Swinton Lions - Leigh Sports Village
Rugby League is a sport I have
sort of semi-followed for a while now, those of you that have me as a friend on
Facebook or follow me on Twitter will know that I am a keen Salford Red Devils
supporter. So, why then start a Rugby League page? Well, at the end of the
football season I decided to follow Rugby League a bit more because normally
I’ll do the Magic Weekend and go to the odd Red Devils game but this season I
thought I’d go mad and follow Rugby League properly. So, with the majority of
my exams over with (only English Language, History and Maths to go) I though
what better time to write my first Blog post and go to the Swinton Lions
against Batley Bulldogs game at Leigh Sports Village.
Some of you may of noticed my
Games Count (for RL) and have seen that in fact I have already been too nine
games this season (Salford vs Castleford – Leigh Centurions vs Featherstone –
The Magic Weekend) and thus be wondering why I didn’t Blog them, simply because
of all the revision I’ve had to do I just haven’t had the time but like I said
earlier, with slightly more time I am
able to Blog this one.
Planning was non-existent for
this fixture simply because of my lack of time. However, this wasn’t a problem
because I knew Leigh like the back of my hand, well I know the route from the
bus station to the stadium, thanks to my earlier adventure to watch Leigh vs
Featherstone – all I had to do was check the bus times which again thanks to
the GMPTE Journey Planner thingy (a must for any bus journey) was extremely
straight forward.
My good friend Rob (a regular
guest in my Blog) joined me on my trip to Leigh Sports Village (where Swinton
are playing this season… more on that later), he joined me and watched the much
talked about Leigh game earlier in the season.
Just like the Premier League
season just gone, this year’s Super League and Championship season is very
interesting; not because of the surprise package teams (Widnes, Castleford etc.)
but also because what is going to happen at the end of it. For the first time
in a while, this season clubs can get relegated from the Super League to the
Championship and next season’s clubs can be promoted from the Championship
which is being renamed Super League 2 (with the Super League becoming the,
you’ve guessed it, Super League 1). It is as complicated as it sounds but hey
when it actually happens it will be a superb improvement in English Rugby
League. If I have just completely baffled you here is a snap shot from
Wikipedia.
So, the morning of the game. I
awoke at about 8:00am and just chilled for the morning really, I had a shower,
chilled on my laptop and threw some old and now pointless revision notes away
which made all that time and effort seem pointless really. Anyway, after dinner
I set off to complete the 1.7 mile walk from Bromley Cross and Bradshaw for the
bus. If I actually had a decent sum f money I woul of just got the bus from
Bromley Cross but as I don’t I had to walk to Bradshaw in order to catch the
507, a first Bus, enabling me to get a First Day Saver which allows me to get
any First Bus with that ticket and well also allows me to save money.
507 caught and what an
interesting journey it was, of course, I’m lying, the only interesting point
was when the lady behind me was ‘well excited’ about visiting Primark – yes
love, it’s cheap but try and control yourself in future. The people you bump
into nowadays heh?
After a quick change in town I
was on the 582 (a First Bus) and was on my way to Leigh. I bumped into another
funny little character on my way, this time this person was on the phone, or
was he? Clearly, he wasn’t because as he was speaking to this non-existent
person his phone rang – proving he was speaking to nobody. Personally, I
laughed and so did the old man across from me.
We shortly arrived in Leigh,
after passing England’s first Pound Pub in Atherton. There, I met up with Rob
who was standing under the rather uninspiring ‘Welcome to Leigh Bus Station’ sign.
Rob then began to tell me about his failed attempt to buy a pie as we made our
way to Leigh Sports Village. Along the way we also discussed our preseason
plans, we found Leigh Sports Village pretty easily thanks to my in depth
knowledge of the back streets of Leigh, and also Google Maps.
When we arrived at Leigh Sports
Village we made our way to the Ticket Office, purchasing out ticket for the
game, a bargain price of £2 – yes that’s right £2! That’s £2 for a game of
Championship Rugby League – bargain! After contemplating whether to go into the
world’s biggest Morrisions or not (we decided against that option) we entered
into the ground through the only two turnstiles open, throughout the whole
stadium.
