Think you're being a bit harsh on the hardcore there to be honest, I think we've got a hardcore support up with the best, but there simply isn't the scope for any floating support these days for any number of reasons.

We have got good core of support. They don't just turn up for games home and away, they do walks, donate to LISA and corporate club etc etc. I can assure I wasn't having a go at them. But we have probably about 5-600 fans that pick and choose games, and the smallest setback means that they don't turn up. This does not include the ones that can't get to games because of other commitments. That hardcore support needs to larger, so gates are more consistent.
We are so far away from being a SL club its unreal. That is something else that does damage when this is mentioned so much. Certain posters on here, who I'm sure spread this same doom and gloom when talking to others seem to think they are fans of the clubs by persuading potential fans to stay away with the "whats the point" jackanories (sp??)
OK I'm off my soap box and will continue to read the Tony Blair Autobiography.

When Millward was here previously and when Terzis was in charge, there was always promotion possible is you won the Grand Final. It was also only 5 years or so since Super League was formed and only a short time since Leigh was in the top division.

Since then, we have been more or less consigned to the lower leagues watching some poor rugby at times, and now little chance of getting promotion for the forseable future.

It's now 16 years since we were regularly in the top flight and beating team like Saints etc. so it was inevitable that crowds would eventually get disheartened and stop watching, especially with the extensive sports coverage on Sky these days.

The club regularly called for fans to turn up this season with free tickets etc. but then put in a pathetic performance which made them stay away even more.

There is now only a 1600 fan base at Leigh, and we should now cut our cloth to suit.

This means small contracts and higher winning / grand final bonuses, all within our affordability.

On top of a small contract, if you were being paid £300 to win or £30 to lose, you would certainly pull out all the stops.

Harsh reality, but this is where we are, and next season will realistically be a dead season with nothing really counting towards the 2015 franchise until the year after.

In my mind, Millward arrived 12-months too late.
He would have built a team capable of a big push this season.

Next years GF (and maybe even the NRC) will surely count, as they will come after the decision for SL2012.

I thought that but their has been no announcement of what will happen for 2015 yet

No, that announcement will come in 2014 after 1 or 2 SL clubs go pop.

No they won't.

Why wont they? Next years winners will be able to apply for SL in 2015 under the current farce, which in all honesty I expect to have been scrapped well before 2015 arrives!!

Totally agree with this you have got alot of good things happening good stadium, good coach, the team is quite good on its day as well.

Oh well thats ok, a smellies fan says so

OK - I'll expand on that. No they won't count for the 2012 applications.

Well we do know best! Problem is for Leigh & other sides including our own, when you have great facilities and a winning team yet people still don't turn up (yes their are odd exceptions like yourself of course) but on the whole... what can a club do? Cut costs may lead to worse squad and the reverse etc.

I remember reading not so long ago Milward saying "there's always next year" what he meant by that i'm not sure

The qualifying period for a 2012 franchise was 3 season , 2008,9,10 , in 2008 the clubs that qualified were already in SL , Celtic Crusaders and Salford

If the RFL are running it the same for 2015 then 2011 will be a ' qualifying ' season

However they have not at this moment as far as I know announced anything , hardly surprising as they generally make it up as they go along

It matters not anyway , a WN postcode is the only thing relevant to us

ahem.....Warrington = WA, St Helens = WA, Widnes = guess what..WA

Got it get the boundaries moved to put us in Lowton, that WA postcode is like gold dust