Or maybe he feels confident enough in his own abilities to be able to work under the financial constraints being a Cas coach brings with it , whereas the others aren't

Do you honestly believe he was going to stay with us till the next round of franchises? 3 years in a league in which the goalposts could be moved yet again or take a job in the top league and have a crack at bigger honours.

Like Starbug says, is it even financially viable if Millward stays? He's on a SL coaches contract and Rowley must be on a decent sum as well, something just has to budge. Maybe to call him world class was a bit far, but he's certainly not the standard of coach the Cas fans are painting him at.

The first and most important thing is making sure we have a club next season... lets concentrate on that and shouting these boys on to the Grand Final and what would prove a fitting send off.

It's all over the place now, what will be will be,

some people need a reality check we are a small club in a second rate league with a top ambitious coach who wants to coach at the highest level in the sport in this country, he has been given a chance and it is thought he has taken it don't tell me no one on here would go to a job with better prospects if they didn't have the chance, good luck Ian in whatever you do.

and as for Cas fans well the last few coaches they have had have hardly set the RL world on fire at least this one has won something in SL get over yourselves a few short years ago you were down here and if the RFL had any dangly bits you and a couple of others would be down here again.

Can understand the frustration totally but in all honesty why stay here ?

We are playing in a dead league that no-one is interested in (and is shrinking).

He cannot alter anything on field to see his and the clubs ambitions realised - that nugget is decided in a office somewhere in Leeds.

The best players are going / will leave - they also have ambition (again they cannot effect the decision made in a office somewhere in Leeds).

The club is struggling for backers (chicken in egg, why invest in a sports club that realistically you have no control of how to better it by stepping up).

Year on year we are becoming just a bit more as a feeder club for various SL clubs (no-one knows where this is going).

He is going to a club that has a profile, will be on TV , is in the big league and has a decent youth set up (if reports are to be believed), he won't be expected to finish in the top 2 for a few years and he will still be a big fish in a small pond but with lots more money to play with.

In all fairness (and I'm gutted Basil is going - Leigh are in aright mess IMO at the moment in time, Is there a long term future of quality ?) we did well to keep him for so long.

They may need lifting tomorrow night ,we all saw the result with Fax after getting bad news but I reckon the lads must have had an idea that he wasn't going to be staying so maybe not as much of a blow

Okay, he wiped Wayne Bennett's Aussie backside in the WCC. Only chance he's had to play against one of the huge list of 'World Class' coaches you put forward.

That's perspective.

As Leigh fan's there's always something that kicks us in the teeth, just as things seem to be going well, gutted. Going to get

tomorrow night now.

Must admit I enjoyed the NRC final more than usual as I thought I'd take in the fact we had won a cup and reached a final.
With everything going on off field (losing our main backer) and the way the leagues are structured I did wonder how many chances of sucess we had left.
With Basil going lets enjoy the few games remaining as I honestly see this as a turning point in the history of our club, not just Ian and the players depatures but the games structure and our off field situation means it doesn't point to good times ahead.

As Basil said, enjoy the ride, must admit I get the feeling we are about to reach our final destination before the wheels come off , lets hope we have enough steam for one really good day out

If someone from the club says that it was because we could not afford his wages next season and we would have had a good chance of going under with him still here then I could accept that. To go to Cas just because they are an SL team is beyond me. If he had stayed at Leigh and we were to win everything and do the same next year he would have had his pick of any of the top SL clubs or maybe another crack at the NRL. Sorry I'm absolutely pig sick of this happening to us.

If Ian M does move on the club had better bring in another class coach like Noble .. Kear .. Morgan
ect or the momentuem that we have built over this season will be lost and it will be back to square one
I think we need Ian at the helm or someone with a proven track record if this club wants to move forward the RL have more or less killed Rugby League below Super League level in this country
if he goes and the right man isnt put in place then Leigh will go in a downward spiral with crowds
player recruitment ect ect ect.. Might as well turn the stadium into a bingo hall or another Supermarket Typical Leigh this things look up then once again a MIGHTY FALL..

There's a group of gypsies down south looking for a new site.

Lets hope that whoever takes over can keep us out of Champ1, as our box ticking this season will have been pointless. Fresh blood is needed, not someone who will seriously split our support. Can we afford a new coach? can we afford to have a coach who has toyed with relegation before? Over to you Trevor and the board. No doubt this will lessen the attractivness of our club to any investor also...oh well, this is Leigh after all

Eystan (is it speeled right?) Harris would be a good choice.

Ian Millward is our coach for the rest of the season , he deserves and hopefully will receive our support until he is no longer our coach , I don't really think we need to follow the lead that Cas have , by either speaking to , or us as fans speculating who might replace him , until he has gone

The season is not over yet , and I am determined to enjoy what is left of it

Here , Here , Basil is stll our coach , the team still needs our support ,the season is far from over , we need to show the lads we still want to win .

You are right there Steve. He is still our coach and I will be at Dewsbury on thursday shouting my head off as usuall.

Milward has had to endure being sat next to Messers Coffey and Freer at various LISA / Fans forums recently whilst they have spelt out to supporters in great detail, how serious a financial situation this club is in and the struggle on their hands to even last the season.

I would imagine each and every time it would have hit home to IM that his salary is no longer sustainable and I would suggest that to be factually correct.

Ian no doubt still has ambition to achieve great things as a top coach and that will have been a major factor in (IF poven) him taking up a SL position now.

No doubt relinquishing the club of his (alledged) SL salary will of been another factor in his decision.

I never expected him to last the duration of his contract. He was appointed to enable the club to tick an on field box. He has achieved it.

Rumoured to be on his way to Wigan has a assistant to the current assistant

Harris, Morgan or Karl harrisson. If its true then we need to get the right coach above all else otherwise all the work done this season will have been in vain.

How many coaches have we ,are we paying was we still paying Kelly when Rowley was appointed ditto Rowley when Basil was appointed.
Some say Rowley still has 2 years on his contract.How can he.What contract, was he given a 3/4/5 year first team coach contract when he followed Kelly.Did he sign new assistant coach contract when Basil arrived (unlikely).Is he on a rolling contract(sic)Has he signed a new contract recently,what as.
Some say next years budget shortfall was 100k was that equivalent of Basils package
If we are still paying for a full time coach when Basils gone have we no choice given the finances to retain him.

where is tony benson these days? Could we not tempt tommy martin from the smoggies.

Just mentioned it on boots n all

Has Ant Nicholson been on yet? He's supposed to be on tonight's show.