Leigh Centurions are pleased to confirm the signing of Michael Platt on loan from Salford Red Devils until the end of the 2014 season. Platt will then become a full-time Centurions player on 1 December 2014 on a two-year contract.

Platt, 30, is a vastly experienced fullback or three-quarter who has scored 84 tries in 243 club appearances since making his first-team debut for Salford in 2001. He moved to Rochdale Hornets in 2004 and then played an integral role in Castleford’s promotion campaign in 2005. He established himself as a top Super League player with the Tigers in 2006 before then spending seven top-flight seasons with Bradford Bulls.

After playing for North Wales Crusaders at the start of the current season he re-joined Salford and has also played two games on dual registration for Barrow Raiders.

Platt was a member of the Great Britain squad in 2007 and played in the Centenary International against the New Zealand All Golds and later represented Ireland in the 2008 World Cup.

Leigh Centurions Head of Rugby Derek Beaumont said: “I’d like to thank Salford for assisting us with getting Michael across early. He has done a job for them and we have secured his services going forward so it was very honourable of Salford to loan him to us with a view to him preparing for next season. It is something we greatly appreciate.

“Michael adds strength and size to the squad and is a proven Super League player. I look forward to seeing him compete for a place in our first-team squad in the very near future.”

Leigh Centurions Head Coach Paul Rowley said: “We identified one area where we needed to add more competition and that was the centre berth. It’s a difficult area to fill and has become something of a niche position in Rugby League.

“In acquiring Michael’s services we have someone who is renowned as a fantastic trainer and athlete. He will add strike power and competition to our edge.
“Our first-team squad is now looking very strong with competition for places across the board.”​

Good news

Wow, this one came out of nowhere. Sounds like a clever signing, a proven SL player who can cover a few positions. That'll do for me, welcome to the Leythers Michael!

Good signing for the club but thought we would of been looking at Blythe TBH.

Yes this seems a smart move. Welcome to Leigh Centurions Michael.

Decent utility back. We'll need that next season.

Good player will fit in well with our set up

Hope he plays in the forwards for you ,because if you put him in the Backs it's like watching a Man running in a Swimming pool of Soup.

At last, someone talking sense, and not "singing from the hymn sheet"!!

I get a lot of stick on here for watching both sides, and other players, and I find this signing more baffling than the capture of the "old timer"!!

Awaits abuse from those who thought Kent, King, McCurrie, Ferres and Feaunati were shrewd investments!!

Lets wait and see is imo. We have to be realistic in the type/quality of player we can buy/afford. I trust rowley in general, has not bought too many dud players.

Is it Minestrone or a Chunky Veg soup?

Hard to comprehend the press release, about being light in the centres, as Armsrong is class, Pitman has been a revelation, and Hankinson has looked good when given the opportunity!

Your opinions may be given more credence if you were not hiding behind a username on an Internet forum.

Express your views on Facebook behind your real identity and club officials may respond to you in person pal.

Oh dear, we've touched a nerve there with past signings then, haven't we??

I don't believe anyone is doubting the quality of all three players you name, least of all the club who have secured all on FT deals, however none have any real SL or top flight experience and are all young lads. We are retaining all the quality we currently have and adding more and more young potentials from the u20s and it seems we are adding depth and experience to what is in the main a youthful and inexperienced squad.

As with Brown this year and Littler being shipped out Rowley has proved reputations and age mean nothing and if these players turn up and don't perform or meet the desired levels and standards they won't play. Rowley has shown he can pick a team with 19 wins from 20 games why not put some faith in him and the club instead of waiting to have a cheap shot and pop at the club behind a childish username on a fans forum?

There has been an obvious lack of depth at centre this year indeed had we not lost both centres at Leeds in the cup we may have gone on to win s let's look at this as a welcome ADDITION to what we already have.

Your life must be so dull with your glass being half empty all the time.

By the looks of your username it seems you regularly touch a nerve, a rather small one at that

Those 2 comments make a mockery of your argument!

if we weren't well off there , Stu wouldn't have gone elsewhere!

On the contrary alot, you are showing a complete lack of knowledge of the team you claim to support. Had you watched the reserves you would know Pitman played a full year of 20s in 2013 and came to the club as a wing man, Hankinson likewise has been filling in at centre but played the majority of his RL for Salford last year featuring against us as a back row forward.

Indeed we've had to press winger/back rower Higson and also Kurt Haggerty into service in the centres so far this year due to lack of out and out centre options in the squad.

Littler been a legend but wasn't making the grade or side and reading these pages last 12/18 months most wanted him dropped or played in the forwards due to lack of pace.

Catch up lad we sold woody to Bradford and Des to wire you know pal.

Welcome to Leigh Centurions, Michael.
Looking forward to seeing you with a Leigh shirt on !

p.s Why is it when we sign somebody, some Leigh fans decide to argue/be personal. Could we be actually doing any better than someone might have predicted 1 year ago....

So we can give Terry Bilsbury another chance then???

He's having a run fort Boars Yed in Shaw Cup see how his hamstring is

We aren't recruiting a SL team, we are recruiting a squad to get us there and that squad is young but will develop so we need some experience
We have the beat of this year signed and they pushed Leeds all the way
I still see a back row prop and outside back to come in but delighted Bullock has signed

Hope his dodgy knee holds up....He's marking Steve Halliwell, who is making a "Guest appearance" for the Alehouse!!!

Just over one year ago we couldn't afford to pay a part time teams wages and we're heading for oblivion but some people forget that all to quickly.

As it says in the press release,he is part of the squad and can cover a variety of positions if needed,so is NOT nailed on for any starting line up and will have to work hard to get into the team like everyone else.