MARK Dyer hopes the combination of a new state-of-the-art training facility and a World Cup on home soil can propel Leigh Miners Rangers to new heights.
The NWML Division One outfit’s new 3G pitch was funded by the Rugby League World Cup’s CreatedBy campaign, part of the ‘This Is Impact’ initiative – delivered in partnership with the Rugby Football League, (RFL), Sport England and Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) – which has delivered £25 million worth of change to communities across England.
The tournament gets underway on October 15 and the club’s co-chairman is excited at the prospect of celebrating the sport's showpiece event in an exciting new space.
"It can hopefully make the club a nicer and more secure environment for the kids," said Dyer.
"Now we've got this new facility, we’re hoping that with the World Cup looming, and Leigh Centurions winning promotion back to the Super League, it can be the springboard to increase our membership even further.
"We want to get more young kids interested from all sections of society in the surrounding areas and give more opportunities to kids who probably never even thought about it.
"It's just a great place to be at the moment. Everyone is badgering about the facility and wondering when they can get on it."
Dyer has been a lifelong lover of rugby league and hopes the new pitch, lightning and fencing will help welcome new faces to the sport.
Involved with Leigh Miners Rangers since 2005, Dyer became co-chairman along with Christian Tyrer in 2019 and has seen the community club thrive in recent years.
They now boast over 20 teams of all ages and genders, with approximately 400 members, and credited the 'This Is Impact' programme for helping take the club’s impact in the local area to the next level.
Dyer said: "We've shown it is a sport for everyone and with that kind of facility, where you're playing on the most pristine surface, it shows the opportunity's there for everybody who's interested in sport.
"It's not just getting covered in muck, it's a safe environment and a really fun environment for them.
"It's been a journey of meeting new people, forming new friendships and keeping those friendships.
"To see the kids developing those friendships and coming through the club is great."
The World Cup will also have an impact on the next generation in the town. Young members of Leigh Miners Rangers been invited to be mascots and flagbearers for World Cup matches at Leigh Sports Village, while they will also attend Q&A with several athletes from the Lebanon rugby league squad.
He said: "If the World Cup gets the exposure that it should, hopefully people will buy into that and use it as a springboard to get people, wherever they are, into the clubs.
"It will show what rugby league is and what a great mix of people, with the women's and wheelchair World Cups as well.
"It really is a sport that everyone can enjoy and get involved in."
The Rugby League World Cup promises to be the biggest, best and most inclusive event in the sport’s 127-year history with men’s, women’s and wheelchair teams competing in 61 games across 21 venues throughout England. Tickets are available via rlwc2021.com/tickets
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here