Neil Turley

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Neil Turley

|fullname =

|image =

|image_size =

|position = {{rlp|FB|SO}}

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|3|15|df=y}}{{cite web|title=England Under 21 Squad to tour South Africa|url=http://rfl.uk.com/news/news_details.asp?Id=1334|publisher=The Rugby Football League|accessdate=4 January 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020302124055/http://rfl.uk.com/news/news_details.asp?Id=1334|archivedate=2 March 2002|date=23 October 2001}}

|birth_place = England

|height =

|weight =

|retired = yes

|club1 = Leigh Centurions

|year1start = 2000

|year1end = 06

|appearances1 = 124

|tries1 = 132

|goals1 = 488

|fieldgoals1 = 15

|points1 = 1519

|teamA = England U21s

|yearAstart = 2001

|yearAend =

|appearancesA = 2

|triesA = 6

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 24

|teamB = Lancashire

|yearBstart = 2001

|yearBend =

|appearancesB = 1

|triesB = 1

|goalsB = 0

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 4

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/neil-turley/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}{{Rugby league records |id=2561 |title=Neil Turley |access-date=11 June 2024}}

|new = yes

}}

Neil Turley (born 15 March 1980) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for England (Under-21s), and Lancashire, and at club level for Wigan Warriors (academy), and Leigh, as a goal-kicking {{rlp|fb}}, or {{rlp|so}}.

Early career

Neil started his career as a junior with Wigan Warriors, coming through their Academy set-up. As an Academy player he starred in the 1998 Academy Grand Final for Wigan in their defeat by Leeds Rhinos, who boasted such international stars as Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow.

His senior career was unlikely to prosper at Wigan as Turley played understudy to Great Britain {{rlp|fb}} Kris Radlinski. Turley took the offer in 2000 to join Second Division side Leigh Centurions.http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/06/03/30/manual_085136.html, Sporting Life, TURLEY QUITS DUE TO INJURY, Retrieved 15 September 2010. Neil's father, Norman Turley, was Leigh's assistant coach. After an impressive debut in a friendly game against Australia's South Sydney Rabbitohs in late 2000, Turley was selected as Leigh's starting {{rlp|fb}} ahead of Simon Svabic.{{cite web|last1=Whalley|first1=John|title=Turley seizes opportunity to set scoring standards|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2998421/Turley-seizes-opportunity-to-set-scoring-standards.html|website=Telegraph|accessdate=4 January 2015|date=7 February 2001}}

Debut season

His debut season as a senior player in 2001 saw Turley smash the world record for tries by a full back, ending the season with 55.{{cite web| url=http://www.leighreporter.co.uk/sport/leigh-centurions/all_over_for_neil_1_680143| work=Leigh Reporter| title=All over for Neil| date=7 April 2006| accessdate=15 September 2010}} He was named as the Northern Ford Premiership player of the year,{{cite web |title=Turley and Terzis scoop top awards |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6017421.turley-terzis-scoop-top-awards/ |website=Lancashire Telegraph |access-date=11 June 2024 |date=27 July 2001}} and also gained representative honours, playing in both England under-21 Tests against South Africa,{{cite web|title=Turley Spearheads Young Guns' Rout|url=http://www.leighrl.com/News/News11112001.htm|website=Leighrl.com|accessdate=4 January 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20011201182153/http://www.leighrl.com/News/News11112001.htm|archivedate=1 December 2001}}{{cite web|last1=Parkinson|first1=Dave|title=Turley scores again as GB U-21s run up another point haul|url=http://www.leighrl.com/News/News181122001.htm|website=Leighrl.com|accessdate=4 January 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20011216205949/http://www.leighrl.com/News/News181122001.htm|archivedate=16 December 2001}} and played for Lancashire as the only player from a non-Super League club to play in the Origin series against rivals Yorkshire. His debut season featured a surprising Challenge Cup victory over Super League neighbours Salford City Reds, and saw Leigh finish nine points clear at the top of the Northern Ford Premiership and claim the short-lived Trans-Pennine Cup. Turley was the target of Warrington Wolves who tabled an offer to the Leigh club but Turley turned it down. However, the fantastic year was marred as defeat by Oldham in the play-off semi-final eventually saw the Widnes Vikings go onto win the Grand Final, and a place in the Super League.

Records

Turley broke many club records, including goals in a season and points in a season.http://www.napit.co.uk/viewus/infobank/rugby/rugbyleaguediv1/leigh.php, napit, Leigh Centurions RLFC All Time Records, Retrieved 15 September 2010.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100927205000/http://www.leighcenturions.com/page.php?id=585 Article title]}}, Leigh Centurions, Club History Landmarks - Recent History, 2003, Retrieved 15 September 2010. Yet the ultimate prize, Grand Final success, eluded Leigh. In 2002 and 2003, the relegated Super League sides, Huddersfield Giants and Salford City Reds remained fully professional teams. Thus, their full-time fitness and coaching led to defeat in successive Grand Finals for Leigh. When Halifax were relegated to play in the 2004 National League competition, their financial troubles meant they were unable to retain a full-time team and struggled, paving the way for Leigh to go about achieving their dream. Leigh defeated Whitehaven 32-16 after over-time to finally attain Super League status for 2005's Super League X.

Retirement

Turley announced his retirement in April 2006, due to a serious recurring back injury. He made 122 appearances for Leigh, scoring 1,501 points, including 132 tries.{{cite web|title=Leigh ace Turley forced to retire|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/4860770.stm|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=4 January 2015|date=30 March 2006}}

Career Statistics

class=wikitable style="text-align: center;" \|+
rowspan=2\|Club !rowspan=2\|Season
League	Apps	Tries	Goals	Field Goals	Points
align=left \|Leigh Centurions \| align=center\|2001 \| align=left \|Northern Ford Premiership \| align=right \|31 \| align=right \|55 \| align=right \|12 \| align=right \|0 \| align=right \|244
align=left \|Leigh Centurions \| align=center\|2002 \| align=left \|Northern Ford Premiership \| align=right \|32 \| align=right \|29 \| align=right \|155 \| align=right \|0 \| align=right \|426
align=left \|Leigh Centurions \| align=center\|2003 \| align=left \|National League One \| align=right \|22 \| align=right \|19 \| align=right \|123 \| align=right \|4 \| align=right \|326
align=left \|Leigh Centurions \| align=center\|2004 \| align=left \|National League One \| align=right \|29 \| align=right \|26 \| align=right \|177 \| align=right \|10 \| align=right \|468
align=left \|Leigh Centurions \| align=center\|2005 \| align=left \|Super League X \| align=right \|10 \| align=right \|3 \| align=right \|20 \| align=right \|1 \| align=right \|53

class=wikitable style="text-align: center;"

rowspan=2|Club

!rowspan=2|Season

League

Apps

Tries

Goals

Field Goals

Points

align=left |Leigh Centurions

| align=center|2001

| align=left |Northern Ford Premiership