Former Great Britan half returns to local club

National Conference League side Wigan St Patricks have announced former Great Britain halfback Andy Gregory has returned to the club as Head Coach.

Gregory started playing rugby for St Pats as a junior, before signing for Widnes at the age of 17 in 1979. He helped the club win the Challenge Cup in his debut season, despite having a tooth removed the  day before the final.

The 60-year-old made over 140 appearances before moving across Cheshire to join Warrington in 1984. He helped the club win the Premiership Trophy in his final year there.

Gregory then made it to Wigan in 1986, and played a huge part in the side which was highly successful in the 1980s and 1990s. He helped them to five Challenge Cups and four League titles. He also had a brief spell at Illawarra in Australia in 1989.

In 1992, he left Wigan for Leeds and then finished his playing career with Salford in 1995.

Over the course of his career, he also made 26 appearances for Great Britain. Gregory was part of the set up from 1981 until 1992.

Andy Gregory as a coach

Gregory has replaced Ryan Powell in the role, who will assist Jamie Smith at Pilkington Recs in 2022.

When the NCL resumes in March, St Pats will play in Division One, where they were at the start of 2020 before the season was voided.

Gregory will be hoping to help the side get back to the Premier Division after their relegation in 2018.

As a coach, Gregory took charge of Salford in 1995, when they were initially refused entry to the Super League. He led them to the top tier a year later. Gregory then left the club in 1999.

He has also been in charge at Blackpool, as well as taking a coaching consultancy role at Leigh.

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