I would dispute a certain amount of the five drives and a kick though - certainly no evidence for that in the tries that we scored along with more than a couple of line breaks. Whitehaven tried to drag us down the middle first half but I think they were more than matched a lot of the time. Let's not forget just how young the Leigh front rowers are.

Well for my take on off field events event's today being constructive with the criticism......

We need to improve the whole match day experience as its still on a par with a school sports day.
To improve and attract (we are up against every modern event your son or daughter talks about when saying 'I want to go here / I want to see this' so we need to get it right in the crammed leisure business market) maybe the trick is attention to detail but in fairness I'd expect the new BOM and the various new groups to be on the ball with things so a lot of the following may be 'in hand' so apologies in advance if its already being discussed.

- The stadium clock broke / non use of the big screen to sell our club have been reported on and kindly answered by Michael (or Fred - apologies to how I've sold short !) but maybe a time needs to be placed onto the LSV as to when this customer friendly / part of the game function will be repaired.
- The music play list will never please everyone (take a look at the age range in the stands) but certainly up lifting modern music that under 16's identify with might help and rousing music to run out to (but maybe be unique - Hi Ho fits our profile now so lets start to build on that as most Leigh fans associate that with a fantastic cup win).
- The dancers today tried hard and should be thanked but maybe get them a Uniform so they look part of the club and get them involved all the game, make sure the music they need is tested before its played (apologies if this happened but obviously it failed today) - maybe let them pick our match day music ?
- The Junior RL matches on the pitch need to be for EVERY home fixture as it does engage the fans (if the RFL don't have the Mini RL posts they used when flogging that particular brand of RL to youngsters when we had 6 or 7 teams playing at Hilton Park then lets invent our own, get a sponsor involved in building some mini posts and recreate that experience by calling it the (insert Sponsors name) LSV half time tournament- if it worked at Hilton Park then it will work at the LSV.
- My wife went to look for a stall to buy some Leigh merchandise today but couldn't find any, do we sell merchandise at the club on match day and if we do we perhaps need some signage stating where it is or put it in the programme so people know for next time (it used to be in a bar - not a good idea but better than nothing, could we set a stall under the North stand or West Stand ?).
- She did say whilst searching that in one of the bars a 'player' was doing a 'talk' so presume some kind of pre match activity was going on (like the Mick Martyn days ?), just need to let people know that's happening (maybe put it in the programme so people know or a small poster at the ticket office - in fact I'd put a few small billboards up like the ones coffee shops use outside there shops and place them on the pavement near the ticket office advertising Leigh functions and events , a captive audience bored queuing for tickets will read anything.
- Parky Pig : Our mascot, fantastic Public relations handing out sweets to children pre match and exceptionally popular, a recognised part of the club but we need to build this up and use to whip the 'older' members of our fan base up but also ensure he is still able to engage with the youngsters as we need the old Parky style antics which helped create a feel good factor about the place and was unique to Leigh.
- Again match day atmosphere is hard to achieve in a two sided ground with a thousand or so in it , did the Haven fans move in the second half to the West stand as for me they should have been given a area of the ground right from the start - sport is tribal and territorial - lets build on that and as I've said before it helps create a atmosphere.

I know some of you reading this will see all the above as 'moaning' but equally you may wonder why no-one is coming to watch Leigh anymore and for me we need to get the simple basic things you'd expect if shelling out £40.00 or more.
We could have the best team in Britain playing champagne RL at the moment but we won't get 2,000 on so we MUST improve the match day experience threefold as until RL becomes back in favour (as hopefully will happen very soon) we need to build up a reputation for as much that goes on off the field during Leigh Centurions match days as on it.
Just one final point (and I hope the new guys & girls don't feel insulted by this) but has anyone gone to Keighley and asked to meet the guy that created Cougarmania as for me it would be a good idea to speak to someone who created a crowd to watch a unfashionable RL club in a unfashionable competition that actually managed to buck the trend and appeal to a community with a big emphasis on young supporters and families and learn from him/her what they did good and what they did bad - might be the best £20.00 fuel expenses the club ever pays.

I seem to recollect some sub 1000 crowds in the 70`s.

Regards todays announcement of the attendance, did we have the Fev counters on an exchange visit?

For my take on On field matters........

1st half I thought Haven was the better team and looked more threatening with ball in hand.
Our poor handing didn't help and again we spurned chances to take the advantage of gift two points to put us in the lead but luckily today it didn't matter in the end.
We looked uninventive and flat in the first 40 although the first try frustratingly showed just what a capable side we are (no mention of missing half backs when that beauty was scored !).
The inside ball / 5 drives is hard on the eyes at times and I would prefer better RL like most but equally I don't think its a coaching thing as I'm certain PR would want to see more expansive RL - its as if the players lack confidence/ belief during certain parts of the game, one to work on but we are a woek in progress this season as surely everyone expected ?
I felt McNallys sin binning was fully deserved and Maden previous to that lacked a lot of composure in blowing good field position by reacting to cheap stuff (in reality the first sin binning would have been a Haven player from that but we let the ref focus on the wrong thing).
Having said all the above I actually thought it was a good game and Haven deserved the Half Time score of 12-12 as both teams had toiled hard in very warm conditions.

