Leigh Genesis F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Leigh Genesis


fullname = Leigh Genesis Football Club
nickname = The Leythers
founded = 1896 (as Horwich Railway Mechanics Institute)
ground = Hilton Park, Leigh
capacity = 10,000
chairman = Dominic Speakman
manager = Steve Bleasdale
league = Northern Premier League Premier Division
season = 2007-08
position = Conference North, 22nd (relegated)
pattern_la1=_blackshoulders|pattern_b1=_thinblacksides|pattern_ra1=_blackshoulders
leftarm1=FDF7EE|body1=FDF7EE|rightarm1=FDF7EE|shorts1=251706|socks1=251706
pattern_la2=_whiteshoulders|pattern_b2=_thinwhitesides|pattern_ra2=_whiteshoulders
leftarm2=2D569B|body2=2D569B|rightarm2=2D569B|shorts2=2D569B|socks2=2D569B

Leigh Genesis Football Club, formerly known as Horwich Railway Mechanics Institute F.C. (Horwich RMI) and Leigh Railway Mechanics Institute F.C. (Leigh RMI), are an English semi-professional association football team that plays in the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League as of the 2008–09 season. The club is based in Leigh, Greater Manchester (historically in Lancashire).

History

The club was founded in 1896 and was initially known as Horwich RMI F.C., the club's name until 1995 when it relocated to Leigh and was renamed Leigh RMI.cite web
last = Rundle
first = Richard
coauthors =
title = Leigh R M I
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Football Club History Database
date =
url = http://www.fchd.info/LEIGHRMI.HTM
accessdate = 2007-10-04 ] Its name was changed again in June 2008 when the club became Leigh Genesis FC.cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Leigh Genesis FC - A New Beginning
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Non-League Daily
date = 2008-06-11
url = http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=50616
accessdate = 2008-06-12 ]

Founding and early years

RMI was one of two football clubs founded at the locomotive-building works of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway; it was started at the main works in Horwich. The other club was started at the Newton Heath works and later became known, and famous, as Manchester United.cite web
last = Longmore
first = Andrew
coauthors =
title = Football: Bring on the aristocrats
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = The Independent
date = 1998-11-08
url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19981108/ai_n14191268
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ] RMI played in various non-professional conferences over its first 90 years of existence, primarily in the Lancashire Combination, before moving into the newly formed North West Counties League in 1982,cite web
last = Rundle
first = Richard
coauthors =
title = Horwich R M I
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Football Club History Database
date =
url = http://www.fchd.info/HORWICRM.HTM
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ] and then onto the Northern Premier League the next year.cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Leigh RMI Club Profile
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Ciderspace: The Independent Yeovil Town FC Website
date =
url = http://www.ciderspace.co.uk/ASP/opposition/leighrmi.asp
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ] Manager Les Rigby led RMI to the final of the GMAC Cup in 1988 against Weymouth, which was played on the sloping pitch of Grundy Hill. The home advantage was credited by many, including Rigby, for spurring RMI's victory in the match.cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Les Rigby obituary
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = The Bolton News
date = 1996-03-16
url = http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/1996/3/16/856955.html
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ]

Move to Leigh

During the 1994-1995 season,cite web
last = Latham
first = Mike
coauthors =
title = Traveler's Tale No. 58
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Football Grounds in Focus
date = 2006-11-02
url = http://footballgroundsinfocus.com/TT67058.htm
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ] the club realised their ground Grundy Hill would not be able to help the clubs' prospects of achieving success up the football pyramid, made the decision to relocate from Horwich seven miles south to Hilton Park in Leigh, home of the rugby league club Leigh Centurions. As part of this deal, a new company, "Grundy Hill Estates", was formed to take over the ownership of the shared ground.cite web
last = "KirkhallLaner"
first =
coauthors =
title = Leigh RMI
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Football Ground Guide
date = 2006-10-07
url = http://footballgroundguide.ipbhost.com/lofiversion/index.php/t10718.html
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ] Once the move had been finalised and agreements had been made to share the 10,000 capacity stadium, the club officially changed their name to Leigh RMI to reflect their new surroundings. RMI lost its first match at Hilton Park in March 1995 to Boston United 4-0, and ended up being relegated at the end of the 1995 season.

