One major aspect that really does not help Leigh is the fact that within 10 miles there are several SL teams. Bearing in mind the fact that for a few quid more your'e gonna see top rank SL players, if you are a floating supporter who are you gonna pay to see?

.....and just when all the local small football clubs where rubbing their hands at the prospect of mass exudus of Utd fans supporting their local clubs.....bugger they start another club instead

Still think we can get support from SL fans as well as trying to get the town and surrounding areas supporting us.

I think you're all on to something important, here. For me, small clubs in the shaow of their big neigbours HAVE to become a focal point of the community, and have to work with the community to foster and be the flagship for civic pride. It's a challenge, perhaps greater than marketing a standard straight-up business brand. But I really do think there's an opportunity there.

I used to tinker around the fringes of the music industry, and that's very much gone that way... sure X-factor manufactured crap sell in the thousand, but there's a real demand for the authentic.. for real musicans, playing live shows in local venues of a couple of hundred.

To me, Leigh should be in every school with Leigh stuff. In every club, at every age group, with Leigh stuff. Should make a huge deal of the history of the club, and its growth along with the industry and culture of the town. We should have the town crest on the shirt, and in 50-foot graphics at LSV. Buy the Leigh Arms and turn it into a club sports bar, showing every SL and Championship and NRL game, and showing Fred Parky's entire back catalogue on other times, and selling Johnny Woods Ale and Dessie Special Brew made under branded licence by a local microbrewery. And, as Starbug has said, work with the Championship clubs to build a collaborative business brand with each non-SL club becoming an outlet.

I support Leigh because I grew up with it, because my mum supported Leigh, and her dad before her. That personal heritage is bound up with the club. In our godless, rootless world it is absolutely who I am and where I come from. I bet there's thousands of Leyth folk, of all ages, who are crying out for something to believe in.

An absolute joy to read wembley 71 !!!!

Marketing ideas for the ales ..."jonny woods ale , its got a kick that's guaranteed to hit the spot...every time!"

And how about a nice pint of "drummonds Yed" with a strap line of "you won't know what's hit you, or where you've been "

I love the town crest idea for lsv it needs some character and identity.

I think starbug should start going to Old Trafford again!

You would have to pay me to watch the rubbish served up in the premier league

I watched a sunday league match last week , now that was ' entertaining '