Second half I feared the sin binning would tell but a huge credit to Leigh who held out and probably won the game from that point, McNally came back on and had a really good second half showing, for me he was pushed by Finnigan today for the MOM but it was fully deserved (especially as Haven clearly gave him some 'special' attention !).
Pownall showed why he is a good winger with three well taken tries and as Haven tired (credit Leigh on the fitness front for that) we eventually started to find the gaps and in the end I thought the score line was a fair reflection.
Its good to note we have players to come back as it will only battle harden the squad for the games which are now coming thick and fast, yes we can improve but I'd take a 34-18 cup win over Whitehaven every single time if you offered it before hand.

Looking forward to the Semi v Batley, lets really give it to them as it might just be me but I'm certain they always seem to do well against us in one off matches that matter !

Jenky , the person you mean is Peter Deakin, he started at the Cougars after working and studying in the USA, then the Bulls ,Saracens and Sale, unfortunatly he passed away in 2004

A lot of what he did was ' Cheesy ' and possibly not right for ' now ' , however there is a lot that can be done, providing the will to make it happen is there, and of course the money

As I said a week or so ago, " Somebody Said "

Now I know for a fact that at least 1 member of the new administration intends taking that to heart, hopefully all of them will embrace the thinking behind it, if they do then the club has a future

why, are you Harold's boyfriend ?

No, calling someone a fool and a tool just makes me think you are a prat.

I prefer 'enigmatic'!!





Nice to meet you mate - your little lad is a credit to you, and his "Come on Leigh" is coming on a treat!!.....just needs to work on his "FOOOORWARD" and "GERRRUMONSIDE"!!

Do people seriously just look for the most negative thing they can?
We had our best 2 halfbacks missing today to direct play, of course it's not going to expansive rugby.

We were clearly on top in the middle of he pitch, so what's wrong with taking the yardage*, tiring their pack and using our heads because once the game hit aout 50 minutes we had 'haven where we wanted them?

Job done, good coaching by Rowley playing without key players.

*did anyone not see our first try if they wanted expansive rugby?

Harold Rigby sorry for calling you a fool/tool, and also having a go at you Reffy.
Was annoyed/tipsy.

OK

Come on Reffy give the lad some welly back and stop being so spineless.

If fans that have been to the games then go on to say in the pubs and such that it was a boring or mediocre game how the hell are the club going to attract new fans when they have insiders putting the mockers on the club .The 1st half of yesterdays game was frustrating but the 2nd half they played much better and we are now in the semi final but what does that matter to some ,well to me I am well chuffed !

Can't believe some of the posts on here.

For what it's worth, I thought yesterday was a good win with key players missing (OK Haven were missing some as well)

And the idea that fast flowing champagne rugby will bring the crowds back is absolute nonsense. If we were winning every match with 5 drives and a kick that's far more likely to bring them in.

570 at Sheffield, 670 at Batley and 38 at Swinton were the other quarters gates, so we achieved double the next best on a day a lot of fathers would have been forced into other events.
The RFL know they are killing this division and hopefully changes to structure will allow those able to build again.

Sod off.

Just witness how many of 'em will be quite happy to turn out and watch this 'boring' style of play if/when we reach the final!!

I was more than happy with yesterday's performance. We were far from full strength, yet managed a workmanlike display, in which we let a spirited Haven team wear themselves out, before cutting loose enough to put the game beyond doubt. Solid in defence (as shown by the start of the 2nd half were we kept them at bay for ten minutes with a man shy), some flashes of what we are capable of (the opening try), and the most pleasing aspect - only one DR in the starting 17 (and 'Spenner' has spent more time with us than the pies in the last two seasons, so he's an honourary Leyther anyroad!!)....so all this talk of W*gan reserves was shown up for the trash talk it is!!

Get Riddy, Kes, Parker and Aspinwall back - and throw Gov into that mix as well (along with AJ) - and we are looking at a squad the equal of anything in this division, and one that is looking to peak at the right time!!

I still BeLEIGHve!!

Thought the crowd looked a lot more than 1300,i have not seen the west stand as busy for a long time.Also someone mentioned about all the young kids at the game,onwards and upwards.

Me too.

I am sick and tired of people who say they are fans but pretend we are Wigan's reserve side and so give that as their reason for not coming to games. Bollo to you.

I have lived in Salford for over 30 years but I was born in Leigh and have followed them since I was 8 years old. I have seen some good and bad sides. Have disagreed with some decisions by the guys running things but I have never withdrawn my support no matter what.

I support the lads who put our shirts on. Come on the way to get this club on the up is to get behind them.

Francis you are now beginning to talk sense

im worried about you , try drinking Draught Complan ,it could calm you down and put on weight .

Couldn't make it on Sunday due to buses, what was the crowd?

Re the clock- not something I even noticed the other week tbh but would it be possible to programme it as a countdown clock linked up to the time keeper as per what we have at Super League stadia?

That's something that already happens with the Premier Sports games.

Presumably easy enough to do then. I remember when we first had it installed at the HJ it was switched off for Sky games during the first year as they couldn't sync it with the big screen, but since works fine.

still hear M Jackson on the radio, only difference M Jackson had the money to pay off any wrong doing

As for a boring game seen any football lately??

Just read this again. Come on Wysiwig hope to see you on Sunday. 17 Leythers.