Derek’s programme notes for the Catalans game are both a very realistic and a very depressing read.
It seems clear that we have a hard core supporter base of around 2,000. Perhaps it is time to accept that Leigh will never again be in a position to operate as an established and competitive SL Club.
Our current plight is very painful and also very predictable. We are trying to achieve the impossible with both hands tied behind our backs.

For sure we ran Wakefield close with a busted squad - great credit to the players, there are clearly guys putting their hands up and playing whilst carrying serious injuries.

However the thought of travelling the M62 on a Friday night, at the behest of the Sky programmers, with the expectation that we will not be able to compete is depressing to say the least.
My family and I have followed Leigh (home and away) for 40 years and witnessed the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
My views are simply my opinion and, I believe, a statement of realism.

It is certainly not all negative doom mongering.
We have had some great times in the Championship including the chance to witness some wonderfully entertaining and attacking rugby. We have also had the luxury of numerous leisurely trips to away grounds on Sunday afternoons with the benefit of easy parking, a pint and plenty of banter.

It is my belief that as a Club we should lower our ambitions and run a sound business model, operating within our means - hopefully with Derek’s passionate ongoing support.

A well considered and thoughtful post, here goes.

Are we around or in the group of teams that sit 12-16 best in the leagues?
Our fan base is difficult to build, there are a lot of local teams around.
Golborne fans of Leigh or Wigan
Lowton fans of Leigh or Warrington
Leigh fans of Leigh or any of the above and we haven't even thought about Saints!
A strong second Tier should allow for development.

Is it time to go SL 1 and SL 2 or a complete break by SL to leave championship clubs to go alone.

You cannot build unless you know what it is you want the end result to look like.

Rugby League is in limbo, a holding pattern, the game itself doesn’t know what it wants and therefore it’s just drifting aimlessly.

Look at us now, losing players, can’t sign anyone, cannot plan, cannot build, silence from the club, how do you expect people to get behind that?? Don’t think I’m taking a pop at the club either I’m not, they are stuck between a rock and a hard place, what else can they do????

It doesn’t matter who went up, they would be getting beaten worse then we are, I believe we were Super League ready, we were ready everywhere apart from on the pitch.

SL does not have enough teams to be competitive, your either in the playoffs or a relegation battle and we will just keep YO-YO’ing until something changes. Some of the best times have been in the championship, our time was 2017 and we blew it.

Leigh with a extra forward win today you got Ben flower walking up and down side line refusing to play for the club all other players not playing sat in stand United and flower walking up and down spraying ball and pretending want be there collect wages if you don’t want be involved in the cause leave the club

So are you saying Flower is fit to play and refusing to do so - disgrace if so and possibly made the difference, however the brain fart of that 1st 20 mins or so of the second half was our downfall

The one thing I would say is that with the intensity we played for the rest of the game we deffo have wins in us, Catalans made loads more yards than us but we were more than in it apart from that bad spell

I haven’t heard anything about Flower , but will bow to yer knowledge Monty , any player who isn’t 100% behind the Club should leave now , we need players ready to sweat blood for the Club, I though Reynolds had a good game today as did Mellor , if we can concentrate for the full 80 we will be ok .

Today we let in a daft late try in the first half , and were unlucky to have Cats score first in the second , yet we didnt give up ,we have to beat Salford that’s a must and hopefully get another win or 2 , not impossible .

That is exactly what is happening degsy not happy and threatening to not pay his wages but if he keeps turning up for training and match days then he not breached his contract. Flowers excuse is that he signed for a championship side and not super league.

My opinion the bloke as signed a professional contract it should not matter what division you are in end of he not on his own a couple more players are saying the same. Morale of the story if you think your fighting a losing battle and playing for a lost cause just stand up and leave the club don’t need the negativity

Well why don’t the club make it difficult for him and any other who doesn’t want to play .

Depending upon the wording of the contract surely refusing to play when selected can be classed as breach

I’ll take a guess that gerrard is another

And Blake Wallace.

Find the suggestion players are refusing to play quite shocking. This must be some contractual loop hike they are exploiting. Must be frustrating for those who are giving their all.
Please don’t offer them a contract next year!

Today I saw a team that wanted to represent that shirt that pays their wages. I saw a team that had flare and a wish to win. That’s the first time I have seen that team (apart from the first 15 of the second half) want and could win a game. I came away from the LSV smiling and full of hope. Derek maybe not be everyone’s cup of tea and I’m sure he makes loads of mistakes but the man is trying to make Leigh Centurions a force in RL. If any club had been given the chance to take that place in SL they would have jumped at it. Most would be nilled every week. We haven’t. We are like an army with horses and muskets against army’s armed with tanks and machine guns. We haven’t reached our standard playing in the Championship. We aren’t a Championship club. We are Leigh Centurions and we are in the Super League. We may not be in it next year but we will be in another year and another year and another year. Until we stay there. That team today deserve SL. First time this season I’ve heard the Leyther roar.

All I can say is , if Flower insists he was signed to play in the Championship, then loan him out to Swinton or Oldham .

If true then the club (not Derek) needs to make a statement into the public domain stating as such and shaming the players. Suspend them, follow a standard employment disciplinary procedure. Even tactically leak the story to the rugby press

Is this a financial issue ie their contract championship money not SL money or is it that they don’t want the physical challenge of SL. Would think it wasn’t financial as assume DB adjusted contracts when we got the nod for SL. Would be good to get some general player updates on injuries etc.