Andy Gregory

Andy Gregory
Andy Gregory
Born	Andrew Gregory; August 10, 1961 (age 65); Ince-in-Makerfield, Lancashire, England
Occupation(s)	Rugby league footballer, coach
Years active	1979–1995 (player), 1995–1999, 2006–2007 (coach)
Known for	First player to win five Challenge Cup Final winner’s medals; Great Britain international rugby league player; Wigan Hall of Fame inductee

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Andy Gregory, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025

Andrew Gregory (born 10 August 1961) is a retired English professional rugby league player. As a representative of the Great Britain squad, he earned international honors and has been inducted into the Wigan Hall of Fame. Gregory was a trailblazer, becoming the first athlete to secure five Challenge Cup Final winner’s medals and the first to participate in eight Challenge Cup finals. Alongside Garry Schofield, he is one of only two players to have competed in six Ashes series against Australia (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, and 1992).

Early life

Born in Ince-in-Makerfield, Lancashire, England, Gregory began his rugby league journey playing junior football for the local club Wigan St Patricks ARLFC. At age 17, he trialed with Salford, where his father had previously played; however, it was Widnes who ultimately signed him.

Widnes

Gregory’s tenure at Widnes spanned from 1979 to 1984, coinciding with the final years of the renowned "Cup Kings" period. He quickly established himself as a regular starter during his initial full season. Notably, despite having a tooth extraction the night before, he took part in the 1981 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, scoring a try in Widnes’ 18-9 triumph over Hull Kingston Rovers before an audience of 92,496. The following year, he played and kicked a conversion in the 14-14 draw against Hull F.C. in the 1982 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, witnessed by 92,147 fans. He also appeared in the replay held at Elland Road, Leeds, which ended in a 9-18 defeat.

During five seasons with Widnes, Gregory amassed 141 appearances and scored 43 tries while earning caps for Great Britain. He featured prominently in major finals including the 1981 Lancashire Cup (3–8 loss to Leigh), the 1983 Lancashire Cup (8–12 loss to Barrow), and the 1983–84 John Player Special Trophy Final (10-18 defeat by Leeds). His time with Widnes culminated in their 19-6 victory over Wigan in the 1984 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley before a crowd of 80,116.

Warrington

At the onset of the 1984–85 season, Gregory declined to play for Widnes as he aimed to join his hometown club. Widnes refused this request and subsequently transferred him to Warrington for £75,000; this deal included John Fieldhouse moving to Widnes. Gregory made 60 appearances for Warrington and was instrumental in their success during the 1986 Premiership Trophy Final, where they defeated Halifax.

However, his time at Warrington also included disciplinary issues; he was sent off for stamping on opponent Nick du Toit during Warrington’s heavy 8–34 loss against Wigan in the 1985 Lancashire Cup Final.

Wigan

In 1986, Gregory transferred to Wigan for a then world-record fee of £130,000. He quickly made an impact by earning the Player of the Year award in 1987 as Wigan achieved an impressive run of 29 consecutive victories. Gregory played a pivotal role in Wigan’s first-ever triumph in the 1987 World Club Challenge, overcoming Australian champions Manly-Warringah. Despite his relatively smaller size, he dominated matches as a .

Gregory contributed both with his kicking and leadership, winning the prestigious Lance Todd Trophy while scoring a goal during Wigan’s commanding 32–12 victory over Halifax in the 1988 Challenge Cup final. He repeated this accolade in the 1990 final when Wigan defeated Warrington 36–14. His talents earned him selection for the 1988 Great Britain Lions tour.

Over his career at Wigan comprising 182 appearances, Gregory amassed five Challenge Cup titles—a record—alongside four Championships, two Regal Trophies, two Lancashire Cups, one John Player Trophy, and a Premiership title. He holds the distinction of being the first player to compete in eight Challenge Cup finals.

Gregory was instrumental as a in Wigan’s wins over Warrington during the 1987 Lancashire Cup Final and Salford in the following year’s Lancashire Cup Final. He also came off the bench during Wigan’s narrow 12-6 victory against Widnes in the 1988–89 John Player Special Trophy Final and played as a during their 24-12 win over Halifax in the 1989–90 Regal Trophy Final.

