That's the same guy who announced that Dane Manning broke his jaw, when he took a blow to the face in the Leigh game. It later transpired that the injury occurred at a 'social event, attended by the player!

The club won't/can't respond to every rumour that appears. They have nothing to say, because nothing has been agreed with any SL club. The club has become much better at communicating things as/when they happen, but to announce things that haven't happened? Surely not?

Think about this, we have already signed about 20 first team squad players, using up a large slice of our salary budget. I can't see the club then just sidelining these 20 (good) players in favour of a number of W***n youngsters, can you? What would we pay them with, when there';s hardly anything left in the pot? As for the suggestion that up to half our first team squad could come from W***n, well that would give us a squad of about 40, on current numbers!

It may well be that the club sees fit to enter an arrangement with a SL club, over younger players, but they will announce that if/when it happens. It may well be that the club takes some D/C's from W***, or any other SL club, but they will announce that if/when it happens. Meanwhile, they are very busy dealing with what is actually happening, rather than what isn't!

Can you use your influences to get a statement out giving complete clarity to the situation, because it isn't Fax fans that have got me very concerned that I will be ending my affinity to what was LRLFC should what is circulating be true. If you can influence the statement please make sure it is CRYSTAL CLEAR eg WE WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PARTNERSHIP IDEA BECAUSE WE WILL NEVER BE A FEEDER CLUB FOR ANY LUVVER AS LONG AS WE HAVE HOLES IN OUR ARRISS'S type statement.

I can't exert any influence to get them to clarify something that isn't actually there to be clarified. Whatever is 'circulating' cannot be fact, because nothing has been agreed with anybody. I appreciate concerns about 'twinning' with W***n, or any other SL club, but our club has already stated that will not happen. That situation hasn't changed. They may well be exploring other avenues of mutual benefit, but can only announce any agreements if/when there are any.

Remember, we already have had 'agreements' with W***n/Warrington, over D/C's, loans, 'friendly' games, so the concept of 'partnering' or whatever we want to call it, is hardly new.

Alan, what is FACT is a very nasty rumour around town that is making people very worried. That rumour can be put to bed, you do not need to quote Wigan/Wire or anybody, just something more PC on the lines I put.

Working with on the basis we have refn DC's is not a problem, merging community departments and teams is.

Spot on Alan.

Leigh will never EVER be Wigans feeder club. We can't be because our club is finished should that happen.

I know that after well over 50 years watching the team I support and that is without personally having any influence at our club.

I don't need a statement from the club to tell me that and just to show how confident I am' of that if I am proved wrong everyone on here who wants one gets a free pint.

A clear and concise statement ends the bullpooh if thats the case.

Harrison as seen that we will be getting our D/C players next season from Wigan and put 2 and 2 together and come up with 20.............the club as said that we will get our D/C from Wigan next season instead of numerous clubs that we did last season (Wigan,Cas and Wire).

Cant see us becoming a feeder club and will just have 5 D/C from Wigan - end of subject.

Neil,

I'm not sure what the FACTUAL rumour is? (a bit of a contradiction of terms there, surely?) I would repeat that I do not believe anything has been agreed with anybody, about merging teams/departments - as that's what you seem to allude to. On a point of interest, we would find it difficult to merge our U/23's or Community departments with anyone - as we do not currently have the luxury of either of those entities at our club.

I'd normally agree with the club not commenting on rumours but York, Dewsbury, Swinton and Hunslet are all now in effect looking at becoming training clubs with there SL partner clubs they signed with so things are happening in our league which has serious consequences on the league set up next year,.

If the current board want to be seen as open and honest then I actually feel this is the most important time to be so as just doing a announcement after deals have been done will infuriate a large section of our support to the point some may see this as the final kick in the teeth.
I don't think we can afford to allienate fans (and I'm equally certain our current board wouldn't want to intentionally do that).

I think now is a good time for the board to at least let the supporters know which way its thinking on this very emotional and contentious issue as after all that wouldn't do any harm if it had decided Yes or No to 'merge' a youth (or other) team with any other Pro RL club.

Frank you are right about the club being finished if we become some sort of feeder club for Wigan or anyone else, but all this are we aren't we stuff is undoing a lot of hard work the club as done over the last 12 months, and will stop people buying season ticket, shirts and other merchandise till the club comes out and says WE are not going to become a feeder club for anyone we have ambition. All in my opinion of course.

At the last fans forum the "Twinning " was denied.

Why do the club have that flag in the East stand ? Is anyone suggesting the club should change it to 'Wigan's Reserves " Leigh's first team haven't lost to them in living memory.

