JOHN Pendlebury, Leigh Centurions' coach without a team, has left Hilton Park.

A frustrated Pendlebury handed in his notice after chewing over the situation for several weeks.

His position at the Centurions needed to be re-defined after the RFL refused to accept Leigh's U21s Academy team into the Senior Academy division. Consequently Leigh temporarily scrapped their Grand Final-winning U21s side - leaving Pendlebury without a team of his own to control.

Initially Leigh tempted the ex-Halifax boss back into the professional game as U21's coach and assistant to head coach Paul Terzis. Through no fault of Leigh, or Pendlebury, the goalposts were moved.

Leigh's Executive Director Derek Beaumont told the Journal: "We have tried to persuade John to stay, but he's frustrated at not having a team of his own to control.

"He says he feels he's better than a 'cone-carrier' at training and the board fully understand how he feels. He's had some input with the first team squad but John's good enough to be coaching a team in his own right. Through no fault of ours, or his, he's not got a team.

"In typical John Pendlebury fashion he's been completely honest with us. It would have been easy for him to sit back and do nothing.

"We are sad at losing a person's of John's capabilities. He's only been with us a short time, but he has made an impact. We genuinely hope that he'll be back at Leigh sometime in the future."

The Centurions are unlikely to make a hurried appointment to replace Pendlebury with U18s boss Lloyd Pugsley stepping up to assist Terzis on a temporary basis.

Discuss matters

Mr Beaumont added: "We want to view all our options and discuss matters with the head coach before we make our next move. There is every chance that the next appointment could be in a player/coach role."

The Centurions will put their 100 per cent National League One record on the line this weekend when Featherstone make the trip to Hilton Park.

Having already lost to Rovers in the Challenge Cup earlier in the season and seen them send Salford tumbling to their first defeat of the campaign, Leigh know they will have to pay the utmost respect to Andy Kell's team.

Paul Terzis says: "They are going to be one of the contenders again this season. Playing them two weeks running will be a strange experience but a challenge we are looking forward to."

Terzis will have the luxury of selecting from 21 of his 23-man senior squad with Alan Hadcroft (shoulder), Leroy Rivett (groin) and John Hamilton added to last week's 18.