Ste Maden will have to put his natural modesty to one side as he takes centre stage in his own Testimonial game on Thursday.​

A Leigh Centurions select XIII will take on a combined Leigh East/Miners team at Leigh East as a highlight of the popular Maden’s Testimonial year.

Maden has earned the respect of team-mate and opponent alike during a fine career but prefers to do his talking on the pitch.

Rarely seeking the limelight, he is definitely a player’s player, one whose true value isn’t just judged in appearances made or tries scored.

Statistics wise his career stats are impressive anyway-73 tries in 210 Leigh games and a career total of 99 tries that has seen him also play for St Helens, Warrington and Whitehaven.

Allocated squad number 28 for the 2015 season Maden’s popularity and worth to the Club was such that he has been handed an important mentoring and coaching role with the younger players as part of Reserves Coach Paul Anderson’s staff.

Mado, as he is known to all and sundry, made his last appearance in the Centurions’ victory at Wrexham against North Wales Crusaders last September, making the Championship Team of the Week selection for his part in an another fine team performance that wrapped up a momentous league campaign.

Unfortunately a knee injury threatens to rule him out of Thursday’s game but that won’t dampen his spirits. Realistically he knows that his new off-field role is where his future now lies after discussions with Head of Rugby Derek Beaumont and Head Coach Paul Rowley.

“Derek and Paul have always been honest with me and I knew last season that my first-team chances would be limited," he said. “The aim was always to win the Championship, which we achieved in some style and I didn’t have a problem not playing every week. In fact I enjoyed the season that much watching the lads and taking my first steps in coaching and helping out behind the scenes that it was one of most enjoyable seasons in rugby.”

Maden took special pleasure in Anderson’s Reserves side emulating their first-team counterparts with a double of their own. "Ando is a brilliant coach and he was the one who got me involved,” he said. “I've really enjoyed it and looking ahead it is something I'd like to continue with when my playing career comes to an end."

Best known as a winger, Maden has also played centre, fullback and in the back row in a long career that started off with Leigh Academy side. But he then was offered a contract with Warrington and later moved to Saints before returning to Leigh in 2004.

Maden played 18 times during the promotion season but frustratingly missed out on the Arriva Trains Cup Final win over Hull KR and the dramatic grand final success over Whitehaven due to injury. He then scored nine tries in 26 games during Leigh’s one season in Super League in 2005 before heading off to Cumbria for two seasons with Whitehaven.

Maden returned to Leigh in 2008 for the last season at Hilton Park and then was a virtual fixture in the side as the Centurions adjusted to their new home at the LSV. He won winners’ medals as the Centurions lifted the Northern Rail Cup in 2011 and again in 2013 and formed a notable right-wing partnership with Stuart Littler.

Maden played in 30 of Leigh’s 34 games in 2013 but the emergence of Adam Higson and the signing of Liam Kay restricted his chances in 2014 though he continued to enjoy training and playing in the Reserves.

His Testimonial year got off to a great start with a sell-out race night at Golborne Parkside and a calendar featuring photos of Leigh’s first-team stars was also in big demand. Steve’s biggest supporters are wife Emma and six-year-old son Alfie who has already embarked on his own rugby career.

Many of his best friends from rugby including Wigan captain Sean O’Loughlin, Iain Thornley, Chris Hill and Stefan Ratchford have supported his fund-raising events and Thursday’s game will be an emotional occasion for one of the game’s good guys.

Leigh Centurions Select XIII v Leigh East/Miners XIII kicks-off at 7.30pm. Admission is £5 adults and £2 children. In a typical act of generosity the Steve Maden testimonial Fund will donate £1 from each spectator to the #teamisaac fund-raising initiative for the seriously ill infant son of Gareth Haggerty, brother of Centurions star Kurt.

Leigh Centurions Head of Rugby Derek Beaumont said: “Mado is a real gem of a guy and typifies everything we want at our club. As a rugby player he is tough, uncompromising and a real hard worker!‎ Never taking a backward step and always looking for work, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

“As an individual he is a genuine, honest and caring person with real family values. He is kind, considerate and understanding and has a wonderful family with a supportive wife. He is a fantastic father and role model for his son Alfie who under his guidance I am confident will have a great career of his own following in his dad's footsteps.

“It is all those qualities that have kept him at the club in a coaching role where he is highly respected by the Reserves players and Ando himself. As a club we wanted to support Steve for all the hard work and commitment he has shown Leigh over the years and I also wanted to do that personally for him as I consider him a true friend and his family also.

“I really hope the Leigh fans as well as the amateur fans and even fans of other rugby clubs turn up and show their support for a man who has put everything and then some into our great club. It is rather typical of his good nature that he is donating a share of his gate to support young Isaac Haggerty whom all our thought and prayers are with.”

Any news on the Leigh Team

nothing coming out about the team as yet I do know Steve will be playing possibly in the forwards. Going to club this AM will try to get some idea reference the team As already advised we aretaking this game seriously so maybe its a bit of gamesmanship. watch this space

Just in case you havnt heard we have had to cancel the game tonight due to frozen pitch. Believe rematch will be 19 February at same venue. Watch for further details

Don Boyle

Damn. I can't make that now.