Have Leigh imploded

[Trojan]

The Odsal pitch is  likely to be heavy this week.

The Odsal pitch is always heavy.  When God made dumps he based the design on Odsal.

[GaryO]

Let me give another perspective, and a purely personnal one.

I am a Leigh lad born and bred, Leigh are my team and always will be, as a six year old in '59 I attended my first game at Hilton Park and have been going ever since, sadly experiencing though a lot more thin than thick, but as they say "you can't take the town out of the boy" and all that stuff.

But, of late I am wondering if I can still identify with the club.

Call me old fashioned, and there is a great debate going on in another thread about overseas player's. My point is through the years I have decried clubs that employ numerous number's of said player's in their squads, that fact has now come to my club and I do not particularly enjoy it, it used to be a novelty to have one or two in the team and the expectation of them arriving to join the club and taking the field to show off their skills was eagerly awaited, but that novelty has seemed to have become the norm.

All being fit and if selected, Leigh will have over 50% of the team that takes the field foregners, some will like this, but as I said it does not suit me.

Will I take my bat'n ball home, probably not, when I say I am not going today, I still find myself on the terrace such is the pull and the habit of a lifetime, but standing there I can't help but feel it is not right, it doesn't feel as though I am part of it with full attachment, it feels like when you go to watch two other teams competing, you spectate, but are not involved.

Rant over.

P.S. it's a good job I am not a football supporter!

[LeeF]

Oh oh!

 

Leigh obsessive vs the rest

 

In short, no they haven't imploded and will be in the middles 8's again  and hopefully do better than last year so other aspiring clubs in that division can see where cash and a plan come together its not impossible to be competitive at that end of the season

 

London are only going to get better, Batley are the early party poopers and well worth their plaudits, Halifax and Sheffield appear to have kicked on and Bradford look ominous

 

Good top end of the competition and if anyone is off their game the rest will sting them

 

Great division with some real endeavour going on

 Whoever wins will have to be very good and then some to get promoted, lets hope someone does go up this year and if its Leigh, good on 'em.

They couldn't really do any worse in the middle 8s compared to last year

[GaryO]

They couldn't really do any worse in the middle 8s compared to last year

The only way we could do worse than last year is by not making the middle 8's this term

[The Parksider]

Let me give another perspective, and a purely personnal one.

I am a Leigh lad born and bred, Leigh are my team and always will be, as a six year old in '59 I attended my first game at Hilton Park and have been going ever since, sadly experiencing though a lot more thin than thick, but as they say "you can't take the town out of the boy" and all that stuff.

But, of late I am wondering if I can still identify with the club.

Call me old fashioned, and there is a great debate going on in another thread about overseas player's. My point is through the years I have decried clubs that employ numerous number's of said player's in their squads, that fact has now come to my club and I do not particularly enjoy it, it used to be a novelty to have one or two in the team and the expectation of them arriving to join the club and taking the field to show off their skills was eagerly awaited, but that novelty has seemed to have become the norm.

All being fit and if selected, Leigh will have over 50% of the team that takes the field foregners, some will like this, but as I said it does not suit me.

Will I take my bat'n ball home, probably not, when I say I am not going today, I still find myself on the terrace such is the pull and the habit of a lifetime, but standing there I can't help but feel it is not right, it doesn't feel as though I am part of it with full attachment, it feels like when you go to watch two other teams competing, you spectate, but are not involved.

Rant over.

P.S. it's a good job I am not a football supporter!

 

If your as old as me then you may concede "johnny foreigners" in the lower teams have been about since the 70's.

 

I remember us getting Gary Kemble years ago and Terry Webb was a legend for us (he now posts on here  )

 

I reckon your going nowhere lad.

[JohnM]

Have Leigh Imploded?  Or even better  Has Leigh Imploded?

 

1. No.

 

2. I trust not

 

Clearly the testosterone-fuelled aggression and hyperbole of a decking salesman is not appreciated by all, but the guy's determination to succeed cannot be doubted. I wish the club every deserved success in a code that needs more successes. Just stick to the rules, eh?

[Southampton Leyther]

Let me give another perspective, and a purely personnal one.

