Derek Beaumont: Leigh will win SL or Challenge Cup in 3-5 years

[Roy Haggerty]

Just now, Andrewj said:

Leigh are more prepared for a good go at staying up then the previous attempts. We won't be tanking teams every week like this season BUT I think we will pick up points around us !!

Whichever club finishes bottom will always get the free two points Saints donate to the bottom side every year. It's a tradition.

But I can't see any of the other 11 clubs being threatened by Leigh. The next weakest squad on paper is probably Wakefield, and they still look fairly comfortably better.

[Andrewj]

5 minutes ago, Roy Haggerty said:

Whichever club finishes bottom will always get the free two points Saints donate to the bottom side every year. It's a tradition.

But I can't see any of the other 11 clubs being threatened by Leigh. The next weakest squad on paper is probably Wakefield, and they still look fairly comfortably better.

Wakefield have a new internally promoted coach who is so far unknown (as the main man). Can he motivate a team that Warrington and Toulouse kept up ??

[Andrewj]

I would be more concerned if I was a Wakey fan. They are finally sorting the ground but can they do it on the field?

[The Daddy]

I don't doubt that Leigh with Derek's backing has the resources to win silverware.

Here's where I have a problem though, RL in the UK already has several issues around geographical diversity and lack of clubs within large catchment areas. This leads to the major issue with perception the sport has with sponsors and the casual sports and entertainment customer. 

Leigh being in SL in itself compounds this image and makes the competition look even more small time than what it already is.

Gradually over time the world of UK RL is shrinking and is starting to become an echo chamber for supporters of small town clubs to assert their identity in allegiance with their club at the expense of the commercial growth and health of RL overall. To them, this is not just about sport it's about self identity, culture and ownership. To be honest I find many of these supporters and owners selfish, it's the attitude that they should be in SL regardless of the fact that there are 5 or 6 other clubs down the road all competing over what little  sponsors, youth players and supporters are left, this mindset is cannibalising the potential RL has. It's just nonsensical.

In my view IMG made some very good proposals but they didn't go far enough, which is understandable given that these same clubs get to vote on the proposals (turkeys aren't going to vote for Christmas).

In saying this I would have hoped in IMG's plans that clubs outside of SL that do not enhance the geographical diversity of the sport would have to demonstrate that they bring significant added commercial and more importantly strategic value to the competition in order to play in the league. This is taking into account that we now currently have 5 clubs in the North West alone in SL just a few miles apart and 4 in West Yorkshire this is just not sustainable and I wanted IMG to really tackle this imbalance head on. 

Derek Beaumont coming out and saying that Leigh can win silverware in 3-5 years tells me that despite IMG'S well thought through proposals the lunatics are still in charge of the asylum. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by The Daddy

[Leigh-On-Kiwi]

1 hour ago, Roy Haggerty said:

Whichever club finishes bottom will always get the free two points Saints donate to the bottom side every year. It's a tradition.

But I can't see any of the other 11 clubs being threatened by Leigh. The next weakest squad on paper is probably Wakefield, and they still look fairly comfortably better.

You should add, ' The next weakest squad at this current time.'

I am fairly confident that it will not be the weakest squad on paper come the start of next season. 

[Damien]

4 hours ago, Leigh-On-Kiwi said:

You should add, ' The next weakest squad at this current time.'

I am fairly confident that it will not be the weakest squad on paper come the start of next season. 

Once Leigh shed many of their imports it's not inconceivable that they will be weaker than this season.

[lucky 7]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Once Leigh shed many of their imports it's not inconceivable that they will be weaker than this season.

That is the general feeling among Rugby League fans and even some Leigh fans

Dexy gambled everything on getting promotion with all the imports without thinking how he can get Leigh to stay up without the imports

[Eddie]

1 minute ago, lucky 7 said:

That is the general feeling among Rugby League fans and even some Leigh fans

Dexy gambled everything on getting promotion with all the imports without thinking how he can get Leigh to stay up without the imports

I’m sure he has thought about that, but they needed to get promoted first and he’s done that. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

Five year plan, eh?

