We didn't have a reserves, did we? Even then, as I stated earlier in the thread, the duals from Saints, Warrington and even Spencer's loan is an entirely different situation to a formal partnership.

were along the lines of

" I am not happy with this , but will see how it goes , as long as it doesn't go any further "

Well this is much further , and I am still at a loss as to what benifit it will bring to Leigh Centurions , and also are our management too stupid to realise the risk they are taking ?

It smacks of arrogance , and an assumption that the fans will accept and do whatever they are told to do

aye lad that wer some team

Someone mentioned the cost of running our U20s as £50k. I am just wondering if we have just saved some of those costs.....ie are we still picking up the whole tab, half of it, or none at all.....just playing devils advocate as surely there must be a financial incentive for Leigh ?

Ok here we go.

So it's a crime to have a different opinion to the majority on this message board is it? and to express my opinion on this albiet rather sensitive subject as I have done? If I've offended anyone i do appologies.

Starbug or Steve if you dont mind, I dont know you have never met you i don't believe so firstly the ego statement wasn't directed at you personally.

Having only sponsered a few games last and this season i must admit I have little knowledge of the past but as a lapsed fan for many years due to buisness and family comitments ive recentley returned as a fan and seen first hand how the commercial arm of the buisness operates and as such I'm fully aware of the current administration and its fair to say while doing its best it is clearly struggling and is being forced due to whatever reason to operate on a amateur like voluntary/hand out type basis.

This was believe it or not the catalyist to prompt a provisional intrest in maybe getting on board to help and maybe even bring both my companies and other buisness associates expertise to the table. I couldn't justify doing this with a host of shareholders sat in the background as I'm sure as a businessman you would appreciate. We have carried out management buy outs and bought businesses in the past and former directors and share holders are always a major stumbling block and difficult to negotiate with but it is a crucial obstacle that needs to be overcome in order to move forward.

You are correct in your assumption as far as to say I've never been involved with the club either as a player, coach or director so I don't know what has gone on in the past and quite frankly I don't really care. I do however feel having looked at things globally as long as the club is being run on a shoe string budget and also being a realist about the things Leigh are looking to achieve long term this agreement can benifit us short to medium terms as long as we maximise the positives and minimise the potential negatives I don't see a major problem with it.

A bigger issue in my opionion ofcourse is getting funds into the buisness and shares could potentially generate these funds so again only in my opinion the shares need to go back were they belong. I've no intrest in who invested what or who paid this or that the fact is while worth nothing to you or any of the other share holders the shares are a potential life saver for the towns club and a potential mechanism to take the club forward on the back of.

I'm willing to talk if you fancied a chat as this isn't really the place I'm sure we both agree.

The narrowminded part is all this "We hate Wigan business "of which im totally against , i cant understand why you should hate someone just because they come from another Town , as i have said my Wife is a Wiganer .

Steve you know i will discuss and listen to anybodies opinions , and resect them , but its just this we hate Wigan theme that really rags me , reading this post from the start , there is more than one who thinks this way .Why ?I dont know .

Plenty of hysterical OTT reaction IMO to something that has been happening for the 2 / 3 seasons already. Leigh and SL Clubs AND most importantly young players have ALL benefitted from D/C agreements.

I take it Leigh fans have not enjoyed watching young Wire / Wigan players wearing their colours with pride and giving 100% for their club. The agreement seems to me to prevent a Swinton scenario whereby umpteen players of all ages (ageing SL players tend to play at far less than 100% under DC / Loan) / coaches appointed on others say so / influence make the championship club unrecognisable.

Leigh are receiving a maximum of 5 young players who may be future greats to add to Leigh RLFC and the existing squad. Young players that add to the entertainment being offered to watching Leigh supporters. Whatsmore, Leigh from the limited information will receive access to facilities / technology / expertise that they may not currently have access to. Can Leigh's conditioning staff not benefit from free training / development by Mark Bitcon?

It strikes me that if it was Warrington, St Helens; anybody BUT Wigan a large % of Leythers would be far happier. Many seems to have forgotten the struggle to keep Leigh RLFC in business. Take what you can from Wigan and even better if Wire are stpid enough to release Laithwaite in the future who has the best opportunity of snaring him? Leigh? If Wigan are stupid enough to release Spencer who has the best opportunity of snaring him ? Leigh ?

Calm down and see what happens. Leigh and their fans may actually benefit!

Yes, so too will Wigan and the young players. Oh dear.

, who was it directed at ?

I am happy to have a chat and give you my version of ' events ' , I will pm you my number

Well said mate , i rest my case .

