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Record crowd announced at leigh leopards


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32 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Driven Beaumont to try even harder.

Is that a fact, or just speculation? It’s not like he hasn’t been willing to splash the cash and make an effort previously. Plus pre match entertainment isn’t going to get them many grading points.  If only they’d been allowed an academy. 

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I'll be honest, I was at the front of the queue ridiculing the name change. Humble pie time for me though because they are clearly doing something right. Obviously the money put in helps a lot but there's a bit of imagination going in to it too. I'd say they were probably the premier tenants of the stadium at the moment, good to see. 

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4 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Is that a fact, or just speculation? It’s not like he hasn’t been willing to splash the cash and make an effort previously. Plus pre match entertainment isn’t going to get them many grading points.  If only they’d been allowed an academy. 

When though ? , How many years does it take an academy to start to produce first grade players ? 

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8 hours ago, Eddie said:

I’d rather miss it and stay in the pub for an extra pint myself, but it clearly is creating a buzz around the club and helping get crowds in. Lots of smiling kids and families there on tv last night, who I suspect wouldn’t be so keen if there was no other entertainment bar the match itself. 

Correct Eddie...bringing the kids in is the future right in front of you.

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1 hour ago, daz39 said:

With all due respect the fact it was a Thursday has little relevence in this case, it's a local derby against a huge and well supported local rival who took loads of fans who didn't have to 'travel' as most have to do on a Thursday, their team have started very well too which will have helped, it's an excellent achievement but lets not kid ourselves had it been Wakefield/Huddersfield after a poor start would there have been even half of those in attendance on a Thursday night?.

That said there does seem to be a buzz around Leigh( it goes to Wigan i've heard), it will be interesting to see if it remains if the team start dropping and losing.

If a good team and form is all it takes, what's Huddersfields excuse? Leigh have won the same amount of games as this time in 2017 and also had a decent squad(poorly coached), yet crowds are up and we've beaten our best crowd in SL on a Thursday TV game(previous best was against Saints on a Friday, not on TV and Saints probably brought about 3k that night).

Anyone claiming that the rebrand/marketing push hasn't worked is kidding themselves at this point, and I say that as someone that was very much at the front of the ridicule. I still think the home shirt is awful, but I've fully accepted the name and I don't even mind the badge anymore if I'm honest(the centurion logo was poor anyway). We've got record crowds, record membership levels(with the most expensive season tickets ever at Leigh) and record shirt sales, along with a much improved visibility in the media. 

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59 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

When though ? , How many years does it take an academy to start to produce first grade players ? 

Didn’t you apply for one but got turned down because there were only 12 spots? And they didn’t even fill them? 

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21 minutes ago, LeytherRob said:

If a good team and form is all it takes, what's Huddersfields excuse? Leigh have won the same amount of games as this time in 2017 and also had a decent squad(poorly coached), yet crowds are up and we've beaten our best crowd in SL on a Thursday TV game(previous best was against Saints on a Friday, not on TV and Saints probably brought about 3k that night).

Anyone claiming that the rebrand/marketing push hasn't worked is kidding themselves at this point, and I say that as someone that was very much at the front of the ridicule. I still think the home shirt is awful, but I've fully accepted the name and I don't even mind the badge anymore if I'm honest(the centurion logo was poor anyway). We've got record crowds, record membership levels(with the most expensive season tickets ever at Leigh) and record shirt sales, along with a much improved visibility in the media. 

Always said it from the start , injuries are our biggest worry , we just don't have the squad size , it's what cost us in 2017 

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18 hours ago, frank said:

It may be a record crowd for Leigh, but considering these towns are adjacent to each other and   both SL clubs  it's not that great a crowd and should have  ben a full house.

Oh come on. On tv etc. Leigh trying to build something. Please please someone have a glass that’s half full !!

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3 hours ago, daz39 said:

With all due respect the fact it was a Thursday has little relevence in this case, it's a local derby against a huge and well supported local rival who took loads of fans who didn't have to 'travel' as most have to do on a Thursday, their team have started very well too which will have helped, it's an excellent achievement but lets not kid ourselves had it been Wakefield/Huddersfield after a poor start would there have been even half of those in attendance on a Thursday night?.

That said there does seem to be a buzz around Leigh( it goes to Wigan i've heard), it will be interesting to see if it remains if the team start dropping and losing.

Let's not kid ourselves..  if you make something really enjoyable and really entertaining.. more people will go, even on a Thursday night, rather than if you just don't... thats the point.. make it as big as it can be not just say "it's Thursday so people won't come" and sp don't bother.. 

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32 minutes ago, Pie tries said:

Oh come on. On tv etc. Leigh trying to build something. Please please someone have a glass that’s half full !!

OK, I have Leigh averaging 3,000 last year in the Championship and just over 8,400 this year in SL. I believe for their last stint in SL in 2017, the regular season games averaged 6,500. 

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It takes wisdom to know when a discussion has run its course.