As Sunday’s game was unreserved
seating (like all of Swinton’s home games – I think) me and Rob decided to try
and get the best seats available, and that is exactly what we did. Swinton
Lion’s fan base isn’t huge, which is a shame really, but this means that they
only open half of the Main Stand. So I and Rob decided to go as high and as
central as possible, which again, is what we did and to our luck our seats were
even padded. We were one row down from the top, and right next door to the
journalists in the press area. To summarise, we had the best padded seats in
the house for £2, an absolute bargain.
On our way up to our seats we
picked up a programme for £2.50, the programme was specially designed for this
fixture to celebrate the anniversary of Swinton winning the league in the
1962-63 season as well as the 1963-64 season. It was a nice gesture by the club
and the programme itself was decent and not particularly bad I just feel it
lacked some readable material. Overall, I would recommend that you but a
programme if you do visit.
As for Leigh Sports Village, well, we were sat in the Main Stand, which is officially named the ‘West Stand’ this is your simple bog standard stand really. A good number of rows deep of red and white seats offering good views of the pitch no matter what row or seat you decide to sit in. Like I mentioned earlier, only half of this stand was open.
To my left was the ‘North Stand’, an all standing terrace. That’s the stand I stood in for the Rugby League World Cup game I went to at LSV and I have to say it is my favourite of the three simply because it provides a good atmosphere and anything is better than sitting down for a full game of Rugby and Football. The sooner they bring standing into football the better I say!
Opposite me is the East Stand, despite being the same size this stand looked bigger than the West, maybe because the West homes the dugout, I don’t know but wither way this again, is your bog standard new build seating stand. My first visit to LSV was when England and France
(Rugby League) were taking a friendly and I sat in this stand, it offers good views, however, if you come on a sunny day don’t make the same mistake I did and bring a pair of sun glasses.
To my right is the fourth and final stand called, yes, you’ve guessed it, the ‘South Stand’. To be honest, I can’t say an awful lot about this stand because I’ve never been in it but what I can tell you is that it’s all seated and behind the goal, there we go. Sorted.
So, who are Swinton Lions? Formed
in 1886 Swinton, back in the day, were one of the biggest Rugby League teams out
there – they’ve won the Championship (the old version of Super League) six
times and the Challenge Cup three times, they were a major force in Rugby
League. I emphasise the word were. More recently, they have been struggling
both on and off the field. In May 2007 the Lions went into administration in
order to restructure the club top to bottom, a fresh start which proved to be a
smart move a year later when they won promotion from the Championship 1 to the
Championship. Until the club find the much needed funds to build a new stadium
they will be playing their games at Leigh Sports Village hence the low crowds.
After acquiring our seats I had a
flick through the programme to work these two teams out. At the start of this
game, Swinton were lying in thirteenth position, which is a relegation position
– having only won two of the eleven games played. From the reports read and
highlights seen I’ve seen that Swinton have been unlucky in some games played
some good Rugby. I hope they pick up soon and start climbing up the table.
Their visitors however, Batley
Bulldogs, lied in mid-tables before the game having won a respectable four
games out of the eleven games played. From the evidence seen from the game I
witnessed on Sunday they are very strong defensively stopping teams like
Swinton making a large amount of yards in between each tackle – that was me
trying to not give anything away by the way.
As the two teams separately came
running out both separately welcomed by cheers from their supporters, who were
unsegregated like all Rugby League games, I decided along with Rob that I would
be supporting Swinton today. There were no handshakes before today’s game, they
just got out onto the pitch and got on with the game – that’s what I also love
about Rugby League, the simplicity of it. It’s a sport not a PR campaign (which
is what football sometimes seems like to me).
The following Match Report is
taken from the Swinton Lions website as I don’t have a clue how to write a
Rugby League match report, apologies!
Batley got back to winning ways
with a hard fought victory over the Lions in the Lancashire rain. The Bulldogs
took the lead as early as the fourth minute after they had forced the Lions to
drop out from their own line and the ball moved swiftly along the line for Josh
Griffin to crash over on the left to put them ahead but Lee Paterson could not
add the touchline conversion they did increase their lead just after the
restart when the Lions where penalised for a high shot right in front of the
posts and Paterson this time made no mistake with the kick.
