Millward: ‘Get behind the boys as we push for title’ (From Leigh Journal)

Millward: ‘Get behind the boys as we push for title’

4:46pm Thursday 18th August 2011 in Centurions

LEIGH Centurions face Toulouse Olympique in their last regular home game of the season on Saturday, kick off 6pm, and boss Ian Millward is encouraging everyone to come down and see his Championship chasing team.

“It's a chance for everyone to come and thank the team,” he said.

“I can’t speak highly enough about the players – they have been very loyal, very focused and if someone had said to me at the start of the season that we’d have only lost one league game by this stage, I wouldn't have believed them.

“This team have put a lot of smiles on a lot of people’s faces.”

Despite their lowly league placing, Millward is taking nothing for granted from the French team.

“This is one of their last games in England and they will be wanting to make an impression,” he said.

“They have a big handy pack, but this is a focused group of players and we'll be fully prepared.”

Leigh are set to be without Dean McGilvray this weekend.

“He copped a knee to the ribs scoring his last try and will be a big miss,” said Millward.

“Dean has had a magnificent season -– they all have, each player has improved and every player has had to.”

Stuart Donlan was rested last weekend and he will be available.

Describing last weekend's 12-try mauling of York City Knights, Millward was pleased with both attack and defence.

“We were totally dominant and consistent,” he said.

“We scored the same number of tries in the first half as we did in the second and got our point difference back level at the top of the table.”

Last weekend saw the Leigh Independent Supporters Association raise a bumper £922 as the squad and coaching staff put aside their rigours on the pitch to star in the play “Forward Past” that was penned by avid Centurion fan Julie McKiernan.

Millward said: “It was an enjoyable night and Julie deserves a big pat on the back.”

The Leigh boss did confirm, however, that rumours of players being lined up by Coronation Street bosses are wide of the mark.

“I think a few players will need more make-up for starters,” he quipped.

This weekend the club and the Co-operative have declared that children can watch the game for free.

One child will gain free entrance when accompanied by a paying adult.

The application form is available from Centurions’ official website.

The club's reserve side will again take place in the play-offs after overcoming a York side by 30 points to 24 at the Huntington Stadium last week.

It is the seventh successive season that the reserves have been involved in play-off rugby.

Despite ongoing concerns off the field, the Super Leigh Lottery has raised almost £55,000 for club coffers over the last 12 months, an increase of more than £3,000 on last season’s donation.