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4 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

I'll edit this 

No it isn't , it is a club stadium ( LSV ) record , our club record is 23,000 at Hilton Park apparently, myself personally was 12,000+ against Wigan for a cup quarter final in 2001 

It was while we were still officially a Championship club however , last night's attendance is the highest we've ever achieved in SL 

Think the record attendance at Hilton Park Steve was actually over 31000 in the 1950's against Saints !

Some people make some fair points. I have been to a few games in the 80's and even the infamous match in 2001/2002 for Which Hilton Park was dangerously packed and a match for which Adrian Lam still talks about now, but lets not dismiss what Leigh are trying to do here.

I think Kayakman makes a fair point with Toronto (although most didn't bother with the game and just got smashed!) but its a concept there to be enjoyed and if a few hundred more away fans join the Leigh hardcore, there is absolutely nothing to lose.

Incidentally, Leigh play Wigan at the LSV in the last League game of the season. If its a free play for Leigh and no pressure on relegation, and Wigan need the points, a game in the summer months is a banker to sell out. Irrespective, Derek will still spend on the entertainment, because thats  his driven goal to make the game a 3hr spectacle and not an 80 min event.

If Wakey and Hudds come in their usual Taxi, and the crowd is only 5k? fine, but lets judge all this when we do play these teams. Our average is now 8500, and if these two matches get anything over 6k in the ground, everything Leigh are doing is working because the attendances are not growing by giving out free flyers and discounts.

It isnt a big Town but growing your hardcore is paramount. That South Stand is there for the away fans to fill and enjoy. Im sure Warrington will do this with ease come May for which (If Leigh pick up another couple of wins) will likely break the attendance record again.

If each club can project a 10% increase in attendances over the next 10 years, then why cant we compete with the ARL ? Re-think, or rot !

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9 hours ago, Eddie said:

Is that a fact, or just speculation? It’s not like he hasn’t been willing to splash the cash and make an effort previously. Plus pre match entertainment isn’t going to get them many grading points.  If only they’d been allowed an academy. 

Facts? On an Internet forum?😀😀😀

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1 hour ago, JohnM said:

Facts? On an Internet forum?😀😀😀

The "fact" that Leigh were uniquely banned from an academy has been disproved multiple times.

And given there are points for stadium usage, matchday experience and fandom, then pre-match entertainment will help you get points.

And what do points mean ...

... well, we've no idea, really.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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27 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

The "fact" that Leigh were uniquely banned from an academy has been disproved multiple times.

And given there are points for stadium usage, matchday experience and fandom, then pre-match entertainment will help you get points.

And what do points mean ...

... well, we've no idea, really.

They applied for one and were turned down by the closed shop weren’t they? 

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5 minutes ago, Eddie said:

They applied for one and were turned down by the closed shop weren’t they? 

They applied for one, failed to meet the criteria for an elite academy, were told how to meet the criteria for an elite academy, chose to have a big old sulk about it rather than respond.

It's one of the reasons why I'm pleased that they're taking it all a bit more seriously with the IMG process.

(There was no closed shop. Just as there isn't with the IMG process.)

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Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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55 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

They applied for one, failed to meet the criteria for an elite academy, were told how to meet the criteria for an elite academy, chose to have a big old sulk about it rather than respond.

It's one of the reasons why I'm pleased that they're taking it all a bit more seriously with the IMG process.

(There was no closed shop. Just as there isn't with the IMG process.)

The old chestnut of " failing to meet the criteria " 😂 , don't even go there 

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On 31/03/2023 at 19:29, GUBRATS said:

I'll edit this 

No it isn't , it is a club stadium ( LSV ) record , our club record is 23,000 at Hilton Park apparently, myself personally was 12,000+ against Wigan for a cup quarter final in 2001 

It was while we were still officially a Championship club however , last night's attendance is the highest we've ever achieved in SL 

The 23,000 was in the late sixties against Wigan in the challenge cup, but the record was v. St. Helens in the 50’s, 31,000 with no Health and Safety!!

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On 30/03/2023 at 23:36, Padge said:

Until post WWII and probably up to the 1960s Leigh v Wigan was bigger than Saints v Wigan in rivalry if not in crowds, Wigan Leigh was the big local rivalry due to the mines being connected.

Thanks Padge, albeit I was asking @gingerjonthe southern RL guru why that statement (above) was made and seeing what his reasoning was, he also had 9 likes from people who are apparently as clueless.

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Just now, Harry Stottle said:

Thanks Padge, albeit I was asking @gingerjonthe southern RL guru why that statement (above) was made and seeing what his reasoning was, he also had 9 likes from people who are apparently as clueless.

Oh dear.

The 'made up enemies' relates to the OP's apparent belief that people so hate Leigh that they would livid to see a massive crowd at the LSV. That applies to no one on this board that I'm aware of.

But you were saying something about clueless?

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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Just now, gingerjon said:

Oh dear.

The 'made up enemies' relates to the OP's apparent belief that people so hate Leigh that they would livid to see a massive crowd at the LSV. That applies to no one on this board that I'm aware of.

But you were saying something about clueless?

Then emphasise your statement better, read it back to yourself  it has a far different meaning than what you have just explained.

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