LEIGH Centurions have scrapped their reserve side for 2016 as the club looks to nail promotion back to Super League.

The news was broken to players on Tuesday night by reserves head coach Paul Anderson, who will retain a role on the first-team coaching staff.

“Sometimes in life and business you have to take tough decisions that won’t always be popular,” admitted head of rugby Derek Beaumont.

“But what is important is that you make the right one for the business at that time, removing all emotion and that I believe is what we have done on this occasion.

“We discussed this as a group, myself, Rolls (Paul Rowley), Jukesy (Neil Juke), Finny (Simon Finnigan) and Ando (Anderson) and all agreed it was best to take a year out whilst we focus our energies on getting to Super League where we can build a platform to set up some solid structures to bring players through,” added Beaumont.

“I am fully aware of the need to build a club from the bottom up with academies and scholarships and internally we are assessing the viability of the three RFL academy structures moving forward.

“As an aspiring Championship club knocking on the door of Super League we need to assess the best medium to long-term pathway, rather than ticking a short-term box, which has often been proven to limit the development of our younger players while also hindering the local community game, which is so important to us.

“The reserves area is currently in transition with some of the Super League clubs looking to run with the old-style reserve-team structure.

“We have been involved in discussions relating to this and were honoured to be invited to compete within that format.

"However, that will be an extremely tough competition and one that at this present time we couldn’t do justice.”

Leigh’s second team won the Reserve League for the past two seasons, the Grand Final in 2014 and was only pipped 30-28 by Dewsbury in the closing stages of this year’s Grand Final.

“The youngsters we felt were the most promising in terms of making our first grade were given full-time contracts and are on loan where we maintain an interest in them,” confirmed Beaumont.

“To this end Cameron Pitman, Chris Hankinson and Jamie Tracey are all on season-long loans to Barrow Raiders in 2016.

"We will certainly keep our eyes on those players that now have to look elsewhere and those that have already been offered contracts in the professional game.”

Leigh have invested heavily in their Super League dream and continue to do so after confirming the arrivals for 2016 from Salford of Harrison Hansen, Cory Paterson and Rene Maitua. Former England star Rangi Chase also seems set to join them.

“I believe the energy towards the first grade and the signings that we have made will pay dividends in enabling us to then build a reserves team to compete in the higher league,” added Beaumont.