By Matt Lawton
May 30 2009

In what can only be described as an annual tradition, it was another season of trials and tribulations for Leigh Genesis (nee RMI) in the club’s first season under it’s new guise, with a campaign of highs and lows ending in relegation from the UniBond Premier League.  

After suffering relegation from the Blue Square North at the end of the 2007/2008 season, Leigh supporters began the season with hopes of an immediate return to the Blue Square North in the plush surroundings of the club's new stadium at the Leigh Sports Village. However, little could prepare them for what was to happen in June 2008 as, under the guidance of chairman Dominic Speakman, the club underwent an ambitious re-branding, becoming Leigh Genesis FC in time for the new season.

Suddenly, the club found itself the talk of the town, and the first game under their new name attracted more than 200 spectators to neighbours Atherton Collieries for the first friendly of the summer, with Richard Chetcuti, Josh Wilson, Andy Heald, Chris Coward and Karl O'Donnell the Leigh goalscorers in a resounding 5-0 victory at Alder House.

PRE-SEASON

Steve Bleasdale's Genesis side maintained an unbeaten start to their pre-season campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 away to Warrington Town, before coming from behind to defeat Formby and AFC Fylde 2-1 and 3-1 respectively.

However, Leigh fans were given a sign of what proved to be things to come in late July 2008, with the news that the club wouldn't be taking up residency at the Leigh Sports Village Stadium in time for the new season being followed by a 1-0 defeat to Woodley Sports, courtesy of ex-Leigh man Gavin Salmon, in the only home friendly of the summer, played at Hilton Park.

It proved only a slight setback, with a Darren Mansaram goal sealing a 1-0 win away to Lancaster City before former Leigh man Ged Kielty masterminded a 2-1 victory for Trafford over Leigh, before an extensive pre-season programme ended with a 2-0 win away to Salford City.

AUGUST

The bookmakers put Genesis amongst the favourites for promotion ahead of the start of the season and, backed by a massive away support, began the season away to fellow promotion heavyweights Eastwood Town. However, Leigh were to return empty-handed from Nottinghamshire as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to the eventual champions.

The failure of Hilton Park to gain a sufficient safety certificate saw Leigh's opening home fixture of the season played at Chorley's Victory Park, with 140 spectators witnessing a resounding 3-0 victory over Ashton United by virtue of goals from Darren Mansaram, Richard Chetcuti and Brad Maylett.

The same venue played host to Leigh's next home game, with two last-gasp goals sealing a 2-1 victory for Ilkeston Town after Genesis had previously taken the lead through a Paul Booth header.

Leigh's mixed form continued with Mansaram and Maylett the goalscorers in a 2-0 Bank Holiday victory away to Ossett Town, before suffering a shock 2-1 away loss to struggling Worksop Town.

SEPTEMBER

September began with what would prove to be the final football game to ever take place at Hilton Park as over 200 supporters braved torrential weather to create a particularly boisterous atmosphere as Leigh secured a priceless 2-1 victory over local rivals Prescot Cables.

September saw Leigh play at their third ‘home' venue of the season as a Jordan Stepien penalty and a Jerome Watt strike secured a 2-0 win over Frickley Athletic at Radcliffe Borough's Stainton Park.

What followed was arguably the best footballing encounter of the season when Genesis and Nantwich Town contested a thrilling 1-1 draw, only for Leigh to once again demonstrate their inconsistent streak in their next outing as hopes of an FA Cup were dashed at the first attempt when lower division Curzon Ashton, later to hit the headlines as giantkillers against Exeter City, won 1-0 in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round.

With confusion still reigning over the progress of the Leigh Sports Village Stadium, Victory Park again provided the venue for a late September encounter against Whitby Town when, despite taking the lead through a Chris Holland strike, Leigh fell to a 4-2 defeat.

That pair of defeats proved a shock to the system, and Leigh finished September strongly with a polished performance away to Marine securing a 1-0 Genesis win, thanks to an Andrew Teague goal.

OCTOBER

October began with a credible 0-0 draw away to Buxton that featured the late arrival of the Genesis supporters coach halfway through the first half after what can only be described as a navigational malfunction.

In torrential conditions on the Wirral, hosts Cammell Laird overcame the sending off of ex-Leigh man Lee Atherton to grab a shock 2-1 victory before Leigh took a break for league duties to secure a 1-0 FA Trophy win away to Harrogate Railway Athletic, with Leigh once again backed by a vociferous support that made up almost three-quarters of the crowd at Station View.

