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==Trivia==
==Trivia==


Gleeson has a younger brother [[Sean Gleeson (rugby league)|Sean Gleeson]] who currently plays in the Super League for [[Salford City Reds]]
Gleeson has a younger cousin [[Sean Gleeson (rugby league)|Sean Gleeson]] who currently plays in the Super League for [[Salford City Reds]]


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 09:35, 11 July 2012

Martin Gleeson
Gleeson playing for Warrington in 2007
Personal information
Born (1980-05-25) 25 May 1980 (age 44)
Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight95 kg (14 st 13 lb) [1]
Playing information
PositionCentre, 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
2009–11 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

Martin Gleeson is a former English professional rugby league footballer. He has represented both Great Britain and England internationally as a Centre or Five-eighth. His previous clubs include Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants, St. Helens, Warrington Wolves and Hull. His honours include winning the Super League in 2002 and 2010 and the Challenge Cup in 2004.

Gleeson is currently serving a 3 year doping ban (half of which was suspended) which is due to expire on 12 November 2012.[2]

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.[3] 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.[4]

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's Super League XIV, 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.[5]

His start of the 2011 season came against St Helens RLFC in the first regular round.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] 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"[10] as the reasons for the departure.

Hull FC (2011)

Gleeson signed for Super League club Hull FC on Thursday 15 April 2011 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. In June it was announced that Gleeson was suffering a stress related illness and he was granted leave by the club. His contract with the Club was terminated in September. In December it was announced that Gleeson had failed a drugs test on 13 May in a game against Salford in which he scored two tries. He was subsequently banned for 3 years (with half being suspended) from 12 June which was his final game for the club against Harlequins.

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,[11] and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man England squad.[12]

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.[13]

Trivia

Gleeson has a younger cousin Sean Gleeson who currently plays in the Super League for Salford City Reds

References

  1. ^ "Hull F.C." web page. Hull F.C. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  2. ^ "BBC Sport - Drugs ban for ex-Hull FC player Martin Gleeson". BBC News. 29 December 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  3. ^ Ricketts, Steve (2008-10-17). "England centre Martin Gleeson wants NRL spot in 2010".
  4. ^ "Tri-Nations: Great Britain profiles". Daily Mail. London. 19 October 2004. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  5. ^ "St Helens 10-22 Wigan". BBC News. 2 October 2010.
  6. ^ Scott, Ged (12 February 2011). "St Helens 16-16 Wigan". BBC. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  7. ^ "Bradford 10 Wigan 44: match report". The Daily Telegraph. London. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  8. ^ Wilson, Andy (27 February 2011). "Wigan Warriors make brave attempt but Dragons are still worlds apart". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  9. ^ Keegan, Mike (25 February 2011). "Wigan rugby league star Martin Gleeson 'received death threats in blackmail plot'". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  10. ^ "Wigan Warriors part with troubled Martin Gleeson". BBC. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  11. ^ "Myler gets England call". England Rugby League. 2008-09-29. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  12. ^ "Purdham earns World Cup call-up". BBC. 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  13. ^ "Gleeson to lead new-look England". BBC. 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2008-10-10.

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