LEIGH Centurions will face one of their longest seasons for many years when the new NFP programme kicks off in December.

If Leigh are successful in all competitions, Paul Terzis' squad could find themselves playing more than 40 games before the end of the season next October.

The NFP league campaign takes a break between Easter and the end of May to accomodate the newly-formed National League Cup competition. Leigh are in the Western Group alongside Barrow, Whitehaven, Workington, Swinton and Chorley. In addition there are Central and Eastern Groups with the top two in each section qualifying for the knockout stages.

The final league game is scheduled for September 8, followed by the play-offs and Grand Final.

Leigh will only meet relegated Huddersfield once - at Hilton Park in March - as well as Rochdale once, Batley once, York once, Doncaster once, Gateshead once and Sheffield once.

FIXTURES 2001-2

DECEMBER

2 Barrow Border Raiders...H

9 Batley Bulldogs...A

16 Hunslet Hawks...H

26 Swinton Lions...A

30 Oldham...H

JANUARY

6 Hull KR...A

13 Rochdale Hornets...H

FEBRUARY

3 York...A

17 Dewsbury Rams...H

MARCH

3 Chorley Lynx...A

10 Workington Town...H

17 Gateshead Thunder...A

24 Huddersfield Giants...H

29 Swinton Lions (NLC)...H

APRIL

1 Whitehaven (NLC)...A

7 Workington Town (NLC)...H

21 Chorley Lynx (NLC)...H

MAY

5 Barrow Border Raiders (NLC)...A

12 NCL quarter-finals...

19 NCL semi-finals...

26 NCL final...

JUNE

2 Doncaster Dragons...A

9 Sheffield Eagles...H

16 Featherstone Rovers...A

23 Keighley Cougars...H

30 Whitehaven...A

JULY

7 Oldham...A

14 Whitehaven...H

21 Hull KR...H

28 Workington Town...A

AUGUST

4 Featherstone Rovers...H

11 Chorley Lynx...H

18 Barrow Border Raiders...A

25 Hunslet Hawks...A

SEPTEMBER

1 Swinton Lions...H

8 Dewsbury Rams...A