77 posts suggest that there is good interest in the PPA and the club's response to the problem. I feel that bridges have been burnt. I would like to remind others that the PPA doesn't only include the players from "71 and "82 but lots of Leigh lads who thought it was a privilege to play for their hometown club, many who are still carrying injuries in their early 30s. You can't start a new PPA without the original players.
I don't get it, whats better than seeing Mick Martyn at the bar after/ before a game. Use the PPA to remind people of the clubs great history.

If how can the club 'use' the PPA if the PPA are refusing to speak the club, even though their gripes are with previous administrations or not even the club at all?

I do know that some of the "younger" past players have been asked their views and how they can help solve the problem. Maybe this is the way forward to get everyone onboard.
Remember that these players show huge respect to the players of the original PPA and to all players who have put on the Leigh shirt.

Respect is a two-way street and as it was the PPA who went to the press then what respect does that show to the rugby club?

Not only that, it was the PPA who said that there was no chance of reconciliation whilst the club have been bending over backwards to try and resolve the issue.

I'd like to ask Strongintharm how he thinks the issue could be resolved when the current PPA won't even sit down at the table to sort it out?

I don't know why they went to the press. I do know that there has been a problem since we left Hilton Park. I do know that both parties have tried to solve the problem in the past. Maybe that was the only way left for the PPA to get their message / grievances across. Please, when talking about ex players, use the word respect carefully.

There are two sides to most stories.

I don't know the root of the problem but I would like it resolved.

Will someone post exactly what the PPA want and which of those problems are capable of being resolved by the club or the LSV or both.

When I know that I shall make up my own mind.

I know our club is in a very precarious financial position btw.

Unfortunately that's becoming all too apparent!

This really needs sorting soon - do we not still have a 'club ambassador' in the guise of AJM can he not mediate or is he just as miffed??

At Hilton Park PPA passes were used by non players to gain entrance, I witnessed this myself and was told of the situation by stewards , so PPA members were putting stewards in difficult positions by lending out their memberships, this was known by the club management, it was not going to continue at the LSV

If the PPA cannot or will not accept the different circumstances and the difficult financial situation the club are currently in, then they will never be happy, if that is the case, it will be the PPA s loss rather than the clubs

The club have suggested sitting down and discussing what they can offer , if the PPA dont want that, then that will be the end of it

Succinct

Well if past players are doing that they must realise the club needs as many paying speccies as it can get.

No doubt we will get a response from a member of the PPA to resolve this on here ?

On the other hand we could issue passes with the past players photograph on it would that resolve the problem ?

PPA passes have photographs attached!
Don't bring up isolated incidents and lets keep to the issue:
Should we have a PPA?
How would a PPA benefit the club?
I'm sure, that with common sense, this can get resolved. Please remember that members of the PPA include ex players in their 30s and not just "the Greats".

Well if that is what caused the problem then every past player is given a pass with their photograph on and stewards allow them personally to go to in any bar area they want ?

Wouldn't that easily resolve this ? What is the problem if you have a steward who says that pic doesn't look like you then another person arbitrates.

Pics on membership cards work at the gym I attend. Oh and you get a fresh card with a new pic every 12 months.

That doesn't mean they were tickets issued free of charge by the club. The hospitality tickets could have already been paid for and some people didn't/couldn't attend. So the lads you saw could have been handing out tickets that had been paid for.

Keith I am reffering to Hilton Park several years ago, it was discussed at boardroom level, it wasn't rife but it happened, we decided not to embarass the PPA by making it public, we instead let it go but instructed the stewards to monitor it

As for the LSV, as you full well know, it isn't the club that controls stewarding or entry to the bars there

But simply put, you cannot resolve anything if only one side is willing to talk

The club comes first Mr Chairman

' Dont bring up isolated incidents '?

Wasn't it an isolated incident that started all this

Should we have a PPA? To tell the truth, that is purely up to the past players, not the club

How would a PPA benifit the club? ,you tell me

What is clear is that the club cannot allow past players free or virtually free entrance to matches played at the LSV , or provide free or virtually free accomodation or hospitality as they did at Hilton park, it just is no longer viable.

Fully understand it, and when the club controled their stadium, the PPA got pretty much everything they wanted , but things have changed, you and they must understand that

I'll leave it there , nothing to be gained going round in circles, or in refusing to talk

After reading Starbug's post I'm disillousioned that you wouldn't tell your mates/family that you saw Woody, Donahoue, Street et al at the bar after the game.
Isn't a rugby club supposed to mix the old and the new, to compare and remember. Wouldn't the current players like to chat and reflect.
This is not a problem in other clubs, give them a discount price and entry to the bar.

Think it is time to close this thread quite honestly.

Are those three players part of the PPA?

The thing is Mr Chairman who have the PPA fallen out with?.
The current Leigh centurions,the past Leigh centurions or the LSV.
The only thing that seems clear to me, is that the recent local press release had one purpose only, and that was to damage the club just days before the new season kicked off and to me that was completely unexceptable

One question hasn't been touched upon, given a post earlier about recent players showing interest in forming a new PPA... Just how much support from former players does the PPA stance actually have? My suspicion is that it is largely from the elder statesmen rather than recent players.

I've no idea how many members the PPA actually has, and what percentage of past players they represent, can anyone shed any light on this?

Enough, enough! Any more on this thread and we will all disappear up our own Jacksies! Why not write to the Journal in numbers instead of on here? How many ex Players read the Forum, especilally if they've fallen out with the club big time?

You can comment on the Journal article- at the bottom of the article.