Things got even better on ten
minutes when Lions captain Ian Watson was penalised just inside his own half
for holding down and the kick to touch produced more pressure which saw Alex
Bretherton also cross on the left to score but again the kick was too difficult
for Paterson but the Bulldogs were in control at this time. Gareth O'Brien
tried to spark the Lions attack on nineteen minutes but one of his supporting
players obstructed a Bulldog and the penalty went against the Lions in a good
position. Bretherton almost had a second try for the Bulldogs just after the
O'Brien effort but he was held up over the line by Steve Lewis.
The Bulldogs third try was
something of a fortunate one when a kick through hit a Lions player and bounced
awkward for the defender to collect and Scott Leatherbarrow gathered it to race
away and score under the posts and also add the conversion points to give his
side a commanding lead. The Lions hit back when O'Brien launched a high bomb
kick and was hit late by Alex Rowe and as the ball landed in goal the penalty
was awarded where the kick was taken from but there was no sin bin for the late
challenge. From the resulting penalty the Lions moved the ball around quickly
and it was O'Brien who created a gap to score by the posts and add the
conversion points to bring the Lions within ten points at the break.
At half time I and Rob went down
to the concourse to get something to eat. Rob opted from the cheese burger whereas
I opted for the Hot Dog. My Hot Dog was fantastic, on a proper French baguette
and well worth the £2.50 paid, high recommended. Rob reported that the cheese
burger was also to a good standard.
Back to the second half.
The Lions had another chance cancelled
out for obstruction just after the restart but on fifty-one minutes Lions scrum
half Chris Atkin intercepted a pass in his own ten metres and raced full length
of the field to score in the opposite corner and O'Brien tagged on the
conversion to bring the Lions right back into it. The Lions were now on top and
were fighting for everything but the Bulldogs scored again against the run of
play when Leatherbarrow evaded a couple of players in centre field before
sending a kick out to the right which saw Paterson collect and squeeze over in
the corner but Leatherbarrow could not add the conversion.
The Lions defence committed
suicide on sixty-three minutes when they had a scrum near their own line and
the ball went to ground on the first
pass which saw Bulldogs hooker Anthony Nicholson pick up the loose ball to
score by the posts and Leatherbarrow made no mistake with the conversion from
in front. The Lions hit back with nine minutes to go when a good passing
movement ended with Joe Philbin scoring his first Lions try on the left and
O'Brien again converted to put the Lions in bonus point territory.
With eight minutes left the
Bulldogs forced a goal line drop out and from the pressure Luke Blake went over
to score from close range and again Leatherbarrow added the simple conversion.
The Lions went short with the kick off but the Bulldogs came up with the ball
much to the annoyance of Lions centre Jacque Peet who voiced his frustrations
with the official and
Another loss for the Lions meant
I travelled home slightly disappointed with the score line. The game finished
at about twenty five to five and my Bus wasn’t due to depart Leigh until ten to
five but somehow, we walked at such a pace that I had to run the last stretch
in order to actually get on the bus – much to the entertainment of both Rob and
the locals. So, having saying bye to Rob I was on my way back to Bolton. The
bus journey back was just as easy as their and a quick change in Bolton to get
onto the 538 which takes me to my door step in Bromley Cross, on a Sunday
anyway.
So, another fantastic day out in
the company of Rob. I really enjoyed myself at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday –
as I have done in my previous visits there. I’d like to thank everyone at
Swinton that made me feel so welcome especially the media man there who
introduced himself to me. I will definitely be visiting Swinton again as they
do struggle crowd wise (averaging only about 400 per game) so therefore, I
encourage you to visit also. They really do offer a cheap yet enjoyable match day experience.
Ground: - 8/10 – Nice little
place, good atmosphere.
Programme:
- 5/10 – Not the best but not the
worst.
Food:
- 8/10 – Really nice.
Match: - 8/10 – Good game.
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