In 2000, five years after this move, Leigh RMI reached the top tier of the Conference, the highest level of non-league football in England. After a few seasons at this level, and despite the fact that things seemed to be going well for the club on the pitch, Leigh RMI faced a placement in the new Conference North division for 2004-05 due to their second from the bottom finish in the 2003-04 season. The club was spared relegation that season due to two factors: that the lack of a promotable Northern Premier League club kept the team finished above in the table them from relegation and that Margate were demoted from the Conference for failing to meet ground standards. Leigh RMI's reprieve only lasted one season, however, as they were relegated after finishing bottom of the Conference table in 2004-05 with only 18 points from 42 games.cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Leigh RMI League history
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Official Leigh R.M.I. website at FootyMad.net
date =
url = http://www.leighrmi-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadlghs.asp
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ]

The season after this relegation, Leigh RMI hosted F.C. United of Manchester, the football club started in reaction to the purchase of Manchester United by American businessman Malcolm Glazer, for FCUM's first ever match in July 2005, a friendly that ended in 0-0 draw.cite web
last = Lawton
first = Matt
coauthors =
title = Leigh RMI vs. FC United of Manchester preview
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Unofficial RMI Online
date = 2006-08-03
url = http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s195/st101624.htm
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ] Leigh RMI's ownership had previously offered to merge with FCUM prior to this friendly in 2005, but the clubs decided against such a merger. "It would seem hypocritical to some degree, in light of the Glazer events, if a team came into being by taking over another club," said Chairman of RMI Supporters' Club Peter Lowe at the time.cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = FC United in Leigh RMI merger talks
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = The Lancashire Telegraph
date = 2005-06-22
url = http://archive.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/2005/6/22/431816.html
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ]

The 2005-06 season saw the club finish second from bottom in the Conference North, and the club thereby faced relegation to the Northern Premier League, but RMI gained yet another reprieve from relegation after Canvey Island resigned from the Conference National. In the 2006-07 campaign, RMI avoided relegation more easily, despite finishing 17th and in the bottom half of Conference North. As of 6 October 2007, Leigh RMI were again facing a relegation fight as they stood on the threshold of the relegation zone in 19th place.cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Football Conference - League Table - Conference North
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Football Conference
date =
url = http://www.footballconference.co.uk/Table/FC_League_Table_Page/0,14387,2821,00.html
accessdate = 2007-10-06 ] RMI removed manager Stuart Humphreys and his assistant Andy Roscoe on 15 October 2007 and hired Steve Bleasdale to manage due to "the fact of the current low league position and falling gates something had to be done rapidly to improve our prospects," according to a club spokesman.cite web
last = Walker
first = Stan
coauthors =
title = Leigh RMI FC Part Company with Humphreys
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Official Leigh R.M.I. website at FootyMad.net
date = 2007-10-15
url = http://www.leighrmi-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=358218
accessdate = 2007-10-16 ]

Genesis

In May 2008 Leigh RMI lost their fight for survival and were relegated to the Northern Premier League. In June 2008 the club was renamed Leigh Genesis to signify a "new beginning" for the club ahead of its move to the Leigh Sports Village. The rebranding was also used to signify chairman Dominic Speakman's restructuring of the ailing club with the view of taking the club forward.

The club has introduced new colours to their kit for the 2008-09 season. The home kit comprises white shirts with black trim, black shorts and black socks, while the away kit is all blue with white trim. Both kits will be manufactured by Nike and neither will have a sponsor, instead bearing the new Genesis name.cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Shop Home
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Official Leigh Genesis F.C. website
date =
url = http://shop.leighgenesis.com/
accessdate = 2008-10-07 ] The kit colours were changed as part of the "Genesis" branding and to stand out from the many clubs in Lancashire with red kits.

It is said that the club had desired the colour of their home kit to be primarily black. However under current rules it is not permitted for clubs playing in divisions lower than The Football League to do so due to comparisons with the colours worn during a match by the match officials.

upporters

After moving from Grundy Hill in Horwich, this club's support has always been considered light.

Horwich's traumatic move to Leigh involved a far greater leap than a mere six-mile journey south west. Unsigned boundaries were crossed. Horwich is Bolton Wanderers and football; Leigh is in the Borough of Wigan and rugby league.

