There was a survey done a few years ago and lit looked into historical average attendances. I seem to remember Championship winning season , average was just over 6 thousand and the following season 4500. Granted this was 40 years ago and serves little relevance today but I sometimes think we set the bar too high in expectations. Anything over 6500 based on a population of around 60,000 isn’t that bad

Our average in 81/82 was 5939.

Quote: Bartholemew Smythe "Our average in 81/82 was 5939.'" Google got the better of me after I posted and came up with a different figure, but both in the same ball park I guess. I’m sure there will be other sites showing different stats , but it does show in my life time at least , Leigh have never had a massive following. https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seas ... mmary.html

Quote: Bartholemew Smythe "Our average in 81/82 was 5939.'" Google got the better of me after I posted and came up with a different figure, but both in the same ball park I guess. I’m sure there will be other sites showing different stats , but it does show in my life time at least , Leigh have never had a massive following. https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seas ... mmary.html

I wasn’t shocked at Batley winning given they had got the better of Fev already in the regular season
I hope they had their day in the sun last week
I know full well Batley are capable of beating us in play off rugby they’ve done it more than once before
If our lads play their best rugby it’s not going to happen anything less and you never know

Personally, I don't think Batley stand a chance. They may give us a game for 30 minutes but we will then blow them away. Leigh 54 Batley 6.

Re attendances I remember being in a crowd of 24000 and 18000 both at Hilton Park versus Wiggin in the 60s. Now my memory could be playing tricks cos it was a long time ago and I could have dreamt it, but sure it was something like that. I remember as a young teenager answering the call and helping to get the straw off the pitch which we stored under the supporters stand. I can remember Billy Boston and Eric Ashton playing. I think they were both cup games. I'm sure someone will get the true facts. I do remember being at the Railway End being squashed like a sardine in an amazing atmosphere.

Graham , I’ve just been to the bookies and Leigh are giving Batley 40 start , I take nowt for granted , but 40 is a big start .

I remember the two cup ties against Wigan, in 1968 I think we lost something like 22-2, with a capacity attendance of 22,000, and in 1970 we lost 6-4 in front of a crowd of around 19,000 if my memory is correct. I think a reason given for the defeats was that Murphy was injured on both occasions. I can recall crowds for league matches against Wigan as being usually well over 10,000, for example 15,000 or so in 1970-1 with Leigh winning. However, my Dad told me he was at Hilton Park in 1953 for a cup match against St Helens when the attendance was a record for Leigh of over 30,000. I still have my Rugby League year book for 1982-3 which gives the attendances for the previous year, the championship year for Leigh. The average of 5939 was third but well behind the Hull clubs, although ahead of the likes of Leeds, St Helens and Wigan.

Hello Charlie, I wondered where you had got to. Nice to see you back! I think 40 is being kind. I think the occasion will get to Batley in front of a large partisan crowd, especially a full North Stand. I fear once the floodgates open and their heads drop they will need more than 40 start. I can also imagine Manning will spend time in the bin.

Thanks, Essex Leyther for confirming I didn't dream it!! As you say in those days there were regular attendances of 10,000 to 15,000 crowds when we played Wiggin, Saints, Wire, Swinton, Salford. Great times we won't see the likes of again. I also remember the bloke with the boards attached to him greeting the supporters as they snaked through the turnstiles with the painted words proclaiming, "Repent. The End is Nigh". It is for Batley! Lol

I don't remember the 1953 game. I was still 'hanging on a star'...just!! haha

Leigh expects.

There was something about our away win at Batley which I think felt like turning point where the casual fans, opposition fans, pundits and the usual pessimist Leigh fans finally felt this was a special team, so it is fitting it should come down to trying to turn them over for a third time this season.

Should be a good one.

Batley are a good honest team, with a hard working pack and a decent spine. When facing Leigh they meet force with a greater force and for this reason alone Leigh should come out on top.

The game at Mount Unpleasant was a real turning point. Premier Sport turned up expecting a ding dong do. What they got was a tour de force, with Leigh scoring down the hill and up the hill. The pitch will also neutralise Batley, who like going to Post Office Road and using their pitch to Batley's advantage.

Skybet have us at 1/300 to win this game!

Halftime.
Batley doing exactly what I expected but we haven’t kicked in like I thought we would after 20.
Second half should be ours though. We have this !

Well done good luck for next season

Welcome back to Super League!