I'm sure you will be happy to travel down to the LSV to watch your young players playing for Leigh , its £ 16 for the north stand

Steve ive already told you about 2 Wigan fans that i know of who watch Leigh whenever they can , one comes with Henry nearly every game , and went to the Dewsbury away game last week .

Excellent , that will ' Save ' us then Charlie ,I posted yesterday on a different thread , there is a difference between ' Thinking Big ' and ' Thinking you are a Big Club '

Leigh are the ' later ' they need to become the former

As for our friend from Blackpool , DONT TELL ME WHAT TO DO , nobody likes being told what to do , it usually is counter productive and results in exactly the opposite reaction

I do see the difference in fairness yes.

When I enquired as to why so many shareholders were no longer involved as active directors i was told it was a very long story however it has been my own impression and also intimated by a few people ive spoken with that clashes of personalities and differences of opinions may have gotten in the way of what should have been more important.

Not really intrested in what's gone on in the past TBA i just believe there is a future but certain things need to happen to make things happen.

Send your number by all means I'm happy to send mine and talk next week if you are thanks.

From what little I do know and have seen it seems sad your passion and experience has been lost to the club by the way.

I'm sure you are the first of hundreds of wigan fan to admit you will now turning up and be paying £38 a month to watch your reserves playing at the wigan borough stadium in leigh

honestly i'm genuinely in awe of you

12 months ago I offered to work for the club free of charge on 2 specific projects , however my idea's were dissmissed as ' Stupid ' and not needed , because they know what they are doing

To be dismissing anyone with experience and know how is unexplicable in the current plight especially someone who is obviously passionate for the cause and indeed has a vested intrest on two levels one as a suporter and two as a shareholder.

Serious question would you consider your offer again under new directorship and maybe even new ownership?

FAR Far more likely to do. Whomever Leigh play in the Championship I want Leigh to win and I take more interest in how Tom Spencer is playing because he is a Wigan player. The most annoying aspect of D/C / Loans are when players like Spencer are recalled because they may be needed but are then not used. There needs to be a way that players like Spencer do not miss playing a game of RL and at the same time benefitting Leigh.

I want Leigh to be successful. At the present time the best opportunity for Leigh to achieve success is to add talented young Wigan players to their existing quality players and improve all their players by taking full advantage of the facilities / expertise on offer at Wigan. Wigan RLFC / Shaun Wane go to Australia / USA Sports to learn and take advantage of what is on offer. It seems some Leigh fans have their heads in the sand.

Instead of looking at the negative. How about thinking; 'Stupid Pie Eaters! they sign far too many youngsters, spend all that time coaching and developing them only to release 90% of them, we are on their doorstep, we will leave a positive impression on any of the 90% who play for us under DC and sign them for OUR club. Quite a few players have left Pie Land and become great players (just because player X is the dogs at 16 it does not means he will be so at 23 years old and vica versa) elsewhere, why not Leigh! Suckers'

Can i just say anyone who writes benifit instead of benefit and gotten instead of got is an ars wipe and should get back on there own forum or stop trying to convince people they're clever enough to run businesses

You are clueless

It has NOTHING to do with what happens ON the pitch , and ALL to do with what happens OFF the pitch

It is MARKETING and COMMUNITY work that will decide what happens to Leigh Centurions , and Wigan warriors are Leighs BIGGEST competitors for both fans and players

YOU ARE THE ENEMY , the further we distance ourselves from you the more chance we have of survival and future success

Our only partnerships should be with our fellow Championship Clubs , we are not in competition with any of them

Tell that to your bank manager or your boss



Seriously, I think we are all entitled to our opinions and mine is that the partnership is broadly a positive move and far better / a step forward than the crazy situation taking place elsewhere.

Human being have a natural propensity to be more negative than positive. I stand by my initial post, several posters have been hysterical doom and gloom scare mongers. Why not try to look at the positives too and consider ways in which any negatives can be prevented?

It depends on

1 if they wanted any money off me , I no longer have any , Leigh Centurions cost me ' big style '

2 If they also thought my idea's ' stupid ' ?

Why are you bothered JC ?

I think we all aware of how you feel. You made up your mind earlier this season that you would not watch any game with a twinned club.

My view is still that essentially we will still be watching predominately signed Leigh players in our games this season as usual.

I also can't understand why Starbug is bothered either given that he has no interest in watching us anymore.

You know I think twinning is bad for the game but I honestly still feel some are reading more into this agreement than is there and on this point I refer you to my second and third posts on this particular thread.

Yes we are , no matter how wrong they are