I wasn’t shocked at Batley winning given they had got the better of Fev already in the regular season
I hope they had their day in the sun last week
I know full well Batley are capable of beating us in play off rugby they’ve done it more than once before
If our lads play their best rugby it’s not going to happen anything less and you never know

Personally, I don't think Batley stand a chance. They may give us a game for 30 minutes but we will then blow them away. Leigh 54 Batley 6.

Re attendances I remember being in a crowd of 24000 and 18000 both at Hilton Park versus Wiggin in the 60s. Now my memory could be playing tricks cos it was a long time ago and I could have dreamt it, but sure it was something like that. I remember as a young teenager answering the call and helping to get the straw off the pitch which we stored under the supporters stand. I can remember Billy Boston and Eric Ashton playing. I think they were both cup games. I'm sure someone will get the true facts. I do remember being at the Railway End being squashed like a sardine in an amazing atmosphere.

Graham , I’ve just been to the bookies and Leigh are giving Batley 40 start , I take nowt for granted , but 40 is a big start .

I remember the two cup ties against Wigan, in 1968 I think we lost something like 22-2, with a capacity attendance of 22,000, and in 1970 we lost 6-4 in front of a crowd of around 19,000 if my memory is correct. I think a reason given for the defeats was that Murphy was injured on both occasions. I can recall crowds for league matches against Wigan as being usually well over 10,000, for example 15,000 or so in 1970-1 with Leigh winning. However, my Dad told me he was at Hilton Park in 1953 for a cup match against St Helens when the attendance was a record for Leigh of over 30,000. I still have my Rugby League year book for 1982-3 which gives the attendances for the previous year, the championship year for Leigh. The average of 5939 was third but well behind the Hull clubs, although ahead of the likes of Leeds, St Helens and Wigan.

Hello Charlie, I wondered where you had got to. Nice to see you back! I think 40 is being kind. I think the occasion will get to Batley in front of a large partisan crowd, especially a full North Stand. I fear once the floodgates open and their heads drop they will need more than 40 start. I can also imagine Manning will spend time in the bin.

Thanks, Essex Leyther for confirming I didn't dream it!! As you say in those days there were regular attendances of 10,000 to 15,000 crowds when we played Wiggin, Saints, Wire, Swinton, Salford. Great times we won't see the likes of again. I also remember the bloke with the boards attached to him greeting the supporters as they snaked through the turnstiles with the painted words proclaiming, "Repent. The End is Nigh". It is for Batley! Lol

I don't remember the 1953 game. I was still 'hanging on a star'...just!! haha

Leigh expects.

There was something about our away win at Batley which I think felt like turning point where the casual fans, opposition fans, pundits and the usual pessimist Leigh fans finally felt this was a special team, so it is fitting it should come down to trying to turn them over for a third time this season.

Should be a good one.

Batley are a good honest team, with a hard working pack and a decent spine. When facing Leigh they meet force with a greater force and for this reason alone Leigh should come out on top.

The game at Mount Unpleasant was a real turning point. Premier Sport turned up expecting a ding dong do. What they got was a tour de force, with Leigh scoring down the hill and up the hill. The pitch will also neutralise Batley, who like going to Post Office Road and using their pitch to Batley's advantage.

Skybet have us at 1/300 to win this game!

Halftime.
Batley doing exactly what I expected but we haven’t kicked in like I thought we would after 20.
Second half should be ours though. We have this !

Well done good luck for next season

Welcome back to Super League!

I must admit for the first 15mins I was nervous.Once we scored I think everyone seemed to settle down. Fair play to Batley though, they gave it a good go. Good away following for them too. Massive well done to all the squad, coaches and of course Derek for his huge investment. One very happy Leyther in NZ.

Likewise in Vancouver.
What a season and what a team.
Derek built a great backbone and left them all to do their jobs and supported them all the way.
I am so happy for our whole club and fans.

Half the job done.

Full credit yet again to Batley who more than matched us up the middle and never stopped for the rest of the match but it was always going to be the case that full time vs part time was going to win and heart can only get you so far, the quick scores at the start of the second half ripped that heart out.

I like that the Batley try was announced in the stadium before the video ref had made his decision.

Now to build a squad that can stay up before IMG start with their shenanigans.

Just landed back at Bongser Towers (helipad not too slippery). Yes Leigh studiously walked round the two end of season banana skins and are back in SL, but there should be a big call-out tonight to Batley. Their team turned up big style and their fans did too. The former for a game (which they gave us despite the wide margin), the latter for a party! Bongser was sitting in the South West and, oh, are they a noisy bunch! Supported their town, applauded good Leigh tries and many were in The Wren afterwards (why was Legends closed?) and were pressing palms and wishing Leigh well next season.

