Leigh Sports Village

By Matt Lawton
January 30 2007

Work has begun on the building of Leigh RMI's new 10,000 capacity stadium that is to be shared with Leigh Centurions RLFC as part of a community-centred leisure and sporting complex that will rival any throughout the region.

Although the emphasis on new stadiums in this country is to generally ensure that stadiums are all-seated affairs, one end of the new stadium will actually be a covered terracing section, largely because of the pressure from supporters of both the football and rugby sides to include a standing area in the plans for the new ground.

The complex will incorporate new facilities for Leigh East ARLFC and a smaller neighbouring athletics stadium for Leigh Harriers Athletics Club, as well as new facilities for Leigh & Wigan College, who will help to provide part of the funding for the project through education grants.

It would be a community stadium venture, similar to the ones in operation at Rugby League clubs Widnes Vikings, Warrington Wolves and Hull FC, with Championship side Hull City sharing the KC Stadium with the rugby side.

The plan would cost around £20million and will be financed by private investment, the Goverment, Wigan & Leigh College and various other sources.

For the very latest information on the Leigh Sports Village, visit the official website at www.leighsportsvillage.co.uk