Leigh Centurions the Halifax One Was a Real Bad Leigh Fans That Went to Wigan, Hon
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FROM THE TOP By CEO Trevor Barton MBE t is strange to from poor attendances and it will Ireflect on how two be interesting to see how many heavy defeats can be of their fans travel. WHO’S WHO viewed so differently. Looking back at the travelling At Leigh Centurions The Halifax one was a real bad Leigh fans that went to Wigan, Hon. Life Presidents: day at the office, whilst the one you begin to wonder if, with no Mr. Tommy Sale MBE, at Wigan was uplifting, both promotion and relegation, some from the effort on the field and fans view the Championship as Mr. Arthur Thomas the support from the stands. It being irrelevant. I hope not, if Hon. Vice President: was an honour to be there. The only from supporting the boys on Mr. Andy Burnham MP Wigan Chairman stated the field, who train and play their Hon. Life Members: afterwards that the support and socks off for relatively little Mr. Brian Bowman, noise from our supporters had reward and from the point of Mr. Tommy Coleman been the best that they had had view, of course, that without a Mr. Frank Taylor all season. financially supportive fan base, Chairman: So, we get back to the usual we will not continue long into Mr. Keith Freer business today of playing our the future. Directors: friends and rivals in the Trevor Barton MBE Mr. Phil Coffey; Championship, Batley Bulldogs. Chief Executive Officer Mr. John Roddy, They too have been suffering Ms Miranda Barker Company Secretary: CLUB RECORDS Mr. John Massey HONOURS Biggest Victory: Chief Executive: Championship Winners: 1905-06 92-2 vs Keighley (1986) Mr. Trevor Barton MBE Division One Champions: Biggest Defeat: Head Coach: 1981-82 4-94 vs Workington Town (1995) Mr. Paul Rowley Division Two Champions: Highest Home Attendance: Club Ambassador: 1977-78, 1985-86, 1988-89 31,326 vs St Helens (1953) Challenge Cup Winners: Lowest Post War Home Attendance: Mr. Alex Murphy OBE. 1920-21, 1970-71 451 vs Hull (1975) Business Manager: Lancashire Cup Winners: Most Tries in a game: Mr. Rob Parker. 1952-53, 1955-56, 1970-71, 1981-82 Jack Wood 6 v York (1947), Lottery Manager: BBC2 Floodlit Trophy: Neil Turley 6 v Workington Town (2001) Most Goals in a game: Ms. Christine Brown. 1969-70, 1972-73 Promotion To Top Division achieved Mick Stacey 15 vs Doncaster (1976) Lottery Co-ordinator: (Not as Champions): Most Points in a game: Mr. Jonathan Simpkin. 1963-64, 1975-76, 1991-92 Neil Turley 42 vs Chorley (2004) Finance Manager: Other Promotion season: Most Tries in a season: Ms. Jane Smith. 1997 (Division 3 to Division 2) Neil Turley 55 (2001) Northern Ford Minor Premiership Most Goals in a season: Club Chaplain: Winners: 2001 Neil Turley 187 (2004) Mr. Sam Edwards Trans-Pennine Cup Winners: Most Points in a season: Webmaster & Ticket Sales: 2001 Neil Turley 468 (2004) Mr. Andrew Parkinson. Arriva Trains Cup Winners: Most Tries in a career: 2004 Mick Martyn 189 (1954-67) Honorary Programme Editor: LHF National League 1 Champions: Most Goals in a career: Mr. Alan Edge 2004 Jimmy Ledgard 1043 (1948-58) Club Accountants: LHF National League 1 Grand Final Most Points in a career: Styles & Co. Winners: 2004 John Woods 2492 (1976-85, 1990-92) Northern Rail Cup Winners: Most Appearances: 2006, 2011 Albert Worrall – 503 (1920-38) 2 THE CENTURION www.leighcenturions.com FROM THE EDITOR By ALAN EDGE Today’s Visitors Where Have The Crowds Gone? This afternoon we bid a warm ‘Leyther’ Artist David Hockney once said, “I'm a bit claustrophobic, I welcome to the players, officials and don't like crowds, I live by the sea - that's what I see when I supporters of Batley Bulldogs, for the come out of my house in Bridlington.” Kingstone Press Championship round Whilst we obviously can’t attribute the current decline in crowds, to twelve game. claustrophobia, I’m at a loss to understand what exactly is causing it. As a result of our resounding defeat at Halifax, Our average crowd last season was 1,660 – if you exclude the two in the previous fixture, we currently occupy lucrative home cup ties against Leeds and Halifax. This season we are fifth place in the Championship table, having averaging 1,331 – a decrease of almost 20%. Prior to today, we had been comprehensively beaten by three of the teams above us. Today only played two league games against teams who figured in last we play the fourth of those teams, and a quick glance at the table season’s Championship, Hunslet and Sheffield. These two fixtures saw below, illustrates the magnitude of our task. Batley have the meanest