Mickey Higham

Mickey Higham (born 18 September 1980) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a hooker in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.

Micky Higham
Personal information
Full nameMichael Higham
Born (1980-09-18) 18 September 1980
Billinge Higher End, Wigan, England
Playing information
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight13 st 8 lb (86 kg) [1]
PositionHooker
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1999–00 Leigh Centurions 45 22 0 0 88
2001–05 St Helens 116 35 0 0 140
2006–08 Wigan Warriors 97 17 0 0 68
2009–15 Warrington Wolves 174 37 1 0 150
2015–17 Leigh Centurions 68 5 0 0 20
2018–2019 Leigh Centurions 22 1 0 0 4
Total 522 117 1 0 470
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2004–05 Great Britain 4 0 0 0 0
2008–09 England 4 1 0 0 4
Source: [2][3][4][5]

He played for the Leigh Centurions in three separate spells in the Super League and Betfred Championship. Higham also played for St Helens, Wigan Warriors and the Warrington Wolves in the top flight. He played for both Great Britain and England at international level.[2][3]

Background

Higham was born in Billinge Higher End, Wigan, England.

Playing career

Leigh Centurions

Higham joined St Helens from Leigh in November 2000.[6]

St Helens

Higham played for St. Helens from the interchange bench in their 2002 Super League Grand Final victory against Bradford Bulls. Having won Super League VI, St Helens contested the 2003 World Club Challenge against 2002 NRL Premiers, Sydney Roosters. Higham played from the interchange bench in Saints' 38–0 loss.

He suffered an ankle injury which ruled him out of most of 2004's Super League IX. He'd made over 100 appearances for St Helens, scoring 33 tries.

Wigan Warriors

Higham joined Wigan in October 2005 after a transfer deal involving three clubs, and fellow hooker Terry Newton. Higham was unable to join Wigan directly as his club, St. Helens, would not sell. However, Bradford Bulls stepped in and bought Higham from Saints for £70,000 and then immediately released him to Wigan. In exchange, Wigan allowed Terry Newton to join Bradford. Higham signed a three-year deal with Wigan and commented: "It looked at one stage as though I would be playing next season at Bradford but when the opportunity to join Wigan came up at the last minute I jumped at it." At Wigan, Higham again teamed up with coach Ian Millward who he had played under at both Leigh and St Helens. Millward was however sacked by Wigan in April 2006 and Higham, ironically, was coached by Brian Noble who was Bradford coach at the time of the "three-club transfer". Higham's contract at Wigan was not renewed, and he subsequently signed for Warrington on a two-year deal.

Warrington Wolves

Higham enjoyed a successful spell with the Wolves making 174 appearances and was a fans favourite throughout his time at the club. [7]

Higham played in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium.[7][8]

He played in the 2012 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium.[9][10][11][12]

He played in the 2012 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford.[13][10]

He played in the 2013 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford.[14][15][16][17][18]

Leigh

Higham then returned to his first club Leigh for £50,000 on 20 May 2015,.[19]

On 11 September 2019 Higham announced his retirement to join the Leigh coaching staff[20]

International career

He made his Great Britain début in the 2004 Gillette Tri-Nations against New Zealand, after recovering from an ankle injury which ruled him out of most of 2004's Super League IX.[5]

In September 2008, he was named in the England training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[21] and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man England squad.[22] He was named in the England team to face Wales at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster, prior to England's departure for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[4][23] He made his England début in the victory over Wales on 10 October 2008.[24]

References
  1. "Brian Carney's Warrington player profiles". news.bbc.co.uk. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
  2. "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6056626.higham-joins-saints/
  7. Scott, Ged (28 August 2010). "Leeds 6–30 Warrington". BBC. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  8. Wilson, Andy (28 August 2010). "Chris Hicks hat-trick leads Warrington to Challenge Cup triumph over Leeds". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  9. "Warrington's battered Brett Hodgson recovers to see off Leeds in final". Guardian UK. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  10. "Leeds' Kevin Sinfield stars in Grand Final triumph against Warrington". Guardian. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  11. "Leeds Rhinos 18–35 Warrington Wolves". BBC Sport. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  12. "Warrington Wolves Are Challenge Cup Winners 2012!". Warrington Wolves Official Site. 25 August 2012. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  13. "Grand Final: Warrington 18-26 Leeds". BBC Sport. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  14. "Super League Grand Final". Super League. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  15. Newsum, Matt (5 October 2013). "Super League Grand Final: Wigan Warriors beat Warrington". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  16. "Super League Grand Final: Warrington v Wigan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  17. "Warrington Wolves 16 Wigan Warriors 30". Daily Telegraph. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  18. "Wigan see off Warrington in X-rated Grand Final to complete double". Guardian. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  19. Taylor, Mark (20 May 2015). "Higham signs for Leigh Centurions". Leigh Reporter. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  20. "Micky Higham to retire at end of season". Leigh Journal. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  21. "Myler gets England call". England Rugby League. 29 September 2008. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2008.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. "Purdham earns World Cup call-up". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  23. "Gleeson to lead new-look England". BBC. 9 October 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  24. "England warm up in style". Sky Sports. 10 October 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2008.
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