News

In June 2011 following the unexpected retirement of Arthur Thomas the Club’s future looked bleak, there was no certainty that the Club would be able to survive and if it was able to survive what the future would hold for the Club. There was a group of us who beLEIGHved that with hard work, the support of Leigh Sports Village, support of the greater business community, members of LISA, and lottery, that we could be able to survive through the season. The players performed outstandingly and led to us successfully winning the Northern Rail Cup Final. That victory gave us the belief and the hope that the Club would have a future and that we would be able to rebuild a successful Club.

By September 2011 the Board beLEIGHved having secured the financial support of Leigh Sports Village, club sponsors,supporters, LISA, lottery, the touchdown club and the RFL, that there was a future for the Club, a desire within the town and in the partners to Leigh Sports Village that the Club could survive. We then commenced this incredible journey in the belief that we could succeed. The Board, Leigh Sports Village, the coaching staff, the supporters, LISA, and the lottery, we all beLEIGHved that we could achieve success in 2012 with the survival of the Centurions.

However, our incredible journey has surpassed all our expectations. With the immense amount of work being put in by all the supporters, the volunteers, LISA, the lottery and the Board together with all our partners in Leigh Sports Village, we now beLEIGHve that we are on the verge of building a truly sustainable Club that can go forward each year and consistently grow and develop.

We beLEIGHve that the squad that has been assembled under the stewardship of Paul Rowley has developed into one of the strongest teams in our division. We are now in the semi finals of the Northern Rail Cup and currently 3rd in the league with a game in hand.

We beLEIGHve that we can reach the final of the Northern Rail Cup and secure its retention.

We beLEIGHve that we can secure the top position in the Championship and be successful in the playoffs.

We beLEIGHve that we can reach the Grand Final.

We beLEIGHve that we can win the Grand Final.

We know that with the support of all the town, the volunteers, the greater business community, and in particular Leigh Sports Village and its partners, that the coming together of everyone we beLEIGHve that we can demonstrate to the Rugby Football League that we should be the primary candidate for Super League. In 2014 the Rugby Football League will nominate the Club to be promoted to Super League.

It is the Board’s intention to ensure that the Centurions is that Club. With this aim we have now embarked upon a new campaign that we beLEIGHve that Leigh Centurions will be the nominated club for Super League in 2014.

Our mission statement is :

"We intend to deliver the most compelling, exciting, innovative, and first class performances within the Championship – both on and off the pitch, together with our partners in Leigh Sports Village, our supporters and the community. We beLEIGHve that we will be the only clear and logical choice for the RFL to nominate Leigh Centurions for Super League in 2014"

The first step in this process is making the commitment today that we beLEIGHve we can secure that right. Today we launch our new website which has taken months to develop, has been one of the cornerstones of the Super League 2014 we beLEIGHve campaign.

There is now an incredible opportunity for the town, the business community and in particular the volunteers, the supporters, members of LISA, members of the lottery, members of the Touchdown Club, together with the local rugby teams, Leigh Eastand Leigh Miners, to name but two, along with our partners at Leigh Sports Village to get together in the belief that we can secure the 2014 nomination. We beLEIGHve that in supporting this campaign that Leigh as a town will develop in the confidence that it has a flagship club to support, that is transparent, with integrity, and with the right governance. That everyone in the town, all the business community, all the supporters, all the volunteers, the partners in Leigh Sports Village, and all new companies coming into the town will recognise the unique products that we have at Leigh Sports Village. We beLEIGHve that this unique partnership between the Centurions, Leigh Sports Village, and the partners and the wider community can deliver Super League to the town.

Recently we had an experience of what it could mean at Leigh with the 5th round Challenge Cup game against Leeds. We had 5,500 people in attendance, of which at least 3,500 were from Leigh. It is fair to say that all the pubs and restaurants in and around the town were extremely busy that evening, all the taxi firms could not cope with the demand, and the sheer enjoyment of that occasion was experienced by all 5,500 attendees. That evening was a really impressive night, the players performed brilliantly, although the scoreline did not truly reflect the effort that was made. That the achievement of reaching the 5th round in the Challenge Cup gave us the belief that we should now consider the future and start to make the right steps to secure the Club’s long term future. The Board has had discussions with Leigh Sports Village and Wigan Council, the business community, LISA, the lottery, and Touchdown Club and we all beLEIGHve that we can achieve the 2014 nomination.

Having now made our commitment it is now upon us to deliver. We beLEIGHve that you the business community, you the supporters, you the volunteers, you the members of LISA, you the members of the lottery, you the members of the Touchdown Club, together with the town and the greater business community together we can put Leigh back on the rugby league map and on the map further on to see. The Club has already secured the support of Lord Peter Smith and Wigan Council, Leigh Sports Village, and The Right Honourable Andy Burnham MP. We envisage that over the next few months other leaders of the community will rally to our cause, we beLEIGHve that Leigh will be the Super League nomination in 2014.

All that we can ask of you is to contribute and support and to back the campaign. With the town behind the Club and with the superb facilities that we have at Leigh Sports Village, and the greater community, that the Rugby Football League will be left with no alternative but to seriously consider our application.

The performance of Paul and the players this season has been tremendous and I beLEIGHve will continue for the rest of the season. Paul is planning a squad for next season and is securing a number of player signings which can only enhance our chances even further, it is therefore vital that the town and local business chiefs help endorses this campaign, support the players both on and off the pitch and back the we beLEIGHve campaign.

The launch tonight of our website is the first of many steps.

Chairman, Keith Freer