I am a Leigh lad born and bred, Leigh are my team and always will be, as a six year old in '59 I attended my first game at Hilton Park and have been going ever since, sadly experiencing though a lot more thin than thick, but as they say "you can't take the town out of the boy" and all that stuff.

But, of late I am wondering if I can still identify with the club.

Call me old fashioned, and there is a great debate going on in another thread about overseas player's. My point is through the years I have decried clubs that employ numerous number's of said player's in their squads, that fact has now come to my club and I do not particularly enjoy it, it used to be a novelty to have one or two in the team and the expectation of them arriving to join the club and taking the field to show off their skills was eagerly awaited, but that novelty has seemed to have become the norm.

All being fit and if selected, Leigh will have over 50% of the team that takes the field foregners, some will like this, but as I said it does not suit me.

Will I take my bat'n ball home, probably not, when I say I am not going today, I still find myself on the terrace such is the pull and the habit of a lifetime, but standing there I can't help but feel it is not right, it doesn't feel as though I am part of it with full attachment, it feels like when you go to watch two other teams competing, you spectate, but are not involved.

Rant over.

P.S. it's a good job I am not a football supporter!

 

For the last few years we have had next to no overseas players. Last year we had just 1 in Moimoi. We now have 6 and 2 of them haven't even featured yet. Even if all 6 played and started that isn't 50% of the starting 13 let alone the 17 man squad.

 

I don't have a problem with some overseas players as long as they bring something to the team. Obviously a team of lads from Leigh would be ideal but I don't think 6 out of 27 is excessive. Certainly less than most SL teams and even other Championship clubs. Besides, I think the WCC has shown that there is a good reason to bring in a few players from down under. In general they are lightyears ahead of us.

[hindsfordleyther79]

In terms of leigh lads in squad, there are Ridyard, Higham, Higson, Hopkins and Pownall. There are other fairly local lads too. Brierley is from westhoughton, beswick and Spencer from wigan, emmitt, Dixon and Armstrong from St Helens.think foster may be st Helens too. Hansen is from salford. 5 leigh lads in the squad is still healthy.

[MaverickX111]

Let me give another perspective, and a purely personnal one.

I am a Leigh lad born and bred, Leigh are my team and always will be, as a six year old in '59 I attended my first game at Hilton Park and have been going ever since, sadly experiencing though a lot more thin than thick, but as they say "you can't take the town out of the boy" and all that stuff.

But, of late I am wondering if I can still identify with the club.

Call me old fashioned, and there is a great debate going on in another thread about overseas player's. My point is through the years I have decried clubs that employ numerous number's of said player's in their squads, that fact has now come to my club and I do not particularly enjoy it, it used to be a novelty to have one or two in the team and the expectation of them arriving to join the club and taking the field to show off their skills was eagerly awaited, but that novelty has seemed to have become the norm.

All being fit and if selected, Leigh will have over 50% of the team that takes the field foregners, some will like this, but as I said it does not suit me.

Will I take my bat'n ball home, probably not, when I say I am not going today, I still find myself on the terrace such is the pull and the habit of a lifetime, but standing there I can't help but feel it is not right, it doesn't feel as though I am part of it with full attachment, it feels like when you go to watch two other teams competing, you spectate, but are not involved.

Rant over.

P.S. it's a good job I am not a football supporter!

Always talk sense garyo

[GaryO]

For the last few years we have had next to no overseas players. Last year we had just 1 in Moimoi. We now have 6 and 2 of them haven't even featured yet. Even if all 6 played and started that isn't 50% of the starting 13 let alone the 17 man squad.

 

I don't have a problem with some overseas players as long as they bring something to the team. Obviously a team of lads from Leigh would be ideal but I don't think 6 out of 27 is excessive. Certainly less than most SL teams and even other Championship clubs. Besides, I think the WCC has shown that there is a good reason to bring in a few players from down under. In general they are lightyears ahead of us.

Hansen, Tonga, Chase, Moimoi, Patterson, Weston, Maitua, and up to last week Pala who I did not include, that's 7 from 13 in the starting line-up = 53.8%, keep up!

Seriously, I said there are those who are happy with it, I take the other view, que sera sera.

[GaryO]

Always talk sense garyo

I quote my opinion Maverick, others have theirs, which I respect.