....and good luck right back at them in these uncertain times.

Congrats Leythers, see you next year

Felicitations to the “ LobbieGobbellers “



Only one Tommy Martyn

Congratulations on your well deserved promotion.

Best team I've ever seen in Championship by far.

Thanks for a great night. Best of luck next season, I'll be cheering you on. Go and upset the applecart for all of us!

Nervy start ,followed by some great tries and all finished up as we wanted.Batley put in a tremendous shift and deserve all the plaudits they have been given.

Well done to Leigh Centurions, hope you can stay in SL, well supported and well run. Got a feeling you'll do it this time, SL needs you.

Welcome back!

Congrats to the Leythers on a dominant year, looking forward to Salford playing Leigh, Leigh visiting the AJ Bell and also Salford going to LSV. Be really interesting to see who comes in in the close season for Leigh too. I am guessing Derek will keep his lucky Leopard print shirt into next season. To any Leythers who want to support our cause we're lobbying Salford Council to ensure Salford Red Devils remain at the AJ Bell rather than go to Moor Lane, our petition is here should anyone wish to sign it. Hopefully Seb Gerrard will purchase the stadium in the coming months. https://www.change.org/p/salford-counci ... of-salford

Congrats to the Leythers on a dominant year, looking forward to Salford playing Leigh, Leigh visiting the AJ Bell and also Salford going to LSV. Be really interesting to see who comes in in the close season for Leigh too. I am guessing Derek will keep his lucky Leopard print shirt into next season. To any Leythers who want to support our cause we're lobbying Salford Council to ensure Salford Red Devils remain at the AJ Bell rather than go to Moor Lane, our petition is here should anyone wish to sign it. Hopefully Seb Gerrard will purchase the stadium in the coming months. https://www.change.org/p/salford-counci ... of-salford

Quote ="Lower Creaser"Google got the better of me after I posted and came up with a different figure, but both in the same ball park I guess. I’m sure there will be other sites showing different stats , but it does show in my life time at least , Leigh have never had a massive following. https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seas ... mmary.html'" I think I go further back than you when I remember the first coming of the messiah Alex Murphy as Player-coach. In the Wembley season 70/71 a total over 110,000 attended 17 league matches giving an average home crowds of 6,500. But what was more memorable were the attendances at cup matches during his tenure.This included 2 amazing clashes in the Challenge Cup against Wigan of 22,660 in 1968 and 18,505 in 1970. Plus 16,494 in a Lancs. Cup semi final against Widnes in 1969.Perhaps the most astonishing crowd figure was a 2nd round replay against Huyton in Feb. 70 which had a crowd of 8,135 -Amazing!!

Quote ="Lower Creaser"Google got the better of me after I posted and came up with a different figure, but both in the same ball park I guess. I’m sure there will be other sites showing different stats , but it does show in my life time at least , Leigh have never had a massive following. https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seas ... mmary.html'" I think I go further back than you when I remember the first coming of the messiah Alex Murphy as Player-coach. In the Wembley season 70/71 a total over 110,000 attended 17 league matches giving an average home crowds of 6,500. But what was more memorable were the attendances at cup matches during his tenure.This included 2 amazing clashes in the Challenge Cup against Wigan of 22,660 in 1968 and 18,505 in 1970. Plus 16,494 in a Lancs. Cup semi final against Widnes in 1969.Perhaps the most astonishing crowd figure was a 2nd round replay against Huyton in Feb. 70 which had a crowd of 8,135 -Amazing!!

Well yesterdays game gave us a good base to work on. Assuming we stick to the Friday night games , will this help or hinder our chances of getting around the 7k Mark? Some games will be dictated by Sky or C4 of course but Friday assume is better for corporate, but not so much so with families with young children

Next season is next season. We have yet to see the squad assembled (some carrots dangled last evening). Think the announcements will be dribbled out slowly to keep interest up but in time for the shirt launches (certainly pre-Christmas).

One thing that could be addressed is street advertising, Walking to LSV yesterday from Tom Burkes, noticed several (small) placards plastic jubilee clipped to street furniture that advertised the RL World Cup. Also saw several gonfalons still advertising the Women's soccer Euros that finished yonks ago. No promo on the Grand Final/ MPG. 7,233 was a good crowd, 8K+ would obviously have been better.