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Rugby league has a new trophy - The Mike Gregory Challenge Cup. A specially formed Chorley Spartans side takes on a Latchford Albion Select XIII on 12th July, the first of what will now be annual charity games to battle it out for the cup, but more importantly raise funds in memory of the inspirational former Great Britain captain.

Mike’s widow Erica will be there and sons Sam and Ben will take turns to kick off, at the start and for the second half. Wigan Warriors chief executive and ex-player Joe Lydon will present the winners with the Mike Gregory Challenge Cup, which is sponsored by Wigan supporters club The Riversiders.

The game kicks off at 3pm at the Chorley Panthers’ ground: Chisnall Lane, off Preston Road, Coppull, Lancashire, just off the A49 opposite the Alison Arms pub. It is part of a great festival of rugby league that weekend – the Panthers’ summer tournament, with teams of all ages from all over the North West.

Spartans were formed last year from a mixture of raw recruits new to rugby league and players with some amateur experience. They raised £3,200 from a game against Latchford in summer 2007, hoping to help Mike in his fight against illness - a fight he sadly lost in November last year.

Gary Worthington, organiser of the Spartans team, said: “Team coach Dave Ibbison and myself had the honour of meeting the great man and his family just weeks before he passed away. To say our time with the Gregorys was inspirational is total understatement and left us with no doubt there had to be something we could do - so we decided to set up an annual benefit match in Mike’s name.”

The Mike Gregory Trust supported Mike through his illness and enabled him to remain at home, surrounded by his loving family. Since then it has given generous donations to Mike's two chosen charities - the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Embrace, a local charity helping people with disabilities. It continues to provide support to the two most important people in Mike's life, Sam and Ben – while Erica also wants some funds from the Spartans match to go to increasing awareness of Tick-borne diseases.

Erica Gregory said: “My family and I were delighted that another match was being held in Mike's memory. When something like this happens, it is another way of keeping Mike's memory alive and for the boys to realise what an amazing man their father was. I never cease to be amazed that people with busy lives and issues of their own, will take the time and trouble to arrange events of this sort,”