In 1989, Gregory and teammate Steve Hampson joined Australian club Illawarra Steelers for part of that year’s NSWRL season. Gregory delivered an outstanding performance in Illawarra’s close 20–22 loss to Brisbane Broncos during the Panasonic Cup Final held at Sydney’s Parramatta Stadium, earning man-of-the-match honors. This marked Illawarra’s debut appearance in a cup final; their next came with victory over Brisbane in the 1992 Tooheys Challenge Cup Final.

During his stint with Illawarra, Gregory appeared in nine league matches and scored tries against Penrith Panthers, Gold Coast Seagulls, and South Sydney Rabbitohs. His participation stretched from Round 9 against Manly through Round 20 versus Eastern Suburbs.

In the 1991–92 season, Gregory featured as for defending champions Wigan during their World Club Challenge win over Penrith Panthers held at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium.

Later career

In 1992, Gregory moved to Leeds after Wigan, concerned about his susceptibility to injuries, proposed contract terms he found unsatisfactory. Although he had intended to retire while at Wigan, the club transferred him for a modest fee of £15,000. His time at Leeds was affected by frequent injuries and the demands of travel, which ultimately resulted in his transfer to Salford following two seasons.

Gregory joined Salford in 1994 for a fee of £10,000 and took on the combined role of player-coach in 1995, marking the end of his playing days.

International career

Gregory made his international debut coming off the bench for Great Britain during a narrow 7–8 defeat against France in Venice on 31 July 1982, accumulating a total of 26 caps throughout his career.

He considers the dead rubber third test of the 1988 Ashes series versus Australia as the highlight of his international tenure. Awarded Man of the Match, Gregory masterminded Great Britain’s 26–12 triumph over the Australian Kangaroos at Sydney Football Stadium—their first victory over Australia since 1978—by setting up several tries and playing a crucial role in their offensive efforts.

Australian captain Wally Lewis commended Gregory’s ingenuity, resilience, and tenacity, identifying him as the toughest English adversary he faced.

Despite having announced his retirement from international play, Gregory participated in the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia, earning his final cap during a 22–6 defeat to Australia. He later expressed regret over this decision due to injury complications that also contributed to his departure from Wigan.

Gregory is one of only two players to have competed in six Ashes series against Australia—those held in Britain during 1982, 1986, and 1990; and in Australia during 1984, 1988, and 1992—the other player being Garry Schofield.

Coaching career

From 1995 until 1999, Gregory served as head coach at Salford. In 1995, despite finishing comfortably above relegation by six points, Salford were excluded from the top tier because of their opposition to merging with nearby Oldham. Under Gregory’s leadership, the team secured first place during their Centenary Season and repeated this achievement in 1996, earning promotion to the Super League, an accomplishment he regards as a pinnacle in his coaching career. A notable highlight was guiding Salford to a Challenge Cup quarter-final victory over Wigan in 1996, ending Wigan’s remarkable 42-match unbeaten cup streak.

Salford ended the 1997 season mid-table and advanced to the semi-finals of the 1998 Challenge Cup before losing to eventual champions Sheffield Eagles. Despite these accomplishments, Gregory parted ways with Salford by mutual agreement in May 1999.

In 2006, Gregory re-entered coaching as coordinator at National League club Leigh Centurions. The following year he assumed control of struggling National League Two side Blackpool Panthers, who were enduring a 25-game losing run. Unfortunately, Blackpool finished that season winless, leading to Gregory’s departure at its conclusion.

Additionally, in 1996 Gregory coached the Great Britain Nines squad at the twelve-nation World Cup held in Australia, guiding them to the semi-finals where they were defeated by Western Samoa.

Activities beyond professional rugby league

Following his retirement from professional rugby league, Gregory has dedicated himself to charitable endeavors, actively supporting groups like the Royal British Legion and Life for a Kid by organizing fundraising initiatives and participating in matches featuring the GB All Stars.

In 2000, Gregory released his autobiography, Pint Size, which garnered positive feedback from supporters, despite some contested stories, including a game account that took place after he had joined Leeds.

External links