Hard work starts here (From Leigh Journal)

Hard work starts here

11:31am Friday 20th November 2009

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Leigh Centurions had it confirmed that they would not be relegated after a new Gateshead Thunder, along with their business plan, were admitted into Championship One.

“I think it’s fantastic.” Centurions boss Ian Millward said. “It’s a reward for the loyalty shown by fans, sponsors, corporate people and the chairman and also the players, not one jumped overboard. But in reality, we were the third worst team in the league and that means there is a lot of hard work to be done. There’s an acknowledgement that we need to improve significantly to move away from the bottom of the table.”

He continued: “Just because we have stayed up, it doesn’t give us a guarantee that everything is going to be solved. A magic wand hasn’t made everything right now, all it did was give us another opportunity to improve.”

The club have been active on the signing front this week, adding young Leigh Miners hooker Anthony Nicholson to their squad. The teenager was one of three young players from the town to tour with the GB Community Lions Under 18 side to Australia in the summer.

“He’s been playing first team this season for Leigh Miners who are near the top of their competition.” Millward said. “He went away on tour. I saw him play against Australia before a Canberra Raiders game. He and Jonathan Pownall were in the same team and it is very encouraging that both of them are signed to the club. I gave him a commitment that I would talk to him and he has committed himself to Leigh Centurions. It’s good.”

A busy week for Leigh saw them announce a pre-season schedule that will see Super League teams Salford City Reds and Wigan Warriors visit the Sports Village.

Leigh take on Salford on December 27 while Wigan visit four weeks later on Januar 24. Between those games, Leigh will travel to the Chris Moyles Stadium to play Featherstone Rovers on January 3, 2010.

“It’s a great opportunity at the end of December,” Millward enthused. “I think that everyone is eager to see Rugby League and the Centurions and Salford will be keen to turn things around after last season. It’s a good local mix, a good local derby, no-one has to travel too far on a holiday. It will be played at a good stadium that regardless of the weather will be conducive for players and fans.

“I think the game against Wigan is important,” the former Warriors Head Coach added. “It continues that local rivalry. Also by the end of January both teams will be pretty well placed where they want to be at the start of the season. It’s a pretty important game for both teams and a lot of quality on show for both sets of fans.”

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