JOHN Duffy wants Leigh Centurions to mount a “strong finish” to their end of season campaign starting with Sunday’s final regular home match against York City Knights.

Centurions potentially face a series of long road trips in the coming weeks in a bid to regain their Super League status relinquished in a Million Pounds game defeat to Catalans Dragons in September 2017.

First up though is fourth placed York making their first trip to Leigh Sports Village since 2013.

Champions of League One last season, the Knights have continued to flourish under highly rated coach, James Ford.

They have won 17 of their 25 league matches and sit one place and one point behind the Centurions. When the sides met last March York sneaked a 9-8 victory.

“One look at the table shows what an important game this is,” says Duffy.

“York come into it on the back of another great win after beating Featherstone Rovers.

“James Ford has done a brilliant job and they will come here with their tails up.

“We’re under no illusions as to how hard it will be but after enjoying last weekend off, we should be freshened up and ready for the challenge.

“Our preparations for the season were intense as we had to make up for lost time and the players threw themselves into the job straight away.

“Since then it’s been an incredible journey to clinch our play-off place by beating Widnes in the last game. It was a massive achievement with where we were back then.

“We’ve just got to carry on and finish the league strongly and then have a big effort at the play-offs.

“We know we need to get better. We will be doing our utmost and we will meet every challenge that we face along the way.

“The play-off places will be clearer after Sunday but will only be confirmed after next weekend.

“As things stand, we could face several long trips to Canada and France.”

“We’ve been planning and preparing as best we can for every eventuality.”

Leigh finish their regular season campaign with trip to League Leaders Shield winners, Toronto Wolfpack, on Saturday, September 7.

*Swinton Lions, one of Duffy’s former clubs, is poised for a makeover for 2020.

The club, playing home games at Heywood Road, Sale, is believed to be considering a change of name to Manchester Lions.

Andy Mazey, the man behind the switch of identity, reckons without a re-branding the 150-year-old club will not survive.