This is Chris Chester’s view on Derek. Not based on hearsay and rumour, but based on personal and current experience.
“ Some people may consider working for the ultra-competitive and ambitious Beaumont to be a real challenge too - but not Chester.

"He's absolutely brilliant," he insists. "The perception people have of Derek is all wrong. He's a real sound guy who has put his heart and soul into this club. He's got that same hunger and drive we all have. As long as he still has that and we're striving for that promotion, that can only be good for the club.

"Derek has never interfered or put a stop to anything I've tried to do since I got here. He's put his faith in me to run the football department and that's a credit to himself he's able to trust me and allow me to just get on with it."

That is taken from an article in the Manchester Evening News today.

Derek has been at the helm now for many years. We have been to SL twice, unfortunately returned both times, but still he is here. The club is not in debt and he has put in place a management/coaching team this season, that would be the envy of many SL clubs. He has tried known, trusted and loyal as coaches, which was a noble but unfortunately not rewarded tact. He has now adapted and put in place tried and experienced quality at every level. He has also bankrolled a new squad that has slowly and patiently built into a quality looking group. He has committed to adding to that squad also this season.
We continue to play in one of the best facilities in RL, with Derek no doubt ensuring that we can afford to do that.
In his tenure so far he has not “destroyed” the club, in fact in my view he has done exactly the opposite. Us Leythers have an exciting season to look forward to once again.

I appreciate your opinion GFB, but I think I will stick by DB. He has shown his love and loyalty to our club. I will show him the same.

Like I say Im very much divided on it. As a club Halifax have very little chance of playing in SL in the near future without a cash injection but the flip side is we are been well managed, we are competing near the top of the table, and any debt is been managed well for the time been. The fear is always there though when you have an ego maniac in charge that they could simply bat and ball it and leave a club in a mess that it takes years to recover from.

As it stands Im really not that desparate to watch my team play in SL, there is a lot of things in SL that I am not a fan of(whole different discussion) so while the Championship offers great entertainment and excitement Im happy where Fax are as a club.

Personally I think you have a good one in Chester even if I am slightly biased but I think Lam may be a mistake but time will tell and I would expect Chester to say nothing different to what he said above when talking publicly about his boss.

Where you see/say “egomaniac”, I see/say “passionate leyther with money, prepared to back his club”.
Chester I believe is a shrewd and honest man and as such I think he is a bonus for the club and I trust his voiced opinion of Derek. He could has chosen to say much, much less, but he didn’t. That’s tells me he is comfortable and happy to tell people as much.
As for Adrian Lam, I honestly believe he is a master stroke. Time will tell but I believe he will forge a team that can defend our line and break the oppositions line on a regular basis.
I am really looking forward to this season, and Derek is largely responsible for that.
All the best for the season GFB.

A lot of talk of talk about D.B here.

Personally I am glad to have him as owner & fan of the club & being such a big fan he obviously puts his heart & soul into the club.

Things are often a bit stressful as a Leigh fan but at least we have made it to S.L twice in recent times & Leigh amost always challenge for honours in Championship.

I freely admit to being more than a little worried about the lack of numbers being recruited (up until now) & although Leigh are still light on numbers I am confident now that more will come when the right deals can be done. The general quality can't be knocked & I think every single other Championship club look at Leigh now as the ones to beat.

D.B has had his ups & downs but really looks to have genuinely learned a lot recently & by his own admittance. I actually think that Derek is possibly now in the best place regarding his approach & outlook than ever before.

Chris Chester' recent interview was a breath of fresh air, especially with his comments about building a solid sustainable team for the future. He projects himself very well.

A lot of non Leigh fans calling out Adrian Lam as not good enough yet he took Wigan to a G.F & didn't he also win Coach of the year ?
I think Lam is going to go about his business quietly & confidently & hopefully let the results do his talking.

Feeling much better about the season ahead & hoping Leigh do get to Super League again & make it stick this time.

Personally Ste I can’t wait for next week , hopefully we can give a good show of strength and then give Fev a headache or two the week after .
Derek has done the right thing in appointing Chester , Lam , and Clubb, they ended the old Leigh boys Club ,and are their own men , on recruitment we seem to be gradually moving forward in numbers , even the Clubs Rumplestiltskins can’t be negative about the signings we have made , I can’t see any weakness in positions ,except maybe numbers but that will change as things unfold , till then ,Bring on Haven .