RELUCTANTLY transfer-listed he may be, but Saints' exciting full-back Steve Prescott has put contract talks with the club on hold until after Wembley.

"All that matters is that we retain the Challenge Cup, and with Saints now hitting top form and team spirit sky-high there is no reason why that should not happen,' said local lad Steve.

"But I expect the game to be much harder than last year, because Bradford Bulls have strengthened their line-up considerably in signing big names such as Stuart Spruce, Steve McNamara, and Glen Tomlinson.

"What is certain is that another cracking game is in prospect but, unlike last year, I don't think Saturday's clash will be an high-scoring affair - as long as Saints are in front at the final whistle that's all that matters," added 'Precky.'

Born on St. Stephen's Day, 23-year-old Steve might have been the first player to score an hat-trick at Wembley in 1996 if only Bobbie Goulding's kick-through had not rebounded from the cross-bar.

As the only Saints player to have played at Anfield before, and that in a five-a-side soccer match, Steve achieved another ambition in touching down in front of the Kop crowd when Saints defeated Castleford on Sunday. The son of former Saints, Widnes and Salford star Eric Prescott and a keen Liverpool FC fan, Steve once had designs on a soccer career as a striker, and attracted the attentions of the Anfield club, Tranmere and Wigan Athletic.

But, like dad, Rugby League was in his blood and after schoolboy games at St. John Vianney and De La Salle, Steve joined the Nutgrove amateur club before Eric Chisnall and Frankie Barrow took him to Knowsley Road.

He had trials in the 'A' team but Saints did not offer him terms, so Steve tried his luck at Widnes, only to be told by assistant coach Alan McCurrie that they too did not want him.

Aware that he needed to beef himself up, Prescott embarked on a rigorous weight-training programme, and then returned to Knowsley Road and scored an hat-trick in his first game back against Batley.

The rest is history as they say, but since signing for Saints in November1992 speed merchant Steve has made 108 appearances, scored 51 tries and kicked 66 goals for a total of 336 points.

From a representative angle Steve has made two appearances for England, and broke Geoff Pimblett's points record with 24 against France last year, and he was also a member of the Great Britain touring party to the South Pacific last winter.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.