There is no evidence for this ridiculous suggestion.

For myself I would prefer the flag said' "BeLeighve' our club detests Licenscing"

For goodness sake folks get a grip and don't believe everything Karl Harrison says.

I don't think any Licensced club's reserves are good enough to beat any of the current top 5 Championship sides. Infact although there are some promising young players in their reserve sides I don't think the standard across is that high.

Any club who agrees to a twinning arrangement has no ambition and once they go down that route there is no way back.

For myself I think licenscing has already seen to that for a number of founder member clubs already.

Well the club read this and so if its not true Im sure a statement will follow soon to end all the rumours

If you go to the RFL site you may be interested to see Saints have partnered with Rochdale (and will even coach them). But more interesting is the statement that Saints have already partnered with Whitehaven. Has anyone heard this before ?

Alan, I don’t expect the club to make statements about every rumour, and I don’t believe half of what’s written on here. But this is different the RFL have made a statement about SL clubs and championship clubs going into ‘partnership’, so all I want to know is “What is my clubs view on this statement from the RFL, are we going to be in partnership with a SL club or not?”

I believe at the last forum, when this issue had already been mooted in the press, Trevor Barton stated that the club would not become a feeder club of Wigan, or anybody else. His view on that has not changed. If you look at this week's Journal, Paul Rowley is reported as saying we may take three D/C's from Wigan - so there could well be some aspects of our organisation that take advantage of linking up with Wigan. But that will only be done, in my opinion, where there is advantage to be gained by Leigh Centurions.

Reading between the lines all the Championship clubs that have "twinned" will have to play the "duals" before their own players, Paul Rowley does'nt want this so I cant see it happening, not saying we wont have three or four duals, but maybe we are looking to take up some Wigan players on season long loans instead, which would be much better.

Alan I appreciate the reply and I know I’m probably looking for issues which may or may not be there, as on one side you say Trevor said we are not being a feeder club and in the next say we may take advantage of a link up.

Are we going into Partnership with Wigan or not?

without wanting to sound like im in your face,as chairperson of lisa and a director of the club shouldnt you be looking into this a bit deeper than reading between the lines?

From the first tier of 25 players, SL sides will have a changing pool of 8 players that are not match tied. As I understand the (non RFL communicated) proposals, these 8 players will form the core of the agreement with the 'partnership' club. Up to 5 will be allowed to play in any given match, but obviously all 8 will need rotation to keep them match fit. So partnership clubs are essentially looking at a pool of 8 players. That is a lot to expect from clubs such as Leigh and Fev, but presumably acceptable for clubs like Rochdale and Hunslet who are not as well off.

Clearly if Leigh only took 2-3 players per week from Wigan (whether you called it D/R or partnership), it would leave them with a problem. I can not see how it would work, and furthermore the RFL, now matter how they presented it, could not claim it was a 'partnership'.

jOHN I ASKEDTHE QUESTION AND WAS TOLD WE WAS NOT BECOMING A FEEDER/twinned CLUB FOR WIGAN.
Since I asked things may have changed!!!

Just spoke with our coach and he told me we have a partnership with Wigan just like we had last year and we will be getting some "duals " from them,we will not become their feeder club the duals we have will be 3 or 4, although we will not be forced to play them.
The South Wales Club are their twinned club.

Because of our budget, we need duals to bolster our squad ,but we have 20/21 players of our own signed up, so the duals will just make up the squad and we will pick the best players each game, if a "dual" plays bad then he can be dropped as one of our players can.Wigan will not be forcing us to paly their players, this is from our coach, so you can all put the feeder club rumours to bed now. I know I feel better now...........

Also we wont be able to get players from Warrington as they have "twinned" with Swinton for next season.

So that sounds to me very similar to the last two years, so no excuses now to say we have finished with our club, or we are not buying a season ticket.

I now feel at ease, thanks Lynda.

Well what’s it matter what you call the Wigan Players D/C or Under 23s But you can bet this if a Wigan player is on D/C at Leigh their is only one Team he will be playing in guess what he wont be the under 23s regardless off what our coach says
Also ask yourselves this the partnership between Leigh & Wigan is for the benefit of who To Give Wigan 1st Teamers a game of Rugby at the expense of our own under 23 lads trying to make the 1st team
So please lets get real this partnership is about Wigan keeping their players fit and giving them match practise
Also Championship Rugby is a step below Super League why do you think Super League Clubs send their players out on dual contract
The way i see this going Leigh could have at any one time have anything between 1 and 10 players wearing a Leigh Shirt
in the 1st Team or in the under 23s