A stylish second half performance at Wincham Park saw goals from Jordan Stepien, Brad Maylett and Tom Field secure a 3-1 victory away to Witton Albion, before ending October with a 0-0 draw with Marine at Victory Park.

However, matters on the field would soon prove to be the least of the worries of Leigh's dedicated supporters, with the announcement at the end of October that chairman Dominic Speakman was withdrawing his financial backing for the club after a series of setbacks in the project progression of the club, largely revolving around the failure of Wigan MBC to provide the Leigh Sports Village Stadium when promised, and as such decimating the club's business plan and income streams.

As such, it was a scratch side of youngsters that represented the club in a 5-1 FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round defeat to Cammell Laird at Victory Park, with only Steve Dickinson, Josh Wilson, Chris Holland and Jordan Stepien remaining from the previous squad in what would turn out to be Steve Bleasdale's final game in charge of the club.

NOVEMBER

There were certainly fireworks on November 5th as Steve Bleasdale resigned from his position as manager, to be replaced by reserve team manager Lee Merricks ahead of the visit of North Ferriby United to Ashton United's Hurst Cross home. It proved to be a tough baptism for Merricks and his young side as Genesis crashed to a harsh 3-0 defeat. The following week, however, was to provide a huge amount of hope as Leigh's youngsters made the mammoth trip to the North Yorkshire coast and returned from Whitby Town with Chris McCaughtrie's late goal securing a point from a 2-2 draw, ten years to the day since Leigh secured a famous 1-1 draw away to Fulham in the FA Cup.

What followed was an incredible run of postponements, with a Lancashire Trophy postponement away to Atherton Collieries being followed by league games being called off away to Bradford Park Avenue and Ashton United.

DECEMBER

Having made their last appearance on November 15th, Leigh would play just two further games before Christmas, with a 2-0 win at Atherton Collieries, at the seventh attempt of the game going ahead, was followed by a Lancashire Trophy exit with a 3-2 loss to Radcliffe Borough. 2008 ended with a 2-0 defeat to Witton Albion at Warrington Town's Cantilever Park home, while the New Year began in typical fashion, with fixtures against Kendal Town and Cammell Laird falling victim to the weather.

JANUARY

Leigh's first appearance of 2009 was to prove a harsh lesson as Genesis fell to a heartbreaking 3-1 League Cup defeat to Ashton United as the hosts scored two goals in extra time after the sides were locked at 1-1 after ninety minutes of play.

Clitheroe's Shawbridge ground was the sixth different ‘home' venue for Genesis, but Leigh struggled against a strong wind and eventually succumbed to a 4-0 defeat to Eastwood Town, with the ruthless visitors emphatically underlining their championship credentials.

The following Tuesday brought yet another rainstorm, and another defeat for Leigh as local rivals Prescot Cables ran out 2-0 victors in the Valerie Park mud, while a trip to Derbyshire hiking country brought little luck in a 5-0 defeat to Matlock Town.

After an eternity of waiting, Genesis finally made their long-anticipated bow at the Leigh Sports Village Stadium on 27th January when neighbours FC United of Manchester were the inaugural victors at the new stadium, winning 2-0 in front of a hugely encouraging crowd of 1,302.

Despite hopes to the contrary, that encounter didn't represent a sustained period of games at the LSV Stadium, and instead Leigh were back to Radcliffe's Stainton Park the following Saturday, when Worksop Town ran out 2-1 victors.

FEBRUARY

Leigh's groundhopping continued in their next match, but it was in the right direction when they played their second game at the Leigh Sports Village Stadium, with promotion chasing visitors Hednesford Town claiming a 3-1 victory in front of a crowd of 344.

Leigh fans had particular reason to love Valentines Day 2009 when, in a game that will live long in the memory, Lee Merricks' side upset the odds to claim a magnificent 4-2 victory over FC United of Manchester in front of over 1,800 fans at Gigg Lane.

Genesis took the lead in incredible fashion, winning a penalty within ten seconds of the kick off when Phil Marsh was bundled over by a combination of defender Dave Chadwick and goalkeeper Sam Ashton, with Marsh dusting himself off to despatch the resultant spot kick.

FCUM equalised with twenty six minutes remaining when Neil Chappell swept home the rebound after Danny Morton had parried a Simon Garner free kick, but Leigh were back in front just six minutes later when Marsh again drew a foul from Chadwick and converted his second penalty of the afternoon.