[Southampton Leyther]

Hansen, Tonga, Chase, Moimoi, Patterson, Weston, Maitua, and up to last week Pala who I did not include, that's 7 from 13 in the starting line-up = 53.8%, keep up!

Seriously, I said there are those who are happy with it, I take the other view, que sera sera.

 

Hansen is almost as English as I am! Been here since he was a baby. Played his amateur rugby at Folly Lane and went to school in Swinton. He even speaks with a manc/samoan hybrid accent and played for England at youth level.

 

Technically England International Rangi Chase is now a proud Englishman too but that might be pushing it a bit...

[GaryO]

Hansen is almost as English as I am! Been here since he was a baby. Played his amateur rugby at Folly Lane and went to school in Swinton. He even speaks with a manc/samoan hybrid accent and played for England at youth level.

 

Technically England International Rangi Chase is now a proud Englishman too but that might be pushing it a bit...

Splitting hairs if you wish, but that still makes 7,

"Manc/Samoan hybrid accent" and lives round the corner from me, tell you what, if he eats Yates & Greer's Pork Pies with plenty of English 'Mutaard' I'll concede that one to you!

[Trojan]

If your as old as me then you may concede "johnny foreigners" in the lower teams have been about since the 70's.

 

I remember us getting Gary Kemble years ago and Terry Webb was a legend for us (he now posts on here  )

 

I reckon your going nowhere lad.

There were very few overseas players in the seventies.  The influx started after the 1982 Kangaroo tour.  At one point the Halifax side in the mid eighties seemed to consist entirely of overseas players plus Mick Scott.   The reputation of antipodean players was made by the '82 tour.  And some of the imports were brilliant, Meninga, Kemble. Lululai.  Peter Sterling and Brett Kenny all come to mind.  But many of the rest were distinctly mediorcre or over the hill.  Wally Lewis came in 1984, and was clearly unfit and extracting the urine.  But they gave the game a lift, as did the spells of our top players in Oz.  We were never closer to beating the Aussies  when Hanley. Schofield, Edwards, Offiah, Crooks and Kevin Ward, all with Aussie experience were turning out for GB

Hopefully the return of our Aussie exiles this autumn will help us put up a better show than the World Club games.

[The Parksider]

There were very few overseas players in the seventies.  The influx started after the 1982 Kangaroo tour.  At one point the Halifax side in the mid eighties seemed to consist entirely of overseas players plus Mick Scott.   

 

Don't let Lizzy read that. 

 

In the seventies the Halifax side consisted of whoever they could scrape up and they ended bottom of the whole league before asking Maurice Bamford to use his influence.

 

Yes the class of '82 were amazing and the top players that came over were amazing too. 

 

All gone now as the Aussies have more money.

[bamfordsbeans]

In reply to Trojan and his reference to the Halifax side of the mid-eighties being made up of mostly Aussies -this was only for the 1984/5 season.They were a stark contrast to most of the experienced Aussies who came over at the time and in subsequent years.Names like Martin Bella,Paul Langmack,Tony Anderson,Mike Hagen,Ron Ryan,Keith Neller were nearer the beginning of their careeers than the end.At the time it was the most exciting RL I had ever seen and due to their inexperience results were mixed.It was only in subsequent seasons under the likes of Chris Anderson  and Graham Eadie that results began to improve.Incidentally and more on topic the first game most of these young Aussies played together was against Leigh.

[sweaty craiq]

Splitting hairs if you wish, but that still makes 7,

"Manc/Samoan hybrid accent" and lives round the corner from me, tell you what, if he eats Yates & Greer's Pork Pies with plenty of English 'Mutaard' I'll concede that one to you!

 

Married a Leyth Girl as well Gary, from a Leyth supporting family

[LeeF]

Married a Leyth Girl as well Gary, from a Leyth supporting family

There is no helping some people

[binosh]

Married a Leyth Girl as well Gary, from a Leyth supporting family

He's not Married yet Craiq but I'm looking forward to the stag do!

[MaverickX111]

He's not Married yet Craiq but I'm looking forward to the stag do!

[sweaty craiq]

He's not Married yet Craiq but I'm looking forward to the stag do!

Is it Blackpool bash weekend

[Bartholemew Smythe]

There is no helping some people

A bit like you ...Obsessed.Concentrate on your own team, you might save money in dry wipes.