 6 VIEW
4th Feb 1905 122
W
 11 Batley L H 4 0 VIEW
11th Feb 1905 123
L
 11 Hunslet L A 5 16 VIEW
18th Feb 1905 124
L
 11 Widnes L H 5 7 VIEW
25th Feb 1905 125
L
 11 Salford L A 2 19 VIEW
4th Mar 1905 126
W
 11 Rochdale Rangers CC1 H 9 2 VIEW
11th Mar 1905 127
L
 11 Wakefield Trinity L A 0 21 VIEW
18th Mar 1905 128
L
 11 Broughton Rangers CC2 A 0 18 VIEW
30th Mar 1905 129
L
 11 Leigh L H 0 2 VIEW
1st Apr 1905 130
L
 11 Hull L H 0 13 VIEW
8th Apr 1905 131
L
 11 Bradford L A 6 9 VIEW
15th Apr 1905 132
L
 11 Leeds L H 5 10 VIEW
21st Apr 1905 133
L
 11 Warrington L A 0 5 VIEW
24th Apr 1905 134
W
 11 Runcorn L A 9 0 VIEW
29th Apr 1905 135
L
 11 Halifax L A 2 23 VIEW
4th Nov 1905 136
W
 14 Dewsbury L A 3 2 VIEW
18th Nov 1905 137
W
 14 Rochdale Hornets L A 11 0 VIEW
2nd Dec 1905 138
L
 14 Oldham L H 7 15 VIEW
9th Dec 1905 139
W
 14 Barrow L H 25 0 VIEW
16th Dec 1905 140
W
 14 Millom L A 2 0 VIEW
23rd Dec 1905 141
L
 14 Warrington L A 0 16 VIEW
25th Dec 1905 142
W
 14 Runcorn L H 7 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1905 143
L
 14 Wigan L H 5 13 VIEW
30th Dec 1905 144
W
 14 Morecambe L A 10 3 VIEW
6th Jan 1906 145
L
 14 Leigh L A 2 3 VIEW
13th Jan 1906 146
W
 14 Barrow L A 3 2 1 VIEW
20th Jan 1906 147
W
 14 Normanton L H 28 3 VIEW
27th Jan 1906 148
L
 14 Oldham L A 2 12 VIEW
3rd Feb 1906 149
L
 14 Swinton L A 0 5 VIEW
17th Mar 1906 150
D
 15 Swinton L H 0 0 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 72 | LOSSES : 71 | DRAWS : 12

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