Well Graham, I have to disagree with yer prediction or vision whichever, for me Derek is here for a while yet , I hope so anyway , yeah I’ve bought all the attire and a couple of gold packages, I can’t wait for Saturday, it’s a pity you can’t make the homes games , i to have been a supporter for over 60 years now,hopefully many more .
I’m feeling a lot better now , I have been unwell for a while now,but have been more positive in my mind and the Family are helping me be positive,I think we can really do well in SL , but it won’t be easy , I have faith though .

I hope they stay up and prosper. IMG will probably kibosh it when they show their real agenda. I'll lose interest not being able to get to games. There is a big worldwide financial crash coming though, Charlie, so you never know DB may hit hard times and I'll save the day haha

Really hope you stay up, I think you have a bottom 2 squad along with Wakefield.

HKR I believe will be fine.

It’s a shame Ferguson couldn’t keep out of trouble as he would have been an asset in SL.

Think you need to lower your expectation with Hardaker too.

He is excellent defensively and a good ball carrier, but quite slow and has a beyond terrible passing game (unlike what the modern fullbacks need).

Lam realised he needs to play centre during his spell at Wigan, not sure where he’ll be lined up for you.

Your recruitment strategy seems to be players Warrington didn’t want to keep (after they finished 2nd bottom)

I still think Charnley can play but a soon to be 33 year old Tom Briscoe stands out of a panic signing.
Good luck!

well this thread made interesting reading...

I'm certainly pleased to be proven wrong. I think I just get used to watching them get promoted, expect a good season in SL but then we get relegated, so didn't expect anything but the same, especially with such a small squad. I think all the backroom staff deserve a round of applause for keeping the players in prime condition, and what can you say about Adrian Lam - absolutely brilliant coach to forge a team of newbies into a top SL team with a tremendous team spirit. Congratulations to all concerned.

Seems odd quoting myself. 6 or 7 games to stay up, I was really wanting to say 10 pts for safety but erred on the side of caution. Castleford are looking safe on 12 pts.

I predicted a bad season for Leeds and Warrington. Leeds are in disarray with what looks like a terrible recruitment policy. Warrington lost their manager and are currently in a dogfight for the play-offs.

Wigan and Saints to finish top was a lazy prediction.

I think I also asked would you settle for Challenge Cup and Relegation or SL survival? just shows what a good season Leigh are having.

Nostrabongser was a bit off the mark.

More than happy to eat my words - Charnley and Briscoe have been brilliant

I hit the mark with Wakey going down (or at least it looks that way) but definitely under estimated where we would be. I said 8-9, or maybe even 7th at a push. Very, very happy to be wrong and never dreamed I would watch us win at Wembley this year. I $id also say that Leeds, Cas, Hull and Wakey would be below us, but thought HKR would be the dark horses for top 6 or higher finish. One team that has surprised me is Cats. I thought that their team looked older and this year they may struggle a little more. They have been very good but look a little jaded as the playoffs role in.
I think we finish 4th now and hope we play Salford. Bogey team I know but have way too much for them right now.
Great season no matter what happens from here forward
Thanks everyone at the club, owner, coaches, players and all. You have made an old guy very happy

A thread very enjoyably resurrected (and therefore not against AUP).

As for NostraBongsus, Sep, the only hope in this heart pre-season was that Leigh would stay up. They have done - and in spades.

Derek said back then that Leigh were not in SL merely to survive but to compete for a top six place. They already have done - whilst, after Salford beat Wire this weekend, top six is yet to be guaranteed.

Vanners, you said 7th at a pinch (or similar wording). 7th would now be a disappointment!!

Top soothsayer award, for Bongser's lack of money, goes to Manx Leyther (with Tipster Ste beaten by a short head - and B&B pulled up and humanely destroyed - a happy death).

7th would definitely be a disappointment BnB.
To try and claim some Mystic Meg points I can go back to Mar 03 in the Get In There Josh thread.
“said it before and will say it again. Josh will be right up there in the try scoring charts this season. He looks to be in the best shape for many years, and he has always been a class finisher and a workhorse coming away from our own line”
After the first HKR game away.
As SS said, our two wingers have been very good to say the least. As has what we almost all thought was a light weight pack.

great summaries

Salford have a toughie this weekend (Saturday) away against a KR side that seem to be in form. They then host Cats who will still be gunning for a top two finish and thus a home semi. Lose either and they cannot catch Leigh.

Warrington face Saints at home (without Williams) then go to Giants. Wire have an 80 (in game) points superiority over Salford. Top six is theirs for the losing in this book.

Leigh are all but home and hosed and, whilst no one wants to commit another club to relegation, the lads have a job to do against Wakey this Friday to make things safe. COYL!

Bongser, I must disagree about not wanting to relegate another team. Castleford and Wakefield have taken Sky money and used it for survival purposes only. In the time of IMG their stadiums are an absolute disgrace. Wakefield have at least realised this 30 years too late, after promising to upgrade the stadium every single year. Castleford have a draughtsman who dusts down the plans every year, before blaming the council planning department.
These are 2 teams that stuck the knife in DB's back and he like me, will be glad to see a team go down that is not Leigh. Wakefield knew this was the year not to go down, but they went cheap on a coach and did not replace the best players that had left.
The Challenge Cup may have been serendipity, but this is hopefully schadenfreude.

Take the point that to stay up it will inevitably be at the expense of another club, another set of fans. Just won't enjoy the fact that it looks like being Leigh that (nothing is a given, mind) applies the [iquietus[/i.

I will have zero guilt in watching us put 40+ past Wakey today and sending them down, they and others shafted us royally 2 years ago... Karma is a bitch as they say... Meanwhile we will win the race for top 4....

The predictions in this thread don't get any better.

The unflushable turd has finally been removed at least

Let's hope Salford do us a favour at HKR today. A win for HKR and I can see them putting a big score past Wakey next week. Very tough ask for Leigh next week against a very in-form Wiggin, but you never know with this Leigh team, plus we may hopefully have Asiata, Hardaker and Halton back.

Tight at HT but KR up by 6.

Not to be. We move on to Round 27. As the top three teams are tied on points, can't see any of them playing weakened teams as they have in previous seasons when already nailed on for a home SF.

The lads have a job to do for fourth.

We'll see. COYLL!

Agree B&B. I did predict 4th, and to play Hkr at home in the playoffs. That could be reversed now. After saying that, we've had a fantastic season, and far exceeded all our expectations. It will be interesting to see what the boys have left in their tank. Remember the saying, it's not over till the fat lady sings. COYL.

Prediction Leigh to finish 5th. On the other hand it would be very sweet indeed to deny the Pies the League Leaders Shield (Hub Cap). Even a draw would be enough to achieve both goals.

Very ambitious there SS but, you never know. With the C Cup in the cabinet, we've nowt to lose. We should also remember Wakey took the spoils against Wigan in a golden point thriller.

I think I did alright. Pretty spot on with my analysis. Feeling very smug.

Have to agree there ML. I’m a glass half full guy and saw top six at a push, but you put way more sound (and proved correct) reasoning behind what you said.