In the end it is just marketing. We are Leigh Rugby League Club. Centurions had been around a while but again was just marketing. Leigh Leopards should land with younger fans. Sure Red and white will appear again. They are trying to change the persecution of the club on and off the field. If we get traction in SL and stay up everyone will get onboard with the rebrand.

[i“Je déteste les léopards!” [/i

Seems people are laughing at our rebranding. Bongser is with WYSIWYG that the Centurions suffix was outdated and needed to go, at the naissance of an exciting new era for Leyth.

In The Edge tonight after work and belly aching about it being a slow news day (Liz falling on her gladius was not really news), then the younger Bongsette WhatsApped to ask for thoughts on Leigh Leopards. Initial scurry for gen then a composing of thoughts for the following ramble.

The quotation at the top of said is from Napoleon Bonaparte. 1066 and all that, the standard of the Norman conquerors was [itrois léopards[/i. It continued to be so into the time of Richard, Cœur de lion (Lionheart) and beyond, surviving long enough to reach the badges of English representative sports teams. They were clearly still stylised leopards into the ‘60s. Then they started to ‘morph into lions (perhaps because of “Lionheart”, maybe the “Lion & the Unicorn” rhyme?). Certainly because of dumbing downLINES on a shirt…”

Fitting in with OMG bestial proposals? Leopards are smaller than (Swinton) Lions and (Castleford) Tigers, smaller than the, now defunct, (Coventry) Bears and (Leeds) Rhinos. What about “Leigh Leviathans” - bigger than all animals, feared by all humankind and two As in it already so no accidental ones in “Centurians.”

Certain other reports do concern Bongser. A LEOPARD CAN’T CHANGE TO STRIPES!!!

This party will be wearing Cherry & White HOOPS next season!

Indeed, the nickname is transitory, we are simply Leigh and with it too goes the names.

We can all play detective. So what if FaceBook means you can't change your name back until after 7 days. The season is still a while away, plenty of time to change it back.

The twitter handle is now @LeighRLFC_

It was previously @LeighCenturions (which, if they are smart that should have registered with a separate email to atleast keep hold of the handle) but it isn't "LeighLeopards"

It's been quite the fortnight for u-turns, and you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Can take or leave the new name. Wouldn't have been calling for it but on reflection I have no really strong affinity to the Centurions moniker either. I'm 31 and although I've always loved the club, those years as Centurions have seen basically zero success outside of the Championship.

It feels as a club that we are turning a corner and if we were ever going to rebrand then now is the time.

Far more interested in the team on the pitch than anything else and I am more than happy with the announcements on that front. Ipape, Lam, Hardaker, Ferguson, Asiata and Leutele gives us some serious strike power for the season ahead. Aaron Smith seemingly on board too is an astute signing and shows we aren't just about the flair and fan fare type players. Mellor, Smith, Wardle and Amone are guys that will just get on with the job and deliver consistently good rugby

Not what I thought I'd be saying at the start of the day but... Up the Leopards!

Only issue I do have is I don't think we should give up the Cherry and White home kit. Those are the Leigh colours and I would struggle to come to terms with anything else.

S'pose it's better than Leigh Lemmings if the marketers/schmarketers are touching themselves over alliteration.

Leyth Lobbygobblers?

Leigh van Donkombak?

pahahahahahahahaha The Moggies. Absolute laughing stock. That is a big scary looking cat. Meeeow.

Mixed feelings for Jack.

There was palpable excitement at the quality of the signings announced. Forget play-off places. First and foremost, is this a team that should comfortably stay up, something we have always failed to do in the SL era. For me, its a resounding yes, we flippin' well will. I cannot wait for the season to start.

Then the re-brand. Yes, its DB's club and yes, he has the final say because its his huge financial investment in the club that has got us to this point but, but, but, the club is nothing without the fans and the dropping of our historic colours has left this lifetime fan feeling very cold indeed.

The cherry and white hoops are my teams colours irrespective of what the team is called. Tradition counts for something, despite what marketing men (and women) will tell you. DB should have sounded out the fans (us) about ditching the team's colours and with it ditching one of the central aspects of the team's heritage.

Remember the huge opposition by Cardiff City FC fans to the re-branding of their club's colours and the ditching of their traditional nickname of the Bluebirds by new owners. The fans felt that they were losing something fundamental about the club they loved. Eventually they got their way after huge and sustained opposition and the error was corrected but it took them years to get the wrong righted.

Fans feel passionate about their club and that's what I feel about my town's rugby team. The identity of that team is the cherry and white hooped shirt. This particular fan feels very cold and unhappy by the loss of the traditional colours. Yesterday, we lost something from the very heart of this great club of ours.

Absolutely spot on Jack - couldn't agree more

Its a name lets get over it and give DB and all concerned our full support.

What should have been a great day announcing all the new signings has been totally overshadowed by the ridiculous new shirt which has a leopard’s backside on the back of the shirt. As a result despite the bonus of trending at one stage yesterday at number 10, over 90% of comments were those of ridicule.
Could nobody have warned him against this stupid idea (How about you Mike Latham?). Whom on earth is going to buy this shirt or is it just a gigantic wind up?

At the end of the day like the changes or not, he who pays the piper......
We are happy to accept Derek's financial contribution and the improvements that that has brought so perhaps pandering to his whims is not that unpalatable.

Agree on the red and white hoops… think we need red and white version think that would be the one fans would buy. In the end when you support a cup, what do you identify with, the players change, the coach changes, the owners change, the place you play changes, the only consistent are your traditional colours and town name. We are Leigh Rugby, Red and White hoops. Give us the red and white shirt DB. Great team DB looking forward to 2023 more than any season for years but give us that red and white shirt.