Leigh Genesis Official Supporters
Talk of the Terrace
By Matt Lawton
October 29 2008
As I'm sure any football fan in the country can relate to, the thought of losing your football club is, quite frankly, an unbearable prospect. Last year, Leigh RMI were within hours of going bust and were saved with the intervention of Dominic Speakman, who within weeks would take the club to levels of organisation and professionalism never seen before.
It is not only for that particular rescue act that our band of supporters will be grateful to Mr. Speakman for many years to come, but also for lifting the club to levels that weren't even dreamt possible in the past.
Although we've always retained a hugely loyal support base, the initiative shown to hire a host of hugely dedicated and respected marketing professionals to bring football to the masses in Leigh was a huge boost to the club's supporters, weary of several years of struggling both on and off the field.
When the name change to Leigh Genesis first came about, there were literally thousands of sceptics flooding the internet as we heralded a bold new beginning; bloggers the world over queuing up to have a dig at a club and a chairman that dared to dream.
With a new stadium staring us in the face, never mind on the horizon, and a group of staff and players with a massive determination to lift the club from the doldrums, we were a club on the up. Even when getting a draw to Kevin Keegan's Fulham in 1998, we barely got a mention in the local papers, never mind beyond them. Suddenly, we were lifted to a level of exposure that had Football League clubs green with envy as television and news reports told of the footballing revolution in this corner of South Lancashire.
I think we all recognised that there would be bumps and learning curves along the way, but the club has been dealt with hammer blow after hammer blow.
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, who at this moment in time should be hanging their head in shame, insisted the club would be able to take up residence in the Leigh Sports Village by the start of pre-season. Then it was the end of August. Then the end of September. Then mid-November. Even now, it's looking more and more likely that we'll be spending the New Year as nomads.
No problem, we thought, as Hilton Park is still available. Or, at least it was available, until it had hosted the sum total of one Genesis pre-season friendly and an exhilarating 2-1 league win over Prescot Cables, at which point our good friends at Wigan MBC (yes, them again) decided that Hilton Park was unfit to host any sort of sporting event unless the club (and for club, read Dominic Speakman) forked out in the region of a quarter of a million pounds to carry out improvements to the ground for what, at that time, would only be a couple of months prior to moving to the LSV.
Even now, WMBC still can't give a definite move-in date as all parties involving in the building process squabble over triviality after triviality, so much so that Leigh Centurions' home friendly against Salford City Reds on December 28th might even have been an ambitious fixture plan.
With the immediate withdrawal of funding, our thoughts must go out to the likes of Donna Middleton, Mary Croasdale and James Standing, who have all worked their fingers, and every other limb, to the bone in an effort to improve this club and take it to the next level.
Not only that, but the much-maligned figure of a modern-day footballer certainly doesn't transpire in the UniBond League, with the fact that a number of players will continue to play for the club in the immediate future, free of charge, a hugely humbling gesture in these times of financial belt-tightening and faux-badge kissing.
Any supporters that feel they can offer anything, large or small, to the survival of this club are urged to get in touch with other supporters and the two websites and do their bit for their club.
For now, we are at 'home' (for home, read Victory Park in Chor-leigh) to Cammell Laird in the FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round this Saturday and it is up to us, as supporters, to get there in numbers and show the footballing world that we'll never die.
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StumbleuponI fully back his decision since his whole business plan was set out on costs that were given to him by LSV, they changed the goalposts and after months of unbelieveable hard work from the back room staff at the club this was the straw that broke the camels back.
How do we carry on as a club now without funding, a significant backer or the ability to play a game on a ground we call our own. I have no idea and am still in shock.
This sadi we have a game on saturday, one we must win even more now since the finances are so necessary, after that we have a meeting of the lg-sa on monday and are hoping to secure a suitable place to accomodate everyone.
I beg you all get as many people to the meeting as we can, get as much support for the lads on Saturday (all will be playing for no money along with the manager).
Lets not have a witchhunt against Dominic, lets say goodbye, say thank you for putting your time and effort into the club for so long against the odds and know that you are always welcome to stand with us if we have a club to watch.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:10:29:14:40:31 by Tony Marshall.
LG-SA.co.uk
All we can guarantee is that we will support whichever 11 players are wearing that white shirt.
LG-SA.co.uk
i know dom put loads of time and money in, but to leave after such a short space of time of completley turning the club upside down is disapointing?
i'm working sat but am trying to get out of it so to make the game.
whats going to happen to all the merchandise ordered?
i am gutted.
Hope you manage to get the day off on Saturday mate, keep the Wembley dream alive and all that. Personally, I just want to thank the players for all their work.
LG-SA.co.uk
Ill be there in spirit
LG-SA.co.uk
Quote:Leyther_Matt
Forgot you couldn't make it Dave, but I think each game from here on in should quite simply be a celebration of our existence!
Ive only been following the club for 8 months and Im devastated, cant imagine how someone who has followed them since they first moved into Leigh and became Leigh RMI like yourself must feel
And before you say it mate, I don't think you can blame the rugby for the situation! There are some awfully squeaky bums on Leythers.com, I'm afraid to say.
LG-SA.co.uk
Had to pop on here for a dose of sensible.
All the new doom merchant accounts popped up on the official forum!
Hopefully theres some light at the end of the tunnel!
And you should know better than be taken in by the doom merchants on the official forum, Jono!
LG-SA.co.uk
LG-SA.co.uk
It would be fantastic if we could rise from the ashes and surpass the level we are at now
It could well be that its a few years down the line before "AFC Leigh" are back flourishing but we all have to try our best to keep the club in some sort of existence
LG-SA.co.uk
Quote:Leyther_Matt
The less talk of "AFC Leigh", the better - people are talking as if Leigh Genesis no longer exist, but now is the time to make sure that extinction isn't a prospect.
I wasn't implying that we wont exist. I want to see Leigh Genesis make it through this as much as anyone else. T'was just a jokey name really
Quote:Leyther_Matt
I can see what you're saying in a way Dale and to an extent I agree, maybe we did aim for too much, too soon, but I think they were all genuinely achievable had the council had a bit of transparency in sorting out the ground situation.
And you should know better than be taken in by the doom merchants on the official forum, Jono!
Im not doom merchant,all i want is proper answers yes the council/lsv have screwed us over but once we knew (and i think we all did) we wasnt going to be in till the new year,we should have started to cut back,as the attendances etc what we are gettin having to play away just wasnt enough.
Think about it we are payin full time wages out etc etc etc,but still with the income of last season,there was only one outcome.A very big drained on our resources.
With going into the new ground and of course the increase of ground cost which was always going to happen(and i know not what they are asking as i do think they are taking the @#$%& with stewarding etc) and the amount we were payin out for not just players etc but all the background stuff,What were the actaull number fans needed?? to break even not to mention make a profit as that is the main aim really of every club.
Like i said before i think we were all looking for stability for a while and build on from there after how many years of of un-certainy.
Im sorry to say this but 2yr buget plan gone in 9 months that surely is some miss planning,even without beiong able to go into the new ground??? Cut backs were needed and not keep spend spend in a time when nothing was certain!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:10:30:14:23:49 by yamleyther.
Quote:Leyther_Matt
And you should know better than be taken in by the doom merchants on the official forum, Jono!
Must you point out my frailties in a public forum matt
LG-SA.co.uk
LG-SA.co.uk
