Player Profiles - Mike Shelley
By Mally (on 22/06/02)
December 14 2003
 |
Nickname | Shy |
| Position | Prop | |
| Date of Birth | 13/03/72 | |
| Previous Club | West Hartlepool | |
| Height | 6' 2" | |
| Tykes Debut | 31/08/96 | |
| Honours | England A |
Mike Shelley - Team captain, a local lad, and definitely a real favourite with the fans, some of whom have described him as "our totem" & a "club icon".
With well over a 100 appearances for Leeds Tykes, Mike is a mainstay of the Tykes' pack and the Tykes' determined performances last season owe a lot to his leadership.
Possibly is not the flashiest player on the park but he is always one of the hardest working. Unfazed by the big names of the Premiership, Shelley has dealt with them all, remember that tackle which up-ended Abel Benazzi?Shelley's solid performance's in the Zurich Premiership have not gone unnoticed and he has regained his place in the England A squad. However the best maybe yet to come, Phil Davies as said he believes Mike has what it takes to achieve full England honours. Shelley himself told the Yorkshire Post that he believes himself to be "as good as any of the other props". Try finding a Tykes fan who'll disagree with that remark!
On the pitch Mike Shelley is a competitive aggressive prop, who seems to be improving all the time. Off it, he's friendly and incredibly approachable, and didn't seem to mind standing in the rain to sign autographs up at Kingston Park last season. A top bloke, who at the Sale away game last season made a point of stopping and thanking fans for our support.
A great advertisement for the club, both on and off the pitch.
| What do you like to do away from rugby? | Anything that has nothing to do with rugby. |
| Who are the hardest opponents you've come across? | Jason Leonard / Martin Hines |
| Who would you pay to see? | To be honest no one. |
| Which is the best ground / stadium you've played at? | London Irish |
| Which is the worst ground you've played at? | School pitch somewhere in Durham. We had to move an old bedstead off the pitch. |
| Who is your sporting hero? | Daley Thompson / Ian Botham |
| What is your most memorable rugby moment? | Leeds v Bath Sept 2001 - first Leeds game in ZP, also a few years back agaisnt Worscester I scored a 60m try! |
| Do you have any pre-match superstitions? | None at all. |
| Who is the worst room-mate you've had on an away trip? | A few bad ones, no names mentioned. |
| What are your expectations for the coming season? | To have a good start and keep doing well in the league. |
Mike Shelley Interview - Yorkshire Post 08/03/02
Last udated 01/10/03