LEIGH Centurions are still undecided on what will be their designated day for home games in their debut Super League season.
With matches spread over an entire weekend of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, clubs can opt for a preferred day whenever they are not re-scheduled for Sky TV. Leigh are looking at all options, but more closely at Friday evenings or Sunday afternoons.
"It's a tough call," admits executive director Derek Beaumont.
"All three options have their advantages and disadvantages. It's a question of weighing them all up and plumping for the best one. Whatever we decide it's not going to suit everybody.
"We still have an open mind on the subject and I would love the fans and sponsors to get involved in this. The more feedback we get, the better will be the final decision.
"Friday nights has it's advantages and I know it's the preferred option of coach Darren Abram. But it also has some problems and one of them is a policing issue with Wigan also playing their home games on a Friday evening. It could also affect sponsorship and travelling support.
"Saturday's could cause problems because of our groundshare with Leigh RMI while Sunday afternoon has been our traditional slot for years and many people are against change.
"I would like fans and sponsors to contact the club and make their views known. If there is a strong weight of opinion one way or the other, obviously we will have to take note of that. I would like to stress that no decision has been made yet one way or the other. The views of the the fans and the sponsors will be taken into account."
Off-field activities are move on apace with the appointment of a new Marketing Manager and new full-time shop manageress. Existing sponsors Kegwatch have ploughed in more than £20,000 to totally re-fit the gym at Hilton Park with part of the deal seeing the Hilton Suite re-named the Kegwatch Suite.
Negotiations for a new major shirt sponsor should be concluded this week with the overall kit sponsorship deals easily passing the club's original budget figure. Season ticket sales are already up by 800 on last season and nine of the 14 home games already have a major match sponsor in place.
The club's new Marketing Manager is Richard Kelly, brother of well-known league coaches Neil and Andy. Richard is vastly experienced in this field having worked on such projects as the Commonwealth Games and brings with him a portfolio of blue chip companies.
On the pitch, the squad started pre-season training on Monday with Darren Abram still looking for the final couple of pieces in his squad jig-saw. He has brought in Aussie utility back Jason Kent from Cronulla Sharks and landed another Duffy John's younger brother Jason from Wigan Warriors. Kent, 24, has played almost 30 first grade game in Australia and at Cronulla was the understudy to Brett Kimmorley.
But on their way out of Hilton Park are Radney Bowker, Andrew Isherwood, Dave McConnell, Dave Alstead, Paul Norman and Willie Swann.
Bowker and Isherwood have been released and told they can find new clubs, Norman has joined Oldham, McConnell and Alstead have taken one year deals at Rochdale while Swann is attracting interest from Keighley.
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