a reduction of just 11%. Of course, it’s not as simple as the bald defence in the league, averaging just 13 points conceded in their ten statistics suggest – for instance, those games against the Hawks and Championship games. Indeed, that was exactly how many they Eagles were played in the ‘Summer’ last season, whilst the conceded against Huddersfield in last week’s Challenge Cup tie. corresponding fixtures in 2013 were played out in near-Arctic Whilst four teams, including Leigh, have scored more points than conditions! them, the Bulldogs are proving true the adage that a sound defence Today’s visitors seem to be suffering similar problems. Their average wins matches! Their sole defeat this season was a narrow one at gates in 2013, excluding the cup tie with Huddersfield, are 778 – Sheffield, and their draw at home to Halifax was the only game in down by 18% on last season. Batley have played four teams, who which the ‘Shaymen’ have dropped a point so far. they met in 2012, and gates for those games are down by 19%. Encounters with the Bulldogs in recent seasons have proved difficult to forecast. Since 2006, we have managed to win five of the seven Latest Championship Table home league games, and four of the away ones. However, in knockout competitions, Batley have twice been victorious in the three games at KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE - Leigh, whilst we have won the only cup game at Batley. Seven of as at 24th April 2013 those eighteen fixtures, have ended in ‘bonus point’ margins of less Team PWDLFor Against Points Bonus Points than twelve points. In 2011, we completed a league ‘double’ over the Points Diff Bulldogs, but last season they gained revenge by returning the compliment! 1 Halifax 11 10 10352 142 210 0 32 2 Batley 10 811270 129 141 1 27 Deja-Vu 3 Featherstone 10 802351 164 187 2 26 4 Sheffield 10 802307 192 115 1 25 Our last two away games have, oddly, produced the identical 5 Leigh 11 803322 246 76 0 24 score line – unfortunately both were defeats, by 10-60. The 6 York 10 406207 246 -39 3 15 first of those games, at Championship leaders Halifax, was a 7 Dewsbury 10 406191 259 -68 2 14 severe disappointment, as the home side monopolised 8 Whitehaven 11 407192 299 -107 2 14 possession, and utilised it magnificently, to put us to the 9 Swinton 10 307190 271 -81 4 13 sword. It’s not difficult to see why ‘Fax sit proudly at the top 10 Hunslet 10 307212 256 -44 3 12 11 Keighley 9306158 244 -86 3 12 of the Kingstone Press Championship. 12 Workington 9306160 230 -70 2 11 Last week’s defeat, in the Challenge Cup at Wigan, was an altogether 13 Barrow 11 209192 352 -160 5 11 different affair. Whilst the home team proved their undoubted 14 Doncaster 10 208164 238 -74 4 10 pedigree as Super League leaders, and were good value for their sixty points, the margin of victory surely flattered them and was scant reward for the spirit and enterprise shown by our lads, in attack. Today’s Indeed, we managed to score two tries and had a further three Mascot disallowed. If we had managed to record those ‘tries’ the margin of defeat could have been halved. Today’s mascot is Josh Hatherell. Josh is nine years old and Another pleasing factor of last Friday’s game, was the rowdy level of attends Bedford Methodist Leigh support, estimated at over 1,300. I’m sure the players Primary School. appreciated the constant backing. Hopefully some of those ‘new’ His favourite player is Ryan Brierley. supporters will have seen enough spirit and skill on display, to have Josh is pictured proudly wearing his had their appetites whetted sufficiently to want to see more of the Leigh Miners Rangers kit and Centurions, starting today. holding aloft a trophy he recently won at Miners Rangers. www.leighlife.com THE CENTURION 3 PAUL’S PAGE PAUL ROWLEY TALKS TO DAVE PARKINSON It has been a few weeks since we caught up with the thoughts of Head Coach Paul Rowley. Here are Paul’s thoughts on all the games since the Good Friday encounter with Swinton. Swinton reaction: (Won 20-12) Swinton had mammoth territory on our line in that second half. They only breached our line once at the very end; their other try was an intercept. In terms of desire shown and defensive commitment, it was outstanding. It was the slowest game of rugby league that I’ve seen for a long time. The rucks weren’t well controlled and that didn’t suit us. But in saying that we were pleased to get the win in “our house.” I’m pleased we got the win. There was every Ryan Brierley splits the Wigan defence reason for Swinton to be optimistic; they had Wigan reaction: (Lost 10-60) a new coach and a strong side out.