Mike Critchley

Senior Sports Writer at St Helens Star

Senior Sports Writer at Runcorn & Widnes World

Senior Sports Writer at wirralglobe.co.uk

Sports writer for St Helens Star, Widnes World and Leigh Journal, author and pub ticker.

Articles

Saints Women set up a first new Wembley date with Wigan after cup semi win

3 days ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

St Helens' celebrate victory over York. (Image: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com) SAINTS Women are off to Wembley again after they won a tense, tight game 10-6 against reigning champions York Valkyrie. The four-in-a-row Challenge Cup holders will now face Wigan Warriors in the 7 June showpiece as they seek to make even more history with a fifth trophy.
40 years ago today: When Big Mal and Saints won the Premiership Trophy

4 days ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

Saints win the Premiership Trophy (Image: Brian Peers) SOMETIMES it feels like only yesterday when big Mal Meninga intercepted a stray David Hall pass and hurtled towards those ecstatic Saints fans cheering from the other side of the fences of the Elland Road Kop. Other days it seems an age ago, but for fans and players of that generation it was a game that produced memories that will last a lifetime.
A familiar foe stands in the way of Saints five-in-a-row cup ambitions

1 week ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

St Helens's Jody Cunningham and Emily Rudge celebrate after winning the Betfred’s Women’s Challenge Cup Final (Image: Will Palmer/SWpix.com) CHALLENGE Cup holders Saints Women have a familiar foe blocking their way to Wembley in the shape of current champions York Valkyrie.
St Helens Town's victorious Wembley homecoming after FA Vase win

1 week ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

St Helens Town on the Town Hall steps in 1987 (Image: Archives) ST HELENS Town will be presented with their Cheshire League 2 title this Saturday – so an opportune moment to flashback to 1987 and a picture from the Town Hall steps as this week’s #ThrowbackThursday. Unusually the town had two teams at Wembley on consecutive Saturdays – and the picture was the homecoming on the Sunday after Saints’ Challenge Cup Final with Halifax.
Hat-trick for Frank Wilson in a week of Saints semi-finals

1 week ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

Frank Wilson - scored a hat-trick (Image: Star archives) THIS Week in Saints features three semi-finals against Wigan – with a mixed bag of results. 20 Years Ago. 6 May 2005. Saints 62 York 0. The Challenge Cup tie was the first match played following the dismissal of coach Ian Millward – and there were fan protests with a section invading the main stand.
How close is Noah Stephens to selection? Fitness report on Harry Robertson

1 week ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

St Helens' Noah Stephens (Image: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com) WITH Saints going through a poor run of form, questions are invariably asked how close players currently on the fringes of the team are to forcing their way into the reckoning. Prop Noah Stephens, who has a strong fan lobby behind him, signed a four-year-deal with the club in February. Having grabbed his chance last year during Saints' injury crisis, Stephens made 14 appearances in his breakout season.
Wellens has faith that Saints can fix things up after run of defeats

1 week ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

St Helens head coach Paul Wellens (second left) and assistants looks on (Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com) PAUL Wellens accepts that pressure is something that comes with the head coach’s job at Saints – and that it cranks up intensely when the team is not getting results. But despite a run of three defeats, which has seen them tumble to sixth in the Super League ladder, Wellens retains a faith that it can still be turned around provided a few key things can be fixed up.
DISCIPLINARY: Charges and penalty points from weekend's Magic fixtures

1 week ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

Lewis Murphy of St Helens reacts to being shown the yellow card by Referee Jack Smith (Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com) THERE are no penalty points or a charge for Saints wing Lewis Murphy, who was sin-binned in the Magic weekend game against Leeds Rhinos. The yellow card, given for head contacts as he jumped to collect the ball, was a key momentum shift in what was already a tough afternoon for Saints.
Saints descend deeper into a hole with third high-profile defeat in a row

1 week ago | sthelensstar.co.uk | Mike Critchley

Matt Whitley of St Helens scoring a try (Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com) SAINTS and head coach Paul Wellens headed up to Newcastle’s Magic weekend in need of a result and a performance after successive defeats against neighbours Wigan and then Warrington. They got neither – with another error-strewn performance finally sealed by Morgan Gannon's late try to make it a 17-4 loss that was greeted by boos from Gallowgate End at the final hooter.
Adrian Lam hails Leigh's resilience after Magic win over Catalans

1 week ago | leighjournal.co.uk | Mike Critchley

A scuffle between Leigh and Catalans breaks out after the full time whistle (Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com) LEIGH Leopards Head coach Adrian Lam hailed his side's "resilience and toughness" after they came from behind to beat Catalans Dragons 26-24. The opening game of Magic Weekend at St James' Park saw Catalans take the lead through Matthieu Laguerre and Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet but Leigh reduced the deficit at half-time with tries from Edwin Ipape and Ben McNamara.