Historically I always think of defunct 1980’s communist regimes announcing these in a bid to overtake their western counterparts in something like farming.

Lets hope it works out better for Leigh!

[gingerjon]

7 hours ago, SalfordSlim said:

Let's be honest most of the money men in SL are c*ckwombles and aren't the sort of guys most decent folk would want to sit down and have a pint with.

This has not remotely been my experience but you do you.

[JohnM]

7 hours ago, The Daddy said:

I don't doubt that Leigh with Derek's backing has the resources to win silverware.

Here's where I have a problem though, RL in the UK already has several issues around geographical diversity and lack of clubs within large catchment areas. This leads to the major issue with perception the sport has with sponsors and the casual sports and entertainment customer. 

Leigh being in SL in itself compounds this image and makes the competition look even more small time than what it already is.

Gradually over time the world of UK RL is shrinking and is starting to become an echo chamber for supporters of small town clubs to assert their identity in allegiance with their club at the expense of the commercial growth and health of RL overall. To them, this is not just about sport it's about self identity, culture and ownership. To be honest I find many of these supporters and owners selfish, it's the attitude that they should be in SL regardless of the fact that there are 5 or 6 other clubs down the road all competing over what little  sponsors, youth players and supporters are left, this mindset is cannibalising the potential RL has. It's just nonsensical.

In my view IMG made some very good proposals but they didn't go far enough, which is understandable given that these same clubs get to vote on the proposals (turkeys aren't going to vote for Christmas).

In saying this I would have hoped in IMG's plans that clubs outside of SL that do not enhance the geographical diversity of the sport would have to demonstrate that they bring significant added commercial and more importantly strategic value to the competition in order to play in the league. This is taking into account that we now currently have 5 clubs in the North West alone in SL just a few miles apart and 4 in West Yorkshire this is just not sustainable and I wanted IMG to really tackle this imbalance head on. 

Derek Beaumont coming out and saying that Leigh can win silverware in 3-5 years tells me that despite IMG'S well thought through proposals the lunatics are still in charge of the asylum. 

Can't agree. His comments are just the sort of stuff that his fans associate with. Highly motivational for them. Far better than him being anonymous. 

Added bonus: lots of fun to be had by the rest of us.

[Roy Haggerty]

44 minutes ago, lucky 7 said:

That is the general feeling among Rugby League fans and even some Leigh fans

Dexy gambled everything on getting promotion with all the imports without thinking how he can get Leigh to stay up without the imports

Surely you’re not suggesting that a rugby league club has focused solely on the immediate short-term on-field success with no rational planning for building future long-term off-field sustainability?! 

 

I’m shocked! How dare you, sir!

[JohnM]

1 hour ago, lucky 7 said:

That is the general feeling among Rugby League fans and even some Leigh fans

Dexy gambled everything on getting promotion with all the imports without thinking how he can get Leigh to stay up without the imports

Who are these Dexy's Midnight Runners?

[sweaty craiq]

13 hours ago, Number 16 said:

If Beaumont does put his money where his mouth is then fair enough. If they do win either the CC or SL then well done. 

Will it happen?

The coffee's in the perculator... take a sniff.

IMO, if Leigh win a major, from a small town, then RL really is on the skids. 

 

The work you dont see is about not making it a small town - the players have done many coaching sessions outside the Town. Leyth, Bent, Bongs n Burn have well over 100k folk and there has been plenty work done in Bowton and Howton again.

[sweaty craiq]

1 hour ago, Roy Haggerty said:

Surely you’re not suggesting that a rugby league club has focused solely on the immediate short-term on-field success with no rational planning for building future long-term off-field sustainability?! 

 

I’m shocked! How dare you, sir!

That certainly wasn't Leigh this time - 5 year financed plan about to start Y2, should we be in SL for Y3 then the real fun begins

[sweaty craiq]

2 hours ago, lucky 7 said:

That is the general feeling among Rugby League fans and even some Leigh fans

Dexy gambled everything on getting promotion with all the imports without thinking how he can get Leigh to stay up without the imports

He didn't as next years Champ squad would have been even stronger if not promoted

[Niels]

9 hours ago, Andrewj said:

Wakefield have a new internally promoted coach who is so far unknown (as the main man). Can he motivate a team that Warrington and Toulouse kept up ??

