That's fantastic - how much more good news can this town take?

fantastic news - that can only be a good thing for all parties. Well done to all for getting around the same table and working together..

How many times as this been said & done?

Personally every new coach has said or planned for closer ties with the Miners, East, etc instead of it being fantastic news shouldn't it be expected.........it's only my view

Logend don't assume, perhaps it should be expected but BARLA and RFL have never seen eye to eye, and every coach that has come in has been under pressure to produce results and despite having long term ambitions, short term thinking has been the key.

I am very encouraged by this closer working. In the past there has been much mistrust... Perhaps we can now put this into motion and who knows, maybe Leigh could be a benchmark club with the links with amateurs who can also bring a lot of different expertise to the the party if a pro-club listens.

It's a three way street, let's through our amateur clubs ensure that Leigh is firmly on the RFL map and kudos to those amateur clubs in Miners and East that have done much spadework down the years and continue to bring through young players that will ultimately make good players.

I'm not knocking it DP I want to see the all TOWNS clubs succeed, but we need to see that it's not all take from the Centurions & the amateur clubs do benefit aswell so it doesn't turn sour

never mind a leigh united! how about LEIGH CITY!

Great news well done to all concerned

Sorry Dave couldn't resist

Its not exactly rocket science is it, the local pro club has a good working relationship with local amateur sides. It is blindingly obvious common sense & should be the norm.The fact that it isnt speaks volumes about past, & some present, personnel at the afore mentioned sporting institutions.

take from the amateur clubs , what can they give in return ?

Many of the big clubs have a particular ' Feeder club ' that they push promising juniors to , Saints have Blackbrook , W1g4n - St pats , I'm sure it happens in Hull and Yorkshire as well

So what can the Centurions give back to the Miners and East ?

Quote of the the Leyther. Love it Fred. Get the T shirts printed.

It should really read

United we win , City get f*** all

You really need to seperate your sports Steve.

Support.................

Free tickets for all registered U16's, Leigh players at their presentation nights rather than those from other clubs, Signed Shirts to raffle off, Club representatives at their major fund raising functions,

No good. Contact with the players that they want to become is what the youngsters need. Have a few nights mixing with them at training will bring the young ones on a treat. A signed shirt is a mile away from rubbing shoulders with their heros.

BUT are they their heros? todays kids want to be associated with the 'Brands' which in this area of RL are Wigan, Saints, Warrington and Salford, don't believe me? take a look around the town centres of Leigh Atherton and Tyldesley and see which sorts shirs are being worn by the 'kids' (if you can find many rugby ones that is.

Agreed



I thought at the end I'd put players to run a few training sessions but its seems not to have posted

One step away from becoming semi pro eh??

Keith, do you think this has come about because of or in spite of Millward?

The only reason they are their hero's is because they see them on the TV, they never see Leigh Players.

I posted a while back, allocate a Leigh player to a amateur team, if say Jimmy Taylor, took Leigh East Under 9's for a few training sessions, especially just before a home game and then gave their families free tickets to get in. Sit them in their own sections of the East stand, Jimmy goes over and waves to 'his team' just before warming up and again at the end. He might, just might become a hero to one or two of them.

Yes Fred but at least all the Dads and Grand-dads have good memorys and are wearing Leigh tops

Agreed the kids who are playing should see it as a kind of reward and not only that they and the families, have already shown an interest in the game and more likely turn up than simply handing out free tickets at ST Joes.

Anyway I've got to go now, got some pitches to mark out,

thought the girls festival was on the 21st?

I posted earlier as a ' devils advocate ' to generate and stimulate some brain action , it seems to have worked

i'll do it again now

The problems with building relationships between Amatuer and Pro clubs is compounded quite often because of the high turnover of staff at pro clubs , look at the number of scouts , coaches , player performance managers and players at Leigh Centurions in recent years

Until that is sorted it will always be a struggle

No disrespect to Gary Eccleston , but with his association with Ince rose Bridge there will alway be people at other clubs who will find fault or point out supposed favouratisms , it is human nature

If you look a W1g4ns recent junior development , part of the successes Dean Bell had was because he was seen as totally impartial , ie no previous affiliation with any local club

Interesting read.
Hope the local clubs can help each other, and this meeting is the start of that. Though I remember similar meetings taking place while at HP and then it kind of fizzled out - well hearing what came of them that is.
Good luck!