With just five minutes remaining, it looked as though Leigh were to heartbreakingly leave with just a point as Carl Lomax notched a debut goal, only for Genesis to go right up the other end and go 3-2 in front with a thrilling counter attack that saw Chris Thompson sweep home Kyle Lambert's cross. The victory was sealed in stoppage time when Marsh, who would become a United player later in the season, completed his hat-trick with a cheeky strike, latching on to a routine Danny Warrender throw in and nudging the ball past Ashton, sending the visiting support in to delirium.

With optimism restored, Leigh were hopeful of a positive result against Kendal Town at Hurst Cross the following Tuesday, only for Andy Heald to be sent off within the opening minutes of the game as Leigh fell to a 2-1 defeat.

Despite an Andy Heald equaliser, former Genesis defender Jerome Fitzgerald played a big part in securing a 3-1 win for Guiseley in West Yorkshire, before Leigh suffered a crushing 6-0 defeat to Ossett Town in front of their lowest crowd of the season, with just 59 spectators witnessing the fixture at Hurst Cross.

Ilkeston Town maintained their late promotion push as, despite a Phil Marsh equaliser, they clinched a league double over Leigh with a 3-1 win in the last game of February.

MARCH

March began with Radcliffe Borough's Stainton Park playing host to a home fixture with Boston United, with Genesis overcoming the sending off of midfielder Karl Brown to claim a credible 0-0 draw that, on another day, might have been all three points.

With manager Lee Merricks in Singapore in his other role as a coach with Manchester United, assistant Lee Doherty took charge as Interim Manager, but his reign began with a 2-0 defeat away to Ashton United.

What followed were two games that did much to sum up Leigh's season. First came in West Yorkshire when, despite a sterling performance, Genesis fell to a 2-1 defeat to Bradford Park Avenue despite dominating much of the encounter. However, the optimism generated from such a promising performance was dashed only a few days later when Nantwich Town visited Stainton Park and inflicted an 8-0 trouncing on a Genesis side that saw Alex Cunliffe controversially sent off.

Stainton Park was again the venue for the next fixture, and once again visitors Guiseley were lucky to leave with all three points from a 4-2 victory that saw Jordan Stepien make his second ‘debut' for the club after returning from a short spell with Burscough.

In the lead up to the next game saw things take a huge step-up with the appointment as Garry Flitcroft as Genesis manager, with Lee Merricks and Lee Doherty remaining on the Leigh coaching staff.

Flitcroft immediately set to work in improving the squad before the transfer deadline, calling on brother David, assistant manager at Rochdale, to loan defender Raphale Evans from the League Two outfit as Flitcroft's management career began with an encouraging performance in a 0-0 draw away to Frickley Athletic.

The final game of the month saw Leigh Genesis finally make their long-awaited return to home fixtures in Leigh, and a hugely vocal crowd of nearly 350 witnessed a goal in each half from Jordan Stepien seal an exhilarating 2-1 victory over Cammell Laird.

APRIL

With optimism boosted from the victory, Leigh made the long trip to Lincolnshire to face Boston United, and they returned with a point from a 1-1 draw, albeit earned the hard way with a Stepien penalty in the 88th minute.

Leigh's unlikely bid for survival was quickly gathering pace, and they stretched their unbeaten run to four games on what was a very Good Friday when Stepien was again the late hero, adding to Andy Heald's opener to seal a 2-1 win away to North Ferriby United.

However, the boost provided by the return to the Leigh Sports Village Stadium was dashed on Easter Monday when, with the LSV Stadium unavailable, the home fixture with Buxton was switched to Warrington Town's Cantilever Park, and young Genesis goalkeeper Dean Porter, deputising for the injured Stephen Drench, had to pick the ball from the back of his net no less than seven times in a crushing 7-0 defeat.

The following Saturday saw over 400 supporters witness Leigh's relegation from the UniBond Premier League with a 2-0 defeat to Matlock Town at the LSV, but the season was to end on a high with consecutive victories. First came a 2-1 victory over Bradford Park Avenue as Leigh signed off their home campaign for the season, before a dazzling display at Hednesford Town on the final day of the season sealed another 2-1 win for Leigh, preventing the hosts from getting in to the play-offs in the process.

Leigh finished the season in twenty first place, thirteen points clear of bottom side Prescot Cables, with the two rivals meeting again in UniBond League Division One North next season. It's fair to say that it's been another mixed bag of a season for Leigh, but I'm sure we wouldn't have our rollercoaster existence any other way!