Since retiring, I have been able to get to more Leigh Leopards matches. I do not travel to many away games, but I follow the team wherever I happen to be. With a season ticket in my pocket, match night has become one of the regular pleasures of retirement.

There is always a sense of anticipation as the ground begins to fill: the mascots working the touchline, supporters finding their seats and that first glimpse of the players on the field. I had a new Leigh top for the occasion, so I was certainly dressed for it.

Leigh Leopards mascots greeting supporters beside the pitch
The mascots making their way along the touchline.
The Leigh Leopards team gathered on the pitch before play
The team on the field and the evening beginning.

The big guns were out

Leigh named a strong side for the night. Looking down the team sheet, all the big guns were out doing what they do best. Josh Charnley opened the scoring after nine minutes and Joe Ofahengaue added another try after 24. Adam Cook supplied the goals, and by half-time Leigh held a narrow two-point lead.

The match-night squad

Leigh Leopards

  1. 1 David Armstrong
  2. 19 Innes Senior
  3. 23 Andrew Badrock
  4. 4 Umyla Hanley
  5. 5 Josh Charnley
  6. 6 Adam Cook
  7. 7 Lachlan Lam
  8. 8 Joe Ofahengaue
  9. 17 Liam Horne
  10. 10 Robbie Mulhern
  11. 12 Owen Trout
  12. 15 Jacob Alick-Wiencke
  13. 25 Louis Brogan

Subs—all used
9 Edwin Ipape · 13 Isaac Liu · 16 Matt Davis · 21 Gareth O’Brien

18th man—not used
24 Ben McNamara

Also in the 21-player squad
22 Jack Hughes · 28 Ryan Brown · 29 Will Brough

My half-time view, with Leigh holding a two-point lead.

The try that lifted the ground

Andrew Badrock scored after 48 minutes. From my seat I was too far away to see every detail clearly, but I did not care—it was a try, and the crowd erupted. That sudden roar is one of the reasons live rugby cannot be replaced by simply reading the result afterwards. You feel the moment with everybody around you.

Leigh Leopards attacking close to the York Knights try line
Leigh on the attack as the floodlights came on.

David Armstrong crossed after 64 minutes, Adam Cook finished with three goals from five attempts, and Leigh saw out a 22–10 victory. It was a good, convincing result against York Knights and another enjoyable night with the team I support.

How Leigh scored

Four tries. Three goals. One good night.

9'Josh Charnley

24'Joe Ofahengaue

48'Andrew Badrock

64'David Armstrong

Goals: Adam Cook 3 from 5

Following Leigh wherever I am

Supporting a team is not limited to the nights when you are inside the stadium. During my recent camping trip to Ullswater, I streamed a Leigh match on a tablet because the campsite had Wi-Fi. I sat outside the tent with a bottle of Newcastle Brown and followed the match from there.

It was very different from being close to the pitch, but the interest and the nerves were exactly the same. Whether I am in my season-ticket seat or watching beside a tent in the Lake District, I am still following Leigh.

A Leigh rugby match streaming on a tablet beside a Newcastle Brown at the campsite
Following Leigh from Ullswater—rugby, a tablet and a bottle of brown.
Rugby league is more than eighty minutes. It is the anticipation, the shared roar, the conversations afterwards—and knowing I will be back for the next one.

Retirement gives you the chance to make more room for the things you enjoy. For me, Leigh Leopards are part of that life: a season ticket, a familiar ground, a team to follow and another story to bring home.