YES we are & have been allowed to run a u18s, we have never been stopped from running a u18s whilst ive been coachingat the club, the club just choose not to

Interesting maybe a word from a director to confirm or deny this would be good. Especially considering where I got my information.

My information only last year was that we had been refused permission to run an 18's, I will clarify and report back.

If my memory serves me correctly we actually had an u18's coach in position in 2006/07 in Carl Briscoe but had to 'let him go' because the RFL refused us permission to have an u18's.

I for one would not be impressed if the truth of the matter is that Leigh actually cannot afford to run either an u-18's or scholarship program (albeit because of the reasonable sounding rules out in place by the RFL) when it has been portrayed by senior people at the club that we "weren't allowed". I would like a definitive club statement on the issue.

I just e-mailed BBC forum regarding this and this is what my e-mail saidRegarding super league licenses. It is essential for a club to run a scholarship/youth scheme to be eligible for super league. So why is the RFL only allowing widnes to run such a scheme? This is practically saying only widnes can join super league.

Franchising is bad for the sport, we have quality stadia at Leigh and widnes however why are Wakefield and castleford still playing in inadequate grounds.

Franchising is slowly going to ruin rugby league if the franchising system continues the lower leagues will slowly die, they aren't being allowed to run scholarships by the RFL so aren't producing any home grown talent which is what rugby in England needs.'"

You won't get one until its all sorted which my information is that is far from the case.

As for the e mail Its obviously John Ledger has not spoken to Barry John Mather or Dave Rotherham.

Well maybe the RFL should be a little more organised and make sure their media manager looks at the WHOLE of rugby league and not just the 'super' league

It was interesting to hear what Johnathan Davies had to say about the matter ,basically ,as i understood it he was talking along the lines of using the champ clubs as feeders were as John Kear thought it best to concentrate on making champ clubs full time by giving more money to us.

that'll never catch on

Do you know what i think ,well as Widnes are entering the "elite" in 2012 so therefore can get a decent side for next season ,unless they wait for end of 2011 that is well either way i reckon they should not be able to enter NRC or play in the play offs ,in fact i reckon they should not receive any points at all next season as it won't matter if the finish bottom ,so thats what i think any road

My understanding is that this has nothing to do with our previous Academy problems

Talking to someone involved with Widnes Scholarship over the weekend and it seems that the RFL has two player pathways.

The first involve having a continual pathway through Scholarship 15 & 16, Academy Under 18, Under 20/Reserves and First team.

The second was that players not involved at scholarship would have a pathway through service area and regional progammes funded through the RFL

A meeting was held at the LSV some months ago and clubs had individual meeting to discuss which pathway they choose to follow. My informatant said at the involving Millward, Rowley and Eccleston the club choose to follow the second option.

Widnes already having an academy side choose to stay with option one, he also said that he understood Featherstone and Sheffield had chosen the academy route but was not 100% sure of this,

This seems to support what the Chairman has said and seems to be another case of lies coming out of the LSV and their contunual blaming of the RFL

Didn't we run an U15/16 this year?

Pretty sure we did.

yes we did I filmed all their home games, so we obviously were following option one as above