With Leigh being known as a rugby league town, and the numerous Premier League football sides on the club's doorstep, not only Bolton Wanderers, but also Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, and Manchester United, Leigh RMI averaged attendances of approximately 250 people per game in 2007.cite web
last = Kempster
first = Tony
coauthors =
title = Leigh RMI Attendances
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Tony's English Football Site
date =
url = http://www.tonykempster.co.uk/confnatt.htm?team=107
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ] Work is almost complete on a new 10,000 seat stadium for the club as part of the Leigh Sports Village, a sporting development project sponsored by the Wigan Council for the town of Leigh. In the same vein as Hilton Park, the new stadium will be shared with Leigh Centurions, and the majority of the stadium being seated, although one end of the stadium will be a terraced area due to the demands of supporters of both clubs.

FA Cup exploits

As Horwich RMI, the club only made the FA Cup First Round proper twice. In the 1928-29 season, RMI lost to Scarborough at home 1-2, and 54 years later, in 1982, they lost at Blackpool 3-0.

Since relocating to Leigh, the club have reached the FA Cup First Round on three occasions. The first came in the 1998-1999 season when RMI defeated Winsford, Worksop, and Droylsden, the last two by the same scoreline, 2- 1, to meet Fulham, then in Division Two, at Craven Cottage. Leigh achieved a 1-1 draw against Fulham in the club's first FA Cup first round appearance in 16 years, and received attention of the British media. Leigh goalkeeper David Felgate, who was then 38 years old, received wide-spread plaudits for his sparkling performance in the Fulham match,cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Meat pie, sausage roll, hefty Dave's great in goal!
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = The Bolton News
date = 1998-11-18
url = http://archive.theboltonnews.co.uk/1998/11/18/786829.html
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ] which prompted then-Fulham boss Kevin Keegan to declare that Felgate's goalkeeping was "the best I've ever seen at any level."cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Felgate's finest hour
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = The Bolton News
date = 1998-11-16
url = http://archive.theboltonnews.co.uk/1998/11/16/786990.html
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ]

The RMI-Fulham replay at Hilton Park, which was televised and shown live on Sky Sports,cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Keegan back at Hilton Park
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = The Leigh Journal
date = 2004-07-29
url = http://archive.leighjournal.co.uk/2004/7/29/477245.html
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ] ended with Leigh losing 0-2. RMI's Cup defeat witnessed by a club record crowd of 7,125 spectators.

Leigh's second FA Cup First Round appearance in the 2000-01 season also ended in defeat. They lost 3-0 to Millwall who at that time were in Division Two. On police advice, the venue for this match was switched from Hilton Park to The New Den in Bermondsey, Millwall's home ground.

A third appearance in the FA Cup First Round Proper also ended in defeat for Leigh with a 2-1 defeat away to Conference South side Cambridge City in the 2004-05 season. This followed RMI's victory at Accrington Stanley in the Fourth Qualifying Round that year.

Grounds

*Grundy Hill 1896-1995 "(as Horwich RMI)"
*Hilton Park 1995-date
*New stadium at Leigh Sports Village "(estimated opening in 2008)"

Players

"As of August 21, 2008:"cite web
title = Leigh RMI squad details
publisher = Official Leigh R.M.I. website at FootyMad.net
url = http://www.leighrmi-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadpsqd.asp
accessdate = 2007-10-02 ]

Current squad

Former players

* David Felgate - former Wales and Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper
* Steve Jones - Northern Ireland and Burnley striker
* Gary Kelly - former Bury and Oldham Athletic goalkeeper
* David McNiven - Stafford Rangers striker
* Michael Twiss - former Manchester United midfielder and striker, now playing in League Two with Morecambe

:"See also "

Management and Coaching Staff

*Chairman:
** Dominic Speakman

*General Manager:Mary Croasdale

*Commercial Manager:Donna Middleton

*Manager:
** Steve Bleasdale

*Assistant Manager:Brett Harris

*Physio/Strength & Conditioning: Terry O'Brien

*Team Performance Co-ordinator: James Standing

Club Records

*Record Win: 19-1 vs Nelson, 1964 "(Lancashire Combination)"
*Record Defeat: 1-9 vs Brandon United, "(FA Cup)"
*Record Home Crowd at Grundy Hill, Horwich: 8,500 vs Wigan Athletic, 1954
*Record Home Crowd at Hilton Park, Leigh: 7,125 vs Fulham, 1998 "(FA Cup)"
*Best League Finish: Northern Premier League Champions, 1999-2000 cite web
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Leigh RMI Team Records
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Official Leigh Genesis website
date =
url = http://www.leighgenesis.com
accessdate = 2007-10-03 ]

Honours

References

External links

* [http://www.leighgenesis.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s195.htm Fansite]