DEREK Beaumont will be taking a back seat at Leigh Centurions after the club concluded their business with the last two players on old contracts.

The club, who have been in special measures imposed by the RFL until those contracts were dealt with, are now moving on and a flurry of signings have followed the appointment of John Duffy as coach.

Beaumont, although stepping down, believes he leaves the club in a good position but has urged the fans to do their bit in convincing others to back the Centurions as they bid to build for another tilt at Super League in the future.

Beaumont said: "We now have an enthusiastic, young head coach who is really passionate about the town and its fans and have a squad being built around our home-grown hero Martyn Ridyard with more now to be announced over the coming days, now that it is appropriate to do so.

"So a little battered and bruised and extremely exhausted with rugby work and commitments I am able to remove myself from the Club and leave it in the capable hands of the remaining board of directors with a solid, sustainable budget which is self-sufficient and money in the bank, not having taken a penny in revenue from fans or sponsors. This means that every penny now introduced to the Club is to the benefit of its future not historic debt.

"The Club can now announce more players and continue to recruit and I will ensure I complete this process with John which is almost done. It can sell sponsorship and season tickets and be as successful as the fans and sponsors make it. It has been an emotional rollercoaster, full of ups and downs, but many good times and the fans have had the pleasure of that off the back of my money and with no damage to the Club.

"I leave it at this point in a significantly better place than I found it and I am proud of what I have managed to achieve, but it is now time for me to concentrate on my business and spend time with my family without the stress and heartache of the Club. I will always be a fan and will always be a sounding board for Duffs and the board and I may even sponsor the odd game and turn up at some away games, providing I am not made to feel unwelcome.

"The Club is safe and can prosper. It is up to the people of the town to now come out and support it so that it can thrive and look to mount a challenge towards the top of the table. I fully believe that Duffs will guide the Club into one of the last places of the play-offs with the squad that is being put together and he knows where I am at all times, as do the board of directors.

"Maybe he and the players can re-ignite a spark in me to significantly invest again in the future as I remain capable of doing so but right now I don't have the appetite. But I never say never and part of me still feels like it isn't over, but I must remove myself from a position that has an adverse effect on my family as they mean more to me than any success or any amount of money.

"I will part with this thought. The town has a benefactor bigger than me who is a massive fan that can get the club into Super League with ease.

"That person is you. If the 3,000 people who turned up last season can all convince one person to become a fan, which isn't a big job, then you have an additional £500k of income through the turnstiles and a budget for a squad that once Toronto have got promoted will win the League and a place in Super League.

"It is easier for 3,000 people to convince one person each than one person to convince 3,000 and in the end when we were in Super League, we had an average of 6,000. So they are out there and it shouldn't be too difficult to find one person each.

"I wish John, Ando and Micky every success on the field and trust Matt, Jason, Steve and Mike to continue their outstanding work for which I am extremely grateful to them while I take a back seat and I collectively wish all of them and each and every sponsor and spectator, even the rudest and most critical, a very healthy and prosperous New Year and the best of luck for 2019."