In fairness though they would have stayed up any year with that number of points. It wasn't because of other teams. 

[Tubby]

Derek Beaumont has come across as a complete berk plenty of times , particularly with his social media outbursts (sorry, his son's social media outbursts) and I can't say I look at him with admiration.  This kind of statement would go down a storm in the US, where confidence/arrogance is highly prized, but we prefer a bit of humility here.

But, the irony of all these fans of clubs based in other small Northern towns, or fans of large city clubs who can't get 500 fans through the gate whining about Leigh being small town, full of overseas players, oiks, upstarts and not worthy of joining their perfect clubs in SL is frankly making my teeth hurt.

Good luck to Leigh, but also good luck to all the other clubs around them, whosoever plays well next season compared to their peers will finish higher in the league and well done to them.  We're all supporters of the same sport, but you wouldn't think so sometimes.

[sweaty craiq]

10 hours ago, Stuff Smith said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Penrith

Seems OK. Less than Wigan MBC admittedly.

Thats the Penrith region - What was the old Leigh Borough has around 140k folk in it now.

[Harry Stottle]

8 hours ago, Londonbornirishbred said:

Tell that to London! They were relegated with 10 wins and refused entry to SL based on the fallacy of away fans =£vital cash.
Leigh will be in the mix next year to go down. The owner of a club saying they will win a trophy is hardly bloody news. Ask any of them and they'll all say they will win next year. It's because they are fans that they own the club.
He's more concerned that IMG will figure out that he owns "Wigan-Lite" & once relegated/demoted, they'll never get back up.
 

Good god would that mean we have to play "Landon" forever more?

6,500 Leythers there on Sunday in the Championship, about 10 times the amount of the average number of "Landon" fans when last in SL.

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, Harry Stottle said:

6,500 Leythers there on Sunday in the Championship

Exactly.

A decent crowd but well under what we should be expecting as normal gates for our top tier clubs.

[Saint Toppy]

9 hours ago, The Daddy said:

In saying this I would have hoped in IMG's plans that clubs outside of SL that do not enhance the geographical diversity of the sport would have to demonstrate that they bring significant added commercial and more importantly strategic value to the competition in order to play in the league. This is taking into account that we now currently have 5 clubs in the North West alone in SL just a few miles apart and 4 in West Yorkshire this is just not sustainable and I wanted IMG to really tackle this imbalance head on. 

The issue is none of the clubs outside the heartlands aside from Catalans have been able to be sustainable in SL when given their opportunity. London, Toronto, Crusaders, PSG all failures in the top flight. You can only grow the game outside the heartlands if there are clubs equal to or better than the ones in the heartlands. Creating and throwing these teams into SL just for 'image' if they fail soon after is pointless.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Saint Toppy

[sweaty craiq]

1 minute ago, gingerjon said:

Exactly.

A decent crowd but well under what we should be expecting as normal gates for our top tier clubs.

Many clubs dont average 7500+ - which would have been the true attendance incl corporate/sponsors. 6600 was Leighs SL average in 2017, hope we beat that in 2023 despite the economic reality

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, sweaty craiq said:

Many clubs dont average 7500+ 

I know.

Hence why the sport is in the shape it's in.

It's not a Leigh specific observation. I've made it elsewhere when folk talk about wanting clubs who might get 8k once or twice a season *as an ambition*.

[LeytherRob]

3 hours ago, lucky 7 said:

That is the general feeling among Rugby League fans and even some Leigh fans

Dexy gambled everything on getting promotion with all the imports without thinking how he can get Leigh to stay up without the imports

Feelings don't make facts, especially when you ignore all evidence to the contrary. Chester/Lam were given full permission to sign a SL squad for 2023 regardless of promotion back in May, plenty of signings have already been made for next year - they just haven't started announcing them yet as it's always been DB's policy not to announce signings until the end of the season has passed.