We have now reached the end of what was a season we as a new Board of Directors and Chairman came to power in with only three months or so to the end of the season and we spent much of that time dealing with historic debt, legal issues and ownership problems and generally getting a feel for how things work and assessing the club in its current format from top to bottom.

Having done the hard yards and got on top of finances and the historic problems that came with it we implemented some short term measures on and off the pitch to what we feel achieved a positive response and got over pretty much every hurdle that taking over any business let alone a sports club brings.

None of the BOM were happy with the way the season ended rest assured and the defeat Sunday cost the club at very last a shared gate at Fev and potentially valuable revenue.

Whilst going about day to day duties since coming in the BOM have put in place structures and changes have been made in the background geared around kicking off marketing and sales campaigns in the off Season from word go and throughout the build up to 2014 and we have put together a long term strategic plan and like any other business will set targets and goals which all staff will have to buy into.

Like any other business moving forward all personnel will be subject to performance monitoring and will be set targets and goals will be held accountable if they are not achieved.

The bottom line is we can lay a platform for success but the key ingredient to any future success for this club bums on seats, we can't sustain a Top four championship team let alone a SL team on crowds of 1400 and while its a chicken and egg situation we need crowds to get behind us from day one next season that includes friendlies as we aim to secure some lucrative pre season games.

A press statement is imminent this week by the Chairman on behalf of the Club and Board and season tickets and other commercial initiatives are set to fly so please get behind the club and lets all unite as one.

"We Are In This Together"

Andy Mazey

I think you and the BOM and all the staff and volunteer's are doing a fantastic job in marketing Leigh as a product, and I applaud every single one of you, I really do hope we start to get more people through the gate next season.
Leigh are a business like any other business has a product to sell, lets hope people will like what you are selling, because people/customers are very choosy when there is other products out there which are the same as what Leigh are trying to sell, and theirs is a better product.
I hope next season Leigh can fulfil the passion you are showing.
I will be attending as many games as I possibly can next season, and really do hope PR has the potential you see in him.

Steve

Well I have confidence in the BOM and in PR, I think Paul is being given the tools to deliver what we as fans crave, success, roll on next season.

Especially with a full time assistant , we will be a force to recon with next year

We have to get the bums on seats though, as Andy says in his post above. In order to get the bums on seats, we have to play attractive rugby, not just win. It will be hard to get new fans to pay £16 plus a game to watch one man up the middle rugby. Unfortuantely that is the rugby we have played this last few seasons. If this is because we haven't had the talent in the squad to play anything better, then I am willing to give PR the benefit of the doubt. Next season though, for which we look to be assembling a decent squad, we will need to do better than grinding out wins by wearing teams down with our forwards. This will not bring in the crowds that Andy claims he needs to sustain the club. PRs personal goals need to include the style of rugby we play, not just the number of games we win.

Think we need to be realistic with the targets here, and what is defined by success. I would suggest that Fev and Fax (possibly Sheff) have greater financial resources available next season.
This is not having a go at the BOM in any way, as being the biggest spender isn't the be all and end all, but if people expect us to run away with everything it may be somewhat unrealistic.

Im all for the attractive rugby route and who wouldn't be ?, but there is one other (and more important) aspect to the game and that is success.
To get bums on seats we first have to be winning and that is regardless to "How" we win. OK the true followers of the game would rather watch a team with a vast array of magical players and silky moves but that won't bring in many if the results don't go our way.
I think a lot of folk like to be part of a winning team no matter how they play, I used to live in wiggin and was surrounded by numbnuts who hadn't a clue about the game and it's intricacies but liked to be part of and watch "their" winning team, and as long as they kept winning would still go to watch.

I disagree, apart from the tail off at the end of the season there has been a winning team playing in front of numbers that won't be enough to fund next season's plans. Results are important but the current style of play won't increase the attendances.

Style of play is very important. You give your customers a product that they really love then they will keep coming back for more and tell their friends about it. You give them a product that bores them and they become indifferent to the product and pick and choose when they want it. I've missed a few games this season purely because I didn't have the feeling that "I can't miss this match". Why?

Next season needs to be about winning and finishing in the top two in my opinion.

If we can do this playing attractive RL then great but the coaches remit is get us in a position of power for 2015 and beyond by having a strong campaign in the league as we go about laying the platform for A SL challenge.

Being the most attractive to watch RL team in the world will NOT get the fans in if we're playing red hot rugby and losing.

A winning team has to be our priority - if that means 5 drives and a kick then so be it.

I remember the season we won the Championship in 1981/82.

All we wanted was a winning team which we got and most of the games we won were tight affairs. Our fans were made up.

I hope that isn't a selling point. If we are 'playing red hot rugby' surely we will be better than the opposition who expect the five & kick that has been the only tactic for a few years.

Don't know about you Frank, but I don't think I could stand too many tight games these days!

Well quite frankly I have made a few friends at other clubs over the years and after the Batley game I got several messages saying watching as neutrals on Premier Sports they thought the game was really exciting to watch.

Much better imo is a game that goes right down to the wire as it keeps your interest right till the end.

Next year will determine our short term future, so we have a GF goal and anything less is failure
I would love to be enthused week in week out by the product but next year is very special and has everything to play for, for once
I believe enough fans will buy into the importance and support it, I believe we should focus on the future not the whingeing fans stuck in the past

True but, we had the most exciting backline i've seen at leigh in almost 60 years!

Are you saying that Dessie and Woody weren't exciting to watch Frank? What would you give to have had a Dessie on this wing this last season?

True and Des Drummond.Steve Donlan & John Woods where World Class

Well I am on a fixed income

And the lads mentioned were brill no doubt about it.

So what I'm seeing is that some think winning regardless of style is the number one priority, and some think that entertaining rugby is the priority.
A small cross section of fans opinion on here I know but even so it shows how hard it is going to be for the coach and BOM going forward. I feel for next year we need to win to be in the top 2 at the end.
What will put more bums on seats is therefore debatable. What is not is that the core fans need to be supportive at all cost, and give constructive feedback/criticism to the right people when they think it is needed, and not slate the club, BOM, coach, players in the public forum. This BOM have stated their desire to give the fans a say in what happens going forward. Lets do that in a supportive way, not a destructive way.

We HAVE to finish in the top two next year - so winning MUST be the priority. Of course, if we happen to entertain too, so